A 2019 Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize finalist.
A botched execution. A reverend on the run. Can she solve the mystery before she’s caught in the crosshairs?Reverend Cici Gurule went to the sacred Chaco Canyon in search of a sign. She’s been offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in a megachurch, but taking the position would mean abandoning her Southwestern home and the man she’s grown to … abandoning her Southwestern home and the man she’s grown to love as much more than a friend. She’s so caught up in her thoughts that she doesn’t realize when she stumbles upon a group of heavily armed operatives on the verge of an execution.
Soon, Cici’s dodging bullets and scaling mesas with the mysterious man she saved from certain death. With a little help from her twin sister’s ghost and restless ancestral spirits, they venture deeper into the maze-like rocky terrain. But her new companion’s deadly aim makes her wonder if she can afford to trust his side of the story.
To make it out of the canyon alive, Cici must unearth the true story behind the man and a sacred Navajo artifact before the next bloodshed on sacred ground is hers.
An Artifact of Death is a standalone novel in a series of high-octane mystery thrillers. If you like fiery heroines who break the mold, top-secret missions, and colorful depictions of the American Southwest, then you’ll love J. J. Cagney’s action-packed adventure.
★ WHY READERS CAN’T PUT DOWN REV. CICI GURULE’S MYSTERIES ★
“The prose is…sublimely concise. An exhilarating entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series.” — Kirkus Reviews
Hold on to your hat, this story is fast paced and really gets your blood moving. – Joanne Hampton, Goodreads Review
“Oh my goodness. I absolutely loved this story. I couldn’t stop reading. Cici always manages to find trouble…” – Bec, Goodreads Review
“This story is filled with what makes the dessert Southwest so beautiful and terrifying. Truly one of the best books in the series.” – Suzy Sims, Goodreads Review
“I love the Character Cici. This Author really knows how to deliver a thrilling read.” – Nanajoesten, Bookbub Review
“You’re not going to find this kind of absorbing, engaging, enticing suspense anywhere else, so grab this one today!” – BookAddict, Bookbub Review
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Alexa Padgett
J. J. Cagney
An Artifact of Death (A Reverend Cici Gurule Mystery Book 3)
I stayed up all night! I couldn’t stop reading until the last page! Intense!!
ARC REVIEW
She went to find her way but ends in the middle of danger as a man was about to be killed. Now they are on the run together but is what he is telling her the truth. is he hiding something?.What is it? now they need to find a relic. Follow them
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I’m loving this series and the mayhem Cici gets into! This is my favorite so far and love the suspense factor that goes with this story!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book
These are new authors to me. This is a fast-paced story that piqued my interest from the get-go. If you enjoy a great story with lots of action and suspense, then you should grab this book. Be prepared to stay sitting for a few hours as you devour this book! It’s so well written with well-developed characters, an brilliant read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is a page-turner about Cici, a young minister, who’s forced to team up with a man who could be an agent for any of our country’s alphabet secret agencies … or maybe he’s an agent against America. They meet at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, in a hail of bullets and bombs. The seemingly endless supply of “other guys” chase them across the desert, canyons and mesas to wrest an ancient native artifact away from him. But the bad guys and harsh country aren’t the only action … the ghost of Cici’s sister and the supernatural forces of the ancients are flexing their powers, too. Almost everything and everyone in this book is a mystery, and the chase is a thriller I was compelled to read. A great, hold-your-breath book! Thanks to the author!
This is the 4th book I’ve read written by Alexa Padgett; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I will definitely be reading more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The Reverend Cici Gurule decides to take a short vacation. She’s traveled to Chaco Cultural National Historical Park. The area is remotes and deserted. It’s just her luck that she stumbles on kidnappers and their victim. Now she’s on the run with an undercover agent. Can they make it out alive while they’re being hunted by vicious killers? Cici is a strong, intelligent woman. She puts herself in danger. She won’t give up. She believes that life is sacred but what will she do to stay alive. I love the connection that the Reverend has with her deceased twin. Her relationship with Anton is complex. He is deadly and he isn’t afraid to kill if necessary. I admired how he protects Cici. Meanwhile Detective Sam Chastain is desperate to rescue Cici. I wish these two would face the fact that they care for each other and do something about it. This story kept me on the edge of my seat. An Artifact of Death has vicious killers, political intrigue, Russian agents and angry spirits. I can’t wait to see what next has for Cici.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.
Reverend Cici is struggling with some important decisions in her life. She is gone to Chaco to pray. But suddenly she is been dragged into a very dangerous situation and she has to fight for her life. CAn Sam get to Cici in time to salve her and finally tell her how he feels about her? You can put the book down until the end.
Wow! A suspense book that will definitely keep you reading through bedtime!
This is the third book in the Cici Gurule series and, once again, she gets mixed up in murder and mayhem. Cici is on a mini vacation to try to find the answer to a job opportunity when she discovers herself in the middle of a Russian mob meeting. All she can do is run for her life and, somehow, she finds herself with a passenger. Is he a good guy or part of the mob chasing them?
J. J. Cagney weaves a suspenseful tale about stolen artifact from Native American burial grounds and the length some people will go to gain more power. A 4 1/2-star book that will have you up all night! I small deduction because … Warning: there is a cliffhanger!
