DESERT SHADOWS

DESERT SHADOWS
Betty Webb
288 pages
ISBN: 1-59058-113-X
Poisoned Pen Press
July 2004
$24.95

Lena Jones is the type of friend everyone should have. With this being the third book by Betty Webb featuring Lena, I feel like this is a just a visit from a longtime friend.

Gloriana Alden-Taylor was poisoned during a publishing banquet for the Southwest Book Publisher’s Expo – SOBOP at Desert Shadows, a Scottsdale resort. Water hemlock had been placed in her salad which caused her to die in an unglamorous style. Convulsions in front of a crowd just didn’t match with Gloriana’s personality. Arrogance was definitely what she thrived upon.

Running Desert Investigations with the Pima Indian, Jimmy, keeps Lena constantly nosing into other people’s business. Jimmy is a wonderful partner for Lena since he is the computer wiz and addicted to cyberspace. When Jimmy’s cousin, Owen, is accused of murdering a publisher, Lena personally begins to investigate. Owen had been directed by Gloriana to take a group on a hike to view the natural sites. Since members of the group collected the water hemlock, Owen scolded and confiscated the hemlock and scolded the group for collecting endangered native plants.

Gloriana’s business, Patriot’s Blood Press, was successful financially. However, their specialty was white supremacy and the printing of hate material. Their most recent book, A Man Stands Alone, was written by a death row inmate awaiting execution. Gloriana’s hopes were for a sequel before his appointment with the needle. Before 9/11 the publishing house was reputable, afterwards, Gloriana cashed in on the tragedy.

DESERT SHADOWS also continues with Lena discovering more about herself. Lena was shot by her mother and left for dead as a four-year-old. After recuperating, she had no memory of her past, so she was shuffled around foster homes. Through her dreams, Lena now is beginning to have a few more clues as to her past.

DESERT SHADOWS started slower than the previous books, DESERT NOIR and DESERT WIVES. The underlying social problem of the white supremacy groups didn’t develop until well into this novel. With the continuation of Lena’s past, coupling with the hate groups and the murder investigation, DESERT SHADOWS is a haunting message of our country’s prejudices and distinguishing right from wrong.

I am definitely looking forward to the next Betty Webb novel. She does more than the telling a story, she makes us discover more of our imperfections as a civilized country.