What do you think?
Georgia O’Keeffe Mystery #4
Sacred Light
224 pages, Hardcover
Published February 3, 2026
About the author
Kathryn Lasky
257 books2,325 followersKathryn Lasky, also known as Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann, is an award-winning American author of over one hundred books for children and adults. Best known for the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series, her work has been translated into 19 languages and includes historical fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 31, 2025
Adored this histfic mystery featuring artist Georgia O'Keefe as a sleuth in 1930s New Mexico. Look forward to the next book in the series and the next cover--this one is spectacular!
January 11, 2026
Sacred Light is an atmospheric historical mystery that leans heavily on the mood and setting, with Georgia O’Keeffe once again stepping into the role of amateur sleuth. While the premise is intriguing and the desert backdrop is beautifully written, this installment didn’t fully pull me in the way I hoped.
Set in 1937 New Mexico, the story excels at capturing the stark, unsettling beauty of the Bisti Badlands. Lasky’s descriptions are vivid and immersive, and the sense of isolation adds a quiet tension to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Juan Nez. The desert almost feels like its own character—watchful, ancient, and full of secrets.
Georgia herself remains a thoughtful and observant protagonist, and I appreciated how her artistic eye informs her perspective. However, the investigation unfolds at a very measured pace, and at times the story feels more contemplative than suspenseful. The mystery is solid but predictable in places, and the tension never quite reaches the level the premise promises or what I was expecting. On top of that, there were too many secondary characters and subplots for a book already so slow. I don’t mind slower books, but all it did was continuously take me out of the story to focus on something or someone I didn’t really care that much about.
Overall, Sacred Light is an enjoyable read for fans of gentle, character-driven historical mysteries, especially those who value setting and atmosphere over high-stakes twists. While it didn’t completely wow me, it’s a decent addition to the series and will likely appeal to readers who enjoy slower-burn mysteries rooted in real historical figures and richly drawn locations. It may have not been a huge hit for me, but I can guarantee it will for someone.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for this eARC!
Set in 1937 New Mexico, the story excels at capturing the stark, unsettling beauty of the Bisti Badlands. Lasky’s descriptions are vivid and immersive, and the sense of isolation adds a quiet tension to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Juan Nez. The desert almost feels like its own character—watchful, ancient, and full of secrets.
Georgia herself remains a thoughtful and observant protagonist, and I appreciated how her artistic eye informs her perspective. However, the investigation unfolds at a very measured pace, and at times the story feels more contemplative than suspenseful. The mystery is solid but predictable in places, and the tension never quite reaches the level the premise promises or what I was expecting. On top of that, there were too many secondary characters and subplots for a book already so slow. I don’t mind slower books, but all it did was continuously take me out of the story to focus on something or someone I didn’t really care that much about.
Overall, Sacred Light is an enjoyable read for fans of gentle, character-driven historical mysteries, especially those who value setting and atmosphere over high-stakes twists. While it didn’t completely wow me, it’s a decent addition to the series and will likely appeal to readers who enjoy slower-burn mysteries rooted in real historical figures and richly drawn locations. It may have not been a huge hit for me, but I can guarantee it will for someone.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for this eARC!
November 20, 2025
This is the fourth book in a historical mystery series featuring the artist Georgia O'Keefe but the first one I've read. It worked well as a stand alone. I was glad to get the Netgalley eARC in exchange for an honest review. I will be seeking out the others in the series.
I really felt it captured the stark beauty of the desert and Georgia O'Keefe's love of it. My love of her paintings enhanced my reading as it described her seeing and painting the landscape and the bones she often featured.
The mysteries - the main one she is involved in with the missing man and the side ones involving an archeological dig and the woman sponsoring it were interesting but I felt the villain(s) were telegraphed a little too clearly. I figured it out early, before a lot of the events even happened.
The characters were good and I liked that the various Navajo characters were portrayed with nuance.
Overall the writing was great, especially the descriptive language of the setting and Georgia's inner thoughts. There was only occasional pedestrian passage that felt plunked in (e.g., when it explained that Navajo call themselves Dine).
I would have liked an afterword about what was based on real people or real events- I recognized Stieglitz and Ansel Adams but didn't know if any of the other characters were real. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor are mentioned but I wondered if the situation described was real.
I really felt it captured the stark beauty of the desert and Georgia O'Keefe's love of it. My love of her paintings enhanced my reading as it described her seeing and painting the landscape and the bones she often featured.
The mysteries - the main one she is involved in with the missing man and the side ones involving an archeological dig and the woman sponsoring it were interesting but I felt the villain(s) were telegraphed a little too clearly. I figured it out early, before a lot of the events even happened.
The characters were good and I liked that the various Navajo characters were portrayed with nuance.
Overall the writing was great, especially the descriptive language of the setting and Georgia's inner thoughts. There was only occasional pedestrian passage that felt plunked in (e.g., when it explained that Navajo call themselves Dine).
I would have liked an afterword about what was based on real people or real events- I recognized Stieglitz and Ansel Adams but didn't know if any of the other characters were real. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor are mentioned but I wondered if the situation described was real.
