Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Desert Remains

A Gus Parker and Alex Mills Novel

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
Detective Alex Mills turns to psychic Gus Parker to help him solve a series of baffling murders perpetrated by a deranged killer who leaves his victims' bodies and taunting clues in the desert surrounding Phoenix, AZ. Someone is filling the desert caves around Phoenix with bodies—a madman who, in a taunting ritual, is leaving behind a record of his crimes etched into the stone. With no leads and no suspects, Detective Alex Mills sees a case spinning out of control. City leaders want the case solved yesterday, and another detective wants to elbow Mills out of the way. As the body count rises, Mills turns to Gus Parker, an "intuitive medium" whose murky visions sometimes point to real clues. It's an unorthodox approach, but Mills is desperate. When Parker is brought to the crime scenes, he sees visions of a house on fire and a screaming child. But what does it mean? He struggles to interpret his psychic messages, knowing that the killer is one step ahead and that in this vast desert, the next murder could happen anywhere. Nor does it help that he's always been unlucky in love and now finds himself the prey of a lovelorn stalker. She is throwing him off his game. Someone will win this contest, and both Parker and Mills fear it will be the cunning, ruthless killer, who is able to use the trackless landscape as a cover for his brutal crimes.
  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 7, 2017
      This accomplished series opener from Cooper (Deadline) introduces Phoenix, Ariz., homicide detective Alex Mills and reluctant psychic Gus Parker. When a hiker finds the corpse of 27-year-old Elizabeth Spears in a desert cave alongside a carving that depicts her death, Gus senses that her murderer is already stalking his next target. He volunteers his services to Alex, who’s in charge of the investigation, but while Gus’s visions lead to the discovery of additional victims, they fail to identify the killer. As the body count climbs and public pressure mounts, Alex’s son is arrested for selling drugs. A media circus ensues, distracting Alex and inspiring his rival to angle for control of the case. Witty banter, colorful characters, and a strong sense of place give life to this intricately plotted procedural. Gus and Alex take turns narrating, with Gus’s breezy tone balancing out Alex’s hard-bitten one, and the unlikely camaraderie that develops between the two men adds humor and depth. Riveting subplots and a shocking twist pave the way for an electrifying conclusion. Agent: Anne Collette, Rees Literary Agency.

    • Library Journal

      October 1, 2017

      The desert caves around the city of Phoenix are the bloody playgrounds for a psychopath leaving bodies and petroglyphic artwork depicting ghastly murders. As the body count rises, Det. Alex Mills is under pressure to solve the cases. With no viable leads, Alex turns to the unconventional Gus Parker, a reluctant "intuitive medium" who senses confusing visions of a child and a house on fire. More bodies pile up as a serial killer with parent issues runs amok. The story line, despite its gruesome theme, is leavened with humor, while a wicked twist provides a grand finale. The alternate narration between Alex and Gus works well to enhance their bizarre camaraderie, with Alex's voice reflecting a harder-edged tone, while Gus's attitude is lighter. VERDICT The psychic twist makes Cooper's (Saving Valencia) riveting series launch a standout from the crowd of routine police procedurals. The desert backdrop is a good foil to the plot and will attract aficionados of Southwestern mysteries.--ACT

      Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      September 15, 2017
      Gus Parker is psychic. His gift is occasionallybut not alwaysdead-on, giving Gus spooky visions of things that were supposed to stay hidden. Like the startling source of the drugs flowing through the high-school football team. Gus can read the mood of a car: It radiates a certain sadness. He partners with another psychic, the scene-stealing Beatrice Vossenheimer, in exposing fake mediums. (She's thinking of writing a book, calling it Psychic My Ass.) After the pointed hilarity of this opening, it's a step downward when his Phoenix cop buddy, Alex Mills, pulls him into one more serial-murder investigation. Fortunately, author Cooper sees to it that it's a fascinating one, telling the story in a rich, almost tactile prose: Gus hears the flutter of something, like the winding of a snake. Cooper screws down the tension as the revelations come, and Gus is about to move from parapsychologist to victim. That's when he rediscovers what genuine psychics know, to their sorrow: those dazzling visions sometimes don't do a damn bit of good.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading
Check out what's being checked out right now OverDrive service is made possible by the OCLN Member Libraries and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.