Canyon Sacrifice

National Park Mystery #1

by Scott Graham

Canyon Sacrifice brings the rugged western landscape, the mysterious past of the ancient Anasazi Indians, and the Southwest’s ongoing cultural fissures vividly to life. A deadly struggle against murderous kidnappers in Grand Canyon National Park forces archaeologist Chuck Bender to face up to his past as he realizes every parents’ worst nightmare: a missing child.

A deadly struggle against murderous kidnappers in Grand Canyon National Park forces archaeologist Chuck Bender to face up to his secret past and his new and unfamiliar role as husband and father in this gripping mystery debut.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Adventure, Nature, Thriller, Adult, Audiobook

245 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2014

About the author

Scott Graham is author of Canyon Sacrifice: A National Park Mystery and Extreme Kids (winner of the National Outdoor Book Award). He is an avid outdoorsman and amateur archaeologist who enjoys hunting, rock climbing, skiing, backpacking, mountaineering, river rafting, and whitewater kayaking with his wife, an emergency physician, and their two sons. Graham lives in Durango, Colorado.

Reviews

[Knewmyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I almost DNF this after the first chapter where our hero (fantastically fit, natch) gets into a brawl with the (big and fat, natch) dude for throwing stones at a squirrel (WTactualF). I also rolled my eyes pretty hard at this never married, 45-yo loner marrying a 27-yo woman who has two young daughters after a three-month courtship (danger, danger, Janelle, what were you thinking?)

Some of the descriptions of the characters were pretty stereotypical and what you would expect from a white author and that is always a disappointment. Loads of white dude privilege here and the denouement dragged on far too long.

Still, the good folks at Maria's Bookshop in Durango recommended this and I'll maybe read another if I can get it from the library because I love mysteries that take place in National Parks, but Chuck Bender is no Anna Pigeon.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a national park junkie so I was excited to find this series. Scott Graham delivers when it comes to details about the parks and the history associated with it; the description of the various trails within Grand Canyon NP made me feel like I was there again. The mystery itself was a little muddled with so many different things being thrown in making it difficult to follow at times. I found the characters likeable enough but a little difficult to relate to and I didn’t really warm to any of them. Hoping the next one will draw me in just as quickly and that I will connect more with the characters.

[Karen Killebrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debut novel, got engrossed quickly. A good first effort, will look for more by this author!

[Sarah Hamatake · Rating 1 out of 5]

Liked the idea, hated the book. Almost stopped listening after the first 20 minutes. There was a lot of very small hints at objectionable subject matter (fat people are bad people, it’s okay to joke about dating your coworker’s teenage daughters (they’re actually both under 10, but we make the joke anyway), we can punch people if we don’t like what they are doing, irresponsible dating and marriage (but she’s hot so… it’s fine), one racial slur and some stereotyping, gentle victim blaming) that thankfully stopped after the first bit. However, it made me not like anyone from the start, and none of the information was necessary for the plot.

The rest of the book was just ridiculous. Our main fellow thinks every person is his suspect (did I mention this guy is just a run of the mill archeologist working with Grand Canyon national parks with no qualifications to be doing any of the things he does in the book? That includes safe hiking procedure). As we go along we get a lot of his reasons why he suspects EVERY PERSON HE SEES, which was really just a bunch of uninteresting speculation. And then- it’s over. Mystery solved and wrapped up in a matter of minutes.

[Will · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a big mystery fiction reader, but love the National Parks idea. Wife read it first, and said it was ok, but seemed geared toward men. Well, honestly, it was not very good. Hallmark Murder/Mysteries has better plots and dialogue than this book. The main character, an archaeologist, came across, as bumbling, as his new family, especially, the wife, was annoying.

The premise is new family at Grand Canyon NP. Oldest daughter, step-daughter to Chuck, goes missing, and a note left behind says NO COPS. Chuck takes it upon himself to seek the kidnappers, as he thinks they want a prized Anasazi find, in exchange for the girl. Many suspects in this one. Ending was eh.

