Skeleton Canyon (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 5) [Mass Market Paperback]

J.A. Jance (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 27, 2004

Brianna "Bree" O'Brien neverretumed from Skeleton Canyon. Someone brutally murdered the pretty, popular teenager who hadsfolen away undercover of darkness to rendezwus with herboyfriend, Ignacio Ybarra. Perhaps youthful rage, jealousy and savage passion costyoung Bree herlife. Ormaybe she stumbled onto something too dangerous to know.

Sheriff Joanna Brady of Cochise County knows only too well the pain of losing a loved one to violence. But she is disturbed by the O'Briens' blind insistence that Ignacio is responsible for their daughter's slaying. Joanna senses there are words not being spoken, and dark mysteries locked behind.doors of the sprawling O'Brien family compound. But it is the strange disappearance of a good friend that is pulling Sheriff Brady ever closer to the lethalnest of lies, greed and secrets hiding in a desolate corner of the Arizona desert--where the next blood that feeds the parched, cracked earth could be her own.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Although J.A. Jance and Tony Hillerman (Coyote Waits, The Fallen Man) are in many ways poles apart as mystery writers, they are united on at least two fronts: their appreciation of the hypnotically arid beauty of the American Southwest; and their sense that this landscape is peculiarly capable of engendering horrific violence. In Skeleton Canyon Jance writes: "Overhead, the stars shone like glittering diamonds against a velvet sky. The starlight was so bright that the mountains, rocks, and trees around her emerged from the gloom. Sitting there in the half-lit dark of Skeleton Canyon, it was easy for Brianna to sense time falling away from her. This rugged, almost empty corner of the Arizona desert had changed so little that even now an occasional jaguar, roaming north from the mountains of Mexico, had been spotted by a solitary rancher. And if the wild canyons of the Peloncillos still played host to an assortment of wildlife, it wasn't so far off to imagine that human outlaws still ranged that same habitat as well."

Brianna O'Brien never returns from Skeleton Canyon, where she had waited under cover of darkness to rendezvous, à la Juliet and Romeo, with her boyfriend, Ignacio Ybarra. In investigating Brianna's murder, Sheriff Joanna Brady must confront both the blatant racism of the O'Brien family--horrified to discover that their daughter could have been involved with a Mexican boy--and the family's dark past. There are skeletons in canyons, and skeletons as well locked behind the doors of the sprawling O'Brien compound. Home is where the heart is--but home is also host to a lethal nest of lies, greed, and secrets. --Kelly Flynn

From Library Journal

Joanna Brady, sheriff of Tombstone and star of Jance's award-winning mystery series, is summoned to the murderously hot Skeleton Canyon to investigate a killing.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Avon (July 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380724332
• ISBN-13: 978-0380724338
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #339,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > Series

More About the Author

J.A. Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Edge of Evil, the first in a series featuring Ali Reynolds. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best in this series, August 9, 2000

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Skeleton Canyon (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

Joanna Brady seems more decisive and more skilled in her job as sheriff of Cochise Country, Arizona, in this installment of the series. Her co-workers still doubt her ability at times, but her straightforward approach and honesty seem to be winning them over. In this book, a young teenager, Bree O'Brien, is brutally murdered on the way to a rendezvous with her secret lover, Ignacio Yberra. Her father, who harbors a prejudice against Mexicans, immediately blames Ignacio. Mr. O'Brien is a wealthy and influential man who counts the Governor as a close friend, so Joanna has to approach the case in a careful and discreet manner. She decides to treat it as any other case, and is criticized by a local reporter for not giving it a higher priority. At the same time she is drawn into a case where illegal Freon from Mexico is being smuggled into Arizona. Eventually these two cases prove to have some common threads. On the home front, Joanna's daughter Jenny goes off to camp for the first time, with the usual angst on the part of both mother and daughter. Joanna's mother Eleanor pulls a very surprising move which leaves her a bit bewildered. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a look into the personal life of the heroine.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Skeletons in the Canyon and in the Closet!, April 15, 2005

By 

Susie Morris "Book Junkie" (Southern California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Skeleton Canyon (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is another great book in the Joanna Brady series by J.A. Jance. This time she throws a little romance into the mix of things as Brianna O'Brien is found murdered and her Hispanic boyfriend is the main suspect for some, while others don't believe he could kill. This teenage girl had many secrets and her boyfriend was only one of them. While investigating this crime, everyone's favorite female sheriff, Joanna Brady, uncovers more than she bargained for and has a difficult time in dealing with some of it.

Again, we see some of the cast of support characters return, but others are mentioned in passing, so we know they will be back in future tomes. We're given a little glimpse of what's in store for Joanna Brady with her daughter growing up quickly and her mother's new relationship that seems to have transposed some of the former anger and has made her almost approachable.

I find it interesting that Jance not only tells a wonderful story, but throws in a moral issue as well. She deals with the topic of racism in this book and does so in a very civilized way showing the prejudices of some and the extremes they will go to continue that narrow-mindedness. However, she also gives us hope for the future. She shows us that no matter what the odds some will not follow in their parents' beliefs and will, instead, have friends based on things other than the color of skin or social standing.

And along with the story line and moral issue, you can always rely on Jance to paint a mental picture of the Arizona desert at it's best. Having lived in Arizona, I can remember the millions of stars in the sky that Jance describes in detail. I can remember the rugged beauty of the various wilderness areas that are similar to those portrayed. No one gives a better mental image of these things than Jance does. Having read all of the books in this series, I feel like I've actually been to Bisbee, Arizona. I'm sure if I ever do get the chance to visit that town; I'll see things as I've seen them before in my mind while reading these novels.

After reading the first book in the Joanna Brady series, I didn't think Jance would be able to keep up with the standard she set. I was very mistaken. She has not only achieved that level of excellence but has surpassed it and continues to set new standards with each new book she writes.

I highly recommend not only SKELETON CANYON, but any and all books in this series. They're wonderful, exciting and highly addicting! I do suggest that you read them in order to get the background on the characters - it's not mandatory, but will make for a more enjoyable read and will let your imagination run wild with possible scenarios for the future!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One fine series that started out great&keeps getting better, July 6, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Skeleton Canyon (Joanna Brady Mysteries, Book 5) (Hardcover)

What began as a simple teenage disappearance has turned ugly with the discovery of the murdered corpse of Bree O'Brien. Cochise County, Arizona Sheriff Joanna Brady begins to investigate the killing of the high school valedictorian. The victim's wealthy parents insist that their daughter's boy friend, Ignacio Ybarra is the killer. Joanna quickly learns that Bree's father despises anyone of Hispanic dissent, forcing his daughter to clandestinely meet with Ignacio, who is quickly proved innocent of any wrong doing.

As Joanna continues to find clues, the case seems to get more complicated rather than closer to being solved. Joanna begins to wonder whether the illegal smuggling of freon across the border might be linked to the murder. Eventually all roads lead to one place: the O'Briens. Did they murder their own daughter to maintain a lavish lifestyle that apparently is supported by illegal means? If it is true that they murdered their own daughter, will they not be willing to eliminate an obstinate law enforcement official before she uncovers the truth? If they did not do it, Joanna must return to square one wondering who did and why?

The who-done-it is exciting and fun, but that is not what makes SKELETON CANYON and the previous four Joanna Brady mysteries a wondrous reading experience. It is Joanna, a lonely person, who has dedicated her life to her deceased spouse and J.A. Jance's brilliant depiction of Arizona (including the environment, the climate, and the racial relationships). This is one series that seems to be getting better as each new tale refreshes the entire collection.

Harriet Klausner