I decided to venture outside the CBA market for a little break just to see if it was possible to read a decent (as in not immorally saturated) crime novel from the talented and prolific bestselling novelist J. A. Jance. I picked up in the middle of her Joanna Brady Series with Skeleton Canyon because this particular back cover copy gave me just enough to entice me, and I never felt like I'd missed too much history by starting in the middle. And, lo and behold, it was not a God-less novel!
Much to my surprise I learned J.A. Jance spends divided time between the Seattle area and Tucson, Arizona, so could justifiably be called a "snow bird". This Sheriff Joanna Brady novel primarily takes place in Bisbee, Arizona.
With clear illustrations of the local terrain and weather patterns affecting the crime solving, Jance weaves an interesting and complex tale involving the beautiful but challenging daughter Brianna (Bree) of an older wealthy paraplegic man David O'Brien and his former nurse Katherine. O'Brien married Katherine after slowly recovering from a fatal accident which cost him his first wife and their two children. Brianna is keeping her first love a secret from her disapproving parents, finding her father impossible to please.
"Nacio" Ybarra faces similar prejudices from his family for wanting to be involved with the white girl, so they take secret periodic breaks and meet at a designated camping spot in Skeleton Canyon for their short weekend rendezvous. Nacio had received a full scholarship for his football skills until he shattered his leg in the local game with Brittany's high school. He had hoped to become a doctor. And they planned to go away to college and finally be together without having to hide.
But the intersection of multiple crimes results in a murder and makes solving it a heavy weight on Sheriff Joanna Brady. Dealing with the arrogant and angry David O'Brien is a feat in itself when Brianna comes up missing and her parents discover she didn't go where she said she was going.
When Sheriff Brady's air conditioning on her personal vehicle requires a quick fix, she learns of a Freon smuggling situation so she calls a contact to share her information.
When her friend (Angie) with a checkered past takes Joanna's advice to accompany a bird expert (Dennis Hacker) to watch hummingbirds, that meeting ends in disaster in multiple ways.
All these seemingly unrelated events culminate one evening in a chase and crash during another desert storm. How everything ties together in the end is skillfully done, tragic, emotional, and almost hopeful by the end of the story.
J. A. Jance proved to be an entertaining storyteller who keeps on point but injests meaningful and defining revelations of her characters. There was even an element of faith in the background which gave the story a deeper level of purpose without the emptiness of secular writing.
If you need a fast summertime read that moves along quickly and allows you to feel the soaring heat and the pelting rain of the Arizona desert, I highly recommend J. A. Jance's Skeleton Canyon. I'm fairly sure her other novels will fill the bill as well.
Father, I pray your continued blessing and inspiration over J. A. Jance. You know her heart. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.