Twenty-five years is a long time to keep silent. But telling the truth can be deadly. State Representative Carmen Lawlor has made powerful enemies with speeches to restrict new oil and gas drilling. When she calls a news conference at a remote wind farm to announce the controversial new policy, reporters arrive at the site and find her dead body at the base of a wind turbine. Did she fall? Jump? Or was she pushed?
Reporter Elizabeth "Digger" Doyle suspects it wasnât an accident. Her suspicions grow when she gets a tip that links the dead politician to a group of high school friends who picnicked with a young woman just before she disappeared in the notorious Malpais volcanic wilderness. Investigating the cold case, Digger learns two more women in the group have since died in unusual circumstances. When Diggerâs wife, State Representative Maria Ortiz, vows to continue Lawlorâs mission, she fears for her safety.
Twenty-five years is a long time to keep silent. But telling the truth can be deadly. State Representative Carmen Lawlor has made powerful enemies with speeches to restrict new oil and gas drilling. When she calls a news conference at a remote wind farm to announce the controversial new policy, reporters arrive at the site and find her dead body at the base of a wind turbine. Did she fall? Jump? Or was she pushed?
Reporter Elizabeth "Digger" Doyle suspects it wasnât an accident. Her suspicions grow when she gets a tip that links the dead politician to a group of high school friends who picnicked with a young woman just before she disappeared in the notorious Malpais volcanic wilderness. Investigating the cold case, Digger learns two more women in the group have since died in unusual circumstances. When Diggerâs wife, State Representative Maria Ortiz, vows to continue Lawlorâs mission, she fears for her safety.
Donna Mendez closed her eyes, her heart pounded like a hammer in her chest. Years had gone by but she knew the day would come. She had done everything to stay safe but the fear never went away. Now and then, the dream returned and she relived that hot afternoon, the picnic beside the vast expanse of volcanic rock, the laughter, and then the fight. Watching them disappear among those twisted shapes of stone, and then the sickening anxiety as they searched for her, calling her name over and over again. He said she ran away, but how long do you keep silent, feeling the knowledge corrode your heart?
She kept in touch with the others. They emailed, sometimes a phone call, occasionally an in-person meeting. For a few years she felt almost normal; marrying Alfredo, the birth of her two girls, and her job at the hair salon.
Then Sylvia died.
She used to envy Sylviaâs confidence. But after that day she changed. They all changed. Sometimes when she talked to Sylvia on the phone, her friend became weepy. Gradually Sylvia became desperate. Then there was the day when she said, âI canât do this anymore, Donna. Iâve got to talk to someone!â
âDoes your husband know?â
âNo, of course not. It would kill him. I need a therapist or something!â
Two weeks later Sylviaâs husband called with news that she had died of a heart attack. Donna was pretty sure Sylvia had no history of heart disease. The fear returned. She called Carmen.
âWhat do you think happened to her?â Donna asked her friend.
Carmen, the calm one, reassured her. âI donât know. I havenât heard from him in a while. Iâve blocked him on my phone. You should too.â
The dreams receded, and the fear subsided. A few more years went by. Her girls grew up and graduated. Carmen called to congratulate them. They talked for an hour. Then, just at the end of their conversation, Carmen said quietly, âI think itâs time I talked.â
Donna knew what she meant. All at once the fear came flooding back.
Journalist Digger Doyle thought she was in for a routine assignment when she accompanied her partner, Maria, to report on a wind energy site in New Mexico. But everything changes when Mariaâs colleague and close friend, Rep. Carmen Lawlor, is found dead beneath one of the wind turbines. When Lawlorâs death is initially ruled a suicide, Diggerâs journalistic instincts tell her something more nefarious may be afoot. As Digger begins to investigate the truth, she discovers that Mariaâs long-time friend may not have been who she seemed. What follows is a fast-paced thriller filled with political corruption, relationship dilemmas, and the investigation of not one, but two possible murders.
Windswept is a well-crafted and layered mystery that weaves political corruption, environmentalism, and the buried secrets of a decades-old disappearance into a tightly wound plot. As Digger digs into Carmenâs past, she discovers a web of silence and betrayal tied to a long-forgotten cold case. The stakes escalate fast, not just for the investigation, but for Diggerâs relationship with Maria whose grief and personal connection to the victim threaten to derail everything.
Rosalie Rayburnâs Windswept, a follow-up to The Power of Rain, once again manages the rare feat of making small-town journalism feel gripping and suspenseful. The mystery deepens chapter by chapter, propelled by sharp dialogue, morally gray characters, and a slow-burning sense of unease. Rayburn doesnât rely on cheap thrills and instead she builds real tension through ethical dilemmas, political realism, and the emotional weight of uncovering truths people have spent years trying to bury.
The book stands out not only for its pacing, but for its representation. Digger and Mariaâs relationship is handled with nuance and authenticity, and the cast of women at the center of the plot are refreshingly complex.
Filled with intrigue and suspense, Windswept will delight thriller fans and is a must read.