The only redeeming quality would be the description of Grand Canyon NP.

I know the next in the series takes place in Rocky Mountain National Park, which is one of my favorite parks, but not sure I will follow up. We'll see.

[Not Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really disappointed, I was expecting a good mystery based in the Grand Canyon National Park, but what I got was a saga of a man who impulsively got married and had to continously convince himself he did the right thing, and oh yeah, side note: his stepdaughter got kidnapped. The descriptions of the park are what redeems the book. Seriously considered DNF'ing but kept reading, expecting it to shift from an emotional drama to a real mystery/thriller. The whodunit was rather easy to figure out for me which made it even more of a disappointment.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were some eye roll moments for me, but I decided to give it 4 stars because I did enjoy the book. The author did a good job describing areas in the park itself and I didn’t figure out who did it on my own. I decided to look into this series because I am currently living near some of the big parks, and was wondering if there were any good mystery books with them. I liked this book enough that I will check out the rest of the series

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Canyon Sacrifice is going to make you see the Grand Canyon in a whole new way. Chuck Bender is the perfect guide, as he weaves strands of geology, park history, Native American culture, and archaeology into a good old action-packed page turner.

I loved how Graham put together all the canyon lore in a non-academic, non-preachy manner that tells readers just as much about the characters as it does the Grand Canyon itself. Chuck Bender is a fascinating main character. He's a loner who's been running his own archaeology business for years, so getting used to being part of a family is going to be a huge adjustment for him to begin with-- but to start things off with a kidnapping? As Bender races to save his daughter, he learns quite a bit about himself and what he thinks is most important in life.

Probably my favorite section in the book is Chuck's hike down into the canyon. It's a race against time that could very well kill him. The entire episode tells us a great deal about Bender the man, as well as the respect with which the Grand Canyon should be treated.

Graham also shows skill in plotting a mystery, and now that he has his main character well established, I'm really looking forward to the next books in this series. His secondary characters need to have a chance to shine, too.

If you're a reader who loves Nevada Barr or C.J. Box, chances are excellent that you'll enjoy this first National Park mystery. Give it a try.

[Nikii · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off very slowly, and with a lot of navel-gazing by the primary protagonist (an archaeologist) on the subject of his new marriage. The last third of the book was interesting enough that I'm willing to give the sequel a try, but it will be starting out on thin ice with me.

The main issue for me was that both the protagonist and the other primary character (his wife) were, well...unlikable. The protagonist is insecure and stupidly impulsive, a bad combination when trying to shore up a relationship or outwit a kidnapper, much less both at once. His wife, meanwhile, is the sort of disgustingly stereotypical "fiery Latina" who slaps people when she's upset. By the end I was rooting for them to divorce and spend some serious time in therapy.

[LeeAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good premise but writing could have used some editing and polish. Lots of repeated information/backstory and a main character who was all over the place emotionally. What bothered me the most was the who-dunit reveal. Despite lots of red herrings along the way, I was left wondering what happened to any clues that pointed in the direction things went. As a mystery reader who loves the search for those breadcrumbs a good writer drops along the way, the ending here had me going "huh?" If this is the start of a series I hope the writer ups his game on the next installment.

[Mary Rosales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Excellent and interesting read. This is the first book I've read by this author. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm looking forward to reading more of Scott Graham's books.

[CHM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have been me, one of those moods. I wanted to like it, it just wasn't happening for me. No connection with any character.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the author’s use of so much history of the Grand Canyon.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debut novel. Started out good, and got better throughout. Anxious to read another one.

