Book Review: The Deseret Reckoning by Matthew L Huffman

My Review: 

I very much enjoyed this story. I’ve found myself picking up books with more information on history, and that’s been super awesome because I was never too good at it in school.

First off, I LOATHE Andrew. But we’re supposed to. He’s very well done, and that goes for all the other characters too. Everyone’s so… real. They have their flaws and their talents, and they all feel like their own person rather than a caricature or shell.

I also really loved Susan, who is a strong female protagonist in her own right. She stands up for herself and she doesn't need anyone to tell her who she is. She knows, and its nice to watch her grow into a more comfortable, confident version of herself.

The effort that went into writing this book is obvious. You can feel the blood, sweat, and tears in every word. Ultimately, that's what pushed it up to 5 stars for me. A lot of love went into this book, and I'm not one to underappreciate that.

The action scenes are done well, and the story has nice pacing. I rather enjoyed reading about the man behind the letters and what it was like to travel and live back in those days.

Overall, it is a nice read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Summary: 

Susan Kingsley is a historical acquisitions assistant with career ambitions at the Smithsonian Museum. She shares an apartment with her ex-husband, FBI special agent Andrew Harrison.

Susan has discovered copies of a series of letters from 1870 describing a wagon train from Santa Fe, New Mexico, bound for the Deseret Territory, the Mormon lands prior to Utah statehood, and a hidden mine.

The new owner of the letters, twenty-seven-year-old Tom Sullivan, a distant relative of the recipient, joins two older friends on a camping trip to discover the source of the letters. While Susan tracks Tom and his letters across Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, Andrew tails her every step. After a chance encounter with Kat, a friendly face at a challenging time, a bolder, fiercer Susan emerges.

As Susan’s character arc grows, Andrew’s arc delves from petty disagreements to all-out fraud and deception, a cop with a grudge. What secrets will be revealed? What has been hidden in the mine? Will Susan succeed, or will Andrew sabotage her efforts and commit the ultimate crime?
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