I’ll admit I bogged down in the middle of Kathryn Lasky’s third Georgia O’Keeffe historical mystery, A Slant of Light. Lasky had to bring together so many characters, so much history. And, some of what I love about these books was missing at times. O’Keeffe, as an artist, “Saw things in a different way”. I appreciate her way of looking at an item, or even a murder scene, as she observes the light and the artistry.
In New Mexico in 1936, O’Keeffe is hoping to paint some beautiful sunsets before winter settles in. But, on one of her painting trips, she finds a young boy instead. Joseph Reyes is running hundreds of miles back to family in Mexico. He tells O’Keeffe he’s found his sister, Estrella’s body, raped and killed by the priest and a nun at St. Ignatius School. And, she’s not the only Native child who has disappeared. Georgia takes in the boy, and hopes to share his horrifying story with Santa Fe Sheriff Ryan McCaffrey. But, before she can, she discovers the body of Bishop Claude Peterson hanging in the church’s walled garden. And, neither George nor McCaffrey suspect suicide.
While Georgia settles in to deal with local murders, McCaffrey heads to New York where there are rumors of a church conference involving Father Coughlin, the radio priest who is anti-Semite, and Opus Dei, a dangerous international organization started in the Catholic Church.
Politics, history, Nazis in the U.S., the Church’s attempt to influence American politics. It sounds so familiar today. But, back in Santa Fe, Georgia O’Keeffe has managed to use her art to work her way into a position at St. Ignatius. She’s in a dangerous position when forces converge on the school.
As I said, I bogged down in the middle. There were so many agencies and forces coming into play. I did love Joseph, the young boy who fell in love with Georgia O’Keeffe and her books, and was able to share his visions and stories from his Native life. I guess I just wanted more of the ordinary life with Georgia and Joseph, and a little less politics. Wouldn’t that be nice right now?
Kathryn Lasky’s website is https://www.kathrynlasky.com/
A Slant of Light by Kathryn Lasky. Severn House, 2025. ISBN 9781448313860 (hardcover), 192p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley from the publisher, through NetGalley, with only a promise of an honest review.
