Wild Sorrow

by: Sandi Ault

Published by: Berkley Prime Crime (March 3 release)

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

Sandi Ault is the recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the author of two previous Jamaica Wild mysteries, Wild Inferno and Wild Indigo. Ault is a former journalist, a fire information officer and lives in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Set in New Mexico, Ault has written another memorable mystery about Jamaica Wild and her wolf, Mountain. Her writing shows her love of the southwest and the people who inhabit her stories.

Jamaica is trailing an injured mountain lion with cubs that are starving, when she comes across an old Indian school where children were taken from their homes and “Americanized.” A snowstorm is revving up and she takes cover in the school where she stumbles upon the body of a white woman. The school’s history and the woman’s body swirl through her consciousness as the storm builds.

The FBI becomes involved in the case but she investigates on her own. That decision marks her as quarry by a stalker who is determined that she should not find the truth.

Ault is a visual writer and that brings another rich layer to the deep emotions and historical portions of her novels. While her story plots are important, they take almost a back seat to the culture, characters, and environment. It’s not often that I think that is a good thing in a mystery, but in Ault’s case, it only adds to the beauty of her writing. Her love of Indian culture, nature, and animals is the way she draws you into her story. I rooted with fervor for her to find the mountain lion cubs and I enjoy the relationship between her and her boyfriend, Kerry and her wolf companion.

I’m a relatively new fan of Ault’s and can’t wait for the next Wild mystery.

Armchair Interviews says: If you love mystery and the out of doors, Wild Sorrow is a must read.

Author’s Web site: http://www.SandiAult.com