The Rivers Run Dry by Sibella Giorello

Raleigh Harmon is a trained geologist turned FBI field agent who, while good at her job, does not always perform her duties in line with the FBI's perspective. As a result, she has found herself locked into a disciplinary transfer from Richmond, VA, to Seattle, WA. She is immediately thrust into less than desirable circumstances in the Seattle office, having been branded by the nature of her transfer.

Shortly after arriving in Seattle, Raleigh is called upon to be the courtesy FBI representative on a missing persons case being handled by a local police department. As the case unfolds, however, clues indicate that the young woman's disappearance is much more complex than originally believed. Raleigh and her team become directly involved in searching for the young woman.

Meanwhile, Raleigh must deal with issues related to an ailing mother who does not know that her daughter works for the FBI. Both women live with Raleigh's rather bizarre aunt, a woman who very obviously loves her niece and sister-in-law, but is quite twisted by her New Age beliefs.

The Rivers Run Dry is an enjoyable work of fiction. It is a relatively smooth read that incorporates enough suspense to keep the reader engaged without being a nail-biter. The "whodunnit" aspect of the mystery is well-written, and the character development is enticing. Although the book is the second in a series, author Sibella Giorello seems to successfully refer to the previous book (The Stones Cry Out) while simultaneously allowing The Rivers Run Dry to stand on its own.

My one criticism of the book would be the way certain religious components are handled in this book. Raleigh is presented as a Christian, but the introduction of a clairvoyant character adds a great deal of ambiguity to the religious perspective. Although Raleigh does not take the clairvoyant very seriously, nor does she make use of the information presented by this woman, the author indicates that the clairvoyant's vibes and visions were accurate. By contrast, the author does not show Raleigh seeking the Lord for wisdom and direction on the case. This simply serves to present a confusing message. It would have been better to leave Raleigh's faith completely out of the story line than to have presented such a muddled picture of Christianity and New Age beliefs.