First published 1993
Two boys vanish without warning. One is Zuni, and he leaves blood behind. Lt. Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police takes the case. He must find whoever killed or took these children. The investigation grows complicated fast. An archaeological dig brings outsiders to sacred ground. A steel hypodermic needle appears where it shouldn't. Zuni laws and customs block paths that seem obvious to Leaphorn. The killer stays ahead of him, brutal and careful. Leaphorn works across cultural boundaries he doesn't fully understand. He races against time while respecting traditions that aren't his own. The case tests everything he knows about police work and human nature.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, detective, native-american
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, race-against-time
Setting: Navajo Reservation
Period: 20th Century
Hardcover · G K Hall & Co