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Slickrock
In the desolate heart of Slickrock Canyon, a life is shattered. A finance student, Malia, finds herself a desperate pawn in a high-stakes kidnapping, held captive in a remote trailer with a $5 million ransom hanging over her head.
Just when all hope seems lost, a rugged, moonshining hermit named Relic intervenes, sparking an unlikely alliance. But rescue is only the beginning. As Malia and Relic fight for survival against ruthless pursuers, they uncover a sinister plot far deeper than a simple ransom. An intrepid deputy joins forces with a mysterious hunter whose true intentions are shrouded in secrecy. Together, they must navigate a deadly game of cat and mouse, facing shoot-outs, narrow escapes, and the chilling realization that betrayal lurks closer than they think—someone in town is aiding the criminals.
With their plan unraveling and their enemies growing more lethal, Malia and Relic must outwit their captors and expose the truth before the canyon claims another victim. If you love pulse-pounding suspense, unexpected heroes, and twists you won't see coming, dive into this award winning, gripping crime thriller.
**Scroll up and click 'Add to Cart' to start your adventure in Slickrock Canyon today!**
Just when all hope seems lost, a rugged, moonshining hermit named Relic intervenes, sparking an unlikely alliance. But rescue is only the beginning. As Malia and Relic fight for survival against ruthless pursuers, they uncover a sinister plot far deeper than a simple ransom. An intrepid deputy joins forces with a mysterious hunter whose true intentions are shrouded in secrecy. Together, they must navigate a deadly game of cat and mouse, facing shoot-outs, narrow escapes, and the chilling realization that betrayal lurks closer than they think—someone in town is aiding the criminals.
With their plan unraveling and their enemies growing more lethal, Malia and Relic must outwit their captors and expose the truth before the canyon claims another victim. If you love pulse-pounding suspense, unexpected heroes, and twists you won't see coming, dive into this award winning, gripping crime thriller.
**Scroll up and click 'Add to Cart' to start your adventure in Slickrock Canyon today!**
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2025
About the author
A.W. Baldwin
10 books61 followersA.W. Baldwin has written seven novels featuring “Relic,” a moonshining hermit living deep in the remote canyons of Utah. The Antidote features a botany student, a couple of "old-timers," and genetically modified seeds that could provide the antidote for climate change. Against the Wind features a teenage pilot with a stolen airplane and a physicist who has developed a breakthrough in quantum computing.
His first novel, Desert Guardian (2017), received a five-star Readers’ Favorite rating. His second novel, Raptor Canyon (2018), received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award and was a finalist in the 2019-2020 Screencraft Cinematic Book Contest. His third novel, Wings Over Ghost Creek (2019), received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award and the Global Book Awards Silver Medal. His fourth novel, Diamonds of Devil’s Tail (2020), received a five-star Readers’ Favorite rating. His fifth novel, Broken Inn (2021), received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award, the Global Book Awards Silver Medal, and the New York City Big Book Award Featured Favorite Award. His sixth "Relic" novel, Moonshine Mesa, won a gold medal in the Reader's Favorite international writing competition and a gold medal from Global Book Awards. Three of his novels have received rave reviews from New York Times Bestselling author Dirk Cussler. His latest release is The Antidote (2022), which Readers' Favorite calls "a gripping novel" and onlinebookclub calls "phenomenal." You can learn more about the author and his novels at awbaldwin.com.
An avid backcountry hiker, canoer, and whitewater enthusiast, the author takes his readers on adventures in ancient lands that shape the motives and spirits of his characters.
A graduate of Wright State University and the University of Idaho School of Law, Baldwin has practiced law for more than 35 years. He began his career with a poverty law fellowship award on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming, where he later became a staff attorney and then Executive Director of Wind River Legal Services, a legal aid program serving the Reservation and southeastern Wyoming. After successful civil rights and class action lawsuits, the Northern Arapaho Tribe hired him as in-house counsel from late 1988 to 1992, when he established a private firm that continues to represent the Tribe as well as individuals and other tribes in the Rocky Mountain West. He has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and other Federal, Tribal, and State Courts. He won the right of the Northern Arapaho Tribe to operate (and self-regulate) the full gamut of casino-style gaming without state control. He has successfully litigated First Amendment religious liberties, voting rights, Tribal sovereignty, and for environmental justice. He earned his private pilot’s license in 1997.
