Maggie’s Brujo: A Maggie McGill Mystery by Sharon Burch Toner
CreateSpace Independent Publishing
ISBN: 9781456323028
Published: November 30, 2010
Trade Paperback, 200 pages

Here is another Maggie McGill mystery to be enjoyed and savored. I reviewed two other books by Sharon Toner on this blog so readers may be familiar with her style of writing. It is always clean, always stylish, always interesting, and always exciting. The thread holding it firmly together is the mutual warm relationship between Maggie & Allie. This book is no exception.

Maggie and her daughter, Allie, are off to a vacation in Arizona at a dude ranch/B & B to reconnect with one of Allie’s friends. Before long, unusual things start to happen that cause the owners of the ranch to feel uneasy: a prize Arabian stallion at the ranch mysteriously sickens; Allie and Maggie get lost in the Arizona desert; illegal immigrants and two-legged coyotes cross their path and a mysterious Mexican man who “follows the angels” appears out of nowhere to help them. Esmeralda and Rosalita, his two travelling companions are a story unto themselves!

I liked the author’s description of the old hacienda dude ranch. She makes the reader want to be there to enjoy the warm hospitality of the owners, the Mexican staff and to delight in the regional food. These are comfortable people. I could imagine myself at their table. Her description of the prize horse is so similar to my brother’s Arabian filly, Farah, that I could picture him in my mind’s eye. I loved the description of the southern Arizona desert full of cacti, dust storms and mesquite.

As for the meaning of “brujo” in the title – that’s one of the little tidbits available to the reader.

I recommend this excellent mystery that also deals with relevant issues of our time.

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.

Reviewed by Sandra

Disclosure: Thanks to Sharon Burch Toner for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.