
The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Desert Sanctuary: A Detective Sanchez/Father Montero Mystery
Because Desert Sanctuary was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Atieno Magero

I would have read this book even if I hadn't sampled it for this program. The book had an alluring blurb and generally favourable volunteer reviews on Online Book Club. Sampling the book has made me want to purchase it to continue with the rest of the story. I found the story captivating and well written. I didn't come across any typos or errors while reading. What I like about this book is the fact that the main character is a female detective. Generally, I like the story as it is. I only wish that the cover would have been more realistic and eye-catching. I did notice that the book doesn't have an official OBC review. It does however have several volunteer reviews. They helped me decide whether I'd want to read the book.
First Ten review added on August 24, 2021, at 4:57 am by Atieno Magero.
Ann Ogochukwu

I was indifferent about the cover and title of this book, but its OBC review caught my interest, so I may have sampled this book based on its review.
The story starts with action; a gunfire exchange between the police and a drug gang, which ends with the questionable deaths of both the commanding officer, Captain Gurvy, and the drug gang leader, Gomez. The story unfolded from officer Sanchez's third-person perspective. I liked how descriptive this book was; I could easily picture the crossfire scene. When in the mood for some action thriller, I'll complete this book.
I think the book was professionally edited, as I didn't notice any errors in it. I don't think this book needs any improvement.
First Ten review added on August 24, 2021, at 4:51 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Howlan

I do not think I would have read this book without the program, as I generally do not read books without reading their prequels first. Since this book is the second part of the series, I am not going to read it. The first ten pages introduce Detective Sanchez, who is in the middle of a Drug Bust. A massive shooting breaks out, and Sanchez follows the main leader and her college as they both are shot dead. Sanchez gives up the chase and reports the death of the two. The narration was good and easy to understand. The opening to this book is also great, with well-written action scenes. I like the concept of this story, but since I have not read the prequel to this book, I am not going to buy and read this book today. This is because I feel you miss out a lot without knowing the backstory of the characters. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The official review is absent, but there is a volunteer review, and that gave a good idea of what I can expect from the story, so the lack of the official OBC review did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on August 24, 2021, at 4:07 am by Howlan.
Mutai Marshal

The cover page of this book dissuaded me from reading this book. It suggested that this is a crime novel, a genre I don't relish reading. I liked its fast-paced nature. The novel doesn't tally in its progress as the reader witnesses criminals and law enforcement personnel engage in gun battles. The scenes were vividly described. I could picture the dead bodies scattered on the battlefield. Having read the OBC review and sampled it, I will not buy this book because I don't find crime books appealing. It seems exceptionally edited, and there are no suggestions for improvement that I can offer.
First Ten review added on August 24, 2021, at 3:37 am by Mutai Marshal.
Sou Hi

The cover is not very attractive, but Amazon's reviews look alright. Since the blurb is promising, I decided to give the sample a try. It begins as Sanchez cooperated with Gurvy's team to take down a gang of drug dealers. During the gunfight, the gang's boss ran away, and Gurvy chased after him. Later, Sanchez also followed them, but she was too late. Both of the men were shot to death, and the culprit was nowhere to be seen.
I like the book's genre. The editing looks good, and I have no suggestions for improvement. However, the plot is not really refreshing, as it has been used in many novels and movies. Since the book is not interesting enough, I won't buy it. There are some volunteer reviews on OBC, but the lack of an OnlineBookClub official review didn't affect my decision.
Error example: A complex web of crimes involving drug gangs and bad cops daunt the crime solving duo from the start of the story. -> A hyphen is needed between "crime" and "solving"
First Ten review added on August 24, 2021, at 3:30 am by Sou Hi.
Catherine Hsu

If I had not read the book as part of this First Ten program, I would have read the book still. I'm a huge fan of mysteries! After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I think the book did a really smart job with setting up the characters by putting them in action and showing us a drug bust as an example of the kind of work they do and showing us how the partners work together. It was professionally edited so there's absolutely nothing I'd change. I didn't see an official review on OnlineBookClub but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on August 24, 2021, at 2:51 am by Catherine Hsu.
Stephanie Runyon

