Review Of Preben Ormen’s Mystery Book “White Jaguar”
White Jaguar by Preben Ormen is a police procedural mystery set in the vibrant city of Merida – capital of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
The weather is tropic, and the wildlife is exotic. One hot and humid morning a farmer stops to relieve himself on the side of the road and discovers a dead body. Inspector Marco Nayal of the Mexican Federal Police is summoned to the scene, and he soon discovers that the victim is not just any dead body lying in a swamp. He’s forced to use everything from guesswork to psychotropic drugs to unravel this dead man’s mystery and in the process, Inspector Nayal realizes that his impatient Comisario is not the only reason he needs to move fast. The Federal Police is in a race against time with an unknown and vicious opponent, who will do anything to find some answers of their own.
The author’s writing style is very visual and events develop quickly. To suit the Mexican setting, the writer employed a local Spanish dialect that the characters speak often. This made the reading authentic and relatable in a very interesting way. The florid imagery and peculiar scenes were so captivating that I almost found myself wistful for some Mexican sun. The third-person narrative of the story was also constructive; it reports the mystery as Inspector Marco Nayal experiences it, in a hard-hitting, aggressive and unusual technique that any thrill-lover will enjoy. Most of the puzzles were narrated and solved by the dialogue; question and answer style. The conversation was definitely an enabler of the plot, but I found it a bit hard to follow in some of the dialogue and brainstorming sessions, as well as other areas where the author tried to describe location. People who are, to some extent, familiar with police work and procedure (or the Mexican city of Merida) will find the language much easier to read. Regardless, where it was less foreign, the dialogue was helpful and it carried me methodically through the twists and developments of the story.
White Jaguar was a great introduction to Mexican culture and police procedural work. However, I felt that the story became a bit far-fetched towards the end. At a point, I could no longer connect to the urgency the author was suggesting. There was even the obligatory twist at the end which I fully expected, along with a few other cliché details. Ironically, without them, the story might not have had any substance at all. I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. I give it 2 stars and not 3 because the story fell short of an impressive read. It was creative and business-like; fitting for a police drama. The mystery was well thought out but poorly delivered. The clues linked seamlessly until the plot began to feel rushed. The characters were likable and realistic but I suspect that a reader would need other parts of the Inspector Nayal series by Preben Ormen to fully understand them. Readers who enjoy action-packed crime fiction, suspense and adventure will enjoy this book. If you prefer a more cozy and laid-back mystery, I would not recommend this book.
