The Deseret Reckoning

"This irresistible novel manages the curious trick of making the reader want to stand up and cheer... A transformative tale of personal reinvention from a masterful storyteller." - Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Star)

"a thoughtful but well-paced adventure,... raising the stakes, right till the end. This novel is as much a journey of self discovery and newfound determination as it is a quest for retracing a historical trail." - BookLife

In 1982, join museum acquisitions assistant Susan Kingsley on a journey through the American West. As she searches for letters from an 1870 wagon train traveling from Santa Fe, New Mexico through Colorado to the Deseret Territory, Mormon lands before statehood. Glimpses into the past, the wild frontier, introduce us to William Mitchell, a frontier businessman, separated from his wife by thousands of miles, but connected through regular correspondence tinged with a longing and true love. Tasked with recovering the letters, Susan follows clues in the letters to find Tom Sullivan, the new owner of the letters and a distant relative of William Mitchell. Along with two friends, Tom sets off to discover his family past, and a vague description of a hidden mine. Susan's ex-husband, FBI special agent Andrew Harrison, an embittered and at times dangerous cop with a grudge, tails Susan's every step. What has been hidden in the mine since 1870? Will Susan succeed? Or will Andrew commit the ultimate crime? Find out in this slow-burn debut from Matthew L Huffman. Part mystery, part museum-detective sleuthing, part cowboy western, Susan's transformation is unforgettable.