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Using the unusual condition of prosopagnosia (the inability to recognize people by their faces), first-time author Lance Hawvermale has created a fascinating new mystery set at the Atacama Desert of Chile. PhD candidate Gabe Traylin is there to work in his chosen field of astronomy. Outside the observatory one night, he encounters a strange event and a potential crime.
Due to his limitations in describing the individual or what exactly happened and with only a few drops of blood left behind as evidence for the police to gather, Gabe decides to pursue the mystery on his own. As might be expected, danger lurks around every corner, particularly for Gabe, who can't recognize anyone by sight. The killer could be standing right next to him, and he wouldn't have a clue.
As a result, Gabe ends up relying on the help of others along the way. Eventually he teams up with three unlikely individuals -- a down-on-his-luck science fiction novelist, his fan (a young man with Down syndrome), and the fan's sister. The story of the novelist, brother, and sister runs parallel at the beginning of the novel, although the two storylines ultimately intersect to provide the answers to just what happened that night.
Some of the answers relate to an era in Chile's political history, to the time of the "disappeared" and the tactics of Pinochet's brutal regime. While crucial to the motivations of the killer, this backdrop is spare. Also left without full explanation is the circumstance in which the brother can only read what the SciFi novelist writes and nothing else.
Overall, however, this is a gripping mystery, with plenty of adventure in a very interesting setting. In addition the use of "face blindness," is an intriguing twist that makes this mystery stand out in a crowded genre.
§ Christine Zibas is a freelance writer and former director of publications for a Chicago nonprofit.
Reviewed by Christine Zibas, October 2016
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