The cover of this book has a sinister looking shadow in front of a church. I would have sampled this book based on the cover and crime genre. I enjoyed the opening fire fight scene, with the suspense built on the deaths of Gomez and Gurvy. Appearing to be professionally edited, I have no suggestion to improve the story. The OBC review did not influence my decision to pass on this book. After the intense scene for an opening, the story started to fail to hold my attention. I found myself rereading the description in the office and church descriptions. I did like the continued suspense building that the author gave in the scenes, but it wasn't enough for me to continue reading.
First Ten review added on August 24, 2021, at 2:16 am by Stephanie Runyon.
Annelore Trujillo

I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. One of the biggest reasons is that it is the second book and I haven’t read the first. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I thought the initial scene with the fight between the cops and the gang was intense, which is a good start to any book. However, I didn’t like the language as much. “Gangbanger” was used a lot, which was redundant. The author also talks about a “drug buy”, but doesn’t say what the buy was. This type of language just made the book seem less realistic and could use improvement. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 10:45 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Dzejn_Crvena

Based on the cover, I won't pick this book because the gun indicates violence. The OBC review didn't convince me to read further because I've been warned about it. The story began during a bust operation gone wrong. The protagonist was already uncomfortable about the location and her outfit before the action. I like that the sample already gave what the readers expected: thrill. The author didn't miss a detail while writing the turn of events. The book seems professionally edited, so I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 8:43 pm by Dzejn_Crvena.
Manang Muyang

The lady holding a gun in the foreground of the cover picture must be Detective Sanchez. I love lady detectives, so I would have sampled this book. The blurb mentioned that Sanchez was accused of killing a police captain, Gurvy, and a drug lord, Gomez, in a botched drug buy. However, the sample didn't get that far. This is also the second book in a series featuring the crime-solving duo of a priest and a lady detective. I didn't think I could read this sequel without reading Book 1 first. The book started with gunfighting, which left some people dead, including Gomez and Gurvy. The author's portrayal of the battle was spot on; I could almost hear the whizzing bullets. The sample was mostly well-edited. I found only a couple of errors: In the preface, "A complex web of crimes involving drug gangs and bad cops daunt the crime solving duo from the start of the story" should have used "daunts" and "crime-solving" At 87% of the sample, "He was normally clean shaven" needed a hyphen after "clean." I like that Montero, the priest, was shown as a good cook. The beef ribs he grilled made me hungry. The featured OBC review also noted Father Montero's culinary talents. I couldn't pinpoint anything that needed improvement in the sample.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 8:01 pm by Manang Muyang.
Sarah_Khan

The cover and title of this book are average. I would not have sampled this if it was not a part of the First Ten program because it is part of a series. The beginning of the book was well edited. It started with a lot of action. I did notice a few curse words. I was actually glad they didn't specify what Sanchez tripped on. I did see a lot of volunteer reviews but not an official one. Overall, the plot of this book does not intrigue me and I doubt an official OBC review would have changed my mind. So, I will not be reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 7:26 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Emy Katherine

After being wrongfully accused of murdering two people, Detective Sanchez is determined to find the real killer. She teams up with her close friend, Father Guillermo Montero, to uncover the truth and solve this mystery. As I love reading murder mystery novels, I would have read the book on my own. Furthermore, I reviewed the first book in the Detective Sanchez/Father Montero Mystery series, and both the sample and the OBC review increased my interest in reading the second book. I particularly enjoyed that I was thrown into the action from the very beginning. The story was also told from multiple perspectives, making it easier to connect with the characters. Honestly, I found nothing that needed to be improved. I only noticed four minor errors that did not disrupt the flow of the story. For example, I noticed a missing comma before "but" in the following sentence: "She knew the deal sucked but she had to go through with it." (location 406 of 682 • 59%) It should be written "good-looking" in the following sentence: "He was a pleasant man of average build, generally good looking, with a sense of humor." (location 450 of 682 • 66%)
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 3:39 pm by Emy Katherine.
Diana Lowery

