Matthew Alcott, a boozing Las Vegas journalist, finds himself naked in the desert, not knowing how he got there, but he knows why: he had uncovered a secret Joseph Smith revelation that could severely compromise the Mormon religion. To write his book, he takes on a new identity and disappears…and finds love in Cate and unexpected friends in a small New York town. Finishing his book, Matt is offered two million dollars—provided he hands over the manuscript and all research notes. Refusing the offer, Cate is kidnapped, and he is given the usual ultimatum.

With The Complete mystery of Matthew Alcott, Michael Oborn takes the reader into the shadowy world of an alcoholic, a tortured personality, and with the help of those around him, redemption. This is a well written novel, even though it diverges from the normal writing style. In Matthew, Oborn has created a complex and real character, and following the changes in his personality is a revelation. The short flashback sequences are somewhat disconcerting and disrupt the flow of the book, but in the end, everything is resolved. Readers will find this novel well worth the effort.