A reader , December 19, 1996
A great pursuit novel
Santa Fe has always been a primary character in Walter Satterthwait's annals of Joshua Croft and Rita Mondragon. In *Accustomed to the Dark* it becomes a bittersweet backdrop to a contemporary tragedy and a poignant past. We learn in flashbacks what happened years ago to cripple Rita and how Joshua tracked the attacker down and put him in jail. As Joshua remembers the past he must take the same journey again. Scenes of his pursuit of the attacker mingle with reminiscences of Croft's early days in Santa Fe and his relationship with Rita. This time Rita is near death's door. Joshua tries to define his life while he flees what he fears will happen. Because of this, he makes a nearly fatal mistake. This is well-written, taut with suspense, as we follow Joshua across Colorado, Kansas, Texas and finally into Florida as he seeks two truly evil men. There is a whiff of the valedictory about this book.