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Spirit Road Mystery #1
Death Along the Spirit Road
First in a new series featuring FBI agent Manny Tanno- a Native American returning to the reservation home he thought he left behind.
The body of local Native American land developer Jason Red Cloud is found on the site for his new resort on the Pine Ridge Reservation. A war club is lodged in his skull-appearing as if someone may have performed a ritual at the crime scene.
FBI Special Agent Manny Tanno arrives in Pine Ridge to find that not everything has changed since he left. His former rival, now in charge of the Tribal Police, is just as bitter as ever, and has no intention of making Manny's life easy. And the spirit of Red Cloud haunting Manny's dreams is not much help either, leaving him on his own in hunting down a cold-blooded killer-and one misstep could send him down the spirit road as well..
The body of local Native American land developer Jason Red Cloud is found on the site for his new resort on the Pine Ridge Reservation. A war club is lodged in his skull-appearing as if someone may have performed a ritual at the crime scene.
FBI Special Agent Manny Tanno arrives in Pine Ridge to find that not everything has changed since he left. His former rival, now in charge of the Tribal Police, is just as bitter as ever, and has no intention of making Manny's life easy. And the spirit of Red Cloud haunting Manny's dreams is not much help either, leaving him on his own in hunting down a cold-blooded killer-and one misstep could send him down the spirit road as well..
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
28 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
C.M. Wendelboe
19Ìýbooks55ÌýfollowersCurt M. Wendelboe entered the law enforcement profession when he was discharged from the Marines as the Vietnam war was winding down.
In the 1970s he worked in South Dakota towns bordering three Indian reservations. He spent the initial one-third of his career working the streets as well as assisting federal and tribal law enforcement agencies embroiled in conflicts with American Indian Movement activists in other towns and on other reservations, including Pine Ridge.
He moved to Gillette, Wyoming, and found his niche, where he remained a sheriff’s deputy for over twenty-five years. In addition, he was a longtime firearms instructor with his agency, as well as an instructor at the local college and within the community.
He had served successful stints as police chief, tactical team member, and other supervisory roles for several agencies during his thirty-eight year career in law enforcement—yet he always has felt most proud of “working the street.� He was a patrol supervisor when he retired to pursue his vocation as a writer.
Wendelboe now revisits the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations for research and recreation. He lives within a morning’s drive of Devils Tower, Bear Butte, the Black Hills, and the Badlands—“tourist sites� that are sacred places to the Lakota people. The distance of geography and expanse of time has accorded him an appreciation of their culture and spirituality. His developing awareness of their diverse perspectives on historical and contemporary issues is reflected in the themes of his Spirit Road Mysteries.
In the 1970s he worked in South Dakota towns bordering three Indian reservations. He spent the initial one-third of his career working the streets as well as assisting federal and tribal law enforcement agencies embroiled in conflicts with American Indian Movement activists in other towns and on other reservations, including Pine Ridge.
He moved to Gillette, Wyoming, and found his niche, where he remained a sheriff’s deputy for over twenty-five years. In addition, he was a longtime firearms instructor with his agency, as well as an instructor at the local college and within the community.
He had served successful stints as police chief, tactical team member, and other supervisory roles for several agencies during his thirty-eight year career in law enforcement—yet he always has felt most proud of “working the street.� He was a patrol supervisor when he retired to pursue his vocation as a writer.
Wendelboe now revisits the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations for research and recreation. He lives within a morning’s drive of Devils Tower, Bear Butte, the Black Hills, and the Badlands—“tourist sites� that are sacred places to the Lakota people. The distance of geography and expanse of time has accorded him an appreciation of their culture and spirituality. His developing awareness of their diverse perspectives on historical and contemporary issues is reflected in the themes of his Spirit Road Mysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
August 19, 2016
I enjoyed reading this library book and give it 4 out of 5 stars. It is the first in a series featuring Manny Tanno, a Native American from the Lakota tribe, Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota.
Manny is now an FBI agent instructor at the FBI academy at Quantico. His boss orders him to go back to Pine Ridge to investigate a murder on the Reservation, which he does not want to do--too many bad memories of violence during the AIM(American Indian Movement) takeover of the Reservation.
