From Publishers Weekly
Texas Sheriff Charles Matthews is told that his deputy, Raul, is being held for murder in northern New Mexico. The victim, an archeologist and Raul's cousin, was killed at a dig on Capulin Mountain National Monument, and the weapon, an ancient spear-thrower, is found in Raul's room. Raul and the victim had a fierce argument the night of the crime. Matthews decides to act as Raul's lawyer, and in short order his hotel room is searched, he's knocked unconscious and his cover is blown. Matthews and crusty Sheriff Lindman work their way through a mixed bag of suspects: amateur and pro archeologists, students, prehistoric groupies and their "Leader." The victim, a nastily manipulative character, had lots of enemies. There's another murderwith Raul the chief suspect againand not until after Matthews and Lindman uncover a red herring-ish conspiracy is the solution found. Even with an effective background and nice touches of humor, the story is rather plodding. Meredith won Oppie Awards for The Sheriff and the Branding Iron Murders and The Sheriff and the Panhandle Murders, but he won't acquire new fans with this one.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From the Inside Flap
An archaeologist spying on the midnight rites of a cult group inside an extinct New Mexico volcano is murdered -- felled by the brutal thrust of a prehistoric spear-throwing weapon called an atl-atl. All the evidence points to one of Sheriff Charles Matthews's own deputies, Raul Trujillo, as the killer. But Matthews doesn't buy it. And to prove his deputy's innocence, Matthews will take off his badge and step into a haunted southwestern landscape where vengeance is still a reason to kill . . .
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.