Romance and Danger In the Slot Canyons of Lake Powell

One of the strengths of Moki Steps lies in its ability to build fine tension right from the start with a series of logical events. Take a self-proclaimed "nerdy" professor who feels stuck in both career and personal choices, take her out of her familiar world of academia and on the field trip of her life, and add romance into escalating intrigue. Stir. Then capture the culture and sense of place of the slot canyon lands of Arizona and add an elusive enemy. The result is an exploration that excels in vivid descriptions of place ("He placed one foot in front of the other, testing each step. She didn't look down but continued following him, aware that Vic was right below her. The ledge was almost two feet wide and level. To reach the cave, they had to pass through a thin stream of water that had been diverted by a cleft in the rocks next to the bigger waterfall. Getting wet was a given.") as it leads readers step-by-step through Mackenzie's adventure.

The physical challenges of a rugged journey are well described, the psychological makeup of a band of explorers is probed ("Henry had taken on Sandy's role, becoming the whiner of the group. There always had to be one, even in a group this size. There were only six of them now. What was Sam doing? If he'd come with them, he would have stayed back with Sandy. Been patient with him. But if Sandy hadn't left them, she realized, they might have voted to go back. Now they had to get to the end of the canyon, and with luck, find Charlie."), and tension escalates into ambushes, gunmen, and confrontations between different special interest groups. The result is a fast-paced, vividly realistic adventure story that tests character connections, motivations, choices, and chance. It's never a good idea to go into the canyons alone. But Mackenzie has an entire support group behind her: J. Reed Rich's readers of Moki Steps.

--D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer

Midwest Book Review