Tijuana Crossing is a doozy of a thriller set in the early 1990s in the rugged but strikingly beautiful Baja landscape during the 25th running of the Baja 1000 off-road race. Ex-racer Cal Redman, now a cranky, drunken, and bitter crew chief, and surprise guest Laura Thompson, writer for an off-road magazine, find themselves in a life-or-death situation after they're targeted in a classic highway scam. With the Mexican Feds, the US Border Patrol, the local governor, and a large and dangerous drug cartel after them, they have to run (or drive) for their lives to get from La Paz, at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, back into the US without being caught-or killed. Along the way they're aided and abetted by a wonderful cast of eccentric characters who run the gamut from kindly to rakish, and from hapless to clever.Although set in the '90s, Tijuana Crossing shows us that conditions in Mexico and its relationship with the US have not changed much over the years. The novel touches on a number of concerns: illegal migrants, drug wars and corruption, and, in their wake, orphaned children and difficult living conditions.But overall the story is lighthearted and fast-paced, so buckle up for action, romance, and witty repartee at its finest. A fantastic summer read that will have you on the edge of your chaise-longue