The old mission on the cover was pretty; the man with the gun was out of place. I assume he was going to seek sanctuary in the church. The Amazon blurb mentioned that this was the second book in the series. The OBC reviewer said that he would read this book again, which is a very strong endorsement. I found no errors in the pages that I read. I liked the description of Lori Sanchez. I did not like that I had a hard time following the action of the gun fight. I will not finish reading this book because I have not read the first one. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 2:37 pm by Diana Lowery.
Jennifer Donovan Smith

I wouldn’t have sampled this book on my own because it is not the first in the series. I wasn’t a fan of the cover; it does not look professionally done. There is not an official review, but there are several volunteer OBC reviews. I would’ve liked to have seen an official review and wonder if it was not published because it wasn’t positive. It’s absence makes me skeptical.
Immediately, I noticed errors in the preface. For instance, the acknowledgments are not formatted correctly. There should be a colon, not a comma, to introduce the list of people the author wishes to thank.
“I would like to thank the following people for their aid and support in the writing and production of this book[,] Dr. Hannah Pavlik…”
Additionally, a comma is not needed between Dr. Pavlik’s name and her contribution. This is the only time a comma was used to separate a name from the contribution, so it’s better to remove it altogether.
“… Dr. Hannah Pavlik[,] for her support and encouragement…”
Lastly, because the comma is not needed there, that means that semi-colons are not necessary to separate the list. Commas will suffice.
“…my beta readers who provided helpful comments and ideas[;] Donna Zimmerman for word processing[;] and Nick Zelinger for cover design.”
The first chapter also has errors. For instance, at loc. 156, an adverb (“badly”) should be used rather than an adjective (“bad”).
“And this buy would likely go down [bad]…”
I would recommend a thorough edit. I would also recommend revising the cover art to draw more readers.
I liked the author’s writing style, and the narrative flowed nicely. Unfortunately, even if this weren’t the second book in a series, I would not read it because I have no interest in detective mysteries. I will not be finishing the book.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 2:15 pm by Jennifer Donovan Smith.
Jorge Leon Salazar

The cover and title are intriguing. The silhouette of someone wielding a gun makes it clear that it is a crime thriller, so I think the potential audience would be attracted. The crime stories are to my liking. The customer reviews are favorable and highlight that the narrative encourages the reader to try to unravel the crime. The blurb offers a clear overview of the plot around Detective Lori Sanchez. She is accused of the murder of a policeman and a gang leader because she was the first to arrive at the crime scene. Hence, both the police and the gang are after her. Based on these elements I would like to test this book. The first ten pages cover the fact when an arranged drug buy goes wrong and ends in a shootout with casualties on both sides. Phoenix Police Captain Ronald Gurvy and gang boss Roberto Gomez are among those killed. The description of the events and scene is quite detailed and focuses on the protagonist, Detective Sanchez. She had run after Captain Gurvy, who in turn had thrown himself after Gomez. In what I read, it already outlined that Detective Murdock distrusts Sanchez. Several aspects remain as clues for the crime investigation. For example, why was Gomez there as it was a low-ranking drug sell? And who were those people that Sanchez heard running after the shots in which Gurvy and Gomez died? The official OnlineBookClub review clarifies the plot around Sanchez being accused of the deaths of Gurvy and Gomez so both the cops and Gomez's gang are pursuing her. Plus, Father Montero's participation in the plot is stressed, especially to help Sanchez. The editing looks professional as I didn't see any details to comment on. In general, I did not see anything that I believe could be improved. What I read was exciting, as it quickly turned into a story of action and emotion. The curiosity remains to see if Sanchez can prove her innocence and overcome this adversity. I would like to know how this unfolds. Therefore, I will read the rest of the book as soon as I can.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 12:40 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Chelsy Scherba

The author does a good job painting the scene for the drug deal that went awry, putting Sanchez in danger and shooting Julio in the face. I’m not typically interested in crime fiction though, so this book would not appeal to me outside of the program. I do like the cover image and the involvement of religious figures like the OBC review described, but I’m probably still not going to read this book because I don’t enjoy the genre. The editing appears flawless with no errors to speak of. Everything looks very professional. I don’t have any suggestions to improve the book.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 12:08 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Jeremie Mondejar

