Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Carnosaur Crimes
Ansel Phoenix mystery series, No. 2

By Christine Gentry

     Christine Gentry has created an exciting new mystery series, surrounding the adventures of paleoartist Ansel Phoenix. Carnosaur Crimes is the second in this series and does not have any of the earmarks of many sophomore books. It is fresh, exciting, and a real page- turner.

     Phoenix, who is of Blackfoot heritage, usually follows her own leads, and like many other fictional amateur sleuths, she runs afoul of local law enforcement. Her relationships, both with friends and potential lovers, are quirky and realistic, not the stuff of dreamy romances.

     The mystery itself deals with antiquities theft. In this case, it is the triple robbery of dinosaur bones. One of the robberies occurs at Phoenix's hometown museum, but is interrupted by a freak accident that catapults the thief into the mouth of one of Phoenix's life-size dinosaur replicas. This makes these thefts personal to Phoenix.

     Mixed in with the who-did-it is the controversy over jurisdiction that involves the local sheriff, tribal authorities, the Bureau of Land Management, and even the FBI. This has its own intrigue, especially when the FBI recruits Phoenix for a sting operation.

     Carnosaur Crimes is a fun read that also educates. I can't wait to find out what Gentry has in store for Ansel Phoenix in her next book.

The Book

Poisoned Pen Press
April 2005
Trade paperback
1-59058-150-4
Mystery, Native American police
More at Amazon.com 

Excerpt

NOTE: mildly explicit language, violence

The Reviewer

Janie Franz
Reviewed 2005
NOTE:
© 2005 MyShelf.com