The Garden of Burning Sand    by Corban Addison Order:  USA  Can Mobius, 2014 (2010) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth This review is a hard one to write. The Garden of Burning Sand by Corban Addison was a hard one to read. When a child is assaulted, one's heart goes out to them, forever marked by that experience. When the child is sexually assaulted, rage sets in. How could anyone do this? The Garden of Burning Sand deals with just such a situation. While the novel is fiction, the scenario is unfortunately still being played out in many places around the world. An adolescent girl is found wandering the dark streets of Luska, Zambia, in shock and unable to speak. She suffers from Down Syndrome. Why would something like this happen? Not only in Zambia but in many parts of rural Africa. Zoe Fleming, who is a human rights lawyer working in Africa, is determined to discover who is responsible and bring him to justice. Her investigation is thrown off-track many times as she and Zambian Joseph Kabuta spend all their energy working on this case. They believe that catching the animal who destroyed a young girl's life is necessary to bring an end to what is happening all over Africa. Remember this story is fiction, but it is based on true life. Zoe finds that every move forward she and Joseph make is blocked by powerful and corrupt people, determined to thwart their progress and make sure the truth does not come out. As I said, the novel is hard to read and what it addresses will stick in your mind. Fortunately, there are those who are trying, against great odds to right a terrible wrong and stop attacks on young girls. May God speed their work. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews