I’m wondering if this part of the novel is meant to desensitize readers?  So far it’s mostly vignette after vignette of women who have been raped, murdered, and left in the desert or around the city of Santa Teresa.  We read about the crimes, read how they are ignored by the police, and watch as a gradual sense of fear builds.  Who is responsible?  It’s as though a disease has settled on the city.

At this point, I’ve started to skim the section.  There are a few characters in the police force who make multiple appearances, and who drive the story in their own ways, but those breaks are few as the crimes add up.