[Ronald Roseborough · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery in the awesome setting of Grand Canyon National Park. Chuck Bender an independent contractor/archeologist is on a vacation, honeymoon, with his new family. He married a young woman, Janelle, who has two young girls and a troubled past. Chuck is trying to connect with the girls by showing them where he has worked and the exciting finds he has made to preserve the past. While contracting for the Park, Chuck has uncovered some remarkable finds left by the ancient Anasazi Indians who inhabited the region around the Grand Canyon. Chuck is having a tough time connecting with his new daughters, when things go very wrong. The oldest girl is kidnapped from their tent while the family sleeps. Janelle is distraught. She believes the girl has been kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend, a drug dealing thug who will stop at nothing to get back at Janelle for finding a new man. Kidnapping rapidly escalates as Chuck tries to get some of his old friends from the Park Rangers to assist in finding the girl. Ransom plans fall through as hot lead flies through the normally tranquil Park. Suspicion even turns on Chuck as he goes rogue in the attempt to rescue his daughter before she comes to harm. The setting is the star of this story. The detail’s of this beautiful land are what sets this book apart. Although some might argue that the natural scene is spoiled by the intrusive nature of man, I would posit that man is indeed a part of nature and the National Park’s attempts to accommodate visitors is a necessary part of balancing the need to preserve and our wish to interact with nature. Book provided for review by Torrey House Press and Shelf Awareness.

[Steven Howes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book got off to a slow start for me, it turned out to be a very worthwhile read in the end. Chuck Bender is an archaeologist doing contract work for the National Park Service. Much of his work has centered around Grand Canyon National Park so he has a high level of familiarity with the area and has a history with many of the NPS employees. Although he has tended to be a loner throughout his adult life, he is now newly married with two young step-daughters.

While on a family outing at the South Rim, the oldest step-daughter mysteriously disappears from their camp trailer during the night with only a cryptic note saying "NO COPS" left behind. In trying to figure out who has his child, Chuck is confronted with elements of not only his past; but also that of his new wife and family.

All during his quest to find the kidnapper, the reader is treated to a good dose of local native American culture including life among the Anasazi and Navajo Indians. Those who have been to the South Rim area of Grand Canyon National Park will recognize many familiar sites such as El Tovar Lodge and Grand Canyon Railroad.

The author had my undivided attention as Chuck analyzes who may be responsible for the crime. Each of the complex scenarios would have made for a plausible yet unexpected ending.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't your typical murder mystery in a National Park, but rather, an active kidnapping. Chuck Bender, an independent archaelogy contractor, is on his honeymoon in the Grand Canyon with his insta-family, when his oldest stepdaughter is kidnapped. Being familiar with the park - both geographically and historically (Anasazi structures and artifacts), he was targeted by the kidnapper for a number of reasons. It soon became clear the kidnapper wanted Chuck dead, and Chuck realized he was willing to do anything to save his new daughter. The story leads us through several areas of the park along the south rim, which is instantly interesting to anyone who has been there and can relate to the locations. And if you haven't been there, they are vividly described so you feel as if you had been there. There are also several plot twists to keep the reader engaged. This was a fun, quick read and I look forward to more in the series.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this one. I feel like the description of the book didn't match up with the actual plot until the last few pages, which was a let down, since the blurb sounded really good. The pace was much slower than I expected, and there were a lot of flash backs that I felt functioned to take the reader out of the main action, slowing things down even more. Some of the characters were good, but other important characters were hard to like. I can certainly say that the villain was unexpected but, well, considering who it was, that's not surprising. I was compelled to read to the end, but I'm doubtful that I'll continue with the rest of the series. It's unfortunate. There's some good potential here, but it just didn't work out.

[Reginald Hollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short and gripping story. It was made more fun by the fact that I have visited Grand Canyon at least four times in my life and enjoyed a two day stay at Maswik Lodge with my wife and children in the summer of 1992, during which an Arizona prison escapee attempted to abduct a family from the park, putting Maswik on semi-shutdown for a brief period of time. Here's the headline from the LA Times of that day, "Convict Eludes Grand Canyon Manhunt: Police roadblocks back up traffic at national park. The Arizona prison escapee has demonstrated extensive outdoor survival skills."

