Synopsis
Something's askew in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona. The town's inhabitants are divided by urban growth. Some entrepreneurs try to make a quick buck by selling out the very aspect of the town that drew them: the awe-inspiring views and natural beauty. Spirited, passionate, and a bit mettlesome, Derek Mason helps his aunt Ruby find her place in the New Age haven, but instead they discover her real estate agent scalped in an empty condo. The crafty real estate agent had intended to sell off part of the pristine landscape, to scalp the land to the highest bidder, but someone scalped him first. Derek meets Myra and Topher, best friends with a shared secret from Devil's Bridge; Kimbo Blue, a former child star from Hollywood with a eunuch-ness that defies his adult persona; Clarity Received, the New Age girlfriend of the victim; and Tricia, the diva ex-wife. Along with a troupe of paranoid art gallery owners, gossipy sales clerks, sexy day workers, and a Jeep-driving Yavapai-Apache, the quirky characters of the resort town hamper Derek's attempts to expose the killer. Small town secrets, shady deals, and serial arsonists threaten to throw Derek off the trail. The destructive power of greed materializes in the idyllic setting, and Derek struggles to keep his sense of self-value over the immediate gratification of self-indulgence. Temptation from his past jeopardizes his future, unless he can tame his libido and focus. Or will he lose his head too?
Review
"An exciting, well-written page-turner of a mystery, which will keep you guessing as you slowly learn more about each of its colorful, complex characters...five full stars out of five!"
-- Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
"With eco-terrorists, wildfire and a shocking scalping, SCALPING THE RED ROCKS rips the mask off the superficial New Age haven of Sedona, Arizona, to reveal its darker side, in a don't-put-it-down mystery that will keep you guessing right up to its stunning climax. A winner!"
-- Kris Neri, author of REVENGE FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE
"Fans of Fingering the Family Jewels and Devil's Bridge will delight in the skillful merging of main characters in Scalping the Red Rocks, but this novel also stands on its own as a compelling mystery."
-- Keith Pyeatt, author of STRUCK and DARK KNOWLEDGE
"Though the novel conveys a vivid sense of place, its chief characters thus are largely outsiders feeling their way in a culture that appears familiar but is actually alien to them. The novel is crisply plotted. I especially admire how the author uses red herrings in ingenious ways."
-- Drewey Wayne Gunn, Lambda Literary
"Greg Lilly gives us some unforgettable characters and his ability to create them is amazing. The residents of Sedona are the kind of people you will never forget."
-- Amos Lassen, Literary Pride
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