Militant Indians on the Rez hate him and call him "Apple Indian-Red on the outside and White on the inside." The murdered man was Jason Red Cloud, a high flying developer putting together an impressive money making building project on the Rez. There were several suspects and twists and turns in the plot. Manny does solve the case, but he is attacked and almost killed several times. You have to suspend belief in reality a bit as he keeps leaving the hospital against doctor's orders while still recovering.
The author has done a very good job of portraying Lakota beliefs and traditions, reminding me of Tony Hillerman and Craig Johnson. He acknowledges Johnson as a mentor. The author is a Sheriff's deputy in Wyoming. He previously worked in South Dakota towns bordering Pine Ridge Reservation. I am counting this for South Dakota in my US state challenge.
Some quotes: "If eye candy were real calories, Manny could get fat just watching her."
"...the specter in his vision was a wandering soul, destined to roam eternity, destined never to find the Spirit Road without Manny's help."
Manny is now an FBI agent instructor at the FBI academy at Quantico. His boss orders him to go back to Pine Ridge to investigate a murder on the Reservation, which he does not want to do--too many bad memories of violence during the AIM(American Indian Movement) takeover of the Reservation.
Militant Indians on the Rez hate him and call him "Apple Indian-Red on the outside and White on the inside." The murdered man was Jason Red Cloud, a high flying developer putting together an impressive money making building project on the Rez. There were several suspects and twists and turns in the plot. Manny does solve the case, but he is attacked and almost killed several times. You have to suspend belief in reality a bit as he keeps leaving the hospital against doctor's orders while still recovering.
The author has done a very good job of portraying Lakota beliefs and traditions, reminding me of Tony Hillerman and Craig Johnson. He acknowledges Johnson as a mentor. The author is a Sheriff's deputy in Wyoming. He previously worked in South Dakota towns bordering Pine Ridge Reservation. I am counting this for South Dakota in my US state challenge.
Some quotes: "If eye candy were real calories, Manny could get fat just watching her."
"...the specter in his vision was a wandering soul, destined to roam eternity, destined never to find the Spirit Road without Manny's help."
December 28, 2015
A FBI agent who is also a Dakota Indian is choosen to investigate a murder. It is the Reservation he grew up on, and fled from years ago. There is a good amount of soul searching, along with solving the murder. I liked Manny because he is not the stereotypical agent. The mystery and Lakota history lessons kept me going.Another State off my Challenge: South Dakota
March 16, 2013
Death Along the Spirit Road is as much a novel of self re-discovery for FBI agen Manny Tanno as it is a murder mystery. Wendelboe delves deep into Native lore and the current state of the American Indian as he does in the lives of his characters.
A well written and stunning debut into this genre.
A well written and stunning debut into this genre.
August 19, 2022
I was hooked from the start! FBI Special Agent Manny Tanno is sent to the Pine Ridge Reservation to investigate the death of Jason Red Cloud. Reluctant, he has avoided his homeland for 18 years until his boss, Niles, forces his hand. Agent Tanno, formerly an Oglala Sioux tribal cop, has to conduct the inquiry with rival colleague Lumpy who’s jealous of the “living legend.� It’s not easy. Family members with a complicated history and tribal members distrustful of federal authorities make the investigation all that more challenging.
This book has plenty of action, and Wendelboe’s intimate knowledge of the landscape and crime investigation reflects his experience in federal and tribal law enforcement. The writing style is crisp, loops you in, and keeps you wanting to read. I also enjoyed the references to the Lakota language and culture, perhaps learning a bit more of the struggles of those living on these native lands.
Highly recommend.
This book has plenty of action, and Wendelboe’s intimate knowledge of the landscape and crime investigation reflects his experience in federal and tribal law enforcement. The writing style is crisp, loops you in, and keeps you wanting to read. I also enjoyed the references to the Lakota language and culture, perhaps learning a bit more of the struggles of those living on these native lands.
Highly recommend.
