Gary Stewart

The Tenth Virgin - An Utley P.I. Mystery Gary Stewart

The Tenth Virgin is a ground-breaking novel that's not only a compelling mystery... but also a revealing, highly-accurate look at the Mormon church, its beliefs and its culture....that's as stunning today as it was when it rocked the crime fiction world forty years ago.

New York private eye Gabe Utley returns to his hometown of Salt Lake City after his high-school sweetheart, married to a prominent member of the Mormon church, asks him to find her missing and troubled teenage daughter, who may have been kidnapped by a violent polygamist cult. It's a job Gabe doubts he can do, but he won't let go, confronting the wealthy and powerful Mormon hierarchy, delving into the depths of the poverty-ridden polygamist clans of Southern Utah, and exposing the dark secrets behind a brutal murder.

The book features an introduction by Mystery Scene columnist Ben Boulden that explores the life of author and Salt Lake City native Gary Stewart and the intriguing backstory behind his two ground-breaking Utley novels.

"Stewart is a smooth writer. His narrative moves quickly. The most interesting parts of the book, however, are the extensive descriptions of both orthodox Mormon and polygamist beliefs and ways of life. He opens a window onto a complex world most people know little about." New York Times

"NY sleuth Gabe Utley finds lots of vile language, violence and Lolita-type sex under the surface of Utah's Mormon respectability. A solid debut... with gamey motives, a high body count, intriguing characters, and a confident style. " Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review

"Stewart's knack for capturing Mormonism's unique culture, from its hierarchical structure to its more endearing family-cen- tric attitudes, with a sly and kind humor, make The Tenth Virgin something of a time capsule of Utah and Mormonism in the 1980s." Ben Boulden, from his introduction.