A Cry from the Dust
Carrie Stuart Parks
(August 2014)
Gwen Marcey was tops in her forensic field. Then cancer struck, her husband left, and her teenage daughter engaged in active rebellion. Gwen's best chance to start a new life was a temporary job in Utah reconstructing faces from an 1857 massacre site.
The Mountain Meadows Interpretative Center asked Gwen to reconstruct the faces of three intact bodies that were discovered from the wagon train massacre of more than 120 people by Mormon fanatics calling themselves Avenging Angels. But just as she is nearing completion on her reconstructions, things around the center turn deadly. Gwen discovers the ritualized murder of a young college student with a stolen identity and is called on by the local police to use her forensic art skills to aid the investigation.
Soon Gwen discovers an uncanny resemblance between one of her reconstructions and the death mask of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church. And realizes that she's the next target of the recreated Avenging Angels who believe she has an icon from the grave. Gwen must weave through a labyrinth of Mormon history, discovering secret societies and festering grudges in a race against time. Will she be able to stop another massacre?
The Mountain Meadows Interpretative Center asked Gwen to reconstruct the faces of three intact bodies that were discovered from the wagon train massacre of more than 120 people by Mormon fanatics calling themselves Avenging Angels. But just as she is nearing completion on her reconstructions, things around the center turn deadly. Gwen discovers the ritualized murder of a young college student with a stolen identity and is called on by the local police to use her forensic art skills to aid the investigation.
Soon Gwen discovers an uncanny resemblance between one of her reconstructions and the death mask of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church. And realizes that she's the next target of the recreated Avenging Angels who believe she has an icon from the grave. Gwen must weave through a labyrinth of Mormon history, discovering secret societies and festering grudges in a race against time. Will she be able to stop another massacre?
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for letting us know, Dana.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED this book, Dana! And I'm not a bit surprised that it won the Carol this year, although it had to beat out some outstanding fiction!
ReplyDeleteHere's the link for the Suspense Sisters review of it. http://suspensesistersreviews.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-cry-from-dust-by-carrie-stuart-parks.html