June 12, 2011
Manny Tanno is a piece of work. He’s an FBI agent sent back to his roots to work on a murder investigation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Wyoming. There’s plenty of work to do and Manny digs right in. It’s not long before he’s stirred the bees off the nest and he gets repeatedly stung, battered, bruised and beaten. To sort things out, he likes to go out for a jog and “enter his zone, where thoughts came fast at him like arrows on steroids. The zone slowed down those arrows just enough that he could catch each one and analyze it.�
Front and center in the investigation is Manny’s brother, Reuben. Reuben has his own troubled past and it’s just not clear if Manny has managed to stay out of trouble. Manny has his doubts, but also his soft side. But the overriding concern for Manny is to do good work and to sort out his relationship with the tribe, with his heritage. “The FBI had hired him, trained him, and made him one of the nation’s premier investigators. He had given back far more than he had received, however, and had forsaken his heritage for his position. Duty wasn’t one of the four Lakota virtues. Even before he thought of excuses not to maintain his loyalty to the bureau, he had his answer: Uncle Marion. Duty, Unc told him, was as important as the traditional virtues. Duty is what kept a man walking when he should be crawling, crawling when he should be lying on his deathbed. Generosity, fortitude, bravery, and wisdom were the four Lakota virtues. Duty was Manny’s virtue.�
It’s the undertow to Manny Tanno’s character that gives “Death Along the Spirit Road� its high level of readability. Along the way, Wendelboe weaves in plenty of insights into reservation culture and language; it’s no wonder Margaret Coel offered a ringing endorsement. The plot bobs and weaves nicely at the end. Suspects emerge, fade and � well, I won’t say. Don’t overlook any detail in the opening scenes as characters are introduced and the layout is described. A rich, satisfying story.
Front and center in the investigation is Manny’s brother, Reuben. Reuben has his own troubled past and it’s just not clear if Manny has managed to stay out of trouble. Manny has his doubts, but also his soft side. But the overriding concern for Manny is to do good work and to sort out his relationship with the tribe, with his heritage. “The FBI had hired him, trained him, and made him one of the nation’s premier investigators. He had given back far more than he had received, however, and had forsaken his heritage for his position. Duty wasn’t one of the four Lakota virtues. Even before he thought of excuses not to maintain his loyalty to the bureau, he had his answer: Uncle Marion. Duty, Unc told him, was as important as the traditional virtues. Duty is what kept a man walking when he should be crawling, crawling when he should be lying on his deathbed. Generosity, fortitude, bravery, and wisdom were the four Lakota virtues. Duty was Manny’s virtue.�
It’s the undertow to Manny Tanno’s character that gives “Death Along the Spirit Road� its high level of readability. Along the way, Wendelboe weaves in plenty of insights into reservation culture and language; it’s no wonder Margaret Coel offered a ringing endorsement. The plot bobs and weaves nicely at the end. Suspects emerge, fade and � well, I won’t say. Don’t overlook any detail in the opening scenes as characters are introduced and the layout is described. A rich, satisfying story.
October 16, 2011
I'll admit that, let to my own devices, this book would have never hit my radar. But I recently had the opportunity to meet this author at a trade show, and talk to him about the mystery series he was writing, and I was hooked. This is the first book in a series (Spirit Road Mysteries; the next comes out in Summer 2012) and it's sets a pace for the series that is bound to be a hit with Tony Hillerman or Margaret Coel fans, and really any mystery reader who likes a little bit of
grizzle and humor in their heroes.
Manny Tanno grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He stayed for awhile, becoming part of the tribal police force, before moving on and east to the FBI where he gained fame by solving every murder case that came his way. While he'd often worked on other cases involving Native
Americans, this was first time he'd been sent to his old stomping grounds as an agent. As he suspected, his welcome was a rather cold one that quickly becomes brutal has he is attacked over and over again(and sets a record for demolishing Hertz rental cars). But the most painful part is the fact that the killer that he is looking for just might be is own estranged brother.
Wendelboe knows about what he speaks--he's a retired law man who worked in an area of South Dakota that covered three reservations,including Pine Ridge. His explanations, and his clear respect, of
native lore and beliefs add a depth to the book that makes it rise above being a "mere" mystery. Step into the world of Manny Tanno--I truly think you'll enjoy the trip.
grizzle and humor in their heroes.
Manny Tanno grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He stayed for awhile, becoming part of the tribal police force, before moving on and east to the FBI where he gained fame by solving every murder case that came his way. While he'd often worked on other cases involving Native
Americans, this was first time he'd been sent to his old stomping grounds as an agent. As he suspected, his welcome was a rather cold one that quickly becomes brutal has he is attacked over and over again(and sets a record for demolishing Hertz rental cars). But the most painful part is the fact that the killer that he is looking for just might be is own estranged brother.
