Mystery

Review: A Shadow of Jaguars by D.C. Frost

October 28, 2026

Synopsis:

In Mexico City for a family funeral, Detective DJ Arias encounters a group of Robin Hood-style thieves who call themselves the Jaguars. Their activities reach across the border into Los Angeles with a Hollywood murder that entangles LA’s elite and the nannies, housekeepers, and gardeners who serve them, and threatens DJ’s own loved ones. A sequel to the mystery A Punishing Breed, A Shadow of Jaguars finds DJ and partner Bobby Talbot struggling to untangle a murder where Hollywood, wealthy powerbrokers, and an immigrant population struggle to coexist and survive. Throughout it all, his faithful dog Evidence is by his side.

Review:

After finishing the book, I am still somewhere between “this was interesting” and “I have no idea what I just read.” I appreciated what it was trying to do, and there were a lot of elements that I enjoyed. But I was also overwhelmed by the large cast, and I felt like I struggled to remember who some of the characters were and how they related to each other.

What I did enjoy:

Learning more about the culture
Some of the humour was right up my alley
DJ Arias calling his dog Evidence (I appreciated this)
Sylvia’s efforts to make sure that immigrants are valued and paid fairly (one of my personal highlights)

Hollywood has its secrets, and money influences a lot of decisions. I have no doubt about that. Did everything resonate with me? Not fully, but that may come down to personal preference.

Overall, it was an interesting read that didn’t fully convince me, but I appreciated it for what it was. It was a slightly different reading experience for me.

🌙 Recension: A Shadow of Jaguars (Detective DJ Arias Mysteries #2) by D.C. Frost
📚 Genre: Mystery
📅 Release Date: October 20, 2026
📖 Publisher: Red Hen Press
📗 available in various formats
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 416
⭐️ 3.5/5