Tainted Mountain

January 14, 2013
Action trumps character development in this fast-moving first in a new series from Baker (Ashes of the Red). A northern Arizona ski resort owner, Nora Abbott, must contend not only with a severe drought but also angry Hopi Indians, a threatened takeover by powerful energy tycoon Barrett McCreary, eco-terrorists led by a phony Native American called Big Elk, and the arrival of her overbearing mother. Against some nasty—and sometimes deadly—opposition, Nora is determined to complete the snow-making project that can save the resort. Meanwhile, the spirits of the mountain are said to be angry at her for trying to upset the balance of the Earth. After Nora’s husband dies, handsome Cole Huntsman, a uranium mining expert, seeks to protect her, but can he be trusted? Baker dwells too much on what Nora is thinking, while shifts to the chief villain’s viewpoint disconcert. Readers will wish for more show and less tell next time.

February 1, 2013
The future of an Arizona ski resort hangs in the balance as its owner fights environmentalists, Native American activists and uranium miners for the right to make snow. It should be clear sailing for Nora Abbott, owner of Kachina Ski, now that she's won a lawsuit permitting her to use artificial snowmaking equipment. But minutes after the decision, a mysterious figure slashes Nora's ankle. Days later, someone pushes her husband, Scott, off a mountainside trail, killing him. Next, Scott's mistress, Maureen, dies in a car crash. The police suspect Nora, even after an explosion destroys her ski lift and her house is firebombed. Nora enters a shaky partnership with Barrett McCreary, who's seeking the rights to extract uranium from Kachina. And her stylish mother, Abigail, is ready to forge an even more personal relationship with McCreary. Still, representatives of the local Hopi press on with their media campaign to stop Nora from making snow, and their fears for Mother Earth resonate with local environmentalists. McCreary's minion Cole Huntsman is strangely protective of Nora, just as her friend Charlie Podanski bristles with concern over Abigail. Will the Hopi, led by a shaky Sioux agitator named Big Elk, stop Kachina Ski, or will Nora succumb to one of the many "accidents" someone has planned for her? Lots of explosions, fires and crashes, but despite its exotic location, Baker's debut offers no local color and little suspense.

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February 1, 2013

Nora Abbott has been fighting to make snow and save her cash-strapped ski resort in northern Arizona. A legal win leads only to distress when Nora's husband is murdered, her life is threatened, and her imperious mother arrives with shocking news. Nora is forced to turn to local energy tycoon Barrett McCreary for money. Unfortunately, Barrett seems to have some big ideas of his own for her resort. When the local Hopi tribe ramps up its threats against Nora, new man in town Cole Huntsman always seems to be around to offer support. However, Cole has his own secrets, and Nora soon realizes that she could end up with a knife in her back. VERDICT Baker's (Ashes of the Red Heifer) series debut brings Native American culture and big business together into a clash that can be heard across the mountains. Nora and Barrett threaten to reveal the story long before its end; but layered subplots show that not everything is as cut and dried as it seems. Fans of J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady will see similarities in Nora Abbott.

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