[Tory Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there are several great mystery series that feature national parks, this looks to be a great addition! The descriptions of the wilderness are vivid, inspiring the reader to want to visit. The mystery was well thought out with several twists and turns that kept the reader's interest. The main character, a recently married archeologist who surveys park lands prior to construction, is multi-dimensional who struggles with his solitary inclinations while beginning life with a new family. I am looking forward to the next in the series!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having just spent time in the Grand Canyon, the best part of this book was the mention of different areas of the park itself. While I enjoyed the brief mention of places I just visited, the super long descriptions became boring for me and distracted me from the story/mystery that was unfolding. The "who done it" aspect of the story left me wondering until the end who the kidnapper was and why. Everyone was a suspect and that did make me want to finish the book. :)

[Lorraine McCleary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like the main character very much, very macho. Starts out with a fight and solar plexus punch to a guy throwing rocks at a squirrel in the Grand Canyon-a bit over the top. This is a man's fantasy; strong guy, archeologist who has a hidden Anasazi jack pot, and of course, a beautiful wife 13 years his junior... sigh. You have to give him a kudos for having a twist with the Navajo be the bad crazy guy. So so plot overall.

[Charlene D'Avanzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly riveting thriller. Scott's a master at weaving the smells, colors, and dangers of the western desert with one man's struggle to balance commitment and freedom. Part of Scott's National Park mystery series.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review submitted to Suspense Magazine

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 hearts

I decided to try this National Park Mystery series because I would enjoy a national park setting and a mystery is always another layer to the plot.  The main character is an archeologist who does work at park sites where they are planning to build.  Chuck Bender is in his early 50s in good shape. He has just married Janelle, who is the sister of one of his staff.  She has two girls, Carmelita and Rosie.

Canyon Sacrifice is set at the Grand Canyon where the family is vacationing.  It also gives the girls a chance to see Chuck's work and learn about it.  Our point of view is Chuck and he's a guy with integrity who really cares about his new family and wants to make them happy.  I don't like Janelle.  She blames everything on Chuck.

The story begins with a mysterious death and then Carm goes missing.  Up until then, I found the story kind of boring and thoughts on a loop in Chuck's head.  Things picked up when Chuck searches for Carm. It felt like a long time to get to the point though.

I was surprised by the various archeology aspects and the native culture in the story.  This added to my interest.  Chuck put himself in some severe danger and there was some exciting action.

Narration:
I've enjoyed this narrator previously.  The primary voice and thoughts were Chuck and he certainly became Chuck for me.  The other voices were all comfortably appropriate. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.



Listen to a clip HERE

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook. I had hopes to like this book, but it fell short of my expectations. Chuck Bender is an archeologist who works in the Southwest US. He is usually called in to do excavations before modern building can begin. In Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico this is common as looking for Indian artifacts is important work. Chuck is 40 and, up till now, a bachelor. Now he is married to a much younger woman, Janelle, with her 2 daughters. She was in an abusive relationship with her drug dealing ex. A match made in heaven? Not so much. Her youngest daughter loves Chuck, but the oldest, Carmelita, is wary of him. After all, he has only known the family for 3 months. Janelle doesn't trust Chuck completely, he doesn't trust her, the kids are in the middle. What could go wrong? They take a trip to the Grand Canyon so Chuck can bond with everyone while showing them what he does. When Carmelita is kidnapped on their second day out Chuck receives a demand to exchange Carmelita for an Anasazi treasure the kidnapper seems to know Chuck has. Chuck did discover pots and necklaces in a remote cave years earlier, but very few people know of its existence. Chuck's plan was to reveal the astonishing discovery "when the time is right" whatever that means. Now he is forced to retrieve the treasure to bargain for Carmelita's life. Of course, he goes off half cocked and doesn't let Janelle in on his plan. Then, throughout the book he goes over in his mind who could be doing this? Who knows about his discovery? He goes through suspecting everyone in his life, including new wife Janelle and her family and friends he has known for years. Funnily enough, the one character he leaves out of his musing is, of course, the bad guy. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. I was disappointed in the plotting, the red herrings weren't all that red and the bad guy was too easy to figure out.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because of my love of visiting National Parks since I was a young girl and my intersecting love of mystery novels. This particular novel was a 3.5/5 stars for me. I loved the setting, the book held my interest and I wanted to keep reading, and the detailed descriptions of the Grand Canyon were wonderful, but the ending just felt rushed and fell flat for me. The big reveal did not make sense and the motives of multiple involved characters got muddled as the novel drew to a close. It was confusing and parts of the ending came out of nowhere, almost like the author had too many ideas when it came to resolving the kidnapping/killings and their respective subplots. It was as if the author could not narrow down the suspect pool, so at one point, everyone was accused through the narrator’s internal dialogue and the pictures conjured up by his “mind’s eye,” yet despite all of that internal conflict on the character’s part, it ultimately felt like the author could not decide on who should be involved in the kidnapping, so therefore, he could also not decide who to go with in the end.

