Skeleton Canyon

A young woman has disappeared, and her father wants Joanna to call in the FBI. Joanna refuses since it’s been less than 24 hours since the girl failed to return home. But Joanna is second-guessing her decision when Bree’s body is found. The father is blaming the boyfriend. However, Joanna suspects that Bree may have stumbled into a situation that left her no escape. This exciting tale is gripping throughout, from beginning to end. And while Joanna is dealing with all the trauma of the crimes she is investigating, she still must cope with being a mother to her own young daughter. This well-written series just keeps getting better.

With this series we’re sometimes told right up front who the bad guy is, name and all. Other times we’re given some insight into the murderer, but don’t know who they are until much later. With this story we’re kept in the dark about the who and why until quite far into the book when looking into the murder of a teenager who’d gone missing.

On the home front, both Joanna and Jenny are dealing with Andy’s death a lot better. It’s at least 9 months since his death. Jenny is especially doing well since getting Kiddo, the horse from the prior book. But Jenny gets taken to Girl Scout Camp for a couple of weeks and Joanna is definitely having an empty-nest-syndrome feeling going on. So it’s a good thing that work is keeping her show more busy. And speaking of work, things are going better on that front as she’s earned the respect of those who work closest with her. Of course not everyone is on the Sheriff Joanna Brady bandwagon; the first female sheriff in AZ.

As like the earlier books in the series, Joanna pulls together the mystery from conversations with many people instead of through interrogation, and I love that aspect of the books. People aren’t always comfortable talking with her, but she doesn’t grill them, making a huge difference.

We’ve got a mystery, scenery, drama, surprises, and a few scenes that will make you feel good. You’ve heard about how dangerous a sudden rainstorm can be in the desert? We learn why. Another aspect of the series I’m enjoying is the vivid description of the terrain and wildlife of the area.

We’re constantly learning more about the secondary characters and this one is no exception. For some it’s like reading about old friends.

These books could easily be read as stand-alones. There is enough back filler provided without drowning the story in them.

Read from a library book. show less

I think this is one of the best in series, so far. This book made me laugh (flying bras) and the ending brought tears to my eyes. I enjoy Joanna and her imperfect relationship with her mother. Maybe since her mother got married in this book, Joanna won't be her focus so much.

A bright and beautiful young woman with a very rich papa goes missing and Joanna Brady has to make the decision to treat the case like all the other missing person cases in the county. Wait 24 hours. The tale proceeds to become entangled with smuggling, domestic violence and old crimes. Not my favorite book in the series, I have a hard time reading about this sort of crime, but it was interesting and in one point laugh out loud funny. I enjoy Joanna's relationships with the men who work beside her. The fact that everyone seems to be conveniently pairing up as couples is a bit smarmy for my taste, but not so off-putting that I won't read the next installment.

Joanna Brady mystery
good — quick read — twists + turns

Brianna "Bree" O'Brien never returned from Skeleton Canyon. Someone brutally murdered the pretty, popular teenager who had stolen away under cover of darkness to rendezvous with her boyfriend. Perhaps youthful rage, jealousy and savage passion cost young Bree her life. Or maybe 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'Brien's insistence that Bree's boyfriend 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.

We’ve got a mystery, scenery, drama, surprises, and a few scenes that will make you feel good. The regular characters are back. Jance also creates warm and personable characters that you just gotta like.

from amazon: Brianna "Bree" O'Brien never returned from Skeleton Canyon. Someone brutally murdered the pretty, popular teenager who had stolen away under cover of darkness to rendezvous with her boyfriend. Perhaps youthful rage, jealousy and savage passion cost young Bree her life. Or maybe 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'Brien's insistence that Bree's boyfriend 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 show more that is pulling Sheriff Brady ever closer to the lethal nest 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.

A very good installment in the Joanna Brady series (deleting only because my Kindle is getting overloaded!) show less