Most series that I have read, I can jump in and out at any point. The characters stay pretty much the same as the series goes on. This series, and we are just at the beginning so it isn't too hard, I suggest very strongly starting with the first book, Deep into the Dark, before reading this book. Otherwise, you really aren't going to know who Sam is and why he's necessary to the story.
Our Detective Margaret Nolan is just finishing her mandatory days off after firing her service weapon. She's on call, but doesn't expect to have to go to work, so she has a drink with a co-worker, Remy. They meet at an upscale hotel where they don't expect to see any other co-workers. Because life is like that, she sees a body in the lobby fountain pool. She hopes it's an accident or maybe a suicide, so she can hand the body off to another department. But it's a murder and, because she found the body, it's her case.
This case has more branches than a thistle plant, and it's just as sticky. There is a non-profit wellness spa in the desert, Russian mobsters, problematic adoptions, more deaths and assorted other criminal activities. It all fits together.
I found the book mostly captivating. I won't say I couldn't put it down, but I read past my usual stopping place several times. I highly recommend it.
I read a copy of this book for this review on Netgalley.

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this advanced copy. Tracy's Monkeewrench series is one of my favorites for it's unusual setting (Minnesota) and creative characters. This is a departure and new start for Tracy. Margaret Nolan is an LAPD detective who is dealing with the loss of her brother in Afganistan. It seems everyone in the story has lost someone, so dealing with grief and PTSD is the undercurrent theme. While at a posh hotel restaurant, Maggie and a colleague discover the body of a man floating in the swan pool. Meanwhile, a woman and her daughter are fleeing the Children of the Desert compound where Brother Paul is as weird as it gets. I had a hard time getting into this one simply due to the number of characters and their backstories. Remy, Sam, local store owner, odd clerk, plus a plethora of bad guys, mostly Russian. Reading it in longer sessions helped and the ending satisfactorily tied everything and everyone together. But it was brain straining occasionally.

This is a crazy wild ride. Russian’s, a crazy cult, child trafficking and murder. This is the second book in this new series by P.J. Tracy and she has taken the whole mantle on extremely well.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Maybe a little to many. I still enjoy this book and look forwarded what else comes of this series in the future.

The second book in the Margaret Nolan series was fast paced and suspenseful. I liked that Sam, Remy and Crawford were big parts of this book. I look forward to the next book and seeing where these characters relationships go and what mystery they will tackle next. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Very engaging, a very cleaver woven plot that kept me wondering how this piece or that fact was going to be integrated as it moved along. Good suspense and great job at helping the reader get a sense of what the desert in southern California is like. Although many elements of the story were familiar, Tracy did a great job in making them seem fresh, which helped me stay engaged with the story and the events. The characters were relatable and not exaggerated, I would have liked to have heard more about how the key characters continue to cope with and recover from the various traumas they experienced before and during the events in this story. Perhaps that will be part of Tracy's next book.

This is the second book in a new series featuring Detective Margaret Nolan. The book continues the development of characters introduced in book one and I recommend you read that one first as it will help you better understand some of the plot in this one. As with a number of second books in a series this one is not quite as good as the first one, but still a good read.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.

3.5 stars, rounded up
Desolation Canyon is the second in the Margaret Nolan series. Once again, it’s my opinion that Sam Easton should share top billing. Tracy continues to build up and flesh out these characters and I found myself enjoying their company.
Nolan is investigating the death of a man found floating in a pond on the grounds of the Hotel Bel-Air. It’s not clear if the death is a suicide or a murder. Meanwhile, Sam gets drawn into helping his friend Lenny. Lenny has helped a woman and her daughter escape an abusive relationship at a reclusive religious retreat in the desert.
It doesn’t take long for these seemingly unconnected stories to start winding their way to each other, via common links to the Russian mafia.
Tracy has a knack for just the right turn of phrase. Speaking of plastic surgery, she writes “enthusiasts of the knife just looked like old people with bizarrely tight skin.”
Short chapters veering from one character to another keep the pace moving briskly. At times, the story becomes a little too convoluted. Towards the end, the story veers off into unbelievable territory, but it is entertaining. The book does a good job of mixing thriller aspects with a police procedural.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

It was a hard book to follow at first because of all the characters but after I figured them all out I liked the storyline. It was suspenseful and worth the read. This is book two in a series.