I do intend to read more in the National Park Mystery books series, however, to see how the other books compare.

[Dave Weller]

Canyon Sacrifice is the first in the National Park Mystery Series. I have read books by Nevada Barr and Pamela Beason, and they took place in national parks, so I thought I would try Scott Graham, another who creates works in the national park genre. Chuck Bender is the main character in this novel, and I assume he remains the central force in the series. He recently married Janelle, and he inherited an instant family consisting of daughters, Carmelita and Rosie. Chuck is an archaeologist, who owns his own business, and he does contracted digs for the national park service prior to any new construction involving excavation. Chuck met Janelle's brother, Clarence, during an earlier dig and prior to meeting Janelle. During previous excavations, Chuck uncovered some fairly impactful and valuable artifacts from the Anasazi culture. Early in the book Carmelita gets kidnapped, and the remainder of the volume follows efforts to rescue her. I rate the book so-so. It moved along with reasonable interest, but I felt like it lacked suspenseful impact. There are a few action scenes that are described in decent fashion, but I felt that the depth of character development was shallow. I will sign up for installment number two and give the National Park mystery series another chance.

[Lexi Norvell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book, but it drug on a bit in the middle. I was also a bit lost at times when Chuck, the main character, would have a sort of “flashback”. There were many times during the book where he’d recall another time he was in the same place, but the recollection merged with the present time of the story. This is when I was a bit confused on if this was happening in real time or if the situation was a flashback.
Marvin, the man who kidnapped Carmelita, was a bit out of left field for me, with the explanation being that he had become crazed and delusional. It was really nothing more than that for a reasoning, and a bit anti-climactic, in my opinion.
I enjoyed the characters, but was a bit disappointed to learn that Chuck’s relationship with Rachel is completely over. I think this is because I’m not a huge fan of Janelle as a character. I think she’s a bit immature and annoying. Whereas, it seems as though Chuck has history, chemistry, and much more in common with Rachel.
Overall, the book was a decent read and I will most likely be giving the next one in the series a try, as I’m hoping this book drug out a little for me since it’s the first one and the author had to set the scene for meeting all the characters and gaining their backstories.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book to read because I’m a big National Park fan and hiker. I was not really impressed with the writing, but gave it 3 stars for the author’s description and knowledge of the Grand Canyon, and it’s sense of place. First of all the characters weren’t developed enough so I felt no personal connection. To be truthful, there was no character in the book that I liked. I felt the story’s purpose was to arrange a mystery that no reader could solve because there were no clues in the story that would lead you to the direction it took. I admit, I kept reading, but only because I wanted to find out how it ended. The ending just had me rolling my eyes. I felt like this was something written by a novice, and consequently, I will try the next book or two in the series to see if the author has learned from experience. Reality, characters you can relate to, and mysteries within reason are very important in a book for me.