This latest in the series opens with a dark and diabolical scene: a man, tied to a cross, his loincloth catching in the wind as he plummets down into the Rio Grande Gorge to his death. That is, if he wasn’t dead already. Rough-and-ready Bureau of Land Management agent Jamaica Wild, who witnesses the sinister event, sets out to determine whether a secret society with rituals as chilling as the desert night air might have been at the heart of this. Ever since she learned about Los Penitentes, a clandestine and ancient religious group that reenactsJesus’ crucifixion and practices excessive penance, Jamaica’s been fascinated, putting together a book of sketchings and research. And this death in the Gorge seems to fit with everything she has learned. But a haunted old priest warns Jamaica to put down her pencil…
Her boss wouldn’t mind if she kept her nose out of things, either. But too many strange things are happening for Jamaica to pay any mind. For one, her medicine teacher, Momma Anna, has given her a cryptic assignment. And when someone makes an attempt on her life, Jamaica sets out on a fact-finding mission that could very well send her, like the crucified man, over the edge… Ault sets a spine-tingling pace that keeps the reader on the edge as well, as a race to the climax causes Jamaica to evaluate what is satanic and what is sacred.
WILD PENANCE ….a great suspense novel that combines a secretive old Hispanic sect of Catholicism–Los Penitentes— with murder to weave a haunting story. … Ms. Ault’s love of New Mexico richly flavors the pages and her equal love of the wild outdoors brings Jamaica’s soul alive. …The climax is a suspenseful ride and is burned into my memory. . . .it left imagery of New Mexico alive in my being. —MysterySuspenceBlogspot.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandi Ault currently lives in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where—in addition to writing novels—she has been a volunteer firefighter as well as a Fire Information Officer responding locally and nationally to wildfires. Ms. Ault teaches WILD Writing Workshops, and frequently appears as a speaker on the issues of wilderness, wolves, writing, and many aspects of Indian Country, among other topics.
Wild Penance, published by Berkley Prime Crime/Penguin
Purchase here Berkley Prime Crime/Penguin ISBN 978-0-425-23232-3
Purchase at Amazon.com
Visit Sandi Ault at www.SandiAult.com
2 comments:
This sounds very interesting. I like the scene you described and the cover is gorgeous.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Wow, Sandi! Sounds like a fabulous read! It's now on my To Be Read list.
Alice
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