Saguaro Sanction

January 9, 2023
Graham’s uneven eighth National Park mystery (after 2021’s Canyonlands Carnage) finds archaeologist Chuck Bender deep in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert with his wife, Janelle Ortega, and teenage stepdaughters Rosie and Carmelita, along with a team of researchers. The family has traveled to Saguaro National Park ostensibly for a hike and to study ancient petroglyphs, but the real plan is to meet Janelle’s cousins Francisco and Carlos, who are making the difficult journey across the border from Mexico. At the rendezvous point with the cousins, Chuck and company discover Francisco murdered, along with a critically injured young man, but Carlos is nowhere to be found. Chuck and Janelle’s ensuing efforts to locate Carlos follow a predictable course, and it can be hard to keep track of the large cast. The book’s main appeal lies in its rich descriptions of the landscape and the history of the Hohokam people who once thrived in the area. One highlight is Carmelita’s discovery of a rare sun dagger carved into a rock face. Those interested in the terrain and the native peoples of the Southwest will best appreciate this one.