The cover photo is captivating, but the genre isn't my thing. I already read a few pages of this book before and read it again for this review, but it doesn't pique my interest. I don't like this genre nor I like anything in the sample. The OBC review is present, but it doesn't influence me, too. Fortunately, the sample looks well-written. Lastly, I can't give anything for improvement because the sample may look flawless for the fanatics of this genre.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 11:24 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
gen_g

Looking at the book subtitle and Amazon blurb, it is a piece of mystery fiction – I am not in the market for such books; hence, I would not have sampled it. Due to BOTD, I have read a positive OBC review of the book, but because of the genre mismatch, I would not have changed my mind regarding sampling. Unfortunately, there seems to be quite a number of grammar errors present. To illustrate, at 1% in the sample, there is a missing comma to mark the introductory phrase: "Once again(,) the intrepid Sanchez...". I suggest closer editing to rectify all the errors present. However, what is appreciated is the fact that the book starts with a high-octane scene. Lori Sanchez has a bad feeling about the way the drug buy has been set up, and she is hoping that everything will go well; otherwise, there is a chance that she, her partner Jeff, and the other six officers situated around the area may shoot each other (due to the poor visibility). Other than the need for more rigorous editing, I have no suggestions for the book's improvement; however, I do wonder if there is a meaning to the pretty large symbol displayed after the first chapter title (this may have been explained in the first book, since this particular title is the second in the series). If there is a meaning to the symbol, it would also be nice to get an explanation, given that the book belongs to the mystery genre. However, as I am not in the market for mysteries, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 11:20 am by gen_g.
Rodel Barnachea

Upon perusing the title's Amazon page and one of its volunteer OBC reviews, I decided not to purchase the crime novel. I did not find myself intrigued by the situation that Father John and Father Montero found themselves in. Frankly, I am not interested in learning how the two priests will help the refugee and how their decision will affect the outcome of Detective Sanchez's investigation. I believe the book is not my cup of tea. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the Amazon sample piqued my curiosity or engaged my attention. Other reasons I stated before I read the title's sample are factors I considered in my decision. The first ten pages include a preface and some pages of the first chapter. What I liked most is when Gomez shot and killed Julio after Gomez falsely assumed that the cop behind the bush is Julio's accomplice. I was not able to note any errors in the text. The book seems professionally edited to me. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 9:02 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Theresa Moffitt

The book looks interesting from the cover alone. The cover art and title are intriguing. It looks to be a book filled with action and adventure. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review of this book was very positive and increased my interest in the book. I didn’t need to read any additional customer reviews because the OBC review was very informative. The first ten pages begin with the action and drama of a drug deal. There are undercover cops and a drug dealer. The drug deal goes bad when they hear a noise and the undercover cop states that it is probably a coyote. Gunfire is exchanged and the undercover cop is shot in the face. I enjoyed reading the first ten pages. I didn’t see any errors, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. Based on the first ten pages and the OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 9:00 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Hazel Arnaiz

I like the genre, but the cover, title, and blurb are not appealing enough to sample the book outside the program. The image of the church and the word “sanctuary” give an impression that it is faith-based fiction, which I seldom read. The blurb says it is a crime story about drugs, gangs, and bad cops. Although the customer reviews are encouraging, I am not a big fan of the subject, so it did not pique my interest. After sampling, I appreciate the unlikely crime-solving tandem of a lady detective and a secular priest. However, it did not change my mind about the subject. As for editing, there are a few issues with grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Here are some examples.
Location 78. Spelling. Consider adding a hyphen.
A complex web of crimes involving drug gangs and bad cops daunt the [crime solving] duo from the start of the story.
Page 3. Grammar. Consider adding an article.
“Julio, where are you?” shouted Roberto “Criatura” Gomez as he approached the red dumpster at the edge of the clearing where Julio stood in [] faint light.
I have no suggestions for improvement. The official OnlineBookClub review is enthusiastic, but it did not affect my decision. I will skip this one.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 3:39 am by Hazel Arnaiz.
Ari Martinez

