Snake Dreams (Charlie Moon Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

James D. Doss (Author)

Book Description

Series: Charlie Moon Mysteries | Publication Date: September 29, 2009

Charlie Moon has been fighting crime—and investigating the truth behind Ute tribal myths—for ages. Now, the seven-foot rancher and part-time P.I. wants to carve out a little more time and space for himself and a very significant other, FBI Special Agent Lila Mae McTeague. Is that so wrong?

No one—himself included—ever believed the time would come for Charlie to get hitched. There’s only one problem: His beloved, belligerent aunt Daisy. She’s an aged Ute shaman whose own investigative talents rely heavily on help from the spirit world. Ever since Charlie broke the news of his engagement to her, Daisy’s been having terrifying visions of a murdered woman. Now it’s up to Charlie, Daisy, and Lila to find out what it all means—until death do they part…

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of Doss's entertaining 13th mystery to feature Ute investigator Charlie Moon (after 2007's Three Sisters), the spirit of recently murdered Chiquita Yazzi expresses concern for her teenage daughter, Nancy, as well she should, since Nancy was left alone with an abusive stepfather, Hermann Wetzel, who's about to meet the same fate as Chiquita. While Charlie prepares to pop the question to his favorite FBI agent, Lila Mae McTeague, he's also putting together a 16th birthday party for his Aunt Daisy's charge, orphan Sarah Frank. Hermann's murder disrupts the party and brings Nancy to Charlie's ranch, where she absconds with Sarah's birthday gift and goes on a rampage of vengeance. The police chief of Granite Creek, Colo., and fellow officers search high and low to apprehend Hermann's killer, but it's Daisy and Hermann's elderly landlady who team up to bring about the multifaceted solution. Lots of asides and tongue-in-cheek humor add to the fun. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“Outstanding…liberally laced with Native American lore [and] a plot that weaves and twists like a highway in the Rockies.”—Library Journal (starred review)

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (September 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312945051
• ISBN-13: 978-0312945053
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #698,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JAMES D. DOSS is the author of twelve Charlie Moon mysteries, two of which were named one of the best books of the year by Publishers Weekly. Originally from Kentucky, he divides his time between Los Alamos and Taos, New Mexico.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too "precious" for words, January 18, 2009

By 

Silver Mom (Seattle WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Snake Dreams (A Charlie Moon Mystery) (Hardcover)

I have been reading and enjoying James Doss for years...but not this time. Oh, brother - definitely NOT this time. The sniggering, the author's self-aware asides, the cutesy-poo comments (the British call it "twee") absolutely overwhelmed a story that is pretty weak on its own, anyway. There was very little of Daisy's spirituality and virtually none of the unique Ute background and color that have so hallmarked Doss' prior Charlie Moon stories. Very, very disappointing.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Where is the mystery?, December 9, 2008

By 

Ms. Wyatt "Mystery Lover" (Texas USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Snake Dreams (A Charlie Moon Mystery) (Hardcover)

I love Charlie Moon and Aunt Daisy when they are solving a mystery in their inimitable ways, but this was no mystery it was a tongue in cheek book of wise cracks. Please Mr. Doss get a bit more serious.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What Happened to James Doss???, January 18, 2009

By 

Stephen Graham "Mystery Fan" (St. Louis) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Snake Dreams (A Charlie Moon Mystery) (Hardcover)

I was hoping upon hope that James Doss would return to his old writing style, which was so interesting and intelligent. Instead he continues with the inane style from his last novel. I was a big fan, but will sit in a bookstore and review his next novel before buying it, and if the silliness and trite style continues, alas, I've purchased my last James Doss novel. This book is silly, and takes way too long to develop.

If you must read it, wait until you can get if for free at the local library.