Review of Diamond in the Desert
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- Latest Review: Diamond in the Desert by Karen Gilleland
Review of Diamond in the Desert
[Following is a volunteer review of "Diamond in the Desert" by Karen Gilleland.]
Diamond in the Desert: A Hope Diamond Mystery by Karen Gilleland is a whodunnit thriller set in the Navajo deserts of the West. Hope Diamond is head of Diamond Security. She and her team are hired by a wealthy and influential businesswoman, Janai Ross, to protect herself and a group of similar high-profile women for an important meeting held at an isolated location called Secret Sands. When word that the meeting was leaked onto the dark web, Hope is concerned something dangerous might take place. When her suspicions turn out to be true, the FBI is called in to investigate whether the unexpected death of one of the guests was a tragic event or a murder. It’s a race against the clock to find the truth before Janai and her guests must return home.
Character development was a definite positive of this book. With so many people and backstories, it would have been easy to forget certain characters or unintentionally diminish their roles in the overall plot. However, the author took her time in bringing each character to life. Her descriptions of how they moved across a room, the glances they passed to each other, the style of clothing they wore, or their manners of speaking made it easy for me to imagine them in real life.
Scenery descriptions were also another highlight for me. The way the author describes the desert, the mix of colors in the sky at sunset, how the bright campfires contrasted so beautifully against a vast, dark, star-studded sky instantly transported me to the isolated Navajo reservation. I almost wanted to book my ticket to Secret Sands; if only it were a real location!
The frequent mention of ‘chindi’ was something I disliked, however. For me, it brought an eerie, almost creepy, sense to the book. I didn’t understand if it referred to a dark aura or her sixth sense. I found it unnecessary and don’t think it contributed to the book.
Despite this, I would give this book a rating of four out of four. It was professionally edited as I only came across a few minor grammatical errors. Between the impressive ability to juggle a multi-character plot seamlessly from start to finish and the wonderful imagery conjured from the vivid descriptions of desert scenery, I was captivated instantly and thoroughly enjoyed this read.
I would recommend this book to fans of mysteries and thrillers alike. It would make for a great book club conversation. I look forward to more from this author, maybe even a part two or three of the Hope Diamond series.
******
Diamond in the Desert
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Diamond in the Desert: A Hope Diamond Mystery by Karen Gilleland is a whodunnit thriller set in the Navajo deserts of the West. Hope Diamond is head of Diamond Security. She and her team are hired by a wealthy and influential businesswoman, Janai Ross, to protect herself and a group of similar high-profile women for an important meeting held at an isolated location called Secret Sands. When word that the meeting was leaked onto the dark web, Hope is concerned something dangerous might take place. When her suspicions turn out to be true, the FBI is called in to investigate whether the unexpected death of one of the guests was a tragic event or a murder. It’s a race against the clock to find the truth before Janai and her guests must return home.
Character development was a definite positive of this book. With so many people and backstories, it would have been easy to forget certain characters or unintentionally diminish their roles in the overall plot. However, the author took her time in bringing each character to life. Her descriptions of how they moved across a room, the glances they passed to each other, the style of clothing they wore, or their manners of speaking made it easy for me to imagine them in real life.
Scenery descriptions were also another highlight for me. The way the author describes the desert, the mix of colors in the sky at sunset, how the bright campfires contrasted so beautifully against a vast, dark, star-studded sky instantly transported me to the isolated Navajo reservation. I almost wanted to book my ticket to Secret Sands; if only it were a real location!
The frequent mention of ‘chindi’ was something I disliked, however. For me, it brought an eerie, almost creepy, sense to the book. I didn’t understand if it referred to a dark aura or her sixth sense. I found it unnecessary and don’t think it contributed to the book.
Despite this, I would give this book a rating of four out of four. It was professionally edited as I only came across a few minor grammatical errors. Between the impressive ability to juggle a multi-character plot seamlessly from start to finish and the wonderful imagery conjured from the vivid descriptions of desert scenery, I was captivated instantly and thoroughly enjoyed this read.
I would recommend this book to fans of mysteries and thrillers alike. It would make for a great book club conversation. I look forward to more from this author, maybe even a part two or three of the Hope Diamond series.
******
Diamond in the Desert
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Diamond in the Desert by Karen Gilleland
