Lost in the Gila (Five Star Expressions)

When forensic anthropologist Kate Donovan receives an invitation to work on a mysterious site in the Gila wilderness, she seizes the chance to join Dr. Adam Richter, the world's most renowned archaeologist.  Kate's habit of straying beyond the bounds of protocol has put her career in jeopardy in the past, and she's eager to redeem her reputation.  Richter's discovery ranks as one of the greatest finds of the twenty-first century:  monumental evidence of the lost culture of Teotihuacan, unearthed within the borders of the USA.  But Dr. Richter has been missing for several days, and tension simmers in the crew.  After weeks of excavation, the crew realizes a treasure greater than any pharaoh's has vanished into the remote reaches of the wilderness. 

Kate's methods invite paranormal experiences of intuition that lead her to the priceless hoard of golden treasure buried in the lost tombs, hidden deep in the mesa.  Soon after returning the news of her discovery, she plunges into a vortex of corruption and betrayal as a murderer threatens the future of the dig.  Desperate to find the killer before he can claim another victim, Kate must duel with the chilling mind of a psychopath.  Set in the harsh, unforgiving high desert of the Gila Wilderness, "Lost in the Gila" is a taut novel of suspense, romance and survival.

Returning to Taos (Five Star Expressions)

After losing her estranged son Johnny to a bullet, and after spending time in a hospital after overdosing upon hearing the news, Elena Waters returns to Taos, New Mexico, where she and her ex-husband raised Johnny, and where he died. Elena has a driving need to find out who killed Johnny and why. The police believe it was a random event, but Elena knows better. No one she talks to is forthcoming. She even has beyond-the-grave conversations with Johnny, who urges her to drop her pursuit of the truth. But Elena doesn't give up, and danger follows as she delves deeper into the mystery. People come to question her sanity, and as Gilbert's tautly written novel progresses, the reader, too, begins to have doubts about Elena's mental state. When the truth is finally exposed in this highly suspenseful, emotional tale, it is far more shocking than Elena, or the reader, could have imagined. -- Maria Hatton, Booklist

Sometimes in the throng of everyday entertaining releases in this genre, it's possible to find an outstanding original gem, one that rises above mere entertainment with such clarity and vision that it's truly awe-inspiring. This is one of those times. This beautifully poignant and suspenseful book is nothing short of an act of grace in its scope and ability to enthrall and to evoke several emotions at once. Lyrical writing, true-to-life characterizations, a heartrending exploration of grief, and a mystery worth its weight in gold, all backlit by the vividly and beautifully detailed environs that make up this part of the country, combine for one of the best reads possible. So whatever you do, don't miss this one, its originality and many strengths will amaze.

-- Stephanie Padilla, Editor-New Mystery Reader

RETURNING TO TAOS is a haunting amateur sleuth tale ... RETURNING TO TAOS is a powerful mystery with a terrific twist that grips readers from the first “mother-son conversation” inside her head until their last.

-- Harriet Klausner, Amazon's #1 Reviewer

Readers won’t be able put RETURNING TO TAOS down as the suspense builds in an exciting crescendo. It is a gripping and intense story that romantic suspense fans will not want to miss.

-- Marilyn Heyman, Romance Reviews Today

Without Mercy (NAL Dutton)

While hunting on the property's woods, Brett spots the mangled remains of a murder victim. Brett calls the police. Her ex-husband heads up the investigation that soon points towards Brett, her family, and a hired hand as the prime suspects. However, the identity of the corpse leads to more mysteries that threaten to destroy the loving McBride clan. WITHOUT MERCY is an exciting contemporary suspense with a pinch of romance that centers on the unraveling of ties that bond a family together. The cleverly designed story line focuses on the fully developed characters as they react to the murder especially who the victim is. The audience understands what motivates the cast notably Brett and Gran. Fans of Hoag and Johansen will enjoy Lois Gilbert's taut family thriller.

-- Harriet Klausner, Amazon's #1 Reviewer

The acclaimed author of RIVER OF SUMMER delivers a compelling and emotionally moving novel of what happens when murder touches the heart of a family-and forever changes their past, present, and future.... Brett McBride is walking in the woods near her grandmother's farm when she discovers a dead body. The police, headed by her ex-husband, believe that no one is above suspicion. And when a devastating blizzard leaves the family snowbound, three generations will be forced to unlock thirty years of silence.

River of Summer (Penguin-Putnam)

Praise for River of Summer: "An odyssey of self-discovery...a complex emotional drama."--Romantic Times

Zoe Harper's marriage is over, and a cruel betrayal by her husband sends her on a voyage of self-discovery across the American west.  In the middle of the Utah desert she meets a man ten years her junior who will lead her back to passion, and open a world of possibility she thought she'd left behind long ago.