“Deadly Sanctuary” by Sylvia Nobel – Wild West Reborn

The Southwest of the United States has always been a rather interesting place, one where death and beauty have seeped into the soil itself and majestic landscapes hide the scars of countless wars and battles. Though the Wild West isn’t exactly alive anymore, there are still many stories to be told in it, whether real or fictional.

Deadly Sanctuary by Sylvia Nobel (and illustrated by Christy Moeller) takes place in Arizona, and is the first book to follow the exploits of Kendall O’Dell, a young and spirited journalist who recently took a job with a failing newspaper.

Contrary to her expectations though, this turns out to be the roughest turn she ever took as she stumbles upon what seems like a morbid conspiracy, surrounding the death of two teenage girls. The quest for truth will be far from easy, especially considering the locals don’t take too kindly to a young lady from the big city snooping in their affairs.

Though this book has received a certain share of criticism, it seems to me that the problem, as is often the case, lies in the expectations people have for the book. Dead Sanctuary is a solid mystery which follows the classic conventions of the genre, focusing more on the mystery than anything else.

Yes, the supporting characters do feel a bit one-dimensional and perhaps even stereotypical, but they all serve their purpose: to weave together a compelling mystery that keeps you interested and entertained, even if it does feel a bit unrealistic and even cartoonish to some extent.

The charm of this book lies in the safe path it takes, especially considering that in my opinion, it still manages to be exciting in terms of the plot twists and turns, the one at the climax in particular.

I also have to say that I truly do appreciate the fact that the book makes due without any naturalism; there are no gruesome murder scene descriptions, sex scenes, or really any use of foul language at all.

The result is a story which feels sanitized to some extent for the readers’ consideration, and I have to say it is refreshing to read a book where the author doesn’t try to make a point by shoving you face-first into the dark side of their world.

All in all, though Deadly Sanctuary may feel like a book where the author is playing it safely, it still is an enthralling mystery with an interesting and likable protagonist as well as a plot that will, at the very least, challenge those who invest themselves in it. I recommend it to anyone who wants to read an entertaining and enjoyable mystery that doesn’t pretend to be anything else than it is.

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Sylvia Nobel Sylvia Nobel is an American author who mainly specializes in stories set in the modern west, trying to bring the unique experience of living it through a medium all can enjoy. Some of her better-known works include Deadly Sanctuary and Dark Moon Crossing.