A Cry from the Dust (A Gwen Marcey Novel)

What if Joseph Smith was not murdered in Carthage, IL? What if he survived the attack on his prison and that survival covered up? These are the questions asked in the debut novel by forensic artist, Carrie Stuart Parks. It’s a controversial scenario and, coupled with the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre, could have made A Cry from the Dust a provocative novel. Sadly, this is a debut that never quite reaches its full potential.

The story starts with a prologue set in 1857 during the massacre. It’s a strong opening, which allows the reader to feel the desperation and horror of the victims. Parks uses some of the names from the list of known victims to add to the authenticity. The storyline then shifts to the present day and into the first person perspective of Gwen Marcey, forensic artist and breast cancer survivor, who is involved with an upcoming exhibit at the site of the massacre. One of her facial reconstructions resembles someone who shouldn’t have been alive in 1857, but it isn’t until after the murders begin that Gwen recognizes the face. From then on, the story becomes less about the massacre and more about splinter groups of the LDS church and the possibility that Smith didn’t die in Carthage.

I wanted to love this book. I’ve read some excellent works by debut authors and I hoped this would be another of those. There were just a couple of things that disappointed me. The first is the continual change of perspective throughout the novel. The majority is written in the first person point of view, but there are continual switches to a third person narrative from the perspectives of Gwen’s daughter and colleague which I found confusing. I accept the formatting of the e-book didn’t help but I wish Parks would’ve stuck with one style or the other. Secondly, the action was non-stop, but I felt there was a little too much of it. Gwen goes from one dramatic scenario to another without pausing for breath. There was also the matter of characterization: Parks has written some of her personal life into Gwen’s character, such as her job, her experiences with cancer and her love of Great Pyrenees dogs. Gwen’s relationship with her teenage daughter also strongly reminded me of the relationship between Patricia Cornell’s Kay Scarpetta and her niece Lucy.

Everything seems to come together at the end, but there are a few plot lines that do appear to be left hanging. I still had one major question about the Smith element, but Parks doesn’t come close to giving an answer. Perhaps that would’ve been a little too controversial for a new author. Her next book, at this time called Lone Wolf, has been handed to the publisher and will probably be released next year. I may or may not read it, depending on what else is around at the time.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for my complimentary electronic copy of A Cry from the Dust, which I downloaded from NetGalley. No review was required.

"Everything happens for a reason".

Forensic artist Gwen Marcy is inclined to believe that God has intentionally zeroed in upon her life; after surviving a nasty divorce, breast cancer, and a rebellious teen, she is hardly up to the challenge of solving crimes and being chased across state lines by murderous Mormon zealots. But that is exactly the situation she finds herself in. It is as if time has rolled back to the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre with its Avenging Angels and mass graves. Someone is killing one person after another in order to maintain secrecy about . . . . Gwen is not exactly sure what.

"A Cry From the Dust" is quite possibly just a little too centered around Mormon history, but the author captivates her readers just enough to make it very interesting, moving quickly from scene to scene and cloaking the true villains under a mantle of clever disguise. Nicely done!

I love reading Carrie Stuart Parks books! I did not realize this was her debut novel until I started writing this review 😀 A Cry From the Dust is the first in the Gwen Marcey series. While each can stand alone, I recommend reading them in order.

I kept thinking Gwen was familiar, and I finally realized I had read books two and three but had not read this one. I don't recommend doing that, LOL!

Gwen is a great character who is going through a lot. She is strong and determined, but at times naive. She is a unique, sympathetic character with dry humor. Her profession is fascinating, and it was neat to see what a forensic artist does.

This book is like an onion. The more you read the more, layers are revealed! It is fascinating, gripping, and hard to put down. There are so many facets to this book, yet they all come together seamlessly. There are several twists that you don't see coming. I had a hint of who the antagonist was but wasn't completely sure until it was revealed.

This book was different from what I was expecting. I am not sure how else to explain it, just different. I enjoyed it, enjoyed the unique story line and the solid writing. Having read the first book, I now want to go back and reread the second and third books before reading the fourth. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a solid suspense novel with unique story lines.

Carrie Parks did a great job of creating believable characters with human flaws. Gwen Marcey is a forensic artist who finds herself caught up in the middle of a generations old mystery involving the Mormon church hierarchy. Although she's an expert at discerning deception, the one time it really counts she... well, I don't want to give anything away. This is a definite page-turner with enough twists and turns to keep the reader involved. I can't wait to read her other books.

Such an exciting and suspenseful book! I would highly recommend this author.

I could not put this book down. It was fast-paced, suspenseful, and kept me up reading late into the night. I loved the author's voice and humor even through the tensest moments in the book. This is one of my favorites I've read lately!

I've become a fan of Carrie Stuart Parks! Looking forward to reading the next book in this series--or probably any book she writes!

very interesting story. Enjoyed a new plot.

This fast moving fact based book kept me mesmerized. My 97 year old mother loved it as well and read it in one setting. Buy it!

This really kept my attention. Way to go Carrie!