Credo's Hope - Alex Wolfe Mysteries, #1

Alexandra Wolfe takes Sherlock Holmes and Stephanie Plum and rolls them into a fresh, irreverent, tough cop who skates on the edge of the law in her quest for justice.  Officially, Alexandra Wolfe, a detective in the Special Crimes Unit of the Tucson Police Department, searches for a madman killing and maiming prostitutes. Unofficially, Alex's best friend bullies her into reviewing the case of a man on death row.
Against the Captain's orders and Alex's better judgment, she re-opens the case. It doesn't take long to discover her Captain was the chief investigator and may have overlooked key evidence.  Alex may be a bull-headed, stubborn maverick, but even if it could ruin her career, her huge heart won't allow the execution of a wrongfully convicted man. The twisted investigative trail leads to the doorstep of the beautiful and daunting Gianina Angelino, head of the Angelino Crime Family.
The police department can order Alex to stay away from the murder investigation and links to organized crime, but Gianina doesn't answer to Alex's chain of command. With the unsolicited help of the Mafia, Alex's rescued mutt, and her exuberant best friend, Alex's unorthodox methods blur her personal and professional lives. When her two worlds collide, keeping her day job becomes the least of Alex's worries.
It's a race to unravel the clues as the clock ticks down on the execution. If Alex can't uncover the truth, an innocent man could die, and she could be the killer's next target. This action-packed mystery is filled with strong, likable women. Their comradery and determination may turn Alex's life upside down, but together, they get the job done.