The King's Lizard [Paperback]

Pamela Christie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 6, 2004

It's 1782 in a remote colony called New Mexico where gangs of slavers scour the land and frocked priests trade captives for guns. The King's Lizard opens with more trouble: a gruesome murder right on Santa Fe's plaza and the death of a commanding officer. Out of options, Governor Anza enlists Nando, a rustic half-breed, to help him stop the carnage.

Nando, the bastard son of a Spanish don and a Ute slave woman, evolves from naive country boy to daring member of the governor's spy network, as he liberates captives and dodges a deranged Franciscan priest. Aided by prostitutes and a two-fisted old woman, he ultimately unveils the traitor who threatens the colony with destruction.

Rich with historical detail, The King's Lizard is a roiling journey of adventure and intrigue through 18th century New Mexico.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Through painstaking research and deft writing, (Christie) has put together a first-rate novel . . .a hell of a saga. --Bill Waters, Opinion page editor at The Santa Fe New Mexican

About the Author

Pamela Christie has lived and worked in New Mexico for over thirty years, in both a remote mountain village and in Santa Fe. She hikes and explores the countryside she writes about, tracking down ancient mysteries and gathering stories of the people who lived in the rugged kingdom centuries ago.

Product Details

• Paperback: 346 pages
• Publisher: Lone Butte Press; third edition (August 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966686047
• ISBN-13: 978-0966686043
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,596,151 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A historical fiction that rings true, November 28, 2004

By 

Windy Dankoff "solar power pioneer & educator" (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King's Lizard (Paperback)

Dive into the human world of early New Mexico that is not revealed in standard history, but can only be recreated by a novelist's enlightened imagination.

The author did her history homework, then apparently channeled this remarkable story. The imagery is crystal-clear. It's enjoyable, and gives me a greater appreciation for my favorite part of the USA.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History is a True Mystery This Time, September 2, 2005

By 

Constance M. Gotsch "Novelist On Board" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The King's Lizard (Paperback)

Usually when History's a Mystery, it's because someone didn't study. That's not true in the case of Pamela Christie's THE KING'S LIZARD. This history-loving author combined thoroughly-done homework with a great sense of whodun it, to create a murder mystery in old Santa Fe that will have even the most seasoned mystery reader on the edge of his or her seat.

It's the 1770s in Santa Fe, the frontier outpost capitol of New Spain. Someone wants to undercut the governor's attempt to stop the endless warfare between Navajos, Hispanics, and Apaches. But who? The governor calls on Nando to find out. Half Spanish and half Apache, the son of a respected Spanish don, Nando slips easily between different segments of society. He knows how to appear and disappear as needed. Like a desert lizard, he can hide in cracks and corners, remembering all he hears. He can also engage people in seemingly innocent conversation that reveals much about them, and about the city's political situation.

The Franciscian priest who despises Nando for some reason might be against the governor. So might the son of one of the frontier's highest officials. He might also be involved in the illegal trade of selling captured Indian children to Spanish Haciendias as slaves. Nando's own cousin might have a hand in undercutting the peace process And what about the strange object Nando finds on the road? He has no idea what it is. Could it be the key to the entire puzzle? Pamela Christie has the knack of letting the reader pose, and think he or she has answered those questions and many others before THE KING'S LIZARD comes to a very surprising, but utterly sensible ending.

Evewn more fun, she has thoroughly researched the appearance and layout of historic Santa Fe. Anyone who is familiar with the city will recognize downtown, San Francisco Street, the central plaza, and that wonderful 400-year-old building, The Palace of the Governors. The Palace is the oldest structure in continuous use in the United States.

The King's Lizard is fun, suspenseful, well researched, and full of suprises. There's even a touch of romance. Pamela Christie's style is easy to follow but never boring. THE KING'S LIZARD is a fun read.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The King's Lizard, October 3, 2005

By 

Jenny Zachry-Gelfat (Culver City, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King's Lizard (Paperback)

Wonderfully written imagery. Could not put the book down. I will search carefully for more books with equal stimulation to continue my new fantasy of living in early New Mexico. Cristie knows what she's writing about. Will there be another book soon? Will there be a sequel? I read this one on the train passing through the same area, hardly looked out the window, because the book describes the local climate so well. A very believable fiction.