Vanishing Point: 6

An enjoyable, light read. Van Gieson describes the New Mexico and Utah landscapes better than the central characters. But they're characters we're comfortable with, so maybe that works. I'd put it on my "Recommended" list, but not at the top.

The archivist assigned to "preserve the papers, the legend, and the memories" of the 1960s rebel Jonathan Vail is Clair Reynier. The Southwest Research of the University of New Mexico employs the fiftyish woman. Recovering from a divorce, Clair enjoys cataloging Vail's works including his letters, a journal, and a book the cult classic "A Blue Eyed Boy."A student working on a dissertation on Vail excites Clair when he produces another journal from the cult icon. The journal highlights Vail's days in Slickrock Canyon, where he was camping with his girlfriend before vanishing. Clair and a police officer go to meet the graduate student near the cave where Jonathan's duffel bag containing the journal was found. Instead, the duo finds the dead body of the student, who appears to have fallen from a steep cliff. The inquisitive Clair begins making inquiries not realizing that someone close by wants to insure she learns nothing even if it means another death to accomplish that.Judith VanGieson proves once again that she is a superb storyteller through her ability to vividly depict the Southwest desert so that readers feel they are there. Clair may seem like an ordinary person, but her values insist she fight for what she believes in regardless of the personal cost. The well-plotted mystery combines with realistic characters to turn VANISHING POINT into a pleasant reading affair.Harriet Klausner