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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wild thriller, February 4, 2010
This review is from: Wild Penance (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) (Hardcover)
Bureau of Land Management Resource Protection Agent Jamaica Wild works out of the Taos, New Mexico filed office. She runs along fences to make sure there are no holes in them; if they contain rips usually means someone is doing something illegal. One morning while running Jamaica stares up at the Rio Grande Gorge bridge only to see activity where there should be none. Two men drops a cross with a man tied to it into the river below; the current takes the cross with its rider.
Jamaica believes someone wants to disguise a murder by making it look as if the ancient Christian sect Los Penitentes, who reenact Jesus' crucifixion as part of their extreme penance, committed the act. She learns the corpse is Father Ignatius who warned her to stop asking questions about Los Penitentes who react rather swiftly and ugly to inquiries and loathe outsiders asking questions about them. Three men break into her car to steal a book Jamaica is writing about this sect. A car follows her and her house is broken into. However, the trauma she faces is raised when someone tries to kill her at a lingerie show. Not one to idly sit back, Jamaica with an unexpected ally goes after her tormentor with help from the late Father Ignatius.
Fans are going to love the latest Wild thriller as we are thoroughly drawn into the world of a little known sub-culture that receives support from the masses. The sect conducts much of its practices in secret because the Catholic Church would prefer they vanish as their modern day penance is considered extreme by most people. The protagonist is a strong woman who may receive a lot of punishment, but obstinately refuses to back down as she remains dedicated and committed although the danger mounts. Jamaica is terrific, but Wild Penance is owned by Los Penitentes.
Harriet Klausner
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My First Wild Mystery, May 23, 2010
This review is from: Wild Penance (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) (Hardcover)
While Jamaica Wild was on an early morning run, she saw two men remove a cross from the back of a truck and roll it over the railing of the Rio Grande Gorge. Unfortunately, there was someone nailed to the cross at the time.
Investigators found that the cross was connected to an ancient religious group by the name of Los Penitentes. The members of the group performed excessive self-penance, sometimes to the point of death.
Seeing the cross at the bridge reminded Jamaica of the meeting she had with Father Ignacio Moradas several months before. He was an expert on the Pententes and Jamaica had been studying the history of the group, drawing sketches and keeping notes in a special journal.
Jamaica is an agent for the Bureau of Land Management. Her most recent assignment is riding the fence line during the night to check for broken links due to rustling in the area. Her new partner is a Forest Service ranger by the name of Kerry Reed.
Shortly after the incidence at the bridge, her sketch book is stolen from her car. Then she finds that someone is out to stop her from learning anything more about the Pententes. As the bodies begin to pile up, Jamaica finds her own life in danger.
Sandi Ault has written a wonderful mystery set in the Taos area of New Mexico. She writes with such beauty that the reader feels like they are a part of the landscape. The characters are written with a depth that helps draw the reader into the story and feel like a part of the action.
Wild Penance is a great read, and I really look forward to reading the rest of the series. From what I understand, this is a prequel to the other books, so I am coming into the series from a different direction. Catching up should be very enjoyable.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Forgiveness, April 28, 2010
This review is from: Wild Penance (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) (Hardcover)
The fourth book in the WILD mystery series is an unusual story. Jamaica Wild, the Bureau of Land Management agent in New Mexico, witnesses what appears to be a crucified man on a cross dumped off a bridge into the Rio Grande. It is assumed that it is part of a ritual reenactment of the death of Jesus Christ. But that is only the beginning of the story.
Jamaica already was fascinated by Los Penitentes, an ancient religious group that annually, during Easter week, reenacts the Crucifixion, and practices excessive penance. She was already making sketches of shrines and events and attempting to write a book on the sect. Then all sorts of strange events, including attempts on her life, set her off on a path leading to solving several mysteries.
In addition to the main plot, the novel is quite an outdoor adventure story, together with the mystic elements. Attention to detail and background blend with the plot and descriptions of Native American lore and history.
Recommended.
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