High Country Nocturne: A David Mapstone Mystery    by Jon Talton Order:  USA  Can Poisoned Pen, 2015 (2015) Hardcover, Softcover, CD, e-Book      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Private Investigator, former Maricopa County Sheriff, Mike Peralta is the prime suspect in the theft of a cache of diamonds – security cameras have caught him the in act of shooting one of the guards as he grabs the bags of stones and takes off running. Pretty cut and dried. His business partner, David Mapstone, is left in a quandary. Does he follow Mike into the mountainous High Country of Arizona to find out what really happened or does he cooperate with the FBI who have put out a bulletin asking for help in finding the man. David is sure that there is no way Mike is implicated in the theft – regardless of the security tape. David's wife Lindsey is a skilled hacker. He is sure she can be of great help in tracking down Mike. However she is shot by another figure who has entered the picture, a rogue FBI employee. High Country Nocturne by Jon Talton starts off running and doesn't stop until the surprising denoument. The action continues from page to page. David is given the time to sort out his emotions about his beloved wife's shooting, hanging on to life by her fingernails. We are treated to David's musing about the days of old in Phoenix, what it is like today, and the uncaring decimation of the ecology of this city. We also recognize the infighting between officers of different jurisdictions claiming the case as their own. Looking for that chance to enhance their puffed-up reputations. A fine read – as are all of Jon Talton's works. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews