The Spider's Web

July 19, 2010
The romantic tension between Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and Fr. John O'Malley remains strong but muted in Coel's solid 15th Wind River mystery (after 2009's The Silent Spirit). The murder of Ned Windsong, a troubled young man trying to get his life straight, leaves a trail of confusion and suspicion surrounding his jilted girlfriend, Roseanne Birdwoman; his white fiancée, Marcy Morrison; and thuggish friends Lionel Lookingglass and Dwayne Hawk on the Wind River (Wyoming) reservation. Father John provides refuge for Marcy and finds a hiding place for Roseanne, but he also has doubts about Marcy that anger Vicky, who thinks Marcy is targeted simply because she's an outsider. Meanwhile, Marcy's televangelist father hires Vicky to protect his daughter's interests. Coel concentrates on the lives and traditions of the Arapaho in a tale that breaks no new ground but should satisfy series fans.

July 15, 2010

An Arapaho attorney and a parish priest who often work together have different takes on a murder on the rez.

Ned Windsong's been in trouble in the past. But he moved back to the Wind River Reservation determined to straighten out his life. Now two troublemakers from the rez and his former girlfriend Roseanne Birdwoman have found him shot to death in the house he and his white girlfriend Marcy Morrison have been sharing. Marcy's wealthy, estranged evangelist father hires attorney Vicky Holden to protect his daughter's interests. Refusing the FBI offer of a safe house, Marcy continues her stay at the guest house at Father John O'Malley's mission. Despite being beaten and traumatized, she identifies the men who discovered the body as the killers, but it's obvious that she's hiding something. Naturally, the people of the reservation are quick to direct their suspicions at Marcy, the outsider. When Vicky and Father John dig into the past of Ned, Marcy and Roseanne, they find evidence of Marcy's drug use and bad relationships and Ned's links to a burglary ring in Jackson Hole. Although Vicky feels sorry for the neglected daughter, Father John has a bad feeling about her past. All their lives may be in danger until the killer is found.

Far from the best in Coel's Wind River series (The Silent Spirit, 2009, etc.), but still worth reading for its insights into modern reservation life.

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2010
When Ned Windsong, an Arapaho who recently returned to the Wind River Reservation, is murdered, the beautiful outsider Marcy Morrison, his fianc'e, identifies two Arapaho troublemakers as the killers. But despite that, Marcy feels she is a suspect herself and hires Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden. In addition, Father John OMalley agrees to let Marcy stay at the mission. Father John senses something off about Marcy, but there is no shortage of suspects, including Lionel and Dwayne, the troublemakers, and Neds old girlfriend, Roseanne Birdwoman. Father John and Vicky soon find that Ned was involved in a series of burglaries, and the two discover lies piled upon deceit as they try to find out who killed Ned. Coels fifteenth mystery set on the Wind River Reservation stands on its own, with enough background information about Father John and Vicky Holden to help new readers keep up. Coel also subtly works in Arapaho customs as well the social troubles facing those on the reservation, making for a meaty mystery.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)