Toyne, Simon

Adeptly weaving in discussions of racism and income inequality, Toyne’s latest (hopefully the start of a new series) is essential for all mystery and suspense collections.

With the Southwestern setting, readers might expect this book to be a Western, but Toyne has turned out a subtle yet compelling religion-flavored thriller that engenders a "one more page, one more chapter" urgency, much like his previous trilogy.

Seems like an easy category—what's more basic than an Arthurian or Indiana Jonesian search for the Holy Grail? Booker identifies five main parts of the Quest: Hero receives a compulsive Call to Action, undergoes a long, hazardous Journey to get something, Arrives but is immediately frustrated, undergoes Final Ordeals, and then wins the Goal...