Winner of a silver medal from the Foreword Book of the Year Awards: Multicultural Fiction, and a finalist in the New Mexico Book Awards: Novel - Adventure or Drama. LaBajada is the descent where Santa Fe ends and Albuquerque begins. Santa Fe attorney Dan Shepard has made it to the top. Unfortunately his girlfriend, Ophelia Paz, may have killed the governor's wife and dumped her in a ditch. After Ophelia reveals the governor's dark secret, Dan would like to "ditch" Ophelia. Dan feels compelled to help, but needs attorney Luna Cruz to guide him. In the process, Dan falls in love with Luna, which puts the case at risk. Dan also wonders how deeply he must descend into political muck to save Ophelia, and if he will take Luna down with him.