Wendelboe knows about what he speaks--he's a retired law man who worked in an area of South Dakota that covered three reservations,including Pine Ridge. His explanations, and his clear respect, of
native lore and beliefs add a depth to the book that makes it rise above being a "mere" mystery. Step into the world of Manny Tanno--I truly think you'll enjoy the trip.
August 11, 2012
I like Native American mysteries...and this was no exception. While I still prefer Hillerman and Doss, I will continue to read others in this series and see how it progresses.
The inclusion of Native American traditions and customs adds an extra appeal to the story. The protagonist here is Manny Tanno, a Lakota FBI agent. Very good at what he does, but don't lend him your car! While not quite as rough on vehicles as the infamous Stephanie Plum, he does go through 3 rental cars in this outing.
Tanno is sent back to his home reservation to solve a murder. He is not happy about being back there, and meets with some resistance from the head of the tribal police (yes, they do have a history!). Although I was able to spot the killer early on, the characters and the writing made this quite enjoyable.
Definitely an author that fans of Native American/Western crime series should try.
The inclusion of Native American traditions and customs adds an extra appeal to the story. The protagonist here is Manny Tanno, a Lakota FBI agent. Very good at what he does, but don't lend him your car! While not quite as rough on vehicles as the infamous Stephanie Plum, he does go through 3 rental cars in this outing.
Tanno is sent back to his home reservation to solve a murder. He is not happy about being back there, and meets with some resistance from the head of the tribal police (yes, they do have a history!). Although I was able to spot the killer early on, the characters and the writing made this quite enjoyable.
Definitely an author that fans of Native American/Western crime series should try.
Read
April 22, 2011FBI agent Manny Tamno thought he had left Pine Ridge reservation but now he is assigned to investigate the murder of a native Land Developer Jason Red Cloud. This story takes place on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with trips to White Clay & Rapid City. Wendelobe looks a life on the Reservation and the life styles of the residents without being preachy. He also explores the religion and the values of the Lakota Sioux and the mixing of the Lakota and Christian religions.
The story was good and in some ways reminded me of Hillerman's writings.
The story was good and in some ways reminded me of Hillerman's writings.
March 9, 2013
I struggled with this book; could not maintain interest in the story. The story developed slowly and character development was minimal. I wanted to like this book because I have read others of this type and really enjoyed them. The use of native Lakota words in this book was not effective. At times I found myself wanting a Glossary so I could look up the meanings. Also, there was no sense of life on Pine Ridge Reservation nor of the Lakota spirit and lifestyle.
Disappointing.
Disappointing.
April 4, 2013
I think the thing I like most about this book is the setting. I can't say I really got into the characters or writing - the story is plot driven and I hope that the writing improves as the series progresses. At times, it felt like the author was trying too hard to give a history lesson rather than just telling this story. I was mildly surprised by part of the ending, but most of it was rather predictable.
June 25, 2012
...paint pony that had been hobbled to allow it to graze. It was so tired from the hard ride here that it hung its head in shame. Assuming a pony could feel shame, why would it after being ridden hard? Disjointed with an unsatisfying ending.
September 5, 2022
A very entertaining read. I look forward to reading the other books in the Spirit Road series. Wendelboe introduces us to FBI Agent Manny Tanno, who grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation, became a tribal police officer and then joined the FBI. Tanno has been sent back to solve the murder of Jason Red Cloud even though he wants nothing to do with his old home. We get to meet a host of colorful characters from "Lumpy" Looks Twice to Willie With Horn and Rueben Tanno (Manny's brother) along with a few others. The characters are fleshed out very nicely and add a lot to the story. (I hope they are in the other books as well.) As he attempts to solve the murder, Manny begins to reconnect with his Oglala roots and learns that maybe he shouldn't be in such a hurry to forget the "old ways". The ending of the book was a bit of a shocker, but it was a good ending. My only complaints are that he repeats little things quite often (the coffee pots filled with stale coffee, how many times Manny reaches for the pack of cigarettes that he no longer carries, etc....) Overall it is a good book filled with some good history mixed into the story. I highly recommend this to mystery lovers and history lovers.