His first novel, Desert Guardian (2017), received a five-star Readers’ Favorite rating. His second novel, Raptor Canyon (2018), received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award and was a finalist in the 2019-2020 Screencraft Cinematic Book Contest. His third novel, Wings Over Ghost Creek (2019), received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award and the Global Book Awards Silver Medal. His fourth novel, Diamonds of Devil’s Tail (2020), received a five-star Readers’ Favorite rating. His fifth novel, Broken Inn (2021), received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award, the Global Book Awards Silver Medal, and the New York City Big Book Award Featured Favorite Award. His sixth "Relic" novel, Moonshine Mesa, won a gold medal in the Reader's Favorite international writing competition and a gold medal from Global Book Awards. Three of his novels have received rave reviews from New York Times Bestselling author Dirk Cussler. His latest release is The Antidote (2022), which Readers' Favorite calls "a gripping novel" and onlinebookclub calls "phenomenal." You can learn more about the author and his novels at awbaldwin.com.
An avid backcountry hiker, canoer, and whitewater enthusiast, the author takes his readers on adventures in ancient lands that shape the motives and spirits of his characters.
A graduate of Wright State University and the University of Idaho School of Law, Baldwin has practiced law for more than 35 years. He began his career with a poverty law fellowship award on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming, where he later became a staff attorney and then Executive Director of Wind River Legal Services, a legal aid program serving the Reservation and southeastern Wyoming. After successful civil rights and class action lawsuits, the Northern Arapaho Tribe hired him as in-house counsel from late 1988 to 1992, when he established a private firm that continues to represent the Tribe as well as individuals and other tribes in the Rocky Mountain West. He has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and other Federal, Tribal, and State Courts. He won the right of the Northern Arapaho Tribe to operate (and self-regulate) the full gamut of casino-style gaming without state control. He has successfully litigated First Amendment religious liberties, voting rights, Tribal sovereignty, and for environmental justice. He earned his private pilot’s license in 1997.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 4, 2026
Slickrock is the second adventure I have taken with Baldwin and Relic, a wandering desert philosopher and part-time moonshiner, (or who the skeptical sheriff jokingly refers to as the “desert phantom”). As is Baldwin’s style, the action begins right from the beginning when Relic notices a stranger building a suspicious structure among the ruins in Canyons National Park in Utah. Once the man leaves, Relic discovers a dead body. In LA, Malia and her best friend enjoy a night out at a club. As an unsuspecting Malia sizes up the men eyeing her with interest, she is drugged and kidnapped. When she wakes up, she can’t understand how she ended up imprisoned alone in the desert. Relic, so attuned to the heartbeat of the desert, he misses nothing that is out of place or threatens the natural harmony of the desert. He rescues her, and they flee from a deadly pursuit.
There are so many things I love about Baldwin’s masterfully woven storytelling. His vivid descriptions of the breathtakingly beautiful and wonderous desert with its colorful spires, canyons, cliffs, mesas, arroyos, sagebrush, and ancient ruins are a testament to Baldwin's passion for them. As amazing as it is, the desert can be equally harsh and deadly for the untrained and unprepared who face wild animals, snakes, extreme heat, loss of direction, flash floods, and injury. In these books, the desert is its own character that must be revered to prevent peril. Which brings me to the unique and quirky characters Baldwin creates that readers can love, poke fun at, and root for. Even the bad guys stand out and are well-developed. My favorites characters are Dawson and Relic. Both characters have a strong sense of justice and would not hesitate to face danger if the need arises. Relic is philosophical, a hermit, antisocial, and a bit of a guardian for the desert's ecosystem. I enjoyed watching Malia’s transformation and hope to see her in future stories.
The plot is fast paced, perfectly timed, and character driven. There is plenty of action with murder, kidnapping, deception, revenge, and betrayal. The end of every chapter had me hurrying to the next. I highly recommend Slickrock for all lovers of suspense thrillers. Baldwin delivers!
