The Land Grant

In this gritty legal thriller from Cisneros, his third after The Case Runner and The Name Partner, Brownsville, Tex., lawyer Alejandro “Alex” Del Fuerte takes the biggest case of his life: reclaiming a disputed tract of land rich with oil, worth billions. Ambitious, materialistic Alex can’t help himself. Never mind that the suit involves the bishop who’s lined up to officiate at his upcoming marriage, and never mind that the two previous attorneys who worked on it have met dubious ends. Ignoring these warning signs, Alex finds himself embroiled in a complicated web of payoffs, conspiracy, and violence. In the troubled, dusty border region of South Texas, corruption and violence aren’t isolated forces to be wrestled with and conquered by our hero but a pervasive condition. Alex is no white knight, but he’s sympathetic enough that the harsh denouement will leave readers shaken. The book’s grim momentum makes up for some pedestrian prose. (Sept.)