The Death of Bernadette Lefthand (Red Crane Literature Series) [Hardcover]

Ron Querry (Author)

Book Description

Series: Red Crane Literature Series | Publication Date: June 1993

Mystery surrounds the senseless death of the beautiful and spirited Bernadette Lefthand, a young Indian woman with a loving husband, a new baby, and a penchant for dancing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Querry, a Choctaw, chooses Arizona, his present home, as the setting for this excellent first novel. It is a landscape peopled by Natives, where Navajo, Apache and Hopi reservations jostle up against one another, literally and figuratively. The book deals with the murder of its eponymous heroine. In the process it becomes a fine vignette of modern Indian existence, giving readers a genuinely felt view of the pow-wows, dances, rodeos, alcoholism, intertribal rivalry and poverty that are the facts of life for many Native Americans. At the beginning of the novel, Bernadette is found dead and her drunken husband, Anderson George, has disappeared. The story of their tumultuous union is told in flashback from the points of view of Gracie, Bernadette's sister, and Starr Stubbs, a white woman who knew her but may have been less than a friend. With his compelling storytelling, Querry leads the reader methodically and inexorably back in time (to witness the final moments of Bernadette's short life) and deeper into the darkness of the witchcraft that destroys both her and Anderson. The innocence of Gracie's youth and her anguish in relating her sister's life story work like a magnet to pull the tale along.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Bernadette Lefthand got killed, "but it wasn't in no car wreck," and the police are looking for her Navajo husband. The story instantly pulls its reader into the events surrounding a young Pueblo Indian's bizarre and brutal murder. Set on the Navajo and Jicarilla reservations, this novel explores the effects that poverty, alcoholism, and witchcraft have on the communities. Gracie, Bernadette's younger sister, and Starr Stubbs, the white woman for whom Bernadette kept house, tell most of the story. The chapters flip-flop between the narrators' points of view, cleverly exposing the contrast between Indian and white perspectives and their cultural differences. This excellent debut by a promising new novelist should appeal to anyone interested in the Southwest and Native Americans.
- Joanne Snapp, Randolph-Macon Coll., Ashland, Va.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Red Crane Books; 1st edition (June 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1878610252
• ISBN-13: 978-1878610256
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,562,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, March 1, 2000

By 

Nathan T Bisbee (Santa Rosa, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Death of Bernadette Lefthand (Paperback)

With "The Death of Bernadette Lefthand," Ron Querry demonstrates an amazing accuracy for detail. His understanding of subtle differences between two Nations - the Apache and the Navajo - bring his characters to life. The juxtaposition of these modern indigenous sub-cultures takes place within the confines of an equally contradictory landscape - the brutally beautiful American Southwest. If you are interested in the people, cultures, and landscape of the Southwest, you shouldn't miss this novel.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Death of Bernadette Lefthand, July 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Death of Bernadette Lefthand (Paperback)

First and foremost, this is a story which is not filled with stereotypes. The cultures of the Navajo, Hopi, and the Apache are well portrayed. I was most surprised at the topic of the book in light of the fact that it is considered taboo to the Navajo. I supposed that's why the author is not of that tribe. Nevertheless, it was thoroughly entertaining, educational, and just plain well written. It deserves all the awards and accolades it has received.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hauntingly beautiful - a classic not to be missed!, December 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Death of Bernadette Lefthand (Paperback)

I cannot fully express how much I enjoyed this book. Beautifully written, with a story that pulls you in and holds you to the very last page. I've read lots of "Indian" books, but this is the true deal. It's the heartbreaking story of a young Apache girl and her senseless death. It is at times dark, mystical, and even humorous. I've recommended it to all my friends and they have LOVED it. Please give it a read. You won't be disappointed.