Daughters of the West Mesa

This novel is based on a true story. In 2009 eleven female remains and an unborn fetus were discovered on the West Mesa outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Irene Blea has synthesized what she experienced while living in the region and introduces us to Dora, a single mother, and her two daughters, Luna and Andrea. Luna has been missing for several months. The police, Dora, Andrea and members of the community have searched for Luna with no success. Dora struggles to endure not knowing about her missing daughter, Andrea's emotional distance, and adjusting to the recent purchase of a new house next to a one hundred acre field when a human bone is found in the field. She watches the investigation of the bone and the discovery of many more bones on television. Dora's physical, emotional and spiritual well-being decline while she awaits notice that Luna is, or is not, buried in the field. Irene Blea has personal experience with the dark side of the city and women like Dora, whose daughters frequent nightclubs and bars among drug addicts and prostitutes. She also draws from Mexican American culture. Blea developed and taught Mexican American Studies for twenty-seven years and has written several articles, poetry, and textbooks for university classroom use. The author retired from California State University-Los Angles as a tenured, Full Professor and Chairperson of Mexican American Studies in 1998.