A Deadly Wilderness: The Ties That Kill

I love books by Kelly Irvin, and this one is no exception. She knows how to keep this reader on the edge-of-the-seat. I was completely hooked from the start and mesmerized until the end of the story. The action is powerful, the excitement thrilling and the adrenaline rush, a definite push. A Deadly Wilderness delivers characters that grab the reader. Not only are they strong, but robust and alive. There is plenty of tension blended within the secondary characters that keep the story moving at a fast pace. With Susana trying to raise her son, and still dwelling on her late husband's death, I thought this made a real-life event situation that many could relate in this stirring story. - Linda L.

I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this novel for well over a year. I have to say it is one of the rare books that grabs your attention in the first few pages and doesn't let go again till you've finished, leaving you wishing for more! Ms. Irvin does an excellent job of developing her characters and bringing all of their baggage into focus. She makes you really care about them. All the while she has this evilness lurking around every corner, wondering who's going to get whacked next! And as if that's not enough action going on, she really makes you feel like you need to check your spirituality and maybe head to church! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Ms. Irvin has not let her readers down with her debut novel, just leaves us waiting for more of her talented work!!

A Deadly Wilderness was enthralling, and I couldn't put it down. Author Kelly Irvin's story of murder, greed, and intrigue in San Antonio grabbed my attention from the first page. I hope to read more works by this author in the future.

I finally turned off the reading lamp an hour and a half after my usual bedtime last night. I had reached the last few chapters of Kelly Irvin's "A Deadly Wilderness." It wasn't so much that I 'couldn't put it down.' It's that I refused to put it down. Set right here in San Antonio, "A Deadly Wilderness" is a fast-paced thriller that follows the exploits of Detective Ray Johnson, who, while hiking in one of the city's wilderness parks, literally falls over a dead body--but not just any dead body. The late Joey Doyle, son of a prominent local family, has been savagely murdered and partially dismembered. Immediate and intense political pressure fuel Ray's innate overdrive, and he fights both the politicos and the clock to solve the case before the killer strikes again...and then again...and then again. All the while, Ray's professional skills and his devout faith are challenged to the limit every perilous inch of the way. Then, when he starts to get too close, the killer turns his eyes on Ray. An excellently conceived and cleverly crafted supporting cast push and pull at Ray throughout the ordeal. His on-again/off-again relationship with the lovely Susana Martinez-Acosta becomes entangled with the investigation, as does his strained friendship with Susana's protective brother, Samuel--who also happens to be Ray's boss. Hindered as much as helped by Detective Deborah Smith, his alcoholic partner, Ray limps one step forward then stumbles two steps backward until...nope, not gonna tell ya. You'll have ta read the "until." But Ms. Irvin does more than spin a gripping tale of murder, lust, and greed. She invades the human heart and turns it inside out, spilling the good, the bad and the ugly into a jumbled mess on the floor. Then she very carefully and skillfully reassembles the pieces and sculpts them into a diverse cast of personae who complement and collide, attract and repel, win and lose, and...well, I guess act a lot like you and I. They're at once lovable, annoying, inspiring, frustrating, and...well, I guess are a lot like you and I. Do I detect a trend here? Only one more thing. You'll enjoy Ms. Irvin's delightful writing voice that permeates the characters' dialog and garnishes the narrative with glib one-liners and poignant observations. I mean...okay, let me give you an example. Now, this is just from her 'Acknowledgments' page, mind you; it's not part of the actual story and, in fact, isn't designed to be overtly clever. You be the judge: "It's important to state for the record that the events in this novel are complete and utter fiction. San Antonio parks are incredibly safe, beautiful places for families to share wonderful times together, in large part because of the San Antonio Park Police. The crimes that occur in parks in this novel are figments of a feverish, overactive imagination." Now I ask you: if she can write a sterile acknowledgment with this much personality, imagine how it reads when she's selling you her dream. Just ho

In San Antonio, Texas, homicide detective Ray "Bible Boy" Johnson is hiking with two youngsters (Benny and Marco) when his girlfriend Susana Acosta's eight-year-old son Marco falls down a ravine and lands near the body of Joey Doyle. Ray falls also trying to prevent Marco from falling. Ray suffers a concussion, rib and ankle injuries while Marco has a broken wrist. The killer cut off Joey's ring finger as apparently some sort of souvenir so Ray knows this was a homicide. He calls his boss Sergeant Samuel Martinez, who is Susana's brother. Sam assigns Ray's in your face partner Detective Deborah Smith to be in charge of the investigation and tells Ray to stay out of it and heal. Since Joey is the son of a wealthy car dealership owner, the cops focus on his extended family. Meanwhile Lalo Hernandez knows the corpse he dumped in the ravine was found too soon so he may have to do some additional cleaning starting with two witnesses and perhaps the cop and kids, his style. This is an entertaining inspirational police procedural with a strong cast (no pun intended). The inquiry is top rate while the characters have real issues. For instance, Susana worries about her son's safety and the incident affirms her belief while Deborah has her own demons. Hernandez is a sinister villain who is the opposite of caring Bible Boy Ray who is a true believer. Although dubbed Bible Boy and Mr. Grace, Ray does not shove Christianity down the throats of his peers, his beloved and the readers as the super investigation is the story line. Harriet Klausner