Helpful Score: 1
As fish and wildlife agent Venus Diamond heads for her honeymoon, her boss orders her to lead a search for a nine-month-old boy lost on a wildlife refuge on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula. The feds suspect child abuse; hoof prints cause locals to suspect "the Unknown," a cross between Bigfoot and an elk. This third Venus Diamond novel grabs readers with the tension of the wilderness search and with sympathy for Venus' efforts to balance a new marriage and a demanding, high-profile case. The juxtaposition of Venus' gritty police-procedural life with the glamour and riches of her movie-star mother's world seems a bit forced, but it is offset by a stubborn mystery, vivid outdoor landscapes, rich background on Northwest Indians and wild medicine, and by a timeless morality tale that documents the toll vanity exacts from nature, personal character, and other people. Moody's monster myths will appeal to the Bigfoot crowd, and the environmental mystery will draw fans of Nevada Barr, Beverly Connor, and Dana Stabenow.
