Death Pans Out

By Ashna Graves

Book Overview

"Graves finds new gold in dem hills by setting her tale in Oregon mining country and drawing upon personal experience to create a unique protagonist...a small, strong gem of a book."--Entertainment Weekly

While recovering from breast cancer, journalist Jeneva Leopold seeks solitude and healing at her missing uncle's gold mine in the Eastern Oregon desert. As her interest in life returns, so do Jeneva's journalistic habits. She soon overcomes the distrust of miners, ranchers, a quirky artifact hunter and a host of other rich characters. They open her eyes to profound changes in the Old West. But the Oregon desert does not give up its secrets easily. The more Jeneva learns, the more she wonders about her uncle's disappearance and why he and her mother stopped talking so many years ago. Then a death on the creek sends her on a quest for answers. What she uncovers shocks the region and nearly claims her life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590584759
• ISBN13: 9781590584750
• Release Date: September 2012
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Idaho mine mystery a definite page-turner

I picked up this book because I have a fascination with old ghost towns and gold mining during the "gold rush years." The setting is ideal and Ashna Graves uses it to great advantage, driving plot and the character drama/development (much like I do in Last Chance Rescue). I immediately identified with the heroine of the story. She's the woman I think I am: she's strong but she struggles. She's not perfect but she's doing the best she can. She's had some lumps in her life, but she's her own person. You find yourself rooting for her. Supporting characters are sometimes a bit sparse, but mostly believeable. And the climactic scene...I wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone, but wow! - Tracey Cramer-Kelly, author, Last Chance Rescue

A Strong Woman in a Superb Setting

I loved "Death Pans Out." I totally identified with heroine Jeneva Leopold. Author Ashna Graves says on her Web site that Eastern publishers told her no woman would ever willingly live alone in an isolated, abandoned miner's cabin. Wrong! I envied Jeneva's description of her lifestyle in Eastern Oregon near the Idaho border and wished I could spend a summer there. Perhaps I felt such a resonance with Ms Graves' book because my contemporary romances are set in the Northwest: Idaho and Washington, Big Bad Wolfe and "Special Delivery."

A Winning Mix of Mystery and Spirituality

Many mysteries follow a well-known formula as they spin their plots, but Death Pans Out succeeds not only in telling a superb, well-crafted story but also in exploring its characters' spiritual sides. This is an unhurried mystery, which allows Graves ample time to dig deeply into the life of her protagonist, a depressed woman who is recovering from cancer. Neva's investigation becomes part of her own healing process as she gradually re-emerges into the world and re-connects with other people. While I enjoy many mysteries, Death Pans Out moves beyond a "good mystery" into a book that is truly satisfying.

Oregon's desert deadly secrets

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (11/06) Uncle Matthew's cabin is empty; he owned a cabin and a gold mine, but he simply disappeared with no trace. Neva needs a place to recover from breast cancer, a place of solitude, a place where she can heal. The abandoned cabin seems the perfect spot. After three weeks of hiking and swimming she is golden brown from the sun and she's becoming more comfortable with her body. The scars are still pink but they are healing. Skippy Dooley shatters her solitude when he arrives with the announcement that he and his German Shepherd Cayuse will be camping at the creek near the cabin. He knew she didn't trust him and the feeling was mutual. Things are not always as they seem. Oregon's desert holds secrets, some of which are deadly. From the moment I read the first page I was hooked. The characters are so real. Neva is not a young woman; she's the kind of woman that will appeal to many of us that no longer consider ourselves young. Neva has faced struggles in her life--raising a child alone, facing breast cancer and chemo have made her stronger. She is a woman that we can relate to, cheer for and like. Suspicion surrounds all the other characters in the book. You want to shout watch your back Neva! The plot is extremely interesting and very well written. Eagerly I turned page after page escaping into the mountain hikes along with Neva, awaiting the adventure that lay ahead. "Death Pans Out" has it all, suspense, thrill, romance, and a good story. I highly recommend this book. Ashna Graves, I expect your name to be on the bestseller list and the tips of reader's tongues.

terrific investigative thriller

Her mortality hammered at her mental well-being from two fronts. Forty-five years old Willamette Current reporter Jeneva "Neva" Leopold's mother recently died while she battles breast cancer with a double mastectomy. Needing to emotionally recover perhaps more than physical, Neva hides at the cabin of her Uncle Matthew Burt, who went missing fifteen years ago in desert town Billie Creek, Oregon. Besides healthy outdoor activity, Neva keeps her mind off of the stress of grief and cancer by investigating her uncle's disappearance after he claimed a gold mine and why he and her mom abruptly stopped talking to one another. Neva questions the locals, but soon uncovers the corpse of miner Roy DeRoos. Another miner whom Neva befriended Reese Cotter is accused of the homicide; an allegation that the newcomer refuses to accept as true. However, as she keeps digging, Neva finds strange phenomena while someone wants her to cease and desist or else. This is a terrific investigative thriller whose setting, the Oregonian desert, adds suspense to the tale. Neva is a fine person who turns to her experience and skill (inquiries) to help her regain a lust for life after taking two emotional blasts. The locals add regional eccentricities to a delightful "cold case" mystery, but Neva is the headline star of Ashna Graves' DEATH PANS OUT. Harriet Klausner