A Risky Yet Worthwhile Endeavor

By: Jaime Perez

Narrated by: Scott Ellis

After seeing a mug shot on the local evening news of a familiar looking man who had just escaped from a nearby prison, part-time freelance journalist Alfredo Alvarez believes he has the chance to write his most important article yet. Alfredo's instincts tell him that the man on the run was wrongfully convicted, but he realizes he will have to go to great lengths to uncover the real story.

Assuming the escapee has fled across the Texas-Mexico border, Alfredo accepts the fact that an ill-advised visit across the bridge may be his best chance to get the information he needs to help him construct his journalistic masterpiece and, more importantly, to possibly prove a shamed man's innocence. What he finds out on his perilous visit south of the border is much more than he expected, and he soon learns that discovering ones past can often help shape ones future and that sometimes taking a chance is the right thing to do.

In this novel, a journalist pursues the story of an escaped fugitive he believes was wrongfully convicted and is surprised by his unlikely findings.

©2016 Jaime Perez (P)2022 Jaime Perez

"The Most Important Story Never Told"

I recently had the pleasure of reading A Risky Yet Worthwhile Endeavor, a romantic mystery set in South Texas, and I have to say, it was an absolute delight! From start to finish, the author had me completely engrossed in the story and invested in the characters.

Firstly, the setting was wonderfully portrayed. The descriptions of the wonderful food, cultural landscapes and the hot, humid weather made me feel like I was right there in South Texas/Northern Mexico myself. Mr. Perez really captured the essence of the place and brought it to life on the page.

The characters were also incredibly well-developed and relatable. The romantic tension between Alfredo and Iris was palpable and kept me eagerly turning the pages/pressing play to see how their relationship would unfold. The mystery at the heart of the story was intriguing and kept me guessing until the very end.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the way the author seamlessly blended romance and mystery together. The romantic elements never felt cheesy or over-the-top, and the mystery was suspenseful without ever feeling contrived. In fact, the main plot device is similar to the real-life cases being investigated by The Innocence Project.

Performance Note: Scott Ellis lends his amazing voice to this production. Although he struggled with the Spanish pronunciation a few times, his voice is always clear, crisp, and articulate. The audiobook pacing was also a bit slow for me but was easily remedied by speeding up the narrator. I found a speed between 1.4x and 1.6x is perfect for A Risky Yet Worthwhile Endeavor and creates the sweet spot for a smooth and natural rhythm.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or a heartwarming romance. The combination of the two makes for a truly satisfying read. Jaime Perez’s skillful writing and attention to detail make this book an absolute must-read for anyone looking for a romantic mystery set in the beautiful landscape of South Texas.