Take a journey with Durango author’s debut novel
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 2:49 PM
San Juan Sunrise, a debut self-published novel by Edward Lehner, tells the story of Jenny Morse. Lehner, a local, also features Durango as an important character in Jenny’s story. It is always a little thrill to read about places that you know and may pass by every day, and Lehner does a great job describing Durango and Durangoans.
As San Juan Sunrise opens, Jenny is coming down from the mountains after a summer spent backpacking north of Durango. She has spent the time mostly alone and she is comfortable with that. She seems to have a severe case of distrust of her fellow humans, especially men. MORE...
Review: Of Cartography adventurous, playful
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017 1:29 PM
Before even opening the pages of Esther Belin’s newest collection of poems, Of Cartography, the multi-talented artist/poet reveals hints about her intentions. Belin’s cover illustration depicts the four sacred colors and mountains of the Diné (Navajo), and those readers aware of her culture will expect to find a rich and fascinating treasure inside. MORE...
In Quality of Mercy, a new crime-fighting duo is born
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 6:28 PM
The Quality of Mercy, a debut novel by Katayoun Medhat, is garnering kudos from across the literary landscape. Comparisons to Tony Hillerman, Craig Johnson and others are being bandied about. This is high praise indeed, and author Medhat has the credentials to assist her in a successful writing career.
This story begins with the bizarre discovery of a young man’s body near Chimney Rock, which is located near the Navajo Nation. The town closest to this crime is the fictional town of Milagro. Sheriff Weismaker shows up on site with K, one of his officers. Readers will learn that K is short for Franz Kafka, and grow to understand that the hero of this novel has probably located himself in the rural Southwest so that most people will not recognize the name. MORE...
New novels bring thrills to West
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 5:37 PM
Paradise Valley’s explosive opening thrusts Cassie Dewell into a hellish situation and thwarts her almost four-year-long attempt to bring a ruthless serial killer to long overdue justice. Cassie, a single mom of Ben, 12, is the chief investigator for Bakker County Sheriff’s Department.
Based in Grimstad, North Dakota, she is originally from Montana, and she is bent on apprehending Ronald Pergram, known as the “Lizard King.” Pergram is a long-haul trucker with a special rig, which he uses to kidnap and torture “Lot Lizards,” prostitutes who troll truck stops for customers. Because he preys on transient women and across state lines, it took law enforcement many years to discover his heinous crimes. MORE...
Review by Leslie Doran
Spagna, using her skills honed on her nonfiction work, introduces an unlikely duo of Charlotte and Larry. As the story opens, 14-year-old Charlotte and her mom, Angela, are packing up their lives in Colorado because Angela has lost her job. They are moving back to Washington state, where Larry, Charlotte’s father, lives. Colorado and the Rockies are the only home Charlotte knows, and she thinks it is the best place in the world to snowboard. Charlotte is a champion racer, and moving down to the dinky Cascades where the tallest mountains don’t even reach 9,000 feet is quite a letdown. So much so, she’s gotten rid of all her gear except her boards. MORE...
Review by Leslie Doran
The debut novel Indelible by Adelia Saunders, who grew up in Durango, is a complex, intriguing and compelling tale. Saunders shares the story of Magdalena, a young Lithuanian woman living in England whose life becomes involved with a father and son who have become disconnected. This somewhat postmodern adventure is told through the viewpoints of the diverse characters of Magdalena, Neil and his father, Richard. MORE...
Review by Jaime Cary
The quest for the simple life is one that has been undertaken by many throughout America’s history. However, in the age of consumption and global warming, we can see that the traditional ways that people have created the good life for themselves can have dire consequences across the globe. In The Unsettlers, author Mark Sundeen wades through the complicated issues of sustainability, and examines many ways we could create a simpler life. MORE...
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