Betty Webb is a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde. She writes the light and humorous Gunn Zoo mysteries that are a delight to read, and she writes the much darker Lena Jones series, much of the material of which came from her years as a reporter. I love both series, but my heart has always been with Lena, partly because of how Webb depicts Arizona and the Phoenix metropolitan area. Webb's Lena Jones series has been consistently excellent, often dealing with important topics like polygamy, and because of her past, Lena is always on the side of children.
It hurt to read Desert Redemption knowing that it's the last book in the series. I haven't always agreed with what Lena has done, but she's become more than a friend through the years. Someone is always telling Lena "You can't do everything" to which she always replies, "But I can always try." You have to have a great deal of respect for someone like that. Everything she's done, everything she's suffered, everything she's fought for, has all led her to the final outcome of this book. Desert Redemption is a bone-deep, satisfying conclusion to this series-- and it contains The Best Last Sentence of a book or series ever. You can read it as a standalone, but I sincerely hope you don't cheat yourself. If you and Lena haven't met, start with Desert Noir.
It hurt to read Desert Redemption knowing that it's the last book in the series. I haven't always agreed with what Lena has done, but she's become more than a friend through the years. Someone is always telling Lena "You can't do everything" to which she always replies, "But I can always try." You have to have a great deal of respect for someone like that. Everything she's done, everything she's suffered, everything she's fought for, has all led her to the final outcome of this book. Desert Redemption is a bone-deep, satisfying conclusion to this series-- and it contains The Best Last Sentence of a book or series ever. You can read it as a standalone, but I sincerely hope you don't cheat yourself. If you and Lena haven't met, start with Desert Noir.
Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
We have reached the 10th book in the Lena Jones âDesertâ series â and, according to âofficial biographerâ (my choice of titles) Betty Webb, the last, at least for awhile. Ms. Webb has used the adventures of Scottsdale detective Lena Jones to explore various southwestern social issues, such as polygamous cults and careless mining of uranium AND abandoning of said mines. Which is NOT to say these books subject the reader to a soapbox; the warnings are mixed within traditional mysteries.
âDesert Redemptionâ is no exception. Lena Jones discovers an emaciated corpse during a desert horseback ride â and it's not the only one discovered in and around the Valley of the Sun. WHO is this person, HOW did she die, or more critical, HOW did she get to her final resting place? Readers wonder along with the protagonist, âHow does this tie to the alleged health facility outside of Tucson and/or the cult that their management warns Lena about â if indeed it does?â Oh, and just to keep things interesting, let's toss in a pair of runaways, one of whom happens to be the child of a US Senate candidate.
Ms. Webb ALSO addresses a bigger mystery that has been at the root of Lena Jones' mysteries since she was introduced in âDesert Noirâ so long ago â who IS she really? AND did her biological mother REALLY shoot the young Lena in the head, and if so, why?â
I disagree with the author on one important point â there is no reason to end the series now. YES, we solved a mystery that has been at the root of the series since its beginning. So what?? Life goes on â how many of us have an unanswered question from an earlier point in our lives, and does that life simply cease once we get an answer? Typically ⦠no. Take a break if you need to, Ms. Webb, move on to other projects if you'd like, but please don't think that Lena has ridden off into the sunset to early retirement!!
Oh, by the way, that is one incredible cover!! The model looks EXACTLY as I'd always envisioned Lena Jones to look, almost as though she's been the inspiration for the character all along!
RATING: 5 stars. A great book.
âDesert Redemptionâ is no exception. Lena Jones discovers an emaciated corpse during a desert horseback ride â and it's not the only one discovered in and around the Valley of the Sun. WHO is this person, HOW did she die, or more critical, HOW did she get to her final resting place? Readers wonder along with the protagonist, âHow does this tie to the alleged health facility outside of Tucson and/or the cult that their management warns Lena about â if indeed it does?â Oh, and just to keep things interesting, let's toss in a pair of runaways, one of whom happens to be the child of a US Senate candidate.
Ms. Webb ALSO addresses a bigger mystery that has been at the root of Lena Jones' mysteries since she was introduced in âDesert Noirâ so long ago â who IS she really? AND did her biological mother REALLY shoot the young Lena in the head, and if so, why?â
I disagree with the author on one important point â there is no reason to end the series now. YES, we solved a mystery that has been at the root of the series since its beginning. So what?? Life goes on â how many of us have an unanswered question from an earlier point in our lives, and does that life simply cease once we get an answer? Typically ⦠no. Take a break if you need to, Ms. Webb, move on to other projects if you'd like, but please don't think that Lena has ridden off into the sunset to early retirement!!
Oh, by the way, that is one incredible cover!! The model looks EXACTLY as I'd always envisioned Lena Jones to look, almost as though she's been the inspiration for the character all along!
RATING: 5 stars. A great book.
