Book Review: Venom by K. C. Grant

Backliner: Samantha Evans is determined to make a name for herself in the cutthroat world of advertising. Newly hired by a prestigious ad agency, she volunteers to work on location in Mexico City as a personal assistant to the beautiful and driven creative director Katrina Edwards. At first the association seems promising. But Ms. Edwards seems preoccupied in a way that makes Samantha increasingly uneasy. In fact, many in the group seem like they are not being completely open about the project including David Ayala, the mysterious and moody photographer for whose attention the two women find themselves competing. After several strange accidents and numerous appearances by an unknown man, Samantha discovers the truth: not everyone on the team is in Mexico to create a stellar advertising pitch. When her sleuthing leads to her abduction, she is brought to the pyramids of Teotihuacán and comes face-to-face with the venomous evil of the South American crime boss known as “The Serpent.” Now Samantha must not only fight for her life, but she must also discover if she can trust the man she’s come to love.


K.C. Grant's first two novels were historical fiction, based on Abish in the Book of Mormon.  When I heard she was publishing a contemporary LDS suspense, I was curious to see how she would handle it. Many authors find their niche in one certain genre, and when they attempt other genres, they flounder. I was very pleased to see that she did a great job with this cross-genre piece. This book is well-written, and the author either traveled to Mexico or did a great deal of research - the setting is presented masterfully. 


I did feel that the ending stretched out a little longer than it should have, and could have been tightened up to bring things to a satisfactory conclusion a little bit sooner. That said, it was a highly enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience an adventure in an exotic land.


Click here to purchase your own copy of Venom by K. C. Grant.