The Grey Pilgrim (Missing Mysteries) [Paperback]

J M Hayes (Author)

Book Description

Series: Missing Mysteries | Publication Date: November 1, 2000

A strikingly original plot blends unknown bits of real history with imagined incidents to create an unusual thriller. Its base is the last American Indian uprising in Arizona, occuring in October, 1940. At its core lay a struggle for civil rights.
Deputy U.S. Marshall and Spanish Civil War veteran J.D. Fitzpatrick arrives in Tucson, a shell shock case. His job should have been a sinecure, but then the insensitive local BIA agent provokes a gunfight over the draft and riles the Papagos. Fitpatrick is sent to the reservation to arrest the ringleader, Jujul, and his band of renegades, but they have skipped out into the desert. Why should they accept a call for military service from a country that refuses to recognize their citizenship?
Meanwhile, a Japanese Kempeitai agent we meet in Manchuria is sent to America to stir up discontent, make life awkward, and buy some additional preparation time for Japan's Pacific campaign.
All these forces, including ghosts from J.D.'s terrifing past in Spain, collide along the Gulf of California.
Displaying an appreciation for history and a rousing imagination, first time author Hayes delivers an unusual, enjoyable, and "what-if" novel.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This well-written first novel is based on an actual incident in 1940: a recalcitrant Papago Indian chief defied the U.S. government by refusing to register the young men of the tribe under the new Selective Service Act, and disappeared into the desert with his followers. Here, Jujul and his tribe become renegades following a similar incident with an obtuse and arrogant official from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and U.S. marshall J. D. Fitzpatrick is sent in to mediate. A Spanish Civil War veteran still traumatized by his experience, Fitzpatrick finds his attention drawn more strongly to beautiful, young--and married--anthropologist Mary Spencer than to Jujul. In a nicely handled plot twist, the young woman ends up living with the tribe as an observer, without realizing their identities. Disaster strikes when a Japanese agent provocateur arrives on the scene to aid, abet and incite the Indian "revolution." A violent and bloody confrontation is the inevitable result, leading to an ironic and bittersweet conclusion. Filled with bits of Indian lore, peopled with memorable characters and written with a deft humorous touch, the novel eventually surmounts the loss of tension occasioned by an overzealous use of flashbacks.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Set against the backdrop of World War II, Hayes' powerful novel is based on the Papago Indians' rebellion of October 16, 1940 against the U. S. government's attempts to register young native American men for the draft. In the village of Stohta U'uhig, Jujul and his small tribe engage in a gun battle with the representative from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Determined not to be drafted by a country that does not respect their civil rights, the tribe flees into the Arizona desert. Deputy Marshal Fitzpatrick's attempts to find the Papagos and defuse the situation are complicated by his attraction to anthropologist Mary Spencer. Meanwhile, half-way around the world the Japanese are dispatching Captain Kozo Sasaki to arm the Indians and foment unrest. In the final confrontation, Hayes' characters reveal a strong sense of personal honor and integrity amid human weakness. --Grace Baun, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press; 1 edition (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890208507
• ISBN-13: 978-1890208509
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,305,310 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wrong Review, March 20, 2001

By 

Richard Nauen (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grey Pilgrim (Missing Mysteries) (Paperback)

Actually I've not yet read this book, though I hope to do so soon. In the meantime I want to point out that the previous review is not of this book. It is a review of Mad Dog and Englishman, another book by the same author. And contrary to the links on your website, The Gray Pilgrim is *NOT* the paperback version of Mad Dog and Englishman. The Grey Pilgrim is summarized as follows: (From Library Journal) Set in Arizona in 1940, this first novel follows U.S. Marshall J.D. Fitzpatrick as he tries to defuse an Indian uprising. A small band of Papago Indians refuses to register for the draft, which creates a crisis in pre-war America. Complicating matters is the presence of a Japanese infiltrator sent to keep things stirred up. Based in part on a true story, the clever plot and well-developed characters add up to a satisfying adventure. On another level, some interesting questions are raised on the nature of courage and honor by the actions of J.D. and JuJul, the Indian leader. Hayes provides lots of action but does not fall into the trap of giving easy answers. A story well worth reading.-- Barbara E. Kemp, Columbia Univ. Libs.

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Notch Tale, August 3, 2007

By 

Sharon K. Miller (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grey Pilgrim (Missing Mysteries) (Paperback)

If you, like me, love Southern Arizona and the Sonoran Desert, you'll love this story. For many readers, the mystery, the adventure, and the fascinating characters will keep them turning the pages, but for me, in addition to those aspects, Hayes' depiction of the Sonoran Desert as almost a living, breathing character in the story is masterful.

As a writer "wannabe", I found Hayes' novel an excellent model. In fact, I read a public library copy, but when I finished reading, I immediately went to the computer and ordered it from Amazon.com. It is now an important part of my own writing library.

It is an excellent novel. J.M. Hayes does not disappoint.