If I hadn't sampled this book for this program, I wouldn't have sampled it based on its title, cover, or Official OnlineBookClub review because I don't usually read series, and cop stories don't always interest me. After reading the sample, I will not read the rest of the book because I am not fond of too much gun violence in books. The part I enjoyed the most was the suspense that began when Detective Sanchez found the two dead bodies of Gurvy and Gomez. I dont think the book needs improvement, and it appears professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2021, at 12:38 am by Ari Martinez.
MsH2k

I have been interested in reading a Detective Sanchez/Father Montero mystery, so I would have sampled this book even if I were not part of this program. The sample pages were fast paced. I got a bit confused trying to keep everyone straight during the setup and shooting. Knowing Sanchez was wrongfully accused of two murders made me suspicious of everyone in the opening scene. The featured OnlineBookClub review was excellent, and it persuaded me to buy this book. I look forward to getting to know Sanchez and Father Montero and seeing how they work together to get out of this mess. I noticed only one grammatical error in the first ten pages, and it was in the preface at loc 139. The compound adjective “crime solving” should be hyphenated in this sentence: “A complex web of crimes involving drug gangs and bad cops daunt the crime solving duo from the start of the story.” I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 10:24 pm by MsH2k.
Scerakor

After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. I'm not really into crime novels and this one didn't seem that special. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I loved how Sanchez got into action immediately into the book. It makes books like this interesting, and bodes well for the rest of the book, when the author doesn't keep you waiting. That being said, I'm just not interested enough in the premise behind this book to buy and read the rest of it. Although the book looked well written and edited, there was one error that I found. At one point Sanchez thinks (and this is shown in italics) "no one was accurate in a real gunfight..." As this is the same thing as dialogue, this should be in the present tense and be "no on is accurate in a real gunfight..." The thing I would have improved from the sample I read is to use some less ambiguous terms in the text. For example, Sanchez was waiting for some "gangbangers" to show up, but I'm still not exactly sure what Baker means here. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 8:35 pm by Scerakor.
Verna Coy

First of all, even though crime novels aren’t my first choice, the cover of this book appealed to my sense of adventure and mystery. I liked the silhouetted character highlighted in the scene. I don’t plan to read the whole book because I’m not too into crime, but I know this novel will draw fans of this genre excellently. What I liked best about what I read today was the suspenseful nature of the way the scenes are described. The vivid details bring the story to life for the reader. The book seems professionally edited and free of errors. I saw no other reasons for improvements in what I read. I enjoyed reading the 4-star Online Book Club review, great job!
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 6:35 pm by Verna Coy.
Laura Ungureanu

Since I'm not into thrillers, this book's appearance didn't win me over. Seeing a gun on the cover is a clear sign for me that I need to stay away. The OBC review presented the book in a positive light. However, my only motivation for checking this book out was this program. The book starts with a drug buy. The author uses a very fitting writing style, making me feel immersed in the situation. However, I'm not interested in drugs or violence, so this book clearly wasn't for me. I don't think it needs any improvement. The sample seemed professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 4:59 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Yvonne Monique

Personally, I do not like the book cover because a gun and a church do not belong together. However, I understand that it is relevant to the story. I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore because I do not like murder mysteries. The OBC review and blurb did not change my mind. The sample is well edited, and I liked the symbols at the beginning of the chapters. However, I did not like the story as it began talking about a drug deal and I am not interested at all in anything drug-related. Furthermore, this is the second book in a series, and I would never start reading this installment without having read the first one first. Therefore, I will not buy this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 4:33 pm by Yvonne Monique.
J_odoyo

Desert Sanctuary by Fred G. Baker is a seemingly well-written book. After reading the first ten pages, I have realized that this book envelops a riveting story that will appeal to many fans of crime thrillers. In the earlier pages, Captain Ronald Gurvy of the South Metro Gang Unit has set up a drug buy and asked Lori Sanchez’s boss for an extra buck up in case things go south. Hell breaks loose, and I can’t stop guessing what was next. Besides an attractive cover page, the book also has a catchy title. I appreciate the fact that this book had an OnlineBookClub review, which gave insight into what the book is all about. The sample was well-edited, and I couldn’t spot any errors. It is easier to wager that the book was professionally edited. I liked the author’s narration skills. The description on the Amazon website was also okay. However, reading this sample didn’t change my mind to finally finish reading this book; I’m not a fan of this genre. I have no recommendation for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 3:33 pm by J_odoyo.
markodim721

