The Lost Bird

If you love crime fiction with a strong Native American element and you haven't read Margaret Coel's Wind River mysteries, I urge you to get your hands on them and start reading. (They're best read in order, so begin with The Eagle Catcher.) I learned about them while attending an author event in which Coel appeared with William Kent Krueger. I got the first book in the series, and I haven't looked back since.

Coel is a wonderful stylist. The Wyoming landscape, the history of the area, the characters, the mysteries, and the Arapaho culture are all woven into seamless narratives that are difficult to put down. Everything she writes has such a ring of truth to it, and so much heart that readers learn the Arapaho Way whether or not they show more realize it.

At the heart of The Lost Bird is a heartbreaking subject that's dealt with honestly and with great sensitivity. As the story unfolds so do more facets of the characters' lives. Father John and Vicky both have emotional revelations to deal with, and Father John also has a surprise visit from his niece Megan which will also cause him great soul-searching.

There are always many layers to these Wind River mysteries, but Coel is the type of writer who keeps a smooth pace while never wasting a word. It's taking me a while to get through this series, but that's my plan. I aim to savor each and every book... and to mourn when I finally read the last installment, Winter's Child. show less

It's probably not fair to jump into a series after four volumes and expect believable personal development and a real sense of place, but I do and I didn't find those qualities. What I found was a somewhat clumsy rough cut product for the tourist trade, not anything close to real craftsmanship. The mystery itself was interesting enough and completely heartbreaking, but the writing, well it could have used a lot of editing.

Coel's Wind River series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. In this installment, Father John and Attorney Vicky Holden, after his assistant Father Joseph is gunned down and a famous actress seeking her birth parents hires Vicky, uncover a black market adoption ring which operated years before. The year in question was 1964. The Arapaho remember it as the year all the babies died. As a librarian and genealogist, my favorite part of the book was when Vicky went to the library to research, even if the author did kind of poke fun at the genealogist who wondered when Vicky was going to be finished. However, the entire book and story, including the introduction of Father John's niece who comes to visit from Boston, held my attention. As show more usual I listened to the audio version read by Stephanie Brush. show less

I've enjoyed this series all along but this was one that will stick with me for a long time. The "why" of this mystery is like a punch in the gut and drives home the fact that people can hide behind a mask of goodness and be rotten to the core.

Father John's new assistant priest is the elderly Father Joseph, who was at St. Francis Mission many years ago. When he is shot and killed Father John wonders if he was the actual target and everyone else is wondering the same thing!

Vicky is back dealing with her conflicted feelings about Father John as well as ex-husband Ben. Father John gets another surprise when his niece Megan comes from New York City to visit. She also adds a layer of complication to the situation that is rapidly getting out show more of control.

I'm still behind in this series and will keep working my way through it but it will be hard to top this one for sheer power in a story line. show less

Complex and complicated, with a lot of moving parts. Old relationships, new relationships, past crimes and current ones all blended nicely into a fast paced story line.

Priest murdered, movie star finds Arapaho roots....good read with several diversions and moving parts. Wyoming landscape, the history, characters, mysteries, and Arapaho culture are all woven into the story. I'm into the series and looking for #6.

Another well written story in the Wind River series. A good read. More information is revealed about Father John. As with the other books in the series, is the insight into Arapaho culture.