July 22, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I finished it very quickly. It reminds me a little of Tony Hillerman books although the writing isn't quite as concise. The author may have tried to get all of his side stories started in this one book and he could have paced himself a little. I also had a little trouble with the fact that ALL the women in the book were aggressively attracted to the main character and his description didn't really warrant the attention. But I really appreciated that it was pretty much non stop action making it very easy to read. I would pick up the rest of the series if i come across it.
May 19, 2022
3.5 stars. The first of a new series reminiscent of Craig Johnson and CJ Box. This series is set in Pine Ridge, SD: notoriously the most impoverished Indian reservation in the US. Manny Tanno is an FBI agent assigned to solve a murder on the Rez; his home from decades ago in which he thought he’d never return. Good series; I’ll continue.
December 24, 2022
Pretty good who-done-it set on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota that reminded me (a bit) of the Leaphorn & Chee novels by Tony Hillerman. This author has definitely spent some time in the area, though. His descriptions of locale & fact based backgrounds are spot on. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
August 12, 2017
Great mystery. I realty didn't have it figured out until the end. The characters are a little bit flat. Even the protagonist, Manny, seems pretty simplistic in his motivations - no Joe Leaphorn for sure.
April 30, 2020
If you like reading the old west books of t.hillerman and louis l'armour you will enjoy this book in so many ways tanno is one good fbi cop solveing crime on the res really liked this book never read anything by c.m.wendelboe before this book look forward to reading alot more from this guy
June 20, 2017
very good, couldn't put it down!
September 23, 2021
I really liked this story and will be continuing with the series.
Want to read
May 20, 2022[from Gail]
December 1, 2022
DNF pg.56, 18%; I was interested until the male author described a female character’s scent as her “essence.� Mentally clocked out after that sentence and knew I’d never be able to clock back in.
December 29, 2022
Too slow off the block.
February 26, 2023
Appreciated AIM history. Writing felt clunky at times, especially of women characters. Would read more in the series.
May 2, 2023
Not bad who done it involving former AIM members. Seemed historically accurate regarding Custer siege and Alcatraz takeover in the 70s.
May 3, 2023
A decent Native American thriller. I won't put the author up there with Tony Hillerman quite yet but this book was good enough to read more of his work.
June 9, 2024
Good story
September 27, 2018
There are a better mysteries to read.
January 2, 2015
It took me three tries to read this, not because it was bad by any means but because it brought up emotions I didn’t think I would feel this strongly about. I did my medical residency on Pine Ridge reservation (in part) and left South Dakota full of promise and anticipation of my medical career only to have it ended by injury in five years. I look back on Pine Ridge and remember all that and I thought I was over it until this brought it up. This evokes a fairly good sense of the reservation. I shopped at Big Bat’s convenience store and when Prairie Edge comes into it (Up in Rapid City) I struggled (I was taught to weave beads by my Lakota patients and bought them here. I still have many hanks, unable to do that any more but unable to part with them).
I did struggle with what to star this. 3.5 is about right but I upgraded it because I did like it a lot (though some of it bugged me). Manny Tanno is a 50ish FBI agent whose boss (who apparently dislikes him and I hate that cop trope) has sent him to Pine Ridge to solve the homicide of Jason Red Clouds and only gives him a few weeks to get it done or he’s giving away Manny’s teaching position at the academy (this is part of what bugged me).
Manny has to work with “Lumpy� an old high school rival who also hates him. Lumpy assigns him Willie With Horn, a young tribal cop whose Aunt Lizzy is Manny’s sister in law. She was married to his brother, Reuben, who spent 20 years in jail for killing Billy Two Moons years before. They have a daughter, Erica, who is Harvard educated working with Jason as is her mother, Elizabeth (Lizzy). Reuben and Elizabeth were part of A.I.M. in the 60s and a lot like the Black Panthers, they had good ideals but overly violent if not murderous ways of working toward them.
Either I missed it or it was just a bit of poor writing, but I have no idea why Manny instantly hones in on his brother for the murder of Jason. In fact he really doesn’t try to develop any other suspects though does find some later as multiple attempts on Manny’s life happen. Reuben is out of jail and is now a wicasa Wakan, a holy man and has a bunch of juvenile delinquents working for him dosing brick laying.
