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Route 66 Mysteries
Counsel of Ravens
In the dark of night, murder strikes on Route 66, and once again Hubert James Champion III finds himself having to face realities he'd rather run from. Indeed, within two days, Hugh finds himself embroiled in murder on a national scale, seeking justice for petty-crimes of a local nature-and very close to home, reviving his skills as a psychologist to help people who have become friends. Indeed, his friends need him. In addition, there are troubling mysteries of the personal kind still tucked away in the recesses of Hugh's subconscious. He may be still "hiding out" in the desert, but East Coast ties continue to haunt and thwart his building hopes for the future. Fortunately, he has his ravens to counsel him, and through it all-the Mojave winds continue to blow...
- GenresMystery
252 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
M.M. Gornell
10 books14 followersM.M. Gornell is a lifetime lover of mysteries of all types. Besides reading and writing, she is a potter with a fondness for stoneware and reduction firing.
M.M. Gornell lives with her husband and assorted canines in California’s high-desert.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime (LA Chapter, Central Coast, International, High-Desert California Writers Club, and Public Safety Writers Association (PSWA)
M.M. Gornell lives with her husband and assorted canines in California’s high-desert.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime (LA Chapter, Central Coast, International, High-Desert California Writers Club, and Public Safety Writers Association (PSWA)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 25, 2013
Counsel of Ravens by M.M. Gornell is another excellent addition to the Route 66 mystery series.
Officer Melony Dibbs finds herself on Route 66, responding to a request for an assist by the Mohave Sheriff’s Department. The consequence of being first on the scene where a motorist has requested help is deadly.
Hugh Champion III has “hidden” himself in the desert to leave behind things he’d rather not think about. Without warning, he finds himself involved in Melony’s murder and local thefts, and he’s having to use his psychologist skills in the process. Sometimes life won’t let you hide.
With the Mohave winds blowing and ravens showing up like ghosts, Hugh has a lot to deal with whether he likes it or not.
M.M. Gornell’s books have a haunting effect on me. They stick with me and make me feel just a tad melancholy, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While I usually choose books with humor, I wouldn’t miss one of the Route 66 series. Gornell’s books keep the reader wanting to know what’s going to happen next.
I would recommend reading Reticence of Ravens before Counsel of Ravens simply because Hugh Champion is in both books and I think you’ll want to know more about him. I highly recommend this book to mystery readers and anyone who simply enjoys a memorable story.
Officer Melony Dibbs finds herself on Route 66, responding to a request for an assist by the Mohave Sheriff’s Department. The consequence of being first on the scene where a motorist has requested help is deadly.
Hugh Champion III has “hidden” himself in the desert to leave behind things he’d rather not think about. Without warning, he finds himself involved in Melony’s murder and local thefts, and he’s having to use his psychologist skills in the process. Sometimes life won’t let you hide.
With the Mohave winds blowing and ravens showing up like ghosts, Hugh has a lot to deal with whether he likes it or not.
M.M. Gornell’s books have a haunting effect on me. They stick with me and make me feel just a tad melancholy, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While I usually choose books with humor, I wouldn’t miss one of the Route 66 series. Gornell’s books keep the reader wanting to know what’s going to happen next.
I would recommend reading Reticence of Ravens before Counsel of Ravens simply because Hugh Champion is in both books and I think you’ll want to know more about him. I highly recommend this book to mystery readers and anyone who simply enjoys a memorable story.
September 25, 2014
Mysteries revealed on the 'Mother Road'...
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway and am so fortunate to have done so. The book is a good mystery, written in a thoughtful manner. Lots of good characters, well-developed as individuals and in relationship to one another. The setting and descriptions are interesting and support the story. At times the writing borders on magical realism, especially as elements of the story are filtered through the mind of Hugh Champion. He's a man who has been through a lot. He has his own personal mystery to unravel as the effort to track down The Highway Killer unfolds. I share the authors love of deserts and can relate to the images and aesthetics she conveys so vividly. Although I live in the Sonoran desert I have spent some time in the Mojave, too, in and around the 'mother road' [ Route 66], and am familiar with many of the places in the book. The setting resonates with the bigger themes in the book, journeys taken in a more metaphorical sense, and all the challenges and opportunities that present themselves along the way. A most satisfying read, meted out in a measured way. Will read more by M.M. Gornell and recommend this book to mystery lovers.
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway and am so fortunate to have done so. The book is a good mystery, written in a thoughtful manner. Lots of good characters, well-developed as individuals and in relationship to one another. The setting and descriptions are interesting and support the story. At times the writing borders on magical realism, especially as elements of the story are filtered through the mind of Hugh Champion. He's a man who has been through a lot. He has his own personal mystery to unravel as the effort to track down The Highway Killer unfolds. I share the authors love of deserts and can relate to the images and aesthetics she conveys so vividly. Although I live in the Sonoran desert I have spent some time in the Mojave, too, in and around the 'mother road' [ Route 66], and am familiar with many of the places in the book. The setting resonates with the bigger themes in the book, journeys taken in a more metaphorical sense, and all the challenges and opportunities that present themselves along the way. A most satisfying read, meted out in a measured way. Will read more by M.M. Gornell and recommend this book to mystery lovers.