November 10, 2025
I love the idea of this novel about a missing man & Georgia O'Keefe trying to find out what happened to him. Set around O'Keefe's Ghost Ranch home near Santa Fe, New Mexico you gain a rich sense of it's beautiful hills, rock formations, slot canyons and a vast spectrum of light & darkness.
Having some knowledge of her paintings & life was useful for background and to hear references to places and themes such as 'the black place' and her love of bones. But I felt there was too many sub-plots and secondary characters surrounding the archeological dig, which is close to where Georgia paints. These stories slowed the plot down considerably for not much gain. I wanted more attention and focus on Georgia, she could have done with having a bit more action and being central throughout as at times it feels she is a bit forgotten and not given her full potential.
This is the first book I have read in this series of three Georgia O'Keefe mysteries and I would like to read the others to go back to Ghost Ranch & Georgia's world again.
Thanks to netgalley for the e-arc.
Having some knowledge of her paintings & life was useful for background and to hear references to places and themes such as 'the black place' and her love of bones. But I felt there was too many sub-plots and secondary characters surrounding the archeological dig, which is close to where Georgia paints. These stories slowed the plot down considerably for not much gain. I wanted more attention and focus on Georgia, she could have done with having a bit more action and being central throughout as at times it feels she is a bit forgotten and not given her full potential.
This is the first book I have read in this series of three Georgia O'Keefe mysteries and I would like to read the others to go back to Ghost Ranch & Georgia's world again.
Thanks to netgalley for the e-arc.
March 17, 2026
Once again I wish this was a longer story. I enjoyed the prose as well as the plot.
It is July 1937 New Mexico
Georgia is painting in the Bisti Badlands, the black place, for two weeks.
With her are Ansel Adams and an archeologist from Yale Professor Douglas Acheson,
his assistant Gideon Blake a grad student from Yale, and their dig sponsor Regina Phelps.
Also along are David McAlpin amateur photographer at Princeton and guide Orville Cox.
When artifacts dating earlier than known habitation are found at the dig, the inquiry is whether someone is salting the site or this is a very important discovery.
Slot canyons, sinkholes, rock walls, sand healing, Gila monsters, mountain top burials, hoodoos, and haboobs, all figure into the solution to the mystery.
I purchased a signed copy.
It is July 1937 New Mexico
Georgia is painting in the Bisti Badlands, the black place, for two weeks.
With her are Ansel Adams and an archeologist from Yale Professor Douglas Acheson,
his assistant Gideon Blake a grad student from Yale, and their dig sponsor Regina Phelps.
Also along are David McAlpin amateur photographer at Princeton and guide Orville Cox.
When artifacts dating earlier than known habitation are found at the dig, the inquiry is whether someone is salting the site or this is a very important discovery.
Slot canyons, sinkholes, rock walls, sand healing, Gila monsters, mountain top burials, hoodoos, and haboobs, all figure into the solution to the mystery.
I purchased a signed copy.
November 7, 2025
This was my first book by Kathryn Lasky and my introduction to the series. I enjoyed the vivid sense of place and the historical setting. Overall it’s a good historical mystery with many informative moments, though at times the story felt crowded with too many plotlines and occasionally wandered off track. I particularly appreciated the chapters about Native peoples, their traditions, and the historical context woven into the narrative. Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC.
November 21, 2025
I thought the premise of this sounded interesting, and I had not heard of the author or series when I received this ARC from NetGalley. I enjoy mysteries, and I appreciate the works of Georgia O'Keeffe, but I couldn't say that I enjoyed this book that combines the two at all.
One of my biggest pet peeves in reading is having things repeated to me over and over again. The number of times we hear "Georgia loved the Black Place" "Georgia calls it the Black Place" "It's called the Black Place and Georgia loves it" ...oof. Move it along, we get it.
The relationships in this book were very surface-level; there were too many side characters that you didn't learn enough about to care for, and the mystery itself ended pretty much exactly how you thought it would, including the use of all the animals, signs, and tropes that the author sets up in a way that is the exact opposite of subtle. I am not interested in reading the prior books in the series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley
One of my biggest pet peeves in reading is having things repeated to me over and over again. The number of times we hear "Georgia loved the Black Place" "Georgia calls it the Black Place" "It's called the Black Place and Georgia loves it" ...oof. Move it along, we get it.
The relationships in this book were very surface-level; there were too many side characters that you didn't learn enough about to care for, and the mystery itself ended pretty much exactly how you thought it would, including the use of all the animals, signs, and tropes that the author sets up in a way that is the exact opposite of subtle. I am not interested in reading the prior books in the series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley
December 9, 2025
i loved this mystery book with famed artist Georgia O'Keefe as the investigator. it was really charming throughout. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
April 1, 2026
Very good. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.
August 23, 2026
Excellent series! This one was a good addition but not quite as compelling as the last one. It took a while for me to dig into the start this time.
February 23, 2026
This was completely captivating! Art, culture, history and mystery - yes, please! I thoroughly enjoyed curling up with this 4th book in the series, and I think it is my favorite. I love a book that both entertains and makes you think, and I particularly loved the idea expressed by Sam that 'doubt is the engine for discovery.' How soon can I return to New Mexico with Georgia?
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews