Sedona - Kerry Fryar Freeman - ★★★★

AUTHOR: Kerry Fryar Freeman

GENRE: Contemporary cosy mystery.

RATING: 4 stars.

In a Nutshell: A contemporary mystery-drama set in the Arizonian city of Sedona. Interesting storyline, quirky characters, fast pace. I went in blind and came out amazed. Don’t be fooled by the cover; this isn’t a light-hearted read, though it has its fun moments.

Story Synopsis:

Sedona in Arizona has been a tourist attraction since long for its Hopi legends, its healing pines, and its magic crystals. However, Cal has moved to Sedona for a different reason: her grandma is suffering from cancer, and they have heard that Sedona’s dry air can offer relief. Cal freelances as an editor at a local magazine about crystals. But as her grandma’s healthcare costs increase, she looks for a better paying job. Thankfully, the newly-opened Belle Butte Touring Company has a vacancy for a guide. Cal begins her adventurous new work enthusiastically, but she soon realises that her new workplace holds as many secrets as Sedona does.

The story comes to us mostly in Cal’s third person perspective, though we have some interlude chapters from the viewpoint of a couple of other characters.

Bookish Yays:

😍 The title gives a clear clue that the story is about the town and not the characters. The plot uses the setting of Sedona brilliantly. The small town vibes, the gorgeous buttes, the trails and caves, the indigenous beliefs,… almost every page shows us Sedona as a real place gifted with nature and culture while still having that partially xenophobic attitude towards outsiders such as Cal. Initially, I didn’t know Sedona is a town in the USA. Reading about it in this book made me look up the town online. I am impressed by how well the author has captured it with her words.

😍 Most of the supporting characters in the book are intriguing and well-layered. Some are so complex that it is tough to decide whether to like them or thwack them. Except for one character, everyone’s motivations are clear from their sketching. The grey in their personalities makes them feel like actual people than as picture-perfect fictional characters.

😍 The plot is surprisingly complicated. It starts as a nice and easy-going narration of Cal’s wanting to settle in Sedona for her grandma and of her finding a new job, but once the mystery begins, the secrets come tumbling out. The suspense elements build up as the book progresses. Though a relatively light mystery, the book has its share of twists and turns. As the blurb didn’t make it sound like a mystery novel, I was caught unawares, in a very good way.

😍 Though a debut novel, the book doesn’t try to cram in a chunk of social commentary or a multitude of “happening” themes. The primary two ideas explored are corporate manipulation and small-town loyalties, and it sticks mainly to these topics throughout. No ‘kitchen sink’ approach here.

😍 Though the mystery gets fairly intense in the second half, the proceedings are kept light. Cal’s conversation, filled with sarcasm and banter, creates comic relief.

😍 There is a minor touch of magical realism in the plot, exploring the Native American beliefs in the healing powers of nature and crystals. This was handled subtly rather than being shoved into your face.

😍 The pace of the book is steady from start to end. The writing is also easy-going, making it easy to complete this novel within a few hours.

Bookish Mixed Bags:

😐 Cal is a wonderful main character: flawed, impulsive, sometimes gullible, loyal, witty, and independent. Despite her shortcomings, it is very easy to root for Cal. In some scenes, her helplessness and frustration come out very well. At the same time, I wish certain aspects of her character had been detailed better. Her age is never specified, though she seems to be in her twenties. She calls herself an introvert but she's definitely not sketched as one. Her character does many things most introverts would never even consider doing. Also, how the heck did she find the money to drink so much when she was worried about finances? It’s strange how we never see her eating, but the drinking seems to be almost omnipresent, and almost always without consequences.

😐 I love that stunning cover. Cal is as sassy as she appears on that pic, and her sunglasses reflect the gorgeous sandstone buttes of Sedona. That said, the cover might reflect Cal's bold personality perfectly but not the book. I almost dismissed the book as a YA rom-com because of that bright pastel fun-filled vibe. The content was a welcome surprise. I wish the cover had better suited the story. I think many of the right target readers (light/cosy mystery lovers) might skip over this book assuming it to be a romcom or a YA work. This is just my opinion. Art is always subjective, after all.

😐 The fledgling romantic relationship didn’t astonish me as almost every book nowadays adds a dash of romance to its plot, whether it fits or not. In this case though, I found the development a needless one. The book could have worked perfectly had the two characters in question stayed besties, so there was no need for the love track. On the positive side, the romance doesn’t overwhelm the core plot. It stays a secondary add-on than as an important arc.

Bookish Nays:

😖 The ending feels rushed, with the epilogue trying to tie up the pending threads too neatly. It was too perfect for this kind of story. As this is a short novel anyway at about 240 pages, maybe a few pages more could have sorted out this issue.

All in all, I enjoyed the ride through Sedona with its intriguing characters. The story had more than enough to keep me satisfied.

Definitely recommended. This indie debut work will be great for those who enjoy light-hearted cosy mysteries with a dash of humour and a respect for nature.

My thanks to author Kerry Fryar Freeman for providing me with a complimentary copy of “Sedona”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.