From Publishers Weekly
The authors' seventh satisfying novel (after 2001's Red Mesa) about Navajo Police Special Investigator Ella Clah finds her Native American community wracked by internal divisions as well as besieged and bedeviled by deadly outside forces. On the Rez, the issue of using gaming casino money as a means of solving or alleviating financial woes has serious adherents on either side. But a nebulous pro-gaming faction is resorting to pressure tactics and may be behind a rash of vandalism ranging from merely annoying to life threatening. The unsolved acts of vandalism are undermining the Navajo Tribal Police, and as the severity of the acts increases to the level of terrorism, not only Ella but her family are under attack. To add to her troubles, an escaped prisoner with a grudge is gunning for her. In spite of its thriller-like plot, the authors manage to present a good look at the complexities of the gaming issue while maintaining the character-driven essence of the series. Changing Woman the creative feminine power at the center of Navajo beliefs is seen in three generations of Ella's family. Ella's mother, Rose, a traditionalist, begins to assert herself in tribal affairs in a fashion that Ella has never seen before. And her young daughter, Dawn, begins to manifest her nature in new ways. But it is Ella, balanced between mother and daughter, modernist and traditionalist, job and family, who remains the captivating focal point of this excellent series.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Navajo Police Inspector Ella Clah and her colleagues find it difficult to keep the tenuously balanced peace when economic hard times cause a rift over the issue of allowing gambling on the reservation. When vandalism and rumors of the presence of Indian Mafia escalate into murders, Clah finds herself dealing with a complex meshing of corrupt police, hard crime, and life-threatening danger for her family. The Thurlos have created another realistic, fast-paced, and intense story featuring the inspector. They expertly slip in information and explanations of the Navajo culture through both dialogue and narrative, adding understanding as well as entertainment. The result is a feeling of empathy for the characters, especially Ella and her family, as they face the modern world and also try to retain their cultural traditions. Action scenes keep the plot moving at a quick pace with some surprises along the way, adding to the excitement. Readers who like action, interesting settings, and strong characters will probably like this title as well as the others in the series, which gets better with each entry.
Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
