MWSA Review
Alchemy’s Reach is an easy-read mystery about a family that discovers its secret past when tragedy strikes. The story takes place in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Jen Murphy, a deputy sheriff, inherited the family ranch with her brother Ethan, whose wanderlust inspires him to investigate local lore about Alchemy, a nearby ghost town.

It’s there that a few plot turns and twists take place, resulting in a murder and a suicide. Co-authors, Chris Allen and Patricia Walkow waste few words in this short novel to set the stage, solve the crimes, and consummate a romance.

Despite the violence, this is a sweet story that ties up the loose ends of a family that had long struggled with understanding who they were. The plot is carried by ten characters, plus a comforting pet Labrador, Fi, who seemingly communicates with human-level intelligence. Readers who are looking for entertainment and a quick read that can be finished in one cold winter’s night, will find that Alchemy’s Reach fills that bill.

Review by James Elsener (February 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

Jennifer Murphy closes her heart to love after a searing breakup with the man she thought she’d marry.

Instead, she puts her passion into her work as Deputy Sheriff of Lincoln County in southeastern New Mexico. Between her law enforcement job and owning the 4,000-acre ranch she and her younger brother, Ethan, inherited from their parents, her life is full. She has no time for romantic relationships and no desire to pursue any. Her companion in bed is her large dog, Dusty.

Living between the small towns of Carrizozo and Ruidoso, Jennifer (Jen) loves the rolling hills and distant mountains. She can’t envision living anywhere else. Of Irish descent and in her mid-thirties, she is competent, attractive, and strong-willed. But Ethan does not share her love for their land or livestock and often travels elsewhere for temporary work. Jen is sometimes annoyed with him and would appreciate his help with the endless chores. Fortunately, the old ranch manager, Pablo Baca, who was hired many years ago by her father, lives on the property. He keeps Montaño Vista Ranch running, manages seasonal hires, and is a surrogate father for both Ethan and Jen.

Ethan’s current job is as a novice logger in Oregon. There, he and Joe Stern, a Squamish Indian, become good friends. Joe is an experienced lumberjack and saves Ethan’s life at the job site. But, as with all his other jobs, Ethan quits after a few months and returns home.

In an attempt to keep Ethan closer to the ranch, Jen tells him about a hand-drawn map she found in the family bible. It shows the ghost town of Alchemy. Local lore indicates a cache of gold might be buried in the town, now visible since a multi-year drought has dried up the reservoir that covered it. Ethan decides to prospect for whatever treasure the ruin might reveal and invites Joe to join him.

Neither Jen nor Ethan knows they have a unique tie to the ghost town. But Alchemy has a reputation as an evil place, and the locals are wary of it.

Ethan’s brief time in Alchemy leads to events that shock the community, change his life, and bring Jennifer and Joe closer together.

But will she ever again open her heart to love?

Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Romance

Number of Pages: 193

Word Count: 51,709