From the inside of the book:

The quiet beauty of autumn on Mississippi's Natchez Trave is swiftly shattered when Anna answers a call to Mt. Locust, once a working plantation and inn, now a tourist spot. But the man Anna finds in an old bedroom is no tourist in distress. He's nearly naked and very dead -- his body bearing marks consistent with sex games gone awry. On a writing table nearby is an open Bible with ominous passages circled in red.

There are secrets that prominent men in this God-fearing country wish to keep under wraps -- and Anna has stumbled into a nest of them.

At first I did not like the style of writing for this book. How things were written seemed contrary to what I was used to reading ... almost as if sentenced were split in half and re-ordered. I had to re-read a lot of paragraphs at the beginning. This would generally make me put down a book. Nevada Barr, however, had captured my interest, if not my literary preference.

I enjoyed the book. I like to read mysteries and this is a good one. I also became interested in the lead character and am going to read more books by her. The main character in the book seems real enough ... likeable and unlikeable ... just like all humans. The best thing is that neither the author nor the character seems to apologize for the character's foibles and I appreciate that. I have read too many books where the 'achilles heel' of the main character is apogolized for in some way ... explained too well or the thing the person is working on. Eh. Most people don't see their own personas so clearly.

A good book in its genre, and if you like the genre, you will like the book.

Released on Thursday, March 11, 2004 at 875 Military Trail, Professional Building in Jupiter, Florida USA.

For the 1,000,000/convention challenge. Three books in building: out front on directory, on water fountain, in elevator.