Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
Every once in awhile, I figure out the mystery in a whodunnit well before the end of the book. At that point, only the most talented writers can succeed in keeping me fully engaged until the big reveal.
Betty Webb managed to do this for me in Desert Rage anyone who's read any of Ms. Webb's earlier works should not be surprised by this. NOR should it be a surprise to anyone (except this reader) that at the very end, the rug was pulled out from under me and I found out that I had TOTALLY pegged the situation incorrectly the author managed to pull some sleight of hand using only her imagination and a word processing package to change the ending I projected early on.
The basic plot: The local US Congresswoman hires Scottsdale AZ detective Lena Jones and her firm, Desert Investigations, to look into the truth of a massacre a local family is found murdered, and it appears that the teenage daughter and her boyfriend are responsible for the crime. The congresswoman has a personal interest in this case and in the family, and wants the girl to receive the best defense possible not just to prove her not guilty, but to find out who actually did it. Even though everything appears to point to the police having gotten it right to begin with.
Ms. Webb's forte is her ability to discuss social issues through her novels, taking a solid side without resorting to preaching. In this book, we deal with some issues regarding modern medicine and we take on the death penalty for good measure.
This has been my favorite read of 2015 to date in quotes, because I listened to the audio version of the book, narrated by the wonderful Marguerite Gavin. I give this book my highest recommendations.
RATING: 5 stars.
Betty Webb managed to do this for me in Desert Rage anyone who's read any of Ms. Webb's earlier works should not be surprised by this. NOR should it be a surprise to anyone (except this reader) that at the very end, the rug was pulled out from under me and I found out that I had TOTALLY pegged the situation incorrectly the author managed to pull some sleight of hand using only her imagination and a word processing package to change the ending I projected early on.
The basic plot: The local US Congresswoman hires Scottsdale AZ detective Lena Jones and her firm, Desert Investigations, to look into the truth of a massacre a local family is found murdered, and it appears that the teenage daughter and her boyfriend are responsible for the crime. The congresswoman has a personal interest in this case and in the family, and wants the girl to receive the best defense possible not just to prove her not guilty, but to find out who actually did it. Even though everything appears to point to the police having gotten it right to begin with.
Ms. Webb's forte is her ability to discuss social issues through her novels, taking a solid side without resorting to preaching. In this book, we deal with some issues regarding modern medicine and we take on the death penalty for good measure.
This has been my favorite read of 2015 to date in quotes, because I listened to the audio version of the book, narrated by the wonderful Marguerite Gavin. I give this book my highest recommendations.
RATING: 5 stars.
If you want to read a mystery that gives you a real feel for the Scottsdale and Phoenix metropolitan areas, you can't do better than Betty Webb. But the setting is merely the icing on a cake that is expertly crafted with equal parts character and plot.
Lena Jones is my favorite private investigator, and her partner in Desert Investigations, Pima Indian Jimmy Sisiwan, is more than a mere sidekick. Jimmy keeps the business running-- and tries to keep Lena out of trouble-- while she goes off on her dangerous investigations. Lena is strong, smart, and smart-mouthed-- probably because of her childhood in which she was shot in the head, abandoned by her parents, and raised in a series of foster homes by sometimes abusive adults. This tends to put a different spin on life for the survivors, and Lena has always zealously guarded her privacy while fighting for the underdog.
Desert Rage finds Lena searching for more than the identity of the the killer of young Ali's parents. As she tracks down leads and interviews people, she finds herself looking for an answer to the question "What is a mother?" She has plenty of women to compare. Her own mother, her favorite foster mother, Ali's murdered mother as well as her biological one, Kyle's foster mother... the list is a long one, and each woman's behavior gives Lena plenty of food for thought.
Although Lena is always the star of the series, in this book Webb gives us alternating points of view: Lena's, Ali's, and Kyle's. It's done sparingly, and it's done well because it gives us true insight into all three characters. Best of all was being able to watch Ali's transformation from a self-centered little girl who appeared to be completely capable of murder to a young woman much more aware of the world around her-- and watching Lena's views of motherhood subtly begin to shift even as she's looking for a killer and in the middle of an arson investigation. Desert Rage is a hard book to put down.
It's not necessary to read the books in this series in order, but don't be surprised if you find yourself reading one and then going back to find and read all the rest. This book-- and the entire series-- is Quality.
Lena Jones is my favorite private investigator, and her partner in Desert Investigations, Pima Indian Jimmy Sisiwan, is more than a mere sidekick. Jimmy keeps the business running-- and tries to keep Lena out of trouble-- while she goes off on her dangerous investigations. Lena is strong, smart, and smart-mouthed-- probably because of her childhood in which she was shot in the head, abandoned by her parents, and raised in a series of foster homes by sometimes abusive adults. This tends to put a different spin on life for the survivors, and Lena has always zealously guarded her privacy while fighting for the underdog.
Desert Rage finds Lena searching for more than the identity of the the killer of young Ali's parents. As she tracks down leads and interviews people, she finds herself looking for an answer to the question "What is a mother?" She has plenty of women to compare. Her own mother, her favorite foster mother, Ali's murdered mother as well as her biological one, Kyle's foster mother... the list is a long one, and each woman's behavior gives Lena plenty of food for thought.
Although Lena is always the star of the series, in this book Webb gives us alternating points of view: Lena's, Ali's, and Kyle's. It's done sparingly, and it's done well because it gives us true insight into all three characters. Best of all was being able to watch Ali's transformation from a self-centered little girl who appeared to be completely capable of murder to a young woman much more aware of the world around her-- and watching Lena's views of motherhood subtly begin to shift even as she's looking for a killer and in the middle of an arson investigation. Desert Rage is a hard book to put down.
It's not necessary to read the books in this series in order, but don't be surprised if you find yourself reading one and then going back to find and read all the rest. This book-- and the entire series-- is Quality.