I would choose to read a sample of this book because of its title and cover. The title is interesting and is associated with the adventure and danger from which someone escaped. The cover of the book fits well with the title. I’m not going to buy this book because I don’t like books in which the plot or part of it has something to do with narcotics. Reading the sample didn’t change my mind from my original guess. While reading the sample I did not notice any typos or errors and the book seems like it is professionally edited. I like how the police action was described during the drug buy. I think the appearance and behavior of the criminals are portrayed very authentically. I especially liked when the criminals flanked Roberto Gomez and spread out in a defensive pattern. The stress that police officers went through when they wrote statements after the action is well described. I think the book could be improved if the number of swear words were reduced. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 2:38 pm by markodim721.
Kajori Sheryl Paul

'Desert Sanctuary' is written by Fred G. Baker. This is the second book in the series. Captain Ronald Gurvey had planned a drug takedown in Parker Acres, Phoenix. Despite her misgivings, Detective Lori Sanchez and her team provided them backup. However, everything went south. I like how the scenery is enlivened with the words. The editing is good. There is nothing in need of an improvement. I would read this book without the sample based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I like the genre. The OBC review was insightful. I will read this book as I like the writing style.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 1:19 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Michelle Menezes

I have read a book previously by the author which was a science-fiction novel, so when I saw his name next to the title, I thought it would be in the same genre. The blurb was interesting, and I realised it was a crime mystery. The Official OnlineBookClub review had positive things to say about the book, but due to my past experience with his work, I was skeptical about picking it up. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided not to read the book. The story starts with a shoot-out after a drug deal goes wrong. What I liked about the book is the female protagonist, a detective who is strong and decisive, despite the scary situation. Still, it wasn't enough to encourage me to read it. I don't think the book needs any improvement, and I didn't find any errors, so it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 1:18 pm by Michelle Menezes.
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda

The cover reminds me of the architecture of the border between Mexico and the US, which I like. I like the blurb because I like the idea of seeing a priest working outside of the Church and see how he thinks. Added to that, the high ratings, I would have bought the book based on my first impressions.
What I liked the most about the first ten pages is that Lori is not a cliché of a strong female lead. It bothers me enormously when these super cops also manage to keep their hair in place and their smell powder-fresh during action scenes. It's not realistic but borderline objectifying. I'm glad it's not the case. We see this when "She had on a bulletproof vest over her uniform shirt and was sweating like a porker in the heat of the evening. "
What I didn't like was that there were too many characters and actions all at once. I felt lost. I didn't find editing mistakes. I think the only improvement that could be made, maybe in a further edition, would be toning down the overwhelming beginning a bit. The official OBC review is super enthusiastic and hyped me up even more about this book.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 12:34 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Kaitlyn Canedy

Because I recognized the author of this title, I would have read the sample of Desert Sanctuary even if it hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day. I enjoyed the action at the beginning of the book with the drug deal bust gone wrong; Fred Baker has always been an excellent writer. Because I have read other books from this author and know what to expect, I will be purchasing and finishing the rest of Desert Sanctuary. There were no grammatical errors in the sample that I could find, and I can think of no improvements for this book. An official OnlineBookClub review exists for this title, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. Readers who enjoy high-action thrillers may be the best audience for this book.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 11:41 am by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Bertha Jackson

I am a fan of Fred G. Baker and crime mysteries, so I would have checked this book out. The title and cover complement each other and are appropriate for this book. The book description and customer, editorial, and OnlineBookClub reviews all promise an action-packed and suspenseful plot. The first ten pages did not disappoint me because they are full of action with a gunfight between the cops and drug dealers. From reading the first book in the series, I know that Sanchez and Father Montero work well together in solving crimes. The book appears to have been edited by a professional editor as I did not see any errors in the first ten pages. I have no recommendations for the author to change anything. I have bought the book and will eventually read it.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2021, at 11:10 am by Bertha Jackson.
Total ~ 32%
Desert Sanctuary earned a score of 32%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 32% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for Desert Sanctuary