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The Aborigine call her Suralu—defender of the land. Rachel Gaen can single-handedly take down the worst the Australian Outback throws at her. She knows the land well and has the respect of the Aboriginal tribes.
Here in the everyday world, she’s haunted by the deaths of her parents. Her father was killed at sea and her mother in the air. Rachel feels she should have been able to save them somehow—even though both deaths were clear-cut accidents. Unable to find peace with a painful past, she’s driven to save as many innocents as she can by killing lone psychos and society’s other less-than-desirables. But is that the only reason? Or does she love the hunt, the danger, and the thrill of taking down a criminal?
The first time Rod Evans meets Rachel, he can think of nothing else from that point on. But as he gets to know her, he’s not sure he can build a relationship with a woman who kills and doesn’t believe in God. Making his living in the bush demands he believe in a higher power, and he can’t understand how Rachel does what she does without that belief. But Rachel is a pagan who believes that when you die your spirit goes back to the land. She believes her mother and father are watching out for her from the rocks and trees and water.
I enjoyed this fast-paced tale set in Australia. Courageous and skilled, Rachel reminded me a little of Lara Croft—except Rachel is more cold-blooded, which can be a bit of a turnoff at times. I loved the unique setting and the local lingo, though I found some of it hard to decipher, leaving the meaning of the moment lost on me. Mr. Bonasso brought out the mystery and intrigue of Australia, a place I would dearly love to visit someday. That alone made the novel worth reading.
Outback Reckoning sets you on the high road of adventure with lots of kick-ass action and a heroine you can’t quite figure out. One minute Rachel is sleeping next to Rod, and the next she’s hunting a criminal in a rainstorm—which makes one heck of a dizzy ride, so hold on to your seats for this one.
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