Publishers Weekly
07/29/2019
In Johnson’s promising, if flawed, debut, American Alexa Glock, who specializes in odontology, has just finished a fellowship at Auckland University —“teeth were what had brought her to New Zealand’’—and wants to stay in the country she now loves. When a body is found half submerged in a thermal mud pool where temperatures can reach above 200 °C, Alexa hopes to help the police. She instinctively knows that teeth will be the best way to identify the remains and gains a spot on the team led by Det. Insp. Bruce Horne, who eventually realizes Alexa’s knowledge is invaluable. The dead man turns out to be Paul Koppel, a realtor and councilman whose policies and development plans were at odds with the Maori, for whom “boiling the head of an enemy is the ultimate revenge.” Koppel may also have trespassed on their sacred land. Johnson provides a fascinating view of New Zealand and insights into the Maori culture, but her characters, especially the underdeveloped Alexa, are still a work in progress. That said, armchair travelers will have fun. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"There’s a strong sense of place, history, and Maori culture in this compelling debut novel. The mystery combines forensic investigation with the rich details of a fascinating culture. Fans of Kathy Reichs’s mysteries will appreciate the forensics, while Jane Harper’s readers will enjoy the rich culture." — Library Journal, STARRED review
"Molten Mud Murder is an absolutely delightful murder mystery set in New Zealand, starring Alexa Glock, an expert on the forensics of teeth. And teeth are the only way to identify a hideously burned body found in a boiling "mud pot." The novel is a page turner par excellence, with vivid characters and a enthralling plot, all wrapped up in a most charming evocation of New Zealand’s landscapes, people, and local politics. I highly recommend this debut novel!" — Douglas Preston, #1 bestselling co-author of the Pendergast series
"Move over Kay Scarpetta and Temperance Brennan. There's a new forensics expert in town, even though "town" is 8500 miles away. Alexa Glock is a forensic odontologist and qualified crime-scene investigator who debuts in Sara E. Johnson's engrossing first novel, set in New Zealand. Fleeing a relationship gone bad in North Carolina, and fresh from a visiting professorship in Auckland, Alexa impulsively offers her services to a police department at the tip of North Island where an unidentified body has been pulled from a pool of molten mud. Johnson gives us a compelling picture of modern New Zealand overlaid by Maori culture with its strict taboos and amazing artifacts. Alexa hopes to stay in New Zealand and if this leads to a full series, my fingers are crossed that she gets her wish." — Margaret Maron, New York Times bestselling author
"Sara Johnson writes evocatively about the geothermal mud pits (similar to those in Yellowstone National Park) and the protected Maori tribal island. " — Reviewing the Evidence
"Johnson provides a fascinating view of New Zealand and insights into the Maori culture...armchair travelers will have fun." — Publishers Weekly
