Books like The Last King of Texas by Rick Riordan

In the third Tres Navarre mystery, an academic takes on a reluctant chair in medieval studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio, only to be thrust into a deadly investigation. A bomb in the dean’s office forces him to accept the role, and he discovers that the previous occupants of the chair met violent ends. Tres quickly learns that the second victim’s father, Jeremiah Brandon, the ruthless amusement‑park ride manufacturer dubbed the “King of the Carnivals,” was murdered years earlier. The prime suspect is former employee gang member Zeta Sanchez, who once believed Jeremiah was sleeping with his wife. After spending years on the run and in a Mexican jail, Sanchez is now spotted in the region, prompting a shoot‑out that leads to his arrest. With the help of tough homicide detective Ana DeLeon and other morally ambiguous allies, Tres navigates a complex vortex of family feuds, missing persons, and heroin trafficking, all set against the vibrant backdrop of San Antonio’s Latino and Anglo cultures and its Tex‑Mex cuisine.

First publish date: 2000