Cynthia Drew Presents Intriguing Art Crimes Novel, Sing for the Dead

JUST PAST THE sign marking the Cruz County line the gold Corvette headed down into the canyon. The closer they came to Arco Viejo, the more Eliu Colón dreaded arriving there. He had heard about Ignacio Garza’s accident. That event had effectively shut down the workshop. The other santeros could rough out the bultos, but the finish that made the difference between folk art and fine art, between icon and parody, had been in Garza’s hands. On this, the Day of the Dead, the mood in Arco Viejo would not be joyous. Diaz watched for spiders and snakes as he drove. He was happy for Colón’s company—the last time he’d driven the road he’d been visited by the dead—the ghost of Pablo Estrella, and he couldn’t get the image of his own head, bouncing along the dusty road, out of his…well, his head.

Winner--Gold Award for Mystery Fiction 2017

Foreword Reviews

Author's Note

This book was based on the fact that Mexican cartels, increasingly weary of dodging drug enforcement and tired of the layered structure of dealing drugs, have, as recently as 2013, turned to gold mining as a revenue stream and a mechanism for laundering money. As much as nine percent of Mexico’s multi-billion-dollar gold industry is the result of illegal production, controlled by the cartels. Gangs demand extortion payments from local and multinational mine operators in exchange for allowing them to work their concessions, or take full control over a mining operation...

Sing for the Dead takes us to Santa Fe, New Mexico, dubbed by the Chamber of Commerce, “The City Different,” and modern-day spiritual home of the santeros, artists who carve and paint santos, images of saints, reflecting one of the oldest living traditions of religious devotion practiced by Hispanic Americans.
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It was near the celebration, that was held annually, marking The Day of
the Dead. Most of the time it started on October 31st and continued for days... It was a busy time for the men who worked to create baltos, small statues that would be especially sold during this celebration.  Immediately, I thought of my small statue on my piano of the famous statue I visited years ago which has become a symbol of both the trip and Our Redeemer...

I found it ironic that the baltos played such a significant part in the story... both real ones and fake.

For there was a rush for more and more baltos to be created for sale or shipped out that drew attention of our main characters... Adrian Duhe, from Interpol, had received three different reports that the long-lost bulto, the Zuni San Gabriel, which had not been seen for 150 years, had been listed in Sotheby's and the last one of the three had sold for $75,500! His own investigation proved enough that he was soon on the telephone to the FBI Arts Crime Team in Washington... where he brought the issue to Jacques Pearce...

While J. J. Jaynes was on his way--to Santa Fe, NM.

And almost immediately, he met Alejandro...and his first balto. A santo of Saint Jude—the patrón of lost causes.” But this lady of the night would not sell the statue for any amount of money, letting him know that she'd had the balto for over 40 years and would keep it close always. She had sold her body to him, but not the statue...interesting... But he did "buy" where he could find another one...

And Alejandro Ramirez was dead before midnight... 

While Jacques Pearce began investigating with experts about the lost Zuni San Gabriel which had mysteriously reappeared and sold...and sold, and sold again...

And everything seemed to ultimately lead to Santa Fe, where Jacques Pearce had just sent Micki Jaynes. Yes, J. J. Jaynes' wife... which promised to get interesting...

This is one of those novels where I find I want to keep talking about it. I was learning fascinating new things, while thoroughly enjoying a murder mystery, and valuable art treasure hunt. I recommend you meet there in Santa Fe to discover exactly what type of treasure can be found! The story is intriguing, humorous, as well as an interesting look at the historical legends created within artistic endeavors--and how they can lead to danger and murder!

I normally am attracted by treasure hunt novels featuring relics or some other type of treasure, relishing the research that goes into such a book, so I was certainly happy to be attracted by the cover. Do check it out and let me know what you think...and we'll talk more...


GABixlerReviews

Works at  Author, Fiction Author, and Writer
Past:  Children's Book Illustrator