PROLONGED EXPOSURE

Jerked back to New Mexico's Posadas County while he's recovering from surgery at his daughter's place in Michigan, Undersheriff Bill Gastner (Privileged to Kill, 1997, etc.) finds that, yes, his neighbor Florencio Apodaca has indeed buried his ancient wife Gloria on Bill's property, much to the outrage of Gloria's stepson Stanley Willit and the bemusement of Bill himself. More urgently, Tiffany Cole's three-year-old son Cody has wandered off on Cat Mesa, with every indication of foul play, and detective chief Estelle Reyes-Guzman's son Francis is snatched from his house soon after. What gives? Not as much as you might like, despite some smart detective work from Estelle, whose lightning readings of crime scenes put her head and shoulders above aging, likable Bill. Maybe he should retire and let her take over the franchise.