Jason was trying to build a resort uncomfortably close to Wounded Knee (another thing that evoked memories for me). With him dead, the tribe stands to lose millions. However, as Manny begins to investigate he does learn that his family is really intertwined with Jason. (but he suspected Reuben before he learned this which annoyed me). Elizabeth had argued with him and thinks his personal assistant, Clara, is inept.
One thing that really did annoy me was the women. Manny is 50 something, getting paunchy and bald but three women are throwing themselves at him. Two make sense. Sophia is a reporter looking for an exclusive, Desiree is a former would-be girlfriend who married and divorced Lumpy and Clara who makes no sense (I thought she was a suspect). In fact, Manny is so unprofessional with her, ignoring his sister in law’s warning about her, never even thinking about them after he meets Clara, and he tells her more than she tells him. It comes off as middle-aged man fantasy and drags down the whole story. If there had been any more of it my star rating would be lower.
I enjoyed it. I was a bit disappointed with the end. It brought up memories, good and bad for me.
I did struggle with what to star this. 3.5 is about right but I upgraded it because I did like it a lot (though some of it bugged me). Manny Tanno is a 50ish FBI agent whose boss (who apparently dislikes him and I hate that cop trope) has sent him to Pine Ridge to solve the homicide of Jason Red Clouds and only gives him a few weeks to get it done or he’s giving away Manny’s teaching position at the academy (this is part of what bugged me).
Manny has to work with “Lumpy� an old high school rival who also hates him. Lumpy assigns him Willie With Horn, a young tribal cop whose Aunt Lizzy is Manny’s sister in law. She was married to his brother, Reuben, who spent 20 years in jail for killing Billy Two Moons years before. They have a daughter, Erica, who is Harvard educated working with Jason as is her mother, Elizabeth (Lizzy). Reuben and Elizabeth were part of A.I.M. in the 60s and a lot like the Black Panthers, they had good ideals but overly violent if not murderous ways of working toward them.
Either I missed it or it was just a bit of poor writing, but I have no idea why Manny instantly hones in on his brother for the murder of Jason. In fact he really doesn’t try to develop any other suspects though does find some later as multiple attempts on Manny’s life happen. Reuben is out of jail and is now a wicasa Wakan, a holy man and has a bunch of juvenile delinquents working for him dosing brick laying.
Jason was trying to build a resort uncomfortably close to Wounded Knee (another thing that evoked memories for me). With him dead, the tribe stands to lose millions. However, as Manny begins to investigate he does learn that his family is really intertwined with Jason. (but he suspected Reuben before he learned this which annoyed me). Elizabeth had argued with him and thinks his personal assistant, Clara, is inept.
One thing that really did annoy me was the women. Manny is 50 something, getting paunchy and bald but three women are throwing themselves at him. Two make sense. Sophia is a reporter looking for an exclusive, Desiree is a former would-be girlfriend who married and divorced Lumpy and Clara who makes no sense (I thought she was a suspect). In fact, Manny is so unprofessional with her, ignoring his sister in law’s warning about her, never even thinking about them after he meets Clara, and he tells her more than she tells him. It comes off as middle-aged man fantasy and drags down the whole story. If there had been any more of it my star rating would be lower.
I enjoyed it. I was a bit disappointed with the end. It brought up memories, good and bad for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2011
Being a fan of such mystery writers as Craig Johnson, Patrick F. McManus, and Peter Bowen, it's easy to see that I like crime fiction with a strong sense of the western United States. I also enjoy mysteries with a strong Native American element, so when I found Death Along the Spirit Road while browsing in a bookstore, I knew I had to bring it home with me. It was the right decision.
The residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation inhabit the poorest county in the US, and Wendelboe captures the bleakness and despair. There are so many undercurrents-- both historic and personal-- the Massacre at Wounded Knee, the American Indian Movement, distrust of the FBI, alcoholism, joblessness, Manny's own background.... Manny and his brother Reuben went to live with their uncle when their parents died. Manny idolized his older brother, who became involved in AIM and was eventually found guilty of murder and sent to prison. Reuben is now a free man living on the reservation, and along with the murder of Jason Red Cloud, Manny intends to find some way to prove that Reuben is innocent. As you can see, Wendelboe has sunk the shaft of his pen deep into ore-rich ground.
