"I've never held a saint before," Ernie said as he cradled the 100-year-old carving of the Santo Nino de Atocha, the Holy Child. When the long-cherished statue of the Santo Nino de Atocha disappears, village leaders decide to keep the news from the Church hierarchy for fear of reprisal. They suspect the culprits are among local hippies, Protestants, drug dealers, Anglos and other outsiders. But when the statue mysteriously reappears and their beloved chapel sacristan is attacked, favorite son Jay Sierra and his pal, Ernie Lucero, team up to investigate. Long-forgotten facts about the little statue take everyone by surprise and lead to the cozy conclusion of this delightful crime mystery set during the 1970s in a high mountain valley in northern New Mexico.
"The story, with its artistic flow of words and scenes, offers an intriguing invitation to take a pilgrimage to the Land of Enchantment with its glorious traditions, customs and diverse cultures."
Dan Paulos, Director of the St. Bernadette Institute
"This is truly a New Mexican story, echoing the reality of the continued disappearance of santos from village chapels and Penitente moradas."
Charles M. Carrillo, Ph.D., saint carver and expert on religious folk art of New Mexico
