Where Echoes Live

Marcia Muller's WHERE ECHOES LIVE is a transition novel as Sharon McCone edges her way into a new romance and life while the shades of the past still haunt her. It is not the best of Muller's work, but it sets up the series to be one of the strongest in female crime fiction. An abandon gold mine, a deranged owner, desert rats who eke a living from the over worked streams of California are pitted against the dregs of a dying ecosystem with Sharon poised to wield the sword of justice. A good read on a cold day, when nothing much else is happening. Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS.

This is not one of Ms. Mullers' best stories. I've actually been through the Mono Lake area and Bridgeport. I even visited Bodie once. Muller has a good feel for the locale. On the other hand, the plot here is a bit straightforward, and the evil Transpacific Corp. is trite. I found the "explosive" ending rather unsatisfying, as well. Again, this isn't a bad book. I have enjoyed all of the Sharon McCone mysteries that I've read so far. But this one is not quite as good as some of the others. My average rating for these stories is 4 stars. Within that context I put this one at 4-. A bit below average but still worth the time. Fans will appreciate the update on the lives of several familiar characters.

It was interesting to see where Hy Ripinski came in. The descriptions of the area are fantastic. It's also nice to see all her side characters remain. The ending is explosive. You find yourself wanting to meet the characters. The references to the past couple of books make you want to go backwards and read them all. One of her best.