Manny Tanno is self-deprecating, but don't let that fool you. The man knows what he's doing and has a keen eye for detail. He also counts on his appearance to give him an edge: "It was his plainness that dropped people's guard. His plainness allowed them to trust him even when they shouldn't, and people often trusted him with that small piece of information that would convict them." With so much animosity towards him, it's often difficult to tell if the cooperative people are telling everything they know, or if they're holding back vital information. I found that all this ill will and the reasons behind it made the mystery even more intriguing.
From what I've said so far, most of you are probably thinking that this mystery may be too dark and depressing for you. Think again. There are bright spots of laugh-out-loud humor throughout the book. In fact, I think I've finally found a character who's worse on cars than Stephanie Plum. Yes, if you work for a car rental place and Manny Tanno signs on the dotted line, you may as well kiss that vehicle goodbye. When he gets into yet another rental car and reads the note left for him, I cracked up laughing.
If you enjoy mysteries with a strong main character, humor, and brain-teasing plots as well as ones set in the West or ones with a strong Native American element, you can get all those and more by picking up C.M. Wendelboe's Death Along the Spirit Road.
The residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation inhabit the poorest county in the US, and Wendelboe captures the bleakness and despair. There are so many undercurrents-- both historic and personal-- the Massacre at Wounded Knee, the American Indian Movement, distrust of the FBI, alcoholism, joblessness, Manny's own background.... Manny and his brother Reuben went to live with their uncle when their parents died. Manny idolized his older brother, who became involved in AIM and was eventually found guilty of murder and sent to prison. Reuben is now a free man living on the reservation, and along with the murder of Jason Red Cloud, Manny intends to find some way to prove that Reuben is innocent. As you can see, Wendelboe has sunk the shaft of his pen deep into ore-rich ground.
Manny Tanno is self-deprecating, but don't let that fool you. The man knows what he's doing and has a keen eye for detail. He also counts on his appearance to give him an edge: "It was his plainness that dropped people's guard. His plainness allowed them to trust him even when they shouldn't, and people often trusted him with that small piece of information that would convict them." With so much animosity towards him, it's often difficult to tell if the cooperative people are telling everything they know, or if they're holding back vital information. I found that all this ill will and the reasons behind it made the mystery even more intriguing.
From what I've said so far, most of you are probably thinking that this mystery may be too dark and depressing for you. Think again. There are bright spots of laugh-out-loud humor throughout the book. In fact, I think I've finally found a character who's worse on cars than Stephanie Plum. Yes, if you work for a car rental place and Manny Tanno signs on the dotted line, you may as well kiss that vehicle goodbye. When he gets into yet another rental car and reads the note left for him, I cracked up laughing.
If you enjoy mysteries with a strong main character, humor, and brain-teasing plots as well as ones set in the West or ones with a strong Native American element, you can get all those and more by picking up C.M. Wendelboe's Death Along the Spirit Road.
March 7, 2011
The body of local Native American land developer Jason Red Cloud is found on the site for his new resort on the Pine Ridge Reservation. A war club is lodged in his skull-appearing as if someone may have performed a ritual at the crime scene.
The mystery in this book is followed closely by a sense of drama becuase the FBI agent has some unfinished buiseness on this reservation and it spirals out of control when he returns. The questioning of the witnesses and the suspects are very relatable to life experiences and for some reason I could always tell when someone was lying because the tone of voice was very descriptive. Th overall expression i got of this book was that a boy left his home town because of a bully and came back as an FBI agent to solve his disputes. The FBI agent character is very strong and manly and he scared most of the citezins on this reservation. The imagery in this book makes you feel like you are really there finding clues to this murder along side the FBI agents. This book could be read by younger readers but it is probably best for only young adults.
The mystery in this book is followed closely by a sense of drama becuase the FBI agent has some unfinished buiseness on this reservation and it spirals out of control when he returns. The questioning of the witnesses and the suspects are very relatable to life experiences and for some reason I could always tell when someone was lying because the tone of voice was very descriptive. Th overall expression i got of this book was that a boy left his home town because of a bully and came back as an FBI agent to solve his disputes. The FBI agent character is very strong and manly and he scared most of the citezins on this reservation. The imagery in this book makes you feel like you are really there finding clues to this murder along side the FBI agents. This book could be read by younger readers but it is probably best for only young adults.
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