Indie author Karin Kaufman writes cozy mysteries with an edge. Not your typical "cozy" mystery, Karin's Anna Denning Mysteries feel like the complex yet simple tales of an ordinary widowed genealogist who gets herself into all kinds of trouble while just trying to do her job and be a part of her small town Colorado community. Her companion in trouble is the cyber newswoman and Anna's best friend Liz who operates a news site which has continued to expand its viewership. The Sacrifice is Book 3 in the series which began with The Witch Tree and was followed by Sparrow House. Karin has also published three other books, the most unusual of which is the somewhat speculative All Souls, the first in the Gatehouse Thriller Series.
When Anna is invited to speak about genealogies at the Elk Park Historical Society's meeting, it seems odd to her that the man who extended the invitation is not present. Instead a woman by the name of Clovis leads the group, but it isn't long into the meeting before there is some kind of tension. When a member gets a call, everyone finds out the absent man has been brutally murdered at the historical house the group is restoring by the bee hives which made the house famous.
Clovis privately informs Anna that the dead man, her close friend Russell, had wanted to hire Anna to dig into two of the members' pasts. Now he couldn't explain the reasons for his curiosity, but Clovis dutifully fulfills his wishes, hiring Anna, and handing over the skimpy folder of what Russell had discovered. Anna realizes she needs to get out to the old house to try to figure out what exactly Russell had hoped she could find.
It isn't long before the super sleuthing of Anna and Liz realize the sordid mess, original names, and demonic agendas of a few of the historical society's members. They learn it's precisely this kind of information that probably got Russell murdered. He's not the first victim of a ritualistic murder at the old house and he's not going to be the last.
Karin Kaufman has created a meaningful character in Anna Denning, a tough but tender woman who has survived the loss of her husband, and is beginning to realize she's falling in love with the man Gene who helped her in The Witch Tree. So hard for her to leave the memories of Sean behind, but she knows this man has been patient, never pushy or demanding of their relationship, and she senses he truly cares for her. Her feelings are starting to match his. The romance is low-key and works in the undercurrent of the story, never the focal point.
Faith plays a quiet role as Anna's renounced past with witchcraft aids her in the demonology of certain characters.
I've enjoyed Karin's voice and multiple characters in the Anna Denning Mysteries. She's released this book at the perfect time since the main event in this story takes place on Halloween. Never glorifying evil but instead identifying it for what it truly is, I give Karin credit for this exposure. If you enjoy what I call a cozy mystery with a definite edge, I recommend you start with The Witch Tree and continue through to The Sacrifice. With all kinds of interesting information in each novel, Karin strings together a tangled web of deceit, fear, and creepy characters into her well done mysteries.
Father, be close to Karin. Continue to inspire new stories just for her to tell. Bless her in all she does, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Into the Fire 
Leave a comment