First published 1998
Someone is hunting white men in Seattle, leaving their scalped bodies as gruesome calling cards. The media dubs the perpetrator the Indian Killer, and the murders ignite a firestorm of racial hatred throughout the city. John Smith finds himself caught in the crossfire. Born Native American but raised by white adoptive parents, Smith struggles with his fractured identity and burning desire to reconnect with his lost heritage. He encounters Marie, a fierce Indian activist who rails against cultural appropriation, particularly targeting Jack Wilson, a mystery novelist who falsely claims Native ancestry. As a racist radio host whips white listeners into a vengeful frenzy, Seattle's Native American community reels from suspicion and fear. Smith battles the rage consuming him from within while the city tears itself apart. The killer strikes again, and the cycle of violence threatens to spiral beyond control.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, native-american
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, identity-crisis
Setting: Seattle
Period: 20th-century
432 pages · Library Binding · Bt Bound
Content warnings: racism, violence