Review of Diamonds of Devil's Tail

[Megan Simpher]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Diamonds of Devil's Tail" by A.W. Baldwin.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Back in 1957, a young thief named Tommy stole diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, and disappeared into the sky. But how could that possibly affect an English major, his uncle, a determined deputy, and a new hire of a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of climate change? Add a white water rafting trip in Utah and a mysterious recluse named Relic, and read on as A. W. Balwin weaves a story of adventure, murder, and a little bit of mayhem.

Diamonds of Devil’s Tail is an intriguing journey down the Colorado River as Brayden, his uncle Henry, and their fellow rafters stumble into a life-threatening mystery. Not long after the group makes camp after the first day of their adventure, one of the group members is found dead with a handful of cut gems. Brayden doesn’t have much time for sorrow; he finds himself chased by two men with weapons, who desperately want those same gems. In his hurry to escape, he runs right into Relic, a puzzling man who knows these canyons as well as he knows himself. With Relic’s aid, Brayden tries to return to his group, all while hiding from the armed men and discovering why there are diamonds in this canyon.

In this page-turner, Balwin creates a web of characters as interwoven as the ecosystem where it takes place. The natural landscape is filled with beauty. It can also be deadly. The descriptions had me wanting to road trip into the heart of Utah myself. Wonderfully edited, I was fully immersed in this tale, and the wisdom and humor of Relic felt like meeting a new friend.

This novel is told from multiple points of view and introduces six different storylines in the first eight chapters. It’s a little overwhelming in the beginning, but keep turning the pages because it’s all worth it in the end.

I give Diamonds of Devil’s Tail a rating of four out of four stars. It may be the fourth book of the Relic series, but I never felt like I had missed something important. The adventure in natural places really appealed to me, as did the well-fleshed-out characters. I can’t wait to read the other books chronicling more of Relic’s exploits.

I’d recommend this story to adults and young adults who don’t mind profanity, and especially to anyone in love with adventure and natural landscapes. Fans of Tony Hillerman’s Chee and Leaphorn will enjoy this read.

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Diamonds of Devil's Tail
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