The Ghost of Tahquitz: A Morally Complex Tale of Greed, Murder and Indian Gaming [Paperback]

Scott Hays (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 19, 2001

On an Indian reservation just east of Palm Springs, California, a local casino boss is bludgeoned to death by a force far more sinister than the Ghost of Tahquitz, a much feared supernatural creature thought to possess demonic power.The legend of Tahquitz serves as backdrop to murder by a very real villain as sheriff's investigators Geo McCracken and Monica Cielo confront their own personal demons.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

About the AuthorScott Hays has written and co-authored several nonfiction books, including LIFELONG FITNESS for Warner Books, SPANISH FOR GRINGOS (video) for Barron's, and HEART TO HEART on the emotional dynamics of heart disease. His work also has appeared in TV Guide, Men's Health, The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, and Men's Fitness. THE GHOST OF TAHQUITZ is his first published work of fiction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 130 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (September 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 059519950X
• ISBN-13: 978-0595199501
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,384,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful quick read for a rainy evening., May 27, 2002

By 

Tay Shepperton (Worthing, West Sussex, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ghost of Tahquitz: A Morally Complex Tale of Greed, Murder and Indian Gaming (Paperback)

I found this book whilst searching for climbing books on Tahquitz Mountain where I was planning to go and do some rock climbing and exploring. Although I originally put the book aside, one rainy night I picked it up and found I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. For a relatively short book, there's a lot of story, a lot of different plot threads and wonderfully written prose. I particularly liked the way the author weaves in the Native American legends into his whodunnit of murder and greed, and the descriptions of the characters who frequent the Indian casinos, from the suits arriving in Mercedes, to the diamond-covered Chinese women felt very real, very seedy. As a climber, I found some of the passages describing the scenery, the mountains and scrub vegetation absolutely spot-on. Plus, I liked his plucky heroine, Monica Cielo, even if the name is a bit too obvious in its imagery. All in all, a really pleasant surprise: a compelling, quick read. Highly recommend.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Mystery: Highly Recommended, April 9, 2002

By 

Kelly Dunn (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ghost of Tahquitz: A Morally Complex Tale of Greed, Murder and Indian Gaming (Paperback)

Every now and then a mystery story comes along that, like a desert retreat, brings a sense of balance to an overworked genre. Such is the case with "The Ghost of Taquitz." The book follows seasoned detective Geo McCracken and rookie police officer Monica Cielo as they investigate a string of ritualistic murders on an Indian reservation. That the murders are related to shady business at the local Indian gaming casino seems a safe bet. Both McCracken and Cielo soon discover, however, that there are no safe bets in a fixed game between life and death.

Of course, the hardboiled motif is nothing new, and "The Ghost of Taquitz" seems at first glance a faithful reflection of the type, with a bitterly conflicted detective, beautiful yet remote women, and themes of right in the face of rejection.

But Hays, thankfully, doesn't stop there. He isn't afraid to show his characters the bigger picture in ways large and small, from their sometimes inadvertent explorations of spirituality to their names, which carry symbolic meaning never discussed, but which simply exist, like the earth and sky.

Hays' use of language, too, contains far more than meets the eye. The commonplace motives for violence-greed, revenge-take on new clarity in Hays' harsh yet pristine desert setting, while the Indian casino shines in its midst with an artificiality both seductive and repugnant.

There's potential for preachiness here, but the book never falls into that trap. It's a quick read, never bogging down. Yet, like a hike through the desert, it moves at a leisurely enough pace through the heat of the action to provide a satisfying sense of refreshment at the novel's conclusion.

"The Ghost of Taquitz" is a many-tiered story that explores, not only a "whodunit" mystery of death, but also life's more basic mysteries: the quest for love, the meaning of life, and a connection with the spiritual world.

Even readers who don't usually relish mysteries are sure to be captivated by Hays' sensual descriptions and tender characterizations. Like our lives, both contain worlds of meaning if only we open our eyes to the possibilities beneath the scarred surface.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mundane and predictable, June 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Ghost of Tahquitz: A Morally Complex Tale of Greed, Murder and Indian Gaming (Paperback)

This books is "published" through a vanity press. Need I say more?