Hidden Sanctuary

Tru Palmer has a secret, one that is key to the success of her company for finding oil. Tru is a dowser. She can sense the earth and feel the difference between the various energies emanating from it. Her latest expedition in the Nubian desert gets off to a rocky start, however, after Tru is involved in an accidental shooting that forces her to kowtow to a nearby village. One of the village leaders, Efra, senses a kindred spirit in Tru, and Tru's legacy as a descendent of the Marians becomes paramount. Accompanied by Griffin Sinclair, Tru will have to complete a vital quest or all may be lost.... HIDDEN SANCTUARY is perhaps my favorite book so far in The Madonna Key series. Sharron McClellan did a fabulous job at intertwining the legacy of the Marians with some fantastic action in the present day. There was a never a dull moment! This is also the first time I can ever remember reading about the ability to dowse in a paranormal story, so I appreciated the ingenuity of Sharron McClellan in her approach on the subject. HIDDEN SANCTUARY is beginning to hit at the heart of the current day conspiracy to destroy the Marians. Some secrets were revealed in the previous book, but the ones in HIDDEN SANCTUARY are explosive. I did suspect part of the mystery but Sharron McClellan really blew me away when the full scope of the drama was revealed. Sharron McClellena handles some very sensitive issues quite well in HIDDEN SANCTUARY as the sheer evilness of the conspiracy against the Marians is beginning to unveil. HIDDEN SANCTUARY is the fifth book in what is turning out to be an exciting and powerful series. While HIDDEN SANCTUARY can be read as a stand alone, this book more than any of the prior books is greatly enhanced if one has the back history from the other novels. Sharron McClellan has written a stellar tale, and one that fans of The Madonna Key series will cherish. COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Gripping story. I was hooked from the beginning and loved the story line. Recommended.

Currently dowser Tru Palmer is using her talent searching for oil deposits though many of the locals want her and her team out of the area. Her personal bodyguard Griffin Sinclair is attracted to her and her to him, but she trusts no one having been betrayed once before and he takes his work seriously so he avoids dalliances with a client. However, when she meets native Efra, Tru feels a need to trust this woman who understands her gift as no one has ever done before. Efra explains to Tru that both of them are Marians, descendents from powerful earth priestesses. She further shows the visitor her tiles that she guards diligently because if they fall into the wrong hands, evil could manipulate the earth and harm those with the Marian power. Tru needs to depend on Griffin to prevent a cataclysmic tragedy, but her deep rooted feelings of mistrust makes it difficult for her to do so though she loves him. The latest Madonna Key thriller stars two likable independent protagonists falling in love even while they try to prevent a catastrophe of biblical proportions. The story line is fast-paced, but that keeps the audience from fully understanding Tru's gift of dowsing even after she (and we) learns the truth from the Nubian guardian of the Tiles. Though HIDDEN SANCTUARY can stand alone, romantic suspense with a touch of fantasy fans will be better suited reading the previous Madonna key tales as this is a complex series. Harriet Klausner

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques Tru Palmer has a special gift. She is a dowser, but not of the usual kind. She can sense the energies of just about anything and track it to the source. When she travels to Egypt for a job, she never expects the way it will change her life and everything she's ever known. An accident brings her to a local Nubian village where she meets Efra, spiritual leader to the people. Tru discovers her legacy as a Marian, a sect of women going back to ancient times sworn to protect a great secret, the Black Madonna. When Efra is attacked and robbed of a small set of ancient magical tiles, she entreats Tru to recover the stolen goods, for these tiles protect the village from danger. Now Tru is off on a quest, followed by dangerously sexy Griffin Sinclair, overseer of the project for which Tru is employed. Along the way, Tru learns other Marians like herself are engaged in a battle to protect the real power of the Black Madonnas from a deadly enemy... one that will kill to keep the truth buried forever. Sharron McClellan has another winner with her installment of The Madonna Key, Hidden Sanctuary. Tru is a complex young woman. She has an ability most do not understand and as we all know, people are often afraid of what they don't understand. As the story develops, we see Tru progress from a self conscious and wary young lady to a strong woman with a purpose who has accepted herself for what and who she is. Watching her transformation and seeing her gain more control over her abilities is exciting to see. How she interacts with others, especially Griffin, is one of the best ways to see her grow. Readers who have been following The Madonna Key since the first book will love the opportunity to revisit some old friends. We get to see how much their lives have changed as the influence of the Black Madonna and her magic grows. We also get to see those dastardly Adrianos grow more and more desperate to hide the truth, willing to go to great lengths for the benefit of their cause. Action is fast paced, gripping, and non stop as we travel across Egypt and France with Tru and Griffin, on the trail of our villain and the stolen tiles. Mysteries are resolved, shocking twists are abundant, love grows, and new questions come to light. We also learn still more about the legendary Black Madonna and her powers through Tru's flashbacks to an earlier time and place. We will also find that Sharron McClellan's voice comes through loud and clear while she sheds more light on the mysterious Marians as we go backwards through time in the history of this highly secretive and remarkable group of women. Hidden Sanctuary is a wonderful addition to The Madonna Key and I for one can't wait to see where we go next. © Kelley A. Hartsell, September 2006. All rights reserved.