WESTSIDE STORY

A Los Angeles deputy sheriff set his sights on solving a hit-and-run that took the life of an undocumented immigrant.

Eighteen-year-old Stefan Thurston seemingly has it all: intelligence, good looks, family wealth, and a spot at Stanford University in his future, as long as he keeps his life on track. After a Fourth of July party at the house of rich friends, he and his 16-year-old sister, Fanny, an aspiring social-media influencer, are heading home down the Pacific Coast Highway. When they feel something hit their car, they pull over to investigate but find nothing, although they can see that vehicle is clearly damaged. To protect Fanny from getting in trouble with their parents (she wasn’t supposed to be behind the wheel), Stef claims that he was driving the car. What neither sibling knows is that they accidentally hit and killed Ramon Montez, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala. LA County Deputy Sheriff Danilo “Dan” Guerrero is assigned to the case. The lawman, disillusioned by a justice system that repeatedly favors the privileged, is intent on getting justice for Ramon’s death. His quest leads him to Otis Swanson, an unhoused man who may have witnessed what happened. However, before Dan can get the full story, Otis turns up dead with alcohol in his system—an odd circumstance, given that everyone who knew him insists he didn’t drink. Dan’s search for answers soon leads him to the Thurstons’ door. As he builds his case, the book explores the problems that many unhoused people face in America. Nimm’s plot loses some momentum in the final act, particularly with the introduction of Stef’s love interest, Raff, whose appearance in the story feels more like a distraction than an important development. Still, the novel presents readers with a pointed exploration of class and privilege in Los Angeles alongside the mystery. Nimm tackles such concepts with insight and a clear and consistent, if occasionally heavy-handed, style. A solid twist in the final pages helps to bring the story to a satisfying close.

An often compelling crime story that effectively addresses difficult themes.