Review - Death on the Greasy Grass

I have been following this series since the beginning.  I have reviews for book two "Death Where the Bad Rocks Live" (click here) and book one "Death Along the Spirit Road" (click here.)  This time we travel to Montana for parts of the story that brings old enemies, Lakota Sioux and Crow, together again. 

Author: C.M. Wendelboe

Copyright: June 2013 (Berkley Publishing) 384 pgs

Series: 3rd in Manny Tanno Mystery series

Sensuality: mild adult references

Mystery Sub-genre: police procedural

Main Characters: Manny Tanno, FBI agent

Setting: Modern day, Crow and Lakota reservations

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Manny and tribal-cop buddy Willie are on vacation and Manny insists on going to the re-enactment of The Battle of the Little Big Horn - known as Custer's Last Stand (or The Battle of Greasy Grass Creek.)  One of the re-enactors is killed with real bullets during the battle and the FBI ends up assigning Manny to investigate what looks like a cold blooded murder.  A secondary storyline unfolds with sections told in the past following Custer's Crow scout, Levi Star Dancer, who kept a journal of some shady moves during the Battle of the Little Big Horn that could be damaging to the living descendants.

Manny is middle-aged, a little overweight, recently diagnosed with diabetes, continually battling with his cigarette cravings, and is also a long-time bachelor now engaged and nervous about marrying.  In this outing, Manny faces tragedy and has to overcome a lot emotionally to solve the case and come out alive.  Willie's character is funny and bittersweet in this book, his character becoming further entrenched in the reader's hearts and minds with each book.  Stumper is a Crow agency cop helping Manny and Willie with the case.  He isn't very experienced and Manny does plenty of on-the-job training with him.  Manny's brother Reuben plays an active role in some key scenes.  Reuben's scenes are some of my favorites, since this character is like a treasure slowly doled out.  Levi Star Dancer from the 1876 sections is a simple man whose emotions run deep as he writes of events that he feels must be recorded for future generations.  I think he is the surprise standout character in this book.

The setting is split between the Crow reservation in Montana and the South Dakota reservations that both subtly envelope the reader and transport you. This is just one of the strengths of the author, in evoking the atmosphere and emotions of the land intertwined with the people.  The plot begins with the simple premise that Levi Star Dancer's journal is at the center of murder, but as the story progresses there is much more at stake than Levi's recorded thoughts and their modern fall-out.  The twists and revelations keep the pace going strong.   

The climax is another heart racing scene that packs tension and action.  The wrap-up of the story ties a bow on the adventure, wrapping everything up and makes you want the next book now so you don't miss a moment with the characters. 

This series has set a high standard and thus far continues to deliver nuanced, exciting, and compelling story-telling. 

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 


If it is cold and snowing where you are, stay warm my friends.

Review - Death Along the Spirit Road

I enjoy Native American (a.k.a Western) mystery novels like Margaret Coel writes and the late Tony Hillerman made so popular. Today I review a new author on the Native American Mystery scene. We go to the Pine Ridge Reservation - the poorest US County - in South Dakota for this novel. 

Author: C.M. Wendelboe

Copyright: March 1, 2011 (Berkley) 310 pgs

Series: 1st in Manny Tanno Investigations

Sensuality: N/A

Mystery Sub-genre: Western Police Procedural

Main Character:  Lakota FBI Special Agent Manny Tanno

Setting: Modern day, Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota

Obtained Through: Publisher for an honest review

Have you ever had a boss that enjoys making your life difficult?  Manny has such a boss.  He gets all the investigations on any reservation because he is Lakota.  All Manny wants is to continue teaching at Quantico.  His boss has really pushed the envelope this time by sending him back to his home reservation to investigate a brutal murder only two weeks before classes start up.  Big shot land developer Jason Red Cloud was found with a priceless Native war club artifact in his skull on the site of his newest building project. 

Manny is much older now and returning to his home reservation was not what he wanted.  His brother had been involved with the militant activist American Indian Movement and was even convicted of killing a man, but is out now and seems to have changed his ways.  Manny must confront his bitterness about his older brother.  He must contend with the incompetant snot-nosed lietenant he worked with in his early days on the tribal force who is now the Chief and is bent on making him look bad to everybody including his FBI boss.

It doesn't take but a matter of hours before he is attacked with a hammer, which is only the beginning of the several attempts on his life as he investigates the developer's murder.  One thing is very clear, Jason Red Cloud was broke and he didn't have the money that was invested to build the Red Cloud Resort the tribe was counting on.  That makes for several suspects - but his brother appears to be the best fit for the murder.

Manny is a fresh character struggling with having stopped smoking, trying to loose weight, and not been in a relationship for a good while - on top of facing his demons over his turbulant  youth on the dirt poor reservation.  I liked Manny for his self-effacing attitude mostly.  Manny gets a young tribal cop assigned to him, Willie Looks Twice.  Willie is a good counterpoint for Manny.  I look forward to the next book because of Willie as much as for Manny.   The writing style flowed easily and is highly enjoyable with touches of dry humor.

