Review - The Castle by Anne Montgomery
By Carmen, 14 September 2021
Book Cover
Genre: Contemporary; Suspense with a small amount of crime
Year Published: 2021
Blurb:
Ancient ruins, haunted memories, and a ruthless criminal combine with a touch of mystic presence in this taut mystery about a crime we all must address.
Maggie, a National Park Ranger, is back at the Castle – an ancient Native American pueblo carved into the face of a limestone cliff in Arizona. Maggie, who suffers from depression, has been through several traumas: the gang rape she suffered while in the Coast Guard, the sudden death of her ten-year-old son, and a suicide attempt. As part of her therapy Maggie volunteers at the local rape crisis clinic.
Maggie has several men in her life. The baker, newcomer Jim Casey, always greets her with a warm smile and fills pink boxes with sweet delicacies. Brett Collins, a scuba diver, is doing scientific studies in Montezuma Well, a dangerous cylindrical depression that houses a deep spring filled with strange creatures found nowhere else on Earth. Then there’s Dave, with whom she’s had a one-night stand, and her new boss Glen.
One of these men is a serial rapist, and Maggie is his next target.
About the Author:
Anne Butler Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, and amateur sports official. Her first TV job came at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, and led to positions at WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, and ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter. She finished her on‐camera broadcasting career with a two‐year stint as the studio host for the NBA's Phoenix Suns. Montgomery was a freelance and/or staff reporter for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces. Her novel, The Scent of Rain, was released in March 2017. A Light in the Desert was published in November 2018. Wild Horses on the Salt will be released in 2020. Montgomery taught high school journalism for 20 years and was an amateur sports official for four decades, a time during which she called baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and basketball games and served as a high school football referee and crew chief. Montgomery is a foster mom to three sons. When she can, she indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, and playing her guitar.
Connect with the Author:
Twitter: Anne Montgomery Twitter
Facebook: Anne Montgomery Facebook
Author Website: Anne Montgomery Author Website
Buy the Book:
Amazon: Amazon Purchase Link
My Take on the Book:
One section of the book I liked was where Maggie worked in the rape crisis clinic – and wished that had been explored a bit more.
There are two POV’s in the book – that of the perpetrator; whose identity you don’t find out until the end, and that of Maggie. I gave this book a four star rating and got an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Last Word:
This is the second book I have read by this author.
Enjoy,
Carmen