Stone Butterfly (Charlie Moon Mysteries) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: tribal investigator, local lawman, hemp bag, Charlie Moon, Sarah Frank, Ben Silver (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Doss's entertaining 11th Charlie Moon mystery (after 2005's Shadow Man), Sarah Frank, the 14-year-old Ute-Papago daughter of Moon's late friend Provo Frank, finds herself wanted for the murder of her crotchety part-time employer, Ben Silver, in Nevada. Worst yet, Tonapah's sheriff, Ned Popper, witnesses Sarah hovering over Ben's body and hears the dying man gasp out Sarah's name as she beats her retreat. While Sarah runs for shelter in Colorado, tribal investigator Moon, unaware of Sarah's whereabouts, enlists the help of his love interest, FBI agent Lila Mae McTeague, to locate the girl and bring her to safety. A clever plot, colorful writing and wisecracking asides will keep readers turning the pages. (Sept.)
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From School Library Journal

Adult/High School—She is 14 years old, small, thin, desperately poor, always cold, and always hungry. Her name is Sarah Frank, and she's a Ute-Papago orphan living in Tonapah Flats, UT, "on the lonely side of Big Lizard Ridge." Casually cared for with little love by her older cousin and with much disdain by her cousin's universally despised boyfriend, the teen barely registers any notice in the adult world outside of her dismal household-until she is accused of murder, assault, and theft. Then, despite considerable odds, little Sarah manages to vanish with a one-of-a-kind family heirloom. The richest and most sinister person in that part of Utah wants it, and wants it badly. The law is after the girl, and at least some of "the law" are operating outside of the parameters of their sworn duty. Although Sarah proves surprisingly resourceful, the cards are heavily stacked against her. Also looking for her are Charlie Moon, a part-time tribal investigator and full-time rancher; Moon's girlfriend, FBI Special Agent Lila Mae McTeague; and Moon's aunt, Ute shaman Daisy Perika. The latter's search is conducted more through dreams and visions than by more conventional means. In this 11th mystery in the series, Doss skillfully weaves a story full of suspense, humor, greed, and local color, with a few touches of mysticism. Teens will appreciate the fast pace and mounting tension, and are likely to identify with Sarah's struggles against an adult-dominated world.—Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312340540
• ISBN-13: 978-0312340544
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #688,389 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Maybe a little TOO clever, but the prose is worth it!, October 16, 2006

By	Kristi "all my facts come from fiction" (Eastern Iowa) - See all my reviews

Mr. Doss' Charlie Moon novels are among the few I buy in hardback. The reason is that the prose is just so danged terrific! Months, years after reading them, you can pick one up, let it fall open, and catch a passage that makes you really want to meet the guy whose brain puts words together in such an absolutely lyrically entertaining way. He can develop character while moving plot along simultaneously faster than anyone I've ever seen, a truly awe-inspiring talent.

In this book, I almost had the feeling that someone bet Mr. Doss that he couldn't write a book in which the mysteries remained a mystery right to the very end, while still adhering to the mystery novel code of making sure the necessary clues are available to the reader. I think Mr. Doss managed to win the bet, but, in the process, I think the story suffered. It doesn't make it a bad book if you figure out at least some of what's going on along the way! And there were a couple of downright cheats in here, too. It's a dandy book, but I wish I hadn't been so frustrated with the plot and with trying to figure out what was going on that I may have actually rushed through some of that glorious prose!

The reviewers' comparisons to Hillerman have got to stop. The both men are masters at what they do, and it's like arguing who paints the better picture, Monet or Renoir... They ought to be comparing Doss to some of these "but, Dahling, EVERYONE is reading it" authors and discover the difference between crafting a story and putting words on paper.

Can't wait for the next one!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book with style, verve, pathos, and humor to spare, December 14, 2006

By	Henry W. Wagner (Rockaway, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

At first dismissive when his Aunt Daisy describes her vivid dreams of a little girl with blood dripping from her hands, Ute tribal investigator Charlie Moon begins to take her visions more seriously after hearing of the murder of an elderly Nevada man, purportedly at the hands of Sarah Frank, a twelve year old Ute-Papago orphan whose father was Moon's childhood friend. Hoping to help the little girl, who has seemingly vanished into thin air, Charlie and his lover, FBI Special Agent Lila McTeague, travel from his ranch in Colorado to Nevada to investigate, little realizing that the fiercely independent Sarah has her own surprising agenda.

Stone Butterfly is thoroughly entertaining, thoroughly engrossing novel, brimming with vivid examples of the best and worst of humanity, and the best and worst in human nature. Doss is a sly, cunning, all knowing narrator, unafraid to let his characters look silly, or to let them come to harm. The result is an entirely unpredictable story, a book full of surprises, some which will shock, and others which bring some readers to tears. Stone Butterfly is potent stuff, a book with style, pathos, enthusiasm, and humor to spare.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stone Butterfly, March 24, 2007

By	V. Kennedy "book crazed" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Stone Butterfly tells a story of greed, murder and betrayal. Charlie Moon and his aunt become involved and things start to heat up. I kept wondering how it was going to end and I was in for a surprise when it did. I never caught the ever so subtle clues. I can't wait to read the next one!
I'm a fan of James Doss and love all the books he's written. Charlie Moon and his aunt Daisy are two of my all-time favorite characters. They are old friends I get to visit with every time Doss brings out a new novel in the Charlie Moon Series. The stories are full of humor as well as mystery and have yet to disappoint me.