Rattlesnake Crossing, J.A. Jance-Book Review

"Rattlesnake Crossing" by J.A. Jance is a superb mystery full of suspense and eloquently written with good down to earth motherhood and love. Joanna Brady is the sheriff of Cochise county, Az. and a single mom of Jenny, 11 years old. The hardships of being a mom and the sheriff are what Joanna faces every day. The high power sniper activity that downed 2 cattle and destroyed a well pump at a local ranch, took Joanna to a gun dealer in Pomerene to gather info about 50 caliber sniper guns. She finds the dealer dead and all his guns gone. This was the beginning of a mystery of a serial killer that brutally kills and mutilates by scalping the dead. One of the victims from a dude ranch that caters to wannabe Apache Indians, puts the focus on the visitors of Rattlesnake Crossing because of the scalping. Joanna is faced with the crime of the century and the chores of a single mom. Her relationship deepens with Butch Dixon and the sad tale of her friend Maculyea's adopted daughter becoming very ill. Joanna has a full plate but overcomes these problems with faith and perseverance. Only J.A. Jance can write a story of this quality and keep the reader going to the end.