July 31, 2013
Hubert James Champion III, a former psychologist, has lived in an isolated spot of the Mojave desert for several months now, where he moved to escape the painful memories from his past. But, murder and mystery keep interfering with the simpler, more peaceful way of life he so desperately seeks.
A serial killer, nicknamed THK (The Highway Killer) is on the loose, a deputy, who is also a dear friend of Hugh's, is murdered, and someone is stealing scrap metal from the locals. All of these events involve Hugh and the people he has come to care about. Will his involvement help him to exorcise the demons from his past?
I highly recommend "Counsel of Ravens," by M.M. Gornell.
A serial killer, nicknamed THK (The Highway Killer) is on the loose, a deputy, who is also a dear friend of Hugh's, is murdered, and someone is stealing scrap metal from the locals. All of these events involve Hugh and the people he has come to care about. Will his involvement help him to exorcise the demons from his past?
I highly recommend "Counsel of Ravens," by M.M. Gornell.
July 24, 2013
Would give ten stars if available. Gornell is true artist with words. Painted word pictures which took me right into areas being described. Never saw ending on horizon as author deftly led to surprise ending. Had to read a second time to see those elusive strands hinting at finale.
August 31, 2022
Another good mystery set in the Mojave desert. A former psychologist has turned to the desert as escape. After a surprisingly tumultuous and violent year, he finds he has friends and a new love. Someone is attempting to kill those friends and he is once again drawn back into his people reading skills to solve the crime.
March 27, 2014
A Quiet Place for a Murder
M.M. Gornell has penned a tantalizing sequel to Reticence of Ravens, a Hubert James Champion III Route 66 Mystery, that delves into the heart and soul of her main character while solving three different mysteries that take place in the stark Mojave desert community along Route 66 in California.
As in her other books, Gornell paints a vivid picture of the desert from its blood red sunsets to the distinct flora and fauna that exist in this special area. But it’s the people, too. Starting with the murder of County Deputy Sheriff Melony Dibbs, Hugh Champion and several other inhabitants of this dusty little town come to terms with the loss of their friend and seek answers. But sometimes the answers reveal more about the person seeking those answers.
Several law enforcement officers are shot and people start to think there’s a serial killer on the loose. They’re right, but this guy has a method to his madness. There are also numerous scrap metal thefts in the area, one right in Hugh’s backyard. Are these linked to the shootings?
Hugh, a former psychologist, is himself seeking answers or the truth about his own life and finds some solace in a quiet area in his backyard that attracts a batch of crows. He dubs the tree on which they perch, Poe’s Condo. But the wise counsel of those birds allows Hugh to think and that peace starts to reveal some answers.
The turning point is when old friends of the dead Deputy Sheriff meet for a poker game. The evening turns into a wake for their friend and each comes with his or her own troubles, but somewhere deep down they know they can solve the murders and even their own inner problems.
The Counsel of Ravens delves deep into this small town with its diverse people and its troubles and finds answers. A soul-searching trip that weaves mystery with a cast of memorable characters.
M.M. Gornell has penned a tantalizing sequel to Reticence of Ravens, a Hubert James Champion III Route 66 Mystery, that delves into the heart and soul of her main character while solving three different mysteries that take place in the stark Mojave desert community along Route 66 in California.
As in her other books, Gornell paints a vivid picture of the desert from its blood red sunsets to the distinct flora and fauna that exist in this special area. But it’s the people, too. Starting with the murder of County Deputy Sheriff Melony Dibbs, Hugh Champion and several other inhabitants of this dusty little town come to terms with the loss of their friend and seek answers. But sometimes the answers reveal more about the person seeking those answers.
Several law enforcement officers are shot and people start to think there’s a serial killer on the loose. They’re right, but this guy has a method to his madness. There are also numerous scrap metal thefts in the area, one right in Hugh’s backyard. Are these linked to the shootings?
Hugh, a former psychologist, is himself seeking answers or the truth about his own life and finds some solace in a quiet area in his backyard that attracts a batch of crows. He dubs the tree on which they perch, Poe’s Condo. But the wise counsel of those birds allows Hugh to think and that peace starts to reveal some answers.
The turning point is when old friends of the dead Deputy Sheriff meet for a poker game. The evening turns into a wake for their friend and each comes with his or her own troubles, but somewhere deep down they know they can solve the murders and even their own inner problems.
The Counsel of Ravens delves deep into this small town with its diverse people and its troubles and finds answers. A soul-searching trip that weaves mystery with a cast of memorable characters.
April 21, 2014
Thought I would like this book better than I did. The character development I did think was
excellent and I thought the focus on Route 66 would be a bigger draw than it was, perhaps
because it's locale was actually a very untraveled area of it. And because I had not read
the first in the series I did find it hard to follow in places. Also, way more landscape
description then I generally like..
excellent and I thought the focus on Route 66 would be a bigger draw than it was, perhaps
because it's locale was actually a very untraveled area of it. And because I had not read
the first in the series I did find it hard to follow in places. Also, way more landscape
description then I generally like..
December 10, 2014
What can I say about Counsel of Ravens that hasn't already been said in other's reviews. Interesting story, great in-depth characterizations, wonderful setting along Route 66, and lovely descriptions of the Mojave desert. I really enjoyed reading this novel. Well done, Ms. Gornell.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews