Desert
Cut
A Lena Jones
Mystery
Betty Webb
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-491-0 (1590584910)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-491-0 (9781590584910)
Publication Date: February 2008
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis
(from
the publisher): While scouting locations for a film documentary on the
Arizona's Apache Wars, private investigator Lena Jones and
Oscar-winning director Warren Quinn, discover the mutilated body of a
young girl. The gruesome manner of the child's death evokes memories of
Lena’s own rough childhood. Clashing with the local law,
Lena's investigation uncovers a small town with a big secret.
Los Perdidos is not the Eden it first appears. Founded by the
descendants of pioneers who fought Geronimo, the townspeople have now
armed themselves against the hordes of illegal immigrants streaming
across the Arizona/Mexico border. A significant population of
documented foreign-born residents also lives and works in Los Perdidos
at a modern plant. Lena senses a sinister force at work in the
town—but where? Then two more girls disappear from Los
Perdidos, and as the death toll mounts, Lena is tempted to implement
some frontier justice of her own. When she finally unmasks the killer,
she discovers a chain of horrific crimes responsible for subjugating
millions of girls and women around the globe.
Review:
Arizona private investigator Lena Jones discovers the body of a young
girl and the disturbing manner of her death while on a working vacation
in Desert Cut, the 5th mystery in this series by Betty Webb.
Lena and Oscar-winning director Warren McQuinn are in southern Arizona
scouting areas in the foothills of Dragoon Mountain. Warren wants to
set the scene for filming his latest effort: a historical documentary
dealing with the Apache Wars in the 1800s. While exploring the area
they stumble across the dead, mutilated body of a dark skinned child
they guess to be about seven years old. Lena calls the Sheriff of
Cochise County who is not shocked by the discovery. He tells Lena and
Warren that this is a haven for people wanting to cross the border from
Mexico to the US. Not only do Mexicans cross here, but also Africans
and immigrants from the Middle East. Many children do not live through
the experience and are buried in shallow graves where they
die. Coyotes and vultures take over from there. Warren decides they
should leave the area and return to their homes. Lena, however,
devastated by the sight of the child and driven by the sporadic
memories of her own embroiled childhood, cannot and will not leave. She
is told that two other children have died or are missing. Lena, once a
cop herself, senses a portentous power developing and without the
permission or help forges on. Inasmuch as the local officials will not
share the physical or forensic evidence with Lena, she asks questions
of doctors, field officers, families, friends, and even drunks in a
bar. When Lena realizes what crimes have been committed, she sets out,
more determined than ever, to find the criminal. The Sheriff does
everything he can, short of putting her in jail, to stop
Lena’s “meddling” fearing that she would
be the next trophy on the killer’s agenda.
Desert Cut is a powerful, albeit very disquieting, book. The characters
are true, the multi-layered plot fast paced and memorable. Webb blends
paganistic, very real facts into her fictional murder mystery with the
result being an unforgettable story. For readers who want more information, she concludes the book with
resources for more information.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Desert Cut and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.
Mysteries in this series ...
Desert Noir
Poisoned Pen Press (Trade Paperback), June 2001
ISBN-10: 1-59020-870-1 (1890208701)
Desert Wives
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), January 2003
ISBN-10: 1-59058-030-3 (1590580303)
Desert Shadows
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), June 2004
ISBN-10: 1-59058-113-X (159058113X)
Desert Run
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), March 2006
ISBN-10: 1-59058-234-9 (1590582349)
Desert Cut
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), February 2008
ISBN-10: 1-59058-491-0 (1590584910)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-491-0 (9781590584910)
Omnimystery keywords for Desert Cut ...
Location(s) referenced: Arizona.