This mystery has an intriguing plot line, but, unfortunately, it suffers from several severe defects. The narrative is underwhelming and it takes a fair amount a perseverance to make it to the end. The central character, Kendall O’Dell, is intelligent, stubborn, and courageous. She is also emotional and spends much of the book second-guessing herself. She is very impulsive, putting herself in hopeless life-or-death situations, only to be rescued in the nick of time by a male character. However, the most disturbing aspect of this story is the way the Hispanic refugees are treated. Granted this book is set along the Arizona-Mexican border and was written in 2002 when 9/11 was the dominate force in America. Kendall spends most of her time with the white ranchers who treat the immigrants as an invading army of vermin. There are also stories of people being assaulted and murdered in their own homes and the women raped. These incidents are blamed on bandits or drug smugglers, but they are lumped together with all Hispanics. Various locals are part of the Knights of the Right which is a cross between the Klan and the Aryan Brotherhood. However, they are dismissed as young men getting carried away or people with justified grievances. Kendall, for being a journalist, acts as though she is confronting these issues for the first time. Although she has accepted the hospitality of a woman who provides shelter and food for the immigrants passing through, Kendall keeps wrestling with the fact that since the women and the immigrants are all breaking the law she should be calling the Border Patrol and turn them all in. While the immigrants are central to the plot they are treated as walk on extras and easily dismissed when their story is done.
The third book in Sylvia Nobel's Kendall O'Dell series goes a little beyond the typical female murder mystery/romance genre. Since the series is set in Arizona, Nobel attacks the issue of illegal aliens coming from Mexico--and she presents both sides. It begins with Kendall wanting to help Lupe, an employee at the newspaper where Kendall is co-editor, find two of her relatives who have recently come to the US from Mexico. Lupe's relatives sneaked across the border with several other people and Lupe was supposed to pick them up. Instead, they, and the people with whom they were traveling, have disappeared.When Kendall and Lupe drive to the town where Lupe's relatives were supposed to have arrived, Kendall meets some of the ranchers who live in that area and Kendall is an eyewitness to some of the serious problems that the illegal aliens cause for property owners. Kendall's boyfriend is close to the owner of one of the larger ranches and she mentions to him that she notices that he and the other ranchers have Mexicans working on their ranches. He tells her that they are happy to employ people who come to this country legally.An interesting presentation of both sides of a serious issue facing our country, particularly the border states, with a little mystery (Kendall's discoveries are gruesome) and romance added.
What do You think about Dark Moon Crossing (2002)?
Sylvia Nobel's Kendall O'Dell series gets better and better every book. She goes way beyond the typical female murder mystery/romance genre as she tackles local issues in the news. And not just little issues! She looks at both sides of immigration and how it effects people. When Kendall wants to help Lupe, an employee at the newspaper where Kendall is co-editor, she once again gets tangled up in a big mess of criminal activity. Lupe's relatives sneaked across the border with several other people and Lupe was supposed to pick them up but they have disappeared. Kendall meets a rancher family that have long ties to Tally's family. Jealousy and suspicion shroud so many characters you don't know who is at fault and even just what has happened! The end will shock you! Such a wonderful story! I joined the Kendall O'Dell Fan Club to keep up with news https://www.facebook.com/kendallodell...
—LeeAnn
Well, if this wasn't the biggest shock in the series, I don't know what was. WOW! I really do just love this series, it's sad to know there is only one left. Luckily, I can't afford it this week, so the sad end to my enjoyment of this series will be prolonged I suppose. It's depressing to know it will be over after one more book. Like so many other series I have enjoyed they seem to be cut too short. The description of the book tells you that the story is taken from headlines at the time. In the
—Pamela
A new author to watch forSo happy to have found a new author to watch for. I have to agree with some other reviewers who lost patience with Kendall's lack of backbone in standing up to some characters other than in her own head. Not having read earlier books in the series, I'm not aware of her relationship with Tally, but I was questioning whether he was as committed to her as you would want to see her favored man be. It didn't distract from an exciting and fast moving story though. I would highly recommend this and will probably read earlier stories as well as watch for upcoming ones.
—B J Galaday
