Presented to: P. G. Karamesines
For: The Pictograph Murders
On the surface, The Pictograph Murders is a gripping and intricately plotted murder mystery. In fact, murder is in many ways secondary to the underlying story. The field of play is more than just the desert in which the story takes place--it is the totality of the human experience as reflected in the sometimes uncomfortable coexistence of history, science and myth. The primary digging is not done in the sand, but rather in the levels of consciousness that drive and inform us.
At issue here is not the collection of shards and pots unearthed by the archaeologists, but the clarification of the place of truth in both scientific and religious endeavors. The conflict between protagonist Alex McKelvey and the mysterious, malevolent Tony Balbo is one battle in the larger struggle over the meaning of truth, the place of myth, and whether religious faith has any relevance to the world of harsh reality.
In the end, The Pictograph Murders challenges the reader to see past the physical into the realm of the mythic, perhaps the realm of the possible.
The Association for Mormon Letters is proud to present its 2004 Award in the Novel to this intriguing book.