There are so many things I love about Baldwin’s masterfully woven storytelling. His vivid descriptions of the breathtakingly beautiful and wonderous desert with its colorful spires, canyons, cliffs, mesas, arroyos, sagebrush, and ancient ruins are a testament to Baldwin's passion for them. As amazing as it is, the desert can be equally harsh and deadly for the untrained and unprepared who face wild animals, snakes, extreme heat, loss of direction, flash floods, and injury. In these books, the desert is its own character that must be revered to prevent peril. Which brings me to the unique and quirky characters Baldwin creates that readers can love, poke fun at, and root for. Even the bad guys stand out and are well-developed. My favorites characters are Dawson and Relic. Both characters have a strong sense of justice and would not hesitate to face danger if the need arises. Relic is philosophical, a hermit, antisocial, and a bit of a guardian for the desert's ecosystem. I enjoyed watching Malia’s transformation and hope to see her in future stories.
The plot is fast paced, perfectly timed, and character driven. There is plenty of action with murder, kidnapping, deception, revenge, and betrayal. The end of every chapter had me hurrying to the next. I highly recommend Slickrock for all lovers of suspense thrillers. Baldwin delivers!
December 25, 2025
Slickrock blends a fast kidnapping thriller with a rugged, sun-bleached wilderness adventure. The story kicks off when Relic, a loner and moonshiner who haunts Utah canyon country, discovers a body in a fake granary. At the same time, college student Malia is yanked from a nightclub and dragged into a scheme run by a revenge-hungry crew. Sheriff Leavitt and Deputy Dawson try to track down a missing ranch hand, but their investigation collides with the kidnappers’ plans. The book jumps between these threads until everything crashes together in Slickrock Canyon, where desert storms, gunfights, and raw survival force each character to show who they really are.
The pacing moves fast, like the book can’t wait to shove you around the next corner. I really liked the way the author paints the canyon. It feels hot and harsh and alive in a way that made me thirsty just sitting on my couch. Relic ended up being my favorite part of the book. His quiet grit sneaks up on you, and the way he tries to help Malia even though the whole mess has nothing to do with him makes him feel grounded and real. I also liked how the author lets scenes breathe just long enough before snapping into chaos. It kept me on my toes, and I didn’t mind that one bit.
The villains are nasty, but a few of their scenes felt over-the-top. Malia’s storyline pulled me in, especially the terror and confusion she feels early on, but I sometimes wanted more space inside her head instead of being rushed along. Still, when the story drops her into the wilderness with Relic, everything tightens up again. Their scramble through canyon forks and flash floods has a wild, sweaty energy. The writing hits hardest when it sticks to people running for their lives under a huge sky.
The book is punchy and dramatic. If you like thrillers that sprint rather than stroll, or if you enjoy survival stories set in wide open desert country, this one will probably scratch the itch. It’s especially good for readers who love a mix of crime, action, and a little rough humor. And if you’re the type who likes rooting for the stubborn, dusty outsider who’d rather avoid everyone but still ends up saving the day, Relic alone makes the journey worth it.
The pacing moves fast, like the book can’t wait to shove you around the next corner. I really liked the way the author paints the canyon. It feels hot and harsh and alive in a way that made me thirsty just sitting on my couch. Relic ended up being my favorite part of the book. His quiet grit sneaks up on you, and the way he tries to help Malia even though the whole mess has nothing to do with him makes him feel grounded and real. I also liked how the author lets scenes breathe just long enough before snapping into chaos. It kept me on my toes, and I didn’t mind that one bit.
The villains are nasty, but a few of their scenes felt over-the-top. Malia’s storyline pulled me in, especially the terror and confusion she feels early on, but I sometimes wanted more space inside her head instead of being rushed along. Still, when the story drops her into the wilderness with Relic, everything tightens up again. Their scramble through canyon forks and flash floods has a wild, sweaty energy. The writing hits hardest when it sticks to people running for their lives under a huge sky.
The book is punchy and dramatic. If you like thrillers that sprint rather than stroll, or if you enjoy survival stories set in wide open desert country, this one will probably scratch the itch. It’s especially good for readers who love a mix of crime, action, and a little rough humor. And if you’re the type who likes rooting for the stubborn, dusty outsider who’d rather avoid everyone but still ends up saving the day, Relic alone makes the journey worth it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews