Carol Award winner for best mystery/suspense/thriller of 2015 awarded by ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), Finalist: the Christy Awards. Finalist: the Selah Awards In the shadow of the Mormon church, a 19th-century conspiracy is about to be shattered by a 21st-century forensic artist.  In 1857, a wagon train in Utah was assaulted by a group of militant Mormons calling themselves the Avenging Angels. One hundred and forty people were murdered, including unarmed men, women, and children. The Mountain Meadows Massacre remains controversial to this day--but the truth may be written on the skulls of the victims. When renowned forensic artist Gwen Marcey is recruited to reconstruct the faces of recently unearthed victims at Mountain Meadows, she isn't expecting more than an interesting gig . . . and a break from her own hectic life. But when Gwen stumbles on the ritualized murder of a young college student, her work on the massacre takes on a terrifying new aspect, and research quickly becomes a race against modern-day fundamentalist terror. As evidence of a cover-up mounts--a cover-up spanning the entire history of the Mormon church--Gwen finds herself in the crosshairs of a secret society bent on fulfilling prophecy and revenging old wrongs. Can a forensic artist reconstruct two centuries of suppressed history . . . before it repeats itself? In A Cry from the Dust , Carrie Stuart Parks utilizes her own background as a celebrated, FBI-trained forensic artist to blend fact and fiction into a stunning mystery. "Renowned forensic and fine artist Parks' action-packed and compelling tale of suspense is haunting in its intensity. Well researched and written in an almost journalistic style, this emotionally charged story is recommended for fans of Ted Dekker, Mary Higgins Clark, and historical suspense." -Book Verdict Starred Review and inspirational debut of the month. "Parks, in her debut novel, has clearly done her research and never disappoints to when it comes to crisp dialog, characterization, or surprising twists and turns." -Publishers Weekly "Parks' fast paced and suspenseful debut novel is an entertaining addition to the inspirational genre. Her writing is polished. and the research behind the novel brings credibility to the story. An excellent book that's sure to put Carrie Stuart Parks on readers' radar." - 4 star RT Book Review "What impresses most about this first novel is the research into Mormon history, and the authoritative familiarity with the workings of forensic art. These and the swift pace, the strong characterizations, the rich detail of setting, and historical possibility all make for a page-turner that Latter-day Saints will ponder for days." -Association for Mormon Letters "Tightly sculpted suspense drawn from history with a pencil." -Frank Peretti Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy, multiple Carol, and Inspy Award–winning author. She was a 2019 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence in mainstream mystery/suspense and has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law-enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho. A Cry From The Dust By Carrie Stuart Parks Thomas Nelson Copyright © 2014 Carrie Stuart Parks All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4016-9043-4 CHAPTER 1 MOUNTAIN MEADOWS, UTAH, PRESENT DAY "ARE THESE FROM THE THREE BODIES THEY DUG up?" The question came from my right. The first of the early-afternoon tourists gathered just outside my roped-off work area. More people charged toward me, ignoring glass-fronted display cases holding historical articles and docents in navy jackets hovering nearby. You can't beat disembodied heads on sculpting stands to draw a crowd. The open, central structure of the Mountain Meadows Interpretative Center featured towering windows that overlooked the 1857 massacre site. The architect designed the round building to resemble the circled wagons of the murdered pioneers. Exhibits were below the windows or in freestanding showcases, allowing visitors an unobstructed view of the scenery, with directional lighting artfully spotlighting displays. In the center of the room was a rock cairn, representing the hastily dug mass grave where the US Army interred the slaughtered immigrants more than two years after the attack. A woman in a lime-green blazer with the name of a tour group ushered silver-haired couples past the welcome banner to a tidy grouping on my left. Neatly dressed families with a smattering of dungaree-clad teens joined the spectators and advanced to my cluttered corner. Out the window I could see another surge of visitors scurry through the late-summer heat from the tour bus parked on the freshly paved lot. A hin