Dr. Arthur Cameron, his wife, and their ten-old-son were brutally murdered inside their Scottsdale, Arizona home, as was their dog. It was believed that their daughter and her boyfriend, both fourteen, were the killers. The two teenagers did nothing to cause people to think otherwise.

Shortly after the murders, a strong, ambitious U.S. senatorial candidate by the name of Juliana Thorsson contacted private investigator Lena Jones. She wanted Lena to investigate Alison to see if the teen was telling the truth.

Before Lena would agree to take the assignment, she insisted Thorsson tell her why she was interested in the life of someone who had just undergone a horrific situation with the loss of everything she had in the world. Thorsson finally admitted the shocking truth that Allison was actually her biological daughter, a secret she had never shared with anyone until now.

In the meantime, Alison and her boyfriend Kyle were each confessing to the murders and insisting the other was innocent, although local law enforcement jailed both of them believing they had worked together. At first she was hesitant to take the case when Thorsson first approached her, but as Lena looked into the murders she found the parents had secrets of their own and the teens may not have been the killers. Now all she had to do was prove their innocence.

As she continued to search for the truth, her business was bombed and her life threatened. Someone very much wanted Lena to quit searching for the truth no matter what they had to do to stop her investigation.

Desert Rage by Betty Webb is the eighth novel in the Lena Jones Mystery series. She is also the author of the three-novel Gunn Zoo Mystery series. Both series are based in Arizona where Webb lives.

Desert Rage is an absorbing page-turner. Solid characterization allows readers to feel they are a part of the community, and they may feel strong emotions in a number of scenes due to the story line. The author is especially adept at creating scenes that come alive through her descriptions and dialogue.

Surprise twists keep the plot moving along at a rapid pace. And the ultimate twist at the end brings a satisfying finish to this sensitive story.

If you are a fan of Betty Webb’s Lena Jones series, you will definitely want to add this book to your collection.

A special thank you goes to Poisoned Pen Press for providing a copy of Desert Rage for our review. If you are interested in any of Betty Webb’s marvelous stories, they are available at Amazon.com.