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Pisces Rising |
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| Pisces Rising by Martha C. Lawrence St. Martin's Minotaur 240 pages, 2000. ISBN 0312202989 Reviewed by PJ Nunn Psychic investigator Elizabeth Chase is trying hard to lay personal issues aside and get on with life, but with self-confidence at an all time low, she's not sure that taking on a new investigation is the answer. Dr. Hurston has a gambling problem. With his license to practice medicine suspended and his wife filing for divorce, he feels like a complete failure. Even his suicide attempt has failed. He was discovered in an unconscious state in a borrowed room at the Mystic Mesa Casino on the Temecu Reservation. Unfortunately, he was not alone. Also discovered was the recently murdered and scalped body of the casino owner. Despite the circumstantial evidence, Elizabeth believes Dr. Hurston when he claims innocence. But proving it in a hostile environment will not be an easy task, a fact magnified when her front tire is shot out and she's left beaten by the side of the road that leads to the Reservation. Bruised, angry and committed to finding answers, Elizabeth enlists the help of Sequoia, a distant relative of her best friend and a resident of the reservation. Together, they uncover some troubling evidence and the carefully hidden body of Hurston's estranged wife. The trail of clues takes some unexpected turns but leads Elizabeth to a familiar place - danger! Pisces Rising is the fourth book in the series and Martha Lawrence's growth as an author is evident. The unique culture of the reservation is brilliantly and objectively portrayed and the plot is well executed. Most intriguing is the development of Elizabeth. Creating a psychic character that defies stereotypes must be challenging, but Lawrence does just that. Elizabeth comes across as strikingly real, with vulnerabilities and self-doubt, passion and loyalty - a full range of emotions that allow readers to relate. The tone of Pisces Rising is deeper, more subdued, yet it never loses the established momentum. Unquestionably, Lawrence's most sophisticated effort to date and a pleasure to read. |
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