The pedophile who raped Lena Jones when she was nine years old is released from prison -- and Lena is waiting for him with a knife. Lena isn't the only one of his victims who is crying out for vengeance, but when he is found dead, she becomes the authorities' favorite suspect.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY called the Lena Jones books "mysteries with a social conscience." In this gripping novel, Lena Jones is brought in to discover the motive for the deaths of an entire family, which in turn leads her to a never-talked-about facet of the Death Penalty. By doing so, Lena learns more about her own background -- and her life is changed forever.
A Lena Jones mystery
In DESERT WIVES, we learned about the polygamy compounds in rural Arizona, but in this shocking book we discover that polygamy also exists in the cities. We also learn the fate of most boys in these compounds, and it isn't pretty. After all, if one man can have 10 wives, then 9 men will have none. P.I. Lena Jones finds out how the polygamy compounds keep their numbers manageable when she discovers an increasing number of young teen boys abandoned on the streets of Scottsdale and Phoenix.
While scouting locations for a film documentary on Arizona's Apache Wars, P.I. Lena Jones and Oscar-winning director Warren Quinn discover the body of a young girl. The gruesome manner of the child's death evokes memories of Lena's own rough childhood. In Desert Cut, the still-vivid memory of Geronimo's war mixes with the modern immigration war; the hard life on the Arizona-Mexico border contrasts with Hollywood's slick production meetings; and the cruelty of an ancient practice is tempered by a growing underground railroad fighting to save its young victims. "A compelling story that will appeal to a broad range of mystery readers." Booklist starred review."Webb's dark tale of a clash of cultures is emotionally draining and intellecturally challenging." Kirkus Reviews.
In Desert Wives: Polygamy Can Be Murder, private investigator Lena Jones helps a young girl escape from a forced marriage to an elderly polygamy "prophet," a man who already has numerous wives. In doing so, Lena uncovers even more crimes against women, including rampant incest, and the welfare scams that keep the polygamy compounds afloat and make multi-millionaires out of their self-appointed prophets. "Eye-popping!" The New York Times
Desert Run is based on the true-life escape of 25 German U-Boat crewmen who fled Arizona's famed Camp Papago, a World War II prisoner of war camp. This cold case file leaves Lena Jones wondering why the U.S. neglects its own veterans' rights while guarding the rights of others. The murder -- and civil rights abuses -- never stop in this exciting book. "Multi-layered, thought-provoking, a gem." Denver Post
Desert Shadows asks two questions: how far should freedom of speech go when it conflicts with victims' rights, and how far will a publisher go to hit the Best Seller list? Lena Jones discovers the answers when she investigates the case of a publisher who might have been killed by one of her own contracted writers -- a cold-hearted serial killer who penned his autobiography while on Death Row. "Loyalty, compassion and a sharp sense of humor... The glorious Southwest landscape again provides the perfect setting for Webb's courageous heroine." Publishers Weekly.
In Desert Noir, the first Lena Jones mystery, the Arizona P.I. investigates the murder of her best friend, a Scottsdale art gallery owner, only to discover that Clarice Hyath wasn't really her best friend after all. Themes in this rousing mystery include a peek behind the not-so-refined art world, the abuse of eminent domaine by replacing low-cost housing with millionaires' high-rises, and the rampant destruction of the Southwestern desert. "An elegy for the lost West, strong on atmosphere and insight." Booklist.