Benevolent Evil

Kendall O'Dell #6

by Sylvia Nobel

Strange happenings from the past collide with ominous present-day events when intrepid Castle Valley reporter, Kendall O’Dell, investigates the mysterious disappearance of Holly Mason, a young woman with a troubled criminal history, drug addiction and an abusive husband. Last seen at a truck stop near Kingman, Arizona, an eyewitness points the finger at registered sex offender, Nelson Trotter, who recently inherited the Double G Ranch along with his sister, Wanda, who was accused of murdering her husband’s mistress.

While Kendall and Tugg struggle to keep the newspaper afloat, their new publisher, Thena Rodenborn, agrees to invest additional money only under the stipulation that Kendall help her acquire an abandoned church with a scandalous past. Because it’s located on the Double G Ranch, Kendall is forced to cross paths with the unsavory Trotter siblings.

After a second young woman vanishes, Kendall suspects human trafficking. When she begins to close the loop of sinister activities, it leads her to the brink of death in her efforts to expose a dark and horrific secret.

Genres: Mystery

458 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2020

About the author

Sylvia Nobel, a resident of Arizona since 1961, is the author of the best-selling Kendall O'Dell mystery series. She is also one of the producers of the new feature film Deadly Sanctuary, based on the first book in the series. The 5th book, Forbidden Entry has now been released. Her breathtaking descriptions of the Arizona desert illustrate her love affair with the state's unique beauty. Her main protagonist, feisty, flame-haired reporter Kendall O'Dell has been described by readers as a modern day grown up "Nancy Drew" or a younger Jessica Fletcher from "Murder She Wrote". Her books are available from Nite Owl Books as well as major booksellers worldwide. Readers can participate in an adventure that provides the true ambiance of the modern west with each based on actual cases gleaned from news articles. The attention to detail and the eloquence of the masterfully written stories, will give the reader a vivid picture as well as present great insight into these well researched contemporary tales. Best yet, her judicious use of language makes readers comfortable sharing these books with teens and seniors alike. She follows the same pattern with the film, Deadly Sanctuary, which has received a PG-13 rating making it suitable for just about everyone!

Reviews

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I Did Like:
+Kendall is still a believable character. As the series has gone on she’s only gotten stronger and better, even if she does have a serious problem with self preservation.
+The cases are fascinating. I found myself getting wrapped up in the drama of the family who owned the church, the missing girls, and the new development in town. It seemed, at first, like it was going to be a lot to keep track of but it’s all captivating so it works!
+The ending works to give you satisfying answers and wrap things up nicely.

Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of small towns, big mysteries, and citizens wandering into cases will be the best readers for this series.

My Rating: 3 Stars

For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/04/...

[kathy steeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

She love AZ.

She is an excellent writer. Have all her books. All signed but one. Being a second generation native I'm familiar with the places she writes about please keep writing. You are a inspiration for others to write about Arizona.

[Kay Cook]

I like Sylvia's characters and plots. She weaves them all together with great finesse.

[Tracee M. Wink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series and it’s heroine

I have thoroughly enjoyed the books in this series. Kendall O’Dell is quite the feisty heroine. She just doesn’t give up on a case.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

[Elysse Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I got closer to the end, I couldn't read fast enough. A few minor errors in editing and story inconsistency, but another great story.

[Dawn Huntley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I love the protagonist she’s very likable , but does some pretty dumb things for a smart women in this novel. I was like come on….. story had a lot of characters and people to keep up with, that’s always hard for me. Still a fun series , just a weird unbelievable kind of ending though. Macabre.