Margaret Nolan, LAPD detective, is having drinks with Remy Beaudreau at the Hotel Bel-Air, when a body is discovered in the swimming pool. It is a man whose son was kidnapped and never found years earlier. When Nolan and her partner, Crawford, find the man's ex-wife, she, too, has been murdered in a gruesome manner. Meanwhile, Sam Easton is continuing his recovery from his tours in Afghanistan, where Nolan's brother was killed. A mutual friend of Sam and Remy helps a young woman and her daughter escape from a cult out in the desert and Remy believes she is his sister, who disappeared years ago. Nolan and Crawford discover a link between the cult and the Russian mob, and, the murders. A very twisted tale that got away from the author a few times, but she managed to rein it in with an interesting conclusion. Not as good as the first in the series, but I do like Tracy's writing, so will continue to read.

Writing: 3/5 Plot: 4/5 Characters: 4/5

This is the second book in a new series from mother-daughter writing team, “P.J. Tracy,” and my first Tracy book ever. LAPD detective Margaret Nolan is about to enter a dangerous liaison at the swanky Hotel Bel-Air bar when she discovers the body of a wealthy man just below the surface of the hotel’s Swan Lake. In the meantime, a young woman and her daughter are desperate to escape a well-heeled religious community offering redemption retreats to the rich and famous in Death Valley. These two threads slowly merge with the help of the Russian mafia, some lovely ex-cons, and a decades old adoption ring.

Fast pacing, surprising plot twists, and just enough tension to make it interesting, but not enough to stress me out (very important!). Plenty of interesting characters, one of which was the suspect (obviously cleared) from the previous novel. I liked that the bad guys had as much depth as the good guys — they were definitely bad guys but you got a sense of their motivations and emotional state.

No need to have read the first book to fully enjoy this one (although I’ll probably go back and read it now).

What a thriller of a suspense novel.. I was a big fan of her Monkeywrench series and this new series does not disappoint! There is plenty of action, great characters and a well told story. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat! A must read!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book 2 in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. This book I found hard to follow seemed completely different form the first in this series. Although I really enjoyed reading Monkeewrench series I found this book to be a challenging to finish.

Since I really enjoyed the first book in the Margaret Nolan series, I was delighted to read this one. They can both be read as standalones, but I recommend reading the first one before tackling the second one because the characters are complex. Maggie Nolan is a damaged and suffering LAPD detective trying to hold on to life with her fingernails after the death of her brother in Afghanistan, the loss of a colleague and her own demons from shooting a suspect at her job. This is a dark mystery with a complicated plot and lots of strange twists, including Russian mobsters and a child trafficking ring in the middle of a desert. There are plenty of sinister characters, among them Father Paul, the leader of a cult-like group called Children of the Desert. I enjoyed the plot and reading about most of the characters. What was hard for me to come to terms with was the scattergun approach to introducing all of the elements in the main plot. I spent almost the first half of the book trying to figure out what in the world was going on. Once I caught on to the fact that all of the various sub-plots were indeed just one main plot with different characters, it was easier to read and became engrossing and entertaining. With a slow start and a few stumbles on my part as I attempted to puzzle things through, this book is graphic in its descriptions of violence and the language is for mature audiences at times. As the story lines and the characters methodically merged, I applauded the author on her craftiness in bringing all things together into a neat ending. With so much happening so quickly and with so many different characters, I did leave the book feeling as though I had whiplash, but all in all, it was a good read.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Desolation Canyon by P. J. Tracy

LAPD Homicide Detective Maggie Nolan is still struggling with the death of her brother. Without the support of her family, she finds the grief to be overwhelming. On one of her days off, she goes out for drinks with a colleague at the Hotel Bel Air Bar. A colleague, a colleague she knows she shouldn't be attracted to. While walking the grounds, they find the body of a successful attorney. At first, it seems like a straightforward case of misadventure, but this case is nothing it seems to be.
Will Maggie be able to find the truth without destroying herself and everyone she loves?

This was a very well-written novel. The descriptions were very graphic and made for a great understanding of the world around Maggie! The building of suspense will have everyone sitting at the end of their seats! Just a splendid book all the way around!
This book is like a roller coaster ride! Slow at the beginning to give you the structure! The speed builds you get into what is really going on and the action! At the end that sudden stop you get at the end of the ride and that rush you feel is the end of the book! The building climax to the end is great!
There's a lot of action twists and turns and it comes together perfectly at the end! You guys are going to love this book! Happy reading everyone!
This book is like a roller coaster ride! Slow at the beginning to give you the structure! The speed builds you get into what is really going on and the action! At the end that sudden stop you get at the end of the ride and that rush you feel is the end of the book! The building climax to the end is great! There's a lot of action twists and turns and it comes together perfectly at the end! You guys are going to love this book! Happy reading everyone!
This book is like a roller coaster ride! Slow in the beginning to give you the structure! The speed builds you get into what is really going on and the action! At the end that sudden stop you get at the end of the ride and that rush you feel is the end of the book! The building climax to the end is great! There's a lot of action twists and turns and it comes together perfectly at the end! You guys are going to love this book! Happy reading everyone!

