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Kindred Spirits

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Kindred Spirits is part of the Tempe Crabtree Series. Tempe is a female deputy for Bear Creek, and not only does she face discrimination because she is a female, but also because she is part Native American. The story begins with a huge forest fire. Tempe is doing her job and making sure that the people are being evacuated from their homes. By the time she reaches the home of Vanessa Ainsworth it is too dangerous and the fire department stops her. If only she had made it there sooner, the tragedy that unfolds may not have happened.

Tempe heads back to town to check on her husband, Hutch Hutchinson, who is the minister of the local church. He is operating a temporary shelter for the people who have lost their homes, and Tempe is searching for Vanessa. She is called back to Vanessa's house, which has been consumed by the fire. They find a body and the body of a dog. They are both identified - it is Vanessa, and while it seems as though she has died in the fire, the medical examiner confirms that she and her dog were both shot before the fire reached the house.

The rest of the story focuses on Tempe, and her search for the truth...what really happened to Vanessa, and who was responsible for her death? Was it her ex-boyfriend, he did have a restraining order against him? Or was it her ex-husband? He does have an airtight alibi, but maybe something was missed. Or was it Lanny Hargrove, a boy turned man who stalked Vanessa for years and maybe hasn't given up. There are twists and turns right up until the end.

Tempe is a loveable character, and this book can easily be read on it's own even though it is part of a series. I have a friend who is an Oneida Indian and am always fascinated by their beliefs, and the history of their people. This was one of the things I found very enjoyable about this book. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good mystery that is easy to read.

Tempe Crabtree is a deputy sheriff in Bear Creek, a small town at the base of the Sierra Mountains, and she's married to Hutch Hutchinson, the local preacher. After a forest fire ravaged through their small community, Vanessa Ainsworth, a local artist, and her dog are discovered dead. The coroner informs Tempe that they were shot before the fire. Since no one in Bear Creek knows much about Vanessa, the investigation goes nowhere. Tempe is visited by Vanessa's spirit, who warns her of danger. Being the only woman in the Sheriff's Department and Native American, too, Tempe is sent to Crescent City to investigate Vanessa's past. She contacts Vanessa's cousin and close friend and they tell her all about Vanessa and teach her some Indian lore, too. While she's in Crescent City, Tempe is followed, leading her to believe she's on the right track. The trail leads Tempe and Hutch to Santa Barbara and an exciting climax to the mystery.

Kindred Spirits is the eighth book in Marilyn Meredith's Tempe Crabtree mystery series. It is not necessary to read any of the other books in the series to enjoy this one. It is a solid, entertaining, and somewhat predictable mystery with some Native American facts woven into the story. I'm sorry to admit that I don't know much about Native American history; this book made me want to rectify that.

The wildfire is spreading rapidly down the Sierras threatening communities like Bear Creek. Resident Deputy Tempe Crabtree tries to insure everyone has been evacuated from the nearby foothills to the shelter run by her spouse Pastor Hutch Hutchison. However, firefighters prevent her from continuing near the home of half Tolowa Native American artist Vanessa Ainsworth.

Soon afterward, Tempe learns that a woman and dog died in the inferno near Vanessa's home. However, bullets killed both of them. Detectives Richards and Morrison lead the investigation that is going nowhere as Vanessa's former husband has an air tight alibi so the victim's ex boyfriend remains the top suspect. The cops scornfully send Tempe to Vanessa's hometown of Crescent City where her cousin lives because they assume an Indian to Indian chat will get them information as Tempe is part Yanduchi. Though on a personal level the trip proves fruitful; on an investigative level it goes nowhere though she picks up two stalkers along the way. However, ever since CALLING THE DEAD awakened her skills, Vanessa's spirit visits her. Tempe accompanied by Hutch continues to help the lead detectives, but her second trip is not well received as this the killer stalks her.

This is an exciting police procedural enhanced by a profound look at the historical atrocities towards Native Americans and the current bias of the lead detectives whose overt attitude makes it lucid that they need consideration of others training. The story line is fast-paced as Tempe works the case encouraged by the spirit of Vanessa, learns more about her heritage, and struggles with her relationship with Hutch.

Harriet Klausner

First sentence: "Before Deputy Tempe Crabtree could see evidence of the forest fire, she could smell it."

Marilyn Meredith gets right into the story. I love her California setting. Bear Creek is a fictional version of the Sierra foothills, where Marilyn lives. I love her sturdy little protagonist, Deputy Tempe Crabtree, who faithfully makes her rounds, no matter what.

Tempe is slowly learning about her Yanduchi heritage, and in this latest entry in the series, she learns about the Tolowa, almost exterminated by whites.

On a personal level, two ongoing problems nag at her. She and Hutch, her Christian pastor husband, have not communicated except superficially since they disagreed about a casino the Indians wanted to build. And the two white detectives, Richards and Morrison, still treat her like dirt.

All that is about to change. In the aftermath of the forest fire, the body of an artist, Vanessa, is found in her burned out home. She wasn't a victim of the fire, however. She was shot.

Because Vanessa was a Tolowa, and her only relatives live in Northern California, Richards and Morrison suggest that Tempe should be the one to make that trip. Their thinking is that she can talk Indian-to-Indian with the relatives and get some clue as to who might

have murdered Vanessa.

Pretty lame thinking on their part, but Tempe goes along with it, and picks up a stalker. In addition, having opened herself to the other world when she called back the dead (CALLING THE DEAD, 2006), she now

begins receiving visits by the dead woman's spirit.

Tempe soldiers on, agreeing to yet another trip, this time to Southern California, where she and Hutch encounter a killer intent on adding them to his body count.

This series just keeps getting better.

Deputy Tempe Crabtree is working to make sure everyone evacuates due to the huge forest fire. By the time she heads to Vanessa Ainsworth's house, the first is too close for her to go further. So she heads back to town to check on her husband, Hutch Hutchinson who is minister of the local church. He has set up a temporary shelter for fire victims. She searches for Vanessa there.

She gets called back to Vanessa's house which has been consumed by the fire. A body and a dog are found in the remains. It appears they died in the fire. Vanessa is identified, but it is soon learned that they both died from being shot before the fire arrived.

Tempe often has an uphill battle with her work. First because she's a woman, and second because she's part Native American. She is sent to talk with Vanessa's cousin because she is also Native American. She finds herself deeper and deeper in this investigation. Can she discover the identity of the killer without putting herself or others in danger?

I really enjoy these books. They are such a fun, fast cozy read. Tempe is a fun character. I enjoy getting to know more about the Native American culture with her. I like the peripheral characters in each of her books, as well as her relationship with Hutch. The location is great, too. The author does a great job of helping me see the place as well as the various characters she comes in contact with.

I highly recommend this book.

Kindred Spirits is an exciting new chapter in the life of Deputy Crabtree. Although each book in the series can be read on its own, it has been fun watching Tempe's relationships change with her husband, son and even her colleagues. It's interesting to see Tempe learn about and live her American Indian heritage while trying to keep her marital bond strong with her Christian husband as they both learn tolerance without denying their own principles. The author also does a good job of describing the locations of action without overloading us with too many details - just enough that if it's a place you're familiar with, you recognize it. For those of us who know Tempe, this book deepens our relationship with her. For others, who might like to get to know the deputy of Bear Creek, this is a a great place to start.