Federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas is trying unsuccessfully to soothe her fussy six month old daughter Maya when she hears sirens in her neighborhood.  Despite the late hour, she bundles Maya into her stroller and takes off to investigate.  Bluffing her way onto the nearby crime scene, she discovers that Jed Benson, a wealthy attorney, has been gruesomely murdered.  Because of her inadvertent early involvement in the investigation, Melanie convinces her volatile boss Bernadette to assign her the case, despite her junior status in the in the PA’s office.   

Pretty soon Melanie wonders whatever possessed her to volunteer for this all-consuming, convoluted case.  While everyone around her insists Benson’s murder is delayed retaliation for the former prosecutor’s breaking up a major drug gang years ago, Melanie doesn’t agree.  Her stubborn insistence on bucking the obvious investigative path causes major tension with her boss, who threatens the loss of Melanie’s job if she doesn’t make a quick arrest.  Meanwhile, finding the perpetrator becomes more and more urgent, as whoever killed Jed is grimly determined to eliminate all remaining witnesses.  Melanie’s personal life was already in turmoil since the recent discovery of her husband’s infidelity, and the long hours on the case are wreaking havoc on her child care arrangements.  Most disturbingly, she quickly develops feelings for her partner in the investigation, FBI Agent Dan O’Reilly, that are neither professional nor welcome – but are undeniable nonetheless.   

There’s a lot going on in the novel’s 350+ pages and for the most part Martinez juggles the multiple aspects of the plot well.  Melanie is quickly established as a gutsy, strong-willed Latina heroine who has not quite left behind her poverty-stricken Brooklyn roots and the tragedy that tore apart her parents’ marriage.  Her interactions with her family and co-workers ring true, especially the complex relationship between the ambitious young prosecutor and the tough-as-nails, jaded boss with a hint of hidden vulnerability.  Melanie’s anguish over her deteriorating relationship with her husband and her hesitation regarding her strong attraction to Dan O’Reilly are also well-developed. 

  The suspense aspect of the novel isn’t quite as successful.  The case builds slowly and doesn’t really catch fire until the end of the story.  Ms. Martinez needs to learn that piling on more dead bodies does not substitute for crafting a complex, satisfying plot.  However, I will admit that the last 30 pages, when Melanie comes face to face with the killer, are breathtakingly suspenseful.   

Martinez’ writing style is competent but somewhat stilted.  It reads like the work of someone who hasn’t quite left the legal world behind for the literary one.  The author’s website promises that Most Wanted is just the first in a series of books about Melanie Vargas, and there’s room for both the author and the character to grow.  I’d like to see more of a focus on the actual prosecution of the crime; given Martinez’ considerable professional experience, it would seem eminently logical to incorporate more courtroom scenes into the next novel.  I can’t say I’m waiting with bated breath to see what happens to our intrepid heroine, but I wouldn’t mind reading at least one more installment in the series.   

One sidebar note that I can’t help feeling as a mother: Melanie needs to start working on those work/family issues.  Sooner or later that adorable little girl of hers is going to be walking, talking and missing her Mama, and leaving her with a babysitter 12 hours each day won’t be a viable option.  I couldn’t help feeling sorry for baby Maya every time Melanie decided to work late, and I hope her needs are not ignored in future stories.  I guess if I’m that concerned about a fictional character, Michele Martinez has done a good job at drawing me in!   

--Susan Scribner