Shadow of the Raven    by David Sundstrand Order:  USA  Can Minotaur, 2007 (2007) Hardcover      Reviewed by Tim Davis In a nearly perfect synthesis of the different elements of fiction - particularly the setting, plot, characterizations, style, and theme - author David Sundstrand has offered up a wonderful, not-to-be-missed mystery in Shadow of the Raven. When the spell-binding action begins, Frank Flynn - a ranger with the Bureau of Land Management - has discovered a badly decomposed body in the Mojave Desert's Surprise Canyon. Near the body (about which Flynn has many questions) there is evidence of big game poaching, and that is something that very much angers Flynn. Then, as the different law enforcement agencies for the region argue about who has jurisdiction over what might turn out to be a murder case, Flynn, a man whose dogged determination and independent attitude might cause problems, begins looking into the mystery surrounding the dead man and the illegal hunting of bighorn sheep in Flynn's territory. Soon, however, Flynn realizes that others - people who are cruel, murderous, and unpredictable - are also trying to solve (or interfere with) the mysteries surrounding whatever had been going on in Surprise Canyon. Enriched by a narrative style of distinctive clarity, Shadow of the Raven is a powerful tale of the American southwest in which big egos, big money, and big stakes all add up to big dangers. Debut novelist Sundstrand has created an impressive new protagonist in Frank Flynn, and readers are in for a real treat when they join Flynn on his suspense-filled, fast-paced adventures. Don't miss this powerful new novel in which good and evil, and love and cruelty collide in the savage beauty of the Mojave Desert! Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews