Rockets’ Red Glare
The Sage Mendiluze Series • Book 1
by Dick Lochte, William Webster
Why You'll Love This
A tribal deputy and his dog hike into sniper country — and the killers are already watching.
- Great if you want: rugged outdoor crime fiction with a distinctive, grounded protagonist
- The experience: fast-moving and kinetic — the wilderness setting keeps tension coiled tight
- The writing: Lochte and Webster balance procedural precision with sharp, spare action beats
- Skip if: you prefer psychological introspection over plot-driven momentum
About This Book
When two wilderness guides are shot dead at a remote campsite, the trail of evidence leads straight onto Wyoming's Wind River Indian Reservation — and into the kind of case that doesn't stay contained. Tribal Police Deputy Sage Mendiluze heads into the rugged backcountry to find answers, and nearly doesn't come back. What begins as a local investigation expands into something far more dangerous, with a body count climbing across national parks and a pair of killers who seem always one calculated step ahead. The stakes are personal, the terrain is unforgiving, and Sage is exactly the kind of protagonist you trust to walk into trouble with his eyes open.
What distinguishes this book is the texture of its setting and the confidence of its pacing. Lochte and Webster write the wilderness as a living, threatening presence rather than a backdrop, and Sage feels genuinely embedded in that world — his instincts, his relationships, his dog Peak all carry weight. The collaboration produces prose that moves efficiently without feeling thin, building tension through accumulation rather than cheap shock. For readers who want a thriller grounded in a specific place and a credible lead character, this opening installment earns its momentum.