I’ll be the first to admit that Buried Seeds: A Yolanda Ávila Mystery isn’t a typical read for me. It covers WWII-adjacent topics. It’s part of a mystery series (which I’m very selective about reading). And, it navigates a lot of current social and political issues that I tend to shy away from.
But when author Verónica Gutiérrez reached out to me about her book, I was really intrigued by her novel’s premise. (And the fact that she and her wife host mixology fundraisers to help nonprofits. How cool is that??)
I’m so glad I took a chance on this book because I really enjoyed reading Buried Seeds.
What’s Buried Seeds about?
This urban mystery follows former LAPD cop-turned private investigator Yolanda Ávila. She lives in Boyle Heights, a section of Los Angeles that sees more than its fair share of immigration issues, injustice, and violence. In Buried Seeds, Yolanda is trying to help two local clients: Gamaliel, an undocumented immigrant facing deportation, and his employer Kinji, a WWII American concentration camp survivor. The stakes intensify – and the body count increases – as Yolanda, her wife Sydney, and their BIPOC crew race to make sure justice is delivered.
Buried Seeds focuses on the intersection of Japanese-American World War II experiences with present-day struggles of Latino immigrants. There are strong themes of found family, inter-generational and inter-ethnic relationships, community activism and support, and the immigration issues that are so prevalent today.
What I liked about Buried Seeds
I love smart and empathetic female leads, and Yolanda Ávila is someone I really enjoyed getting to know. She’s tough, she’s committed to her job, and she’s always ready to help those around her. I loved her relationship with Sydney, which was sweet, supportive, and real. This glimpse into their world made me want to read the first book in the series so I could spend a little more time with them.
Buried Seeds embraces the theme of found family, especially between neighbors and people you interact with on a regular basis. We’re all essentially “neighbors,” even if we don’t live next door to one another, and the relationships between characters are powerful and inspiring. I especially loved the connection between Kinji and Gamaliel.
Let’s get serious for a sec…
Buried Seeds taught me about things I’m not familiar with because 1) I don’t listen to/read the news**, and 2) I’m a white, straight, third generation American. That means I don’t deal with the awful racism and prejudice that so many others do on a regular basis.
Gutiérrez does a wonderful job of making heavy information accessible and easy to digest. I learned a lot while reading this book – but it never once felt like a lesson or a reprimand. Gutiérrez doesn’t lecture, and she doesn’t patronize her reader. She patiently explains things like they are, which made for a refreshing and informative reading experience.
It’s good for me (and for other people like me) to read something like Buried Seeds now and again, even though it puts me out of my comfort zone. Maybe especially because it puts me out of my comfort zone. We all need to remember what it’s like out there for so many people.
Do you need to read the first book in the Yolada Ávila Mystery series?
You don’t need to read the first book, As You Look, in the Yolada Ávila Mystery series in order to enjoy Buried Seeds (book #2). Gutiérrez does a great job of recapping the first book at the beginning of Buried Seeds so you’re up to speed with Book 2.
A lot happens in Buried Seeds over a period of a few days. The sequence of events can be a little overwhelming. There are a few different cases that seemed tied together, and lots of different characters to keep track of. But, Gutiérrez does a good job of reminding the reader of the current stakes. You’ll soon settle into the pattern and be eager to see what happens next.
Should you read Buried Seeds?
You should absolutely read Buried Seeds if you enjoy police procedurals and mystery novels like Raven Black and Echo, and if you want to read eye-opening books like All We Ever Wanted and An American Marriage.
Buried Seeds isn’t a cozy mystery, but it’s not a gritty one, either. Thankfully! My delicate sensibilities cannot handle that. Though there’s a lot of murder and arrests happening in the book, the action is focused more on the facts rather than the gore.
What’s the book-inspired recipe?
Stay tuned for the book-inspired recipe: Cucumber Limeade Slushies.
** I admittedly keep my head in the sand about the shitshow(s) going on in our country. I have high anxiety, and I can’t handle reading what happens in the news on a daily basis. (Yes, I have conflicting emotions about that, too. But at the end of the day, I gotta do what I have to in order to function.)
Although I received a complimentary advance copy of Buried Seeds from the author, all opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
