Review: Murder on the Red Cliff Rez

The Red Cliff Reservation in Wisconsin does not have a lot of crime so Police Chief David Lameraux finds himself a bit out of depth when the unpopular Tribal Attorney Judah Boiseneau is found murdered. The chief suspect is Benny Peliquin cousin to the victim and also known to be having an affair with Boiseneaus wife. Lamerauxs problem is that Benny has lost himself in the reservation lands and he knows how to stay lost. He resorts to calling in Karen Tracker Charboneau, his ex-girlfriend and the best tracker on the reservation; trained by Benny himself. Tracker doesnt believe for a second that Benny is responsible and she has problems of her own. Her Uncle Bert, a hermit of sorts, is missing and Tracker feels that her commitment should be to finding him and not wasting her time looking for Benny.

This isnt a simple murder mystery. Lameraux, Tracker, and Sheriffs Deputy Michael Bjorke are drawn into a greater crime as they discover that revered Tribal land has been destroyed. The illegal logging operation horrifies even Bjorke and gives the team new resolve to find the criminals. The destruction ties into the murder and new suspects emerge on the reservation and from outside it. The three team up with Benny in order to ferret out who is responsible for the damage and stop it from continuing. The crime is complicated yet again by another murder and it takes the skill of all of them to finally untangle the motives of all involved.

Mardi Oakley Medawar lives on the reservation and brings her love of the land and its people to this amazing new Police Procedural series. She gives us a realistic portrayal of tribal life, emotions, and concerns as well as an inside look into how a reservation works. The mannerisms and the language of the Chippewa people are portrayed with stunning accuracy that could only come from someone on the inside. I am looking forward to revisiting the sexually charged relationship of the protagonists Tracker and David. The dialogue between the two is insightful and oft times bitter- sweet and will have the reader rooting for their reunion. This book was very well written and I had problems putting it down. Lets hope the next instalment arrives soon.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Jaynie - Australia

Book Review: Murder on the Red Cliff Rez