Bob Wince, an Albuquerque building contractor, is sentenced to the New Mexico State Penitentiary for a crime he didnt commit. He is mysteriously granted an early release and declares he is fed up with accidents, or fate, running his life. Associating himself with the minor crooks and major scammers who gather at his fathers restaurant, Dimmies Half-Off, Wince vows to re-establish his life and exact revenge on those who set him up originally. This means working the system, and, according to Richard Pecks "Dead Pawn," thats what New Mexico is all about. From Albuquerque to Gallup, to the Navajo reservation and beyond, Peck introduces sleazy operators and hustlers in every line of work. Its a rich cast of charactersAnglos, Hispanics, Native Americanswho populate New Mexicos tangled sub-cultures. The priciest antique turquoise jewelry could have been made last week in Mahmad Khalils Gallup factory; Maria Morales may be named Hispanic Businesswoman of the Year, but shes still Maria Losinsky, Hispanic only through a brief marriage to Ernie Morales. From the moment you begin "Dead Pawn," its mordant humor and crisp language will change the way you see New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment.Richard Pecks "Dead Pawn" is a suspense-filled mystery that is hard to put down. The story is replete with Elmore Leonardlike characters whose quirky personalities make Pecks novel a real page-turner. "Dead Pawn" takes the reader deep into the New Mexico criminal and power broker sub-cultures, leaving the impression that the good guys have no way out of a hopeless quagmireuntil the very end. I cant wait for the sequel.Joseph Badal, author of "The Pythagorean Solution"