There are many real life details added, even the radio station KILI 90.1 on the reservation.  The plot itself had enough turns and secrets to be dug up to keep interest high.  I suspected the killer fairly early on but the story was such a journey that I was never sure.  The emotional landmines for Manny add depth to the investigation.  The capture of the killer and the wrap up were convincing and exciting.

If you enjoy Native American mysteries, this debut novel promises a great new series to follow.




I am including a movie clip of Thunderheart that featured an FBI agent investigating a murder on Pine Ridge reservation.  It was actually filmed on the reservation.

Review - The Spider's Web

Just a few days until the Anniversary BASH, check here for all the exciting details and notice the featured items on the sidebar.  In the meantime let's visit the Arapahoe Reservation in Wyoming for a case of murder.  It has been a long time since I have read one of the Wind River Mysteries - since the third book in this long running series, so I was tickled to have the chance to review the latest.

Author: Margaret Coel

Copyright: September, 2010 (Berkeley) 304 pgs

Series: # 15 in the Wind River Mysteries

Sensuality etc.: Occasional swear words

Mystery sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth

Main Character:  Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and Jesuit priest, Father John O'Malley

Setting: Modern day, Arapaho reservation in Wyoming

Obtained book through: Publisher for an honest review

The story opens with the discovery of Ned Windsong shot to death and his recent and surprising fiancée Marcy is the only witness. She identifies two Arapaho troublemakers (Lionel Lookingglass and Dwayne Hawk,) as the killers.  Marcy's father is a mega TV Evangelist who hires Vicki to represent his daughter and ensure she doesn't get railroaded as the "outsider".  Ned's family clings to the belief that Marcy herself was responsible.

Believeing that Marcy is in danger, Father John offers the mission's guest house for her safe keeping until the Federal agents find Lionel and Dwayne.  But Father John starts to suspect Marcy has some deep seated issues.  Father John also figures that Lionel and Dwayne were not the brains involved, so there must be a leader who is likely more dangerous yet.  Ned's prior girlfriend, Roseanne Birdwoman may be the one who is in immediate danger as she puts together several pieces to the eleborate web of deception where "trust nobody" is a mantra to live by but she has no way of hiding.

Chapters are told from either Vicky, Father John or Roseanne Birdwoman's point of view and this works in showing the reader just enough of the danger that surrounds Ned's death.  The killer or killers are still at large and Ned's murder starts to unravel the tale of what he had been trying to untangle himself from.  Ned's decision to get his life right and dance the Sun Dance were cut short because what he got involved with wasn't letting him go.
 
Vicky doesn't have as much of a role in this one, Father John and Roseanne Birdwoman seem to be center stage more often, which worked out fine for the story.   The running thread of an undercurrent between Vicky and Father John still shows.  I really came to appreciate the character of Father John more in this novel.  Father John has been joined at the mission by an elderly and retired Bishop who is a surprisingly welcome addition who I look forward to getting to know better.   I couldn't help but feel like taking the character Roseanne into my care, she becomes such a breathing person.  Miss Coel expertly reveals her characters in the midst of this tragedy and draws the reader into the web of Ned Birdsong's murder. 

He realized he had been hoping there was some mistake, but this was the same house he had come to last year to anoint Ella's father, Albert, before he died.  The Windong family had been parishioners at St. Francis Mission longer than he had been here.  He had known Ned since he was a kid, brown face and big teeth, playing first base on the Eagles baseball  team.  Ned had moved to Jackson Hole for a while, but then he'd come hom.  He'd stopped by the mission twice, something on his mind each time, Father John thought, but when he tried to ask, Ned had shrugged away the question.  He was going to go into the Sun Dance, he said.  Donald Little Robe, one of the elders, would sponsor him, be his spiritual grandfather, teach him the prayers and the rituals and help him catch up to the other dancers who had been preparing for most of the year.  "I wanna get back to myself," Ned had told him.

I felt the plot was well done and the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat.  The suspense is finely layered like a good Hitchcock thriller.  The reveal of the killer(s) is handled well with a good dramatic scene.  The wrap up actually leaves the door open for a follow up on this tale with Father John being in danger down the road. 
 
I must thank Miss Coel for her deft handling of the cultural issues that interplay between the mission and the traditional native beliefs.  Neither is lessened for the sake of the other but rather an honoring of both spiritual paths is exemplified.  Which brings me to the setting - a Native American Reservation.  The unique and complex challenges facing reservation life are the backdrop and you come away with a part of your heart touched for this mini-visit.   This book took me back to my visit to Wounded Knee and I thank Miss Coel for that.
 
Miss Coel's writing style is subtle and easy going, drawing the reader in until you feel you are there, truly in the action and you never realized the transition was happening.  If you have never read the Wind River Mysteries, this is a good place to start.  I think most readers will find themselves addicted in short order and start reading all of the books in the series.   I feel Miss Coel has grown along with the series as a first class writer.  If you enjoyed Tony Hillerman I think you will equally enjoy Margaret Coel.
 
 
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