Part of Leaphorn & Chee, book 28
First published 2025
Officer Bernadette Manuelito watches a dangerous meditation group arrive in Shiprock just as a U.S. Cabinet Secretary plans an unprecedented visit to discuss uranium mining along the Navajo Nation border. When a stranger's body turns up in a restricted radioactive waste site, Bernie suspects the timing is no accident. The cult's violent tendencies and erratic behavior alarm their Navajo hosts, forcing Bernie to investigate. She discovers an abused boy, terrorized women, and a deadly conspiracy targeting indigenous people struggling with addiction. Meanwhile, her sister Darleen investigates when one of her home health clients vanishes. The woman's daughter shows no concern, but Darleen's persistence reveals the client's grandson is also missing. Both have fallen victim to a complex scheme exploiting vulnerable Native Americans. As Lieutenant Jim Chee joins the investigation, the cases merge into something darker. The detectives must untangle connections between the cult, the mining interests, and a predatory operation before more lives are lost. Bernie and Chee face their most volatile case yet.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Shiprock, Navajo Nation
Period: Contemporary
326 pages · Hardcover · Harper
Content warnings: abuse, addiction, violence