Storm Runners by T. Jefferson Parker

T. Jefferson Parker has written an excellent story that is one of the highlights of this genre. He boldly offers the basis of the plot in the first sentence of the book: “Stromsoe was in high school when he met the boy who would someday murder his wife and son.” Matt Stromsoe is the protagonist and Mike Tavarez becomes his enemy. Matt was the high school drum major who was harassed by the other high school boys, but he was defended and protected by Tavarez who went on to become El Jefe, head of a powerful Mexican crime organization. But, Stromsoe becomes a cop rather than follow Tavarez into crime. In high school, there were both in love with the same high school honey, Hallie. Initially, she chose Tavarez, but after he badly abused her, she left him for Stromsoe. Hallie and Stromsoe were married and had a child, Billy, and they led an idyllic life until Stromsoe set a plan in action to capture Tavarez. While Tavarez escaped, his girlfriend his killed. He then sought revenge against Stromsoe, but his efforts to kill Stromsoe also missed. While Stromsoe was badly injured by a bomb, he lived and it was his wife and son that were mistakenly killed. Tavarez was convicted of murder and was sent to jail forever, where he continued to run his crime organization. Stromsoe was not beyond Tavarez’s reach. That information is all backstory for the current action in this book. The title comes from the real action that centers around rainmaking, aka “moisture acceleration.” Frankie Hatfield is the San Diego weather lady, the granddaughter of Charley Hatfield who was once run out of San Diego for making too much rain for the city. She is in competition with a bad guy at the Department of Water and Power who wants water to remain a scarcity and thereby protect his own territory as the man who brings water to Southern California, not a position he wants to share with anyone. Stromsoe, back in San Diego from a two-year hiatus in which he physically and emotionally recovers from his own injuries, is called on to protect Frankie from a stalker. Of course, Frankie and Stromsoe become an item. Maybe the most unbelievable part of the book is that she is a beautiful woman who, at 38 years of age is still a virgin, until her encounters with Stromsoe. The story weaves Tavarez back into the scene since he wants to kill anyone that Stromsoe loves. This is a fast-paced story and it was hard to put down – a very good and entertaining read. Now, I have to decide what my next Parker novel will be.