Brandon Walker is a retired sheriff in Arizona, and currently spends his time investigating homicides for an exclusive nonprofit organization known as TLC - The Last Chance.  TLC is a privately funded group composed primarily of ex-cops and forensic specialists who volunteer their time to work on cold or unsolved cases that law enforcement agencies have given up on.  TLC handles investigators' expenses, pays for laboratory facilities and analyses, and provides support personal through donations, while the investigators volunteer their time and expertise.

When approached by a local Papago woman to investigate her daughter's murder, a murder that happened over 30 years ago, Walker is intrigued.  His interest stems from his memory of the brutal murder of the young woman when Walker was a much-younger homicide investigator for the Sheriff's Department.  But the investigation that follows is going to lead him down dark paths around the local Indian Reservation that Walker never suspected existed.

While the storyline is interesting, the format of DAY OF THE DEAD makes it rather difficult to read.  The book alternates focus between characters every two to four pages, making for a very disjointed story.  The changes were too frequent and interfered with the flow of the story. 

If you haven't yet sampled J. A. Jance, I would recommend starting with the J. P. Beaumont series instead of the Brandon Walker series. If you're already a fan, you will likely enjoy DAY OF THE DEAD.