A fast paced combination of Aztec fantasy and crime mystery!

This one was hard to put down. First, the setting is fabulous. Beginning with the Mexica Empire in 1480, the book posits that the gods exist and that religious magic works. Then it jumps right in, following the High Priest for the Dead, as he tries to solve a disappearance. The early story very much follows the pacing of a mystery novel, with each new bit of information changing the path of the investigation. As the story moves along, the fantastical elements become more prominent, the gods become more deeply involved, and the stakes rise.

The first-person character is well fleshed out, with complicated feelings about his professional goals as well as his family. Even as the action ramps up to thriller pace, his personal development is forefront.

I've got the next one from the library, and I can't wait to read it as well.