Reverend Cici is in the sacred Chaco Canyon in search of a sign to help her with a big decision. But as her luck goes she stumbles across armed operatives in the middle of a crime and now she’s on the run with the victim she saved. I really enjoyed reading this mystery and it’s full of action, suspense, intrigue, and a paranormal twist that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
This was the first time I’ve read from Alexa Padgett and it was a great story and well worth it. Will definitely read more of her work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
In her third Reverend Cici Gurule Mystery, An Artifact of Death, Alexa Padgett (writing as J. J. Cagney) delivers an action-packed, page-turner with espionage, scared Southwest ruins, and a dash of the supernatural. This is an exciting thrill-ride you don’t want to miss.
Reverend CiCi takes you deep into this one. She is gonna to give you a good intriguing mystery but also not doing it on her own with a bit of help. You get to really try your hand at solving right along with her because that is how caught up you become. It has a good measure of romance also with it all being in cohoots with each other giving a fast adrenaline read. But the main thing that keeps me coming back is the interesting way the suspense is down. It feeds you full but then it also leaves with the need for more.
This is the third book in the Reverend Cici Gurule Series. That being said, you could read this book as a standalone if you like, but there are references to the first two books. I would also recommend reading the first two books because, well, they’re just that darn good! On with the review.
Cici Gurule is a reverend who seems to fall right into mysteries. Some might say it’s a knack. Others would consider it a curse. But either way, Cici is able to navigate around murder and mystery with a distinctly fresh point of view. You see, Cici has a guardian angel, her twin sister Anna Carmen, who lost her life in an earlier book and now sends messages to Cici in unique ways. Cici has decided she needs time to think about what direction she wants her life to go since the mystery of her sister’s death has been solved. She is unsure of her relationship with Sam and if it can even be defined as a relationship.
So, when she is offered a new position in a new location, Cici decides she needs to go to the place she promised Anna Carmen they would visit- Chaco Cultural National Historical Park.
While she is sorting through her feelings, Cici overhears a conversation that sounds like someone is being kept against their will. Not only that, it sounds like they’re about to lose their life! Cici tries to get away without being discovered and….
That’s more than enough to get you started.
Reverend Cici Gurule has a few things she needs to think through and a tough decision to make. Cici has a new job offer at another church and is not sure if she wants to take it. If she takes the job it would mean leaving her home and the people she has come to care about behind. Cici and Sam have been friends for a long time but Cici’s feelings for Sam have become stronger. Cici is not sure if she wants to take the new job and leave Sam behind or if she wants to tell Sam how she feels so they can pursue their relationship.
Cici decides to take a much needed vacation alone so she heads to Chaco Canyon to seek out her much needed answers. At the canyon Cici witness a man being held at gun point by the Russian Bratva. Cici is chased through the canyon by the Bratva dodging bullets she runs to her car and takes off when she looks to her right the man that was being held at gun point has jumped into her car and tells her to go, go, go. Cici has no idea who this man is or if she can trust him. Why was he being held at gun point? Did he do something wrong? Was he the one doing the chasing in the beginning? Or was he the one being chased?
Cici texts the one person she can trust that has always been there for her Sam. Sam is her longtime friend whom she has always been able to count on whenever she called. But can Sam find her in time? Can he save her from these Russian Bratva dudes? Will Cici take the new job? Will she finally tell Sam how she feels about him?
I have read all of the Reverend Cici Gurule Mysteries and truly enjoyed each and every one. An Artifact of Death starts out with action on the first page and never lets up from beginning to end. It will keep you glued to your seat with your heart racing rooting for Cici and her new friend hoping they will make it out alive. While reading An Artifact of Death I felt as if I was right there with Cici as she was dodging bullets I felt as if I could just hear the bullets whizzing by her head and see her as she is ducking and running all at the same time when a bullet zooms by.
I love following alone with Cici as she tries to solve a crime. I just can’t seem to get enough of Reverend Cici Gurule Mysteries. They are so hard to put down I just want to keep reading but sometimes life just won’t let that happen.
I would recommend An Artifact of Death to all fans of mystery, suspense, and thriller with a twist of the supernatural.
Reverend Cici is looking for a sign in the scared Chaco Canyon, what she gets is a group of heavily armed operatives on the verge of execution. Now she is on the run with the stranger she saved from death. As they venture deeper into the mesas and rocky terrain, she gets some help from her twin sister’s ghost. Her new companion is pretty handy with a gun and that has her wondering about if he is telling her the truth. Can she get through this so she can decide on what she wants to do with her life? You will have to read the book to find out. I voluntarily reviewed a free ARC of this book.
Reverend CC Gurule has much to contemplate, no better place than Chaco Canyon historical park for quiet and solitude. She un fortunately witnesses a confrontation between Russian gangsters. She escapes with her life but their victim escapes with her! What follows is an adrenaline ride of life and death through the dessert. Will Sam find them in time? This story is filled with what makes the dessert Southwest so beautiful and terrifying. Truly one of the best books in the series. I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Cici discovers a man being held at gun point and takes a picture of them. Her phone camera elicits a loud click that the men hear. She tries to get away as she races to her car. Anton gets in the passenger seat and tells her to drive as bullets are around them. This leads them to drive and leave the car to try to escape the Bratva, and elite assassin group of the KGB. Anton and Cici run to try to escape. There are quite a few of the Russian squad. She gets a text to Sam, but will it be in time?
AN. ARTIFACT. OF. DEATH. by J J Cagney
Cici is a reverend by her chosen profession. Her middle name maybe trouble for she once against has stumble into a big one. A twin that always beside even after death, hopefully can help her. What about the man she loves and left, will he pull up roots and follow her. Another segment to enjoy with another to follow soon readers hope.
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
I loved the new adventure! So many twists and turns. I enjoyed seeing the romance between Cici and Sam continue to build. I can’t wait for the next installment of their tale! Great characters, and an unexpected journey.