Davidson’s debut offers a humane story of friendship, familial bonds, old vendettas, and mystery, all set against the flats of Southwest Texas, where dark clouds are “the only thing breaking what appeared to be a limitless horizon.” A storm certainly is gathering: former pro-baseball player Chris Hamilton travels to Laredo after receiving word that his mentor, Armando “Chico” Guerra, has suddenly died. The death has been ruled natural—Armando was found in the desert, miles out of town—but family employee Edurado suspects murder, and Armando’s sisters insist that Chris is welcomed into the Casa de la Guerra. Though Chris only intended to stay in town for a day to pay his respects, he is compelled to stay until the mystery is solved and his friend's killer is brought to justice.

Davidson does an exceptional job with character development throughout this story. Themes of romance, family, friendship, and community enrich a story rich in Hispanic tradition and culture, as Chris launches an amateur investigation. Chris must look up a "ghost" from his past, and soon discovers that uncovering more about his mentor's life also uncovers aspects of his own family– and a reminder that family is who you make it, and that it’s never too late to fix broken bonds.

Tree of Redemption is a slow burning thriller that will pique the interest of readers who favor character-driven drama with elements of empathetic literary fiction over plot-first thrillers. Davidson creates a protagonist that readers will find highly relatable and endearing, bringing his milieu and relationships to life with telling detail, engaging dialogue, and a welcome sense of life as it’s actually lived. Readers will find themselves just as invested in finding out whodunit as with how everything will work out for Chris and his newfound friendships in the end. This mystery thoughtfully crosses genres as well as cultures, and will hold attention until the satisfying conclusion.

Takeaway: A culture-crossing Texas mystery, rich in character, connection, revenge, and romance.

Great for fans of: Lisa Jewell’s Then She Was Gone, Sarah Pinborough’s Behind Her Eyes.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A