I struggled with this book - while I liked it, I have a hard time with a story that has multiple story lines. This one had too many and while they all make sense at the end, getting there was confusing and sometimes frustrating as the reader.

Overall it was a good read, but not the best in my opinion.

I am a fan of this author, and while this was an enjoyable read, I’m sorry to say it’s not my favorite.

Some of the plot required so much suspending of belief that it was a real distraction for me. There seemed to be some gaps, too, and I was not invested in the characters. I found myself skimming over parts of the narrative.

I look forward to this author’s next book just the same.

Desolation Canyon by P.J. Tracy is second, and a strong suspenseful addition, in the Margaret Nolan series. When Nolan finds a body, while off duty, the investigation leads her and her partner, Crawford into a more sinister world that includes kidnappings and perhaps the Russian mafia circling around The Children of the Dead retreat center. It took me a bit to remember the characters and relationships from the first book. And the beginning is loaded with new characters, so take your time reading to understand who is who. At first I wasn't sure about that aspect, but as the story moved forward, they all fell into place. Maggie Nolan's character continues to develop in this book, as does Det. Remy Beaudreau. I was afraid that Sam Easton was just a character in the first book, and was so happy to see him in this one.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur for providing an ARC in exchange for my review.

I was given Desolation Canyon by P J Tracy by Net Galley for an honest review. I have read most of P J Tracy’s books. This one is written by the daughter, and it has a different feel. I enjoyed the series she wrote with her mother.
Th story has several stories—I had to concentrate to keep them straight. They do tie up in the end.
I did enjoy the story; the writing was good and the ending satisfying.

Desolation Canyon – PJ Tracy

I was thrilled to see that a second book in the Maggie Nolan series was available and have jumped at the chance to read it!

As the novel opens, Margaret “Maggie” Nolan is headed to the gun range and contemplating life and the loss of her close friend a few years ago, and more recently her brother’s loss overseas. Having recently taken a life in the line of duty, Maggie is struggling to navigate her mental health after these events. Shortly afterward, she opts to meet Detective Remy Beaudreau for drinks at the Hotel Bel-Air, where they stumble upon a homicide victim, floating in the lake. Meanwhile, miles away in the desert, a young woman, Marielle, is desperately planning her escape from a captor that has held her and her daughter in his compound for far too long. Tonight is the night she plans to flee.

Sam Easton, sole survivor of an IED that killed his entire unit in Afghanistan, is learning to navigate his PTSD. After a long jog in Desolation Canyon, in the desert like area of So. California, Sam is resting and sharing his water with a nearby lizard, when he hears a rifle shot. He returns to his vehicle and heads out to a service station on the edge of the Canyon for gas and snacks, where the clerk, Mike, clearly learning disabled, reports that aliens are being sought after and shot in the desert. He sees Sam’s scars, and attributing them to an alien attack, confides that he feels the local retreat, “The Children of the Desert” may be connected to the alien troubles. As Sam leaves the station, the conversation sticks with him.

Meanwhile, Maggie’s mother, still struggling with the loss of her son, has decided to spend a weekend on a retreat in Desolation Canyon – at The Children of the Desert compound. With the retreat drawing rave reviews from socialites and the Hollywood elite, she thinks it may be just what she needs to come to terms with her loss.

As Maggie, partner Al, and Remy begin their investigation, all of these story lines, seemingly independent of one another, begin to appear linked, with The Children of the Desert seeing to be front and center. Can Maggie and her crew get to the bottom of the hornet’s nest they’ve inadvertently stirred up before someone else has to die?

This was a great read! It took me a bit to settle in and re-connect with the characters and their backstories, and I feel like it started a bit slowly as all the groundwork was being set, but once it picked up, I couldn’t put it down! Lots of action, plot-twists and suspense, but it all came together nicely in the end. Maggie is a reluctant hero struggling with her own mental health and there is much more depth to the key characters this go around. I’m anxious now for the next installment in this riveting new series! Great read!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from #Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books, in exchange for an objective review.

P.J. Tracy penned an intense many faceted novel with well-developed characters of LAPD detective Nolan, PTSD affected Sam Easton and even the Russian mob creating the exciting mystery. As the plot thickens, more and more characters and situations are entwined making for great reading interest.