Dead Soul
A Charlie Moon Mystery
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
When tribal chairman Oscar Sweetwater asks Charlie Moon to look into the murder of a fellow Ute, Billy Smoke, Charlie agrees, but he doesn't expect to find anything. After all, Billy's boss, U.S. Senator Patch Davidson, nearly died in the ambush that night, too, so the FBI handled the investigation and it's still unsolved. The senator does happen to be Charlie's neighbor, though-their ranches share a fence line-so maybe the senator will be more forthcoming with him than he was with the FBI.
Meanwhile, Charlie's aunt Daisy, an elderly tribal shaman whose visions are looked upon by Charlie with skepticism even when they ring true, has seen a woman desperate for Charlie's help. Daisy begins to badger Charlie to look for her, even though she can't tell him her name, where to look, or why she's in trouble.
All in all, it's shaping up to be another season in which the gentleman rancher spends more time being a reluctant investigator than working on his ranch, helping with the cattle or in the hunt for Two-toes, the bobcat who's been sneaking up on his men at work. And truth be told, he'd rather go after the cat, who doesn't seem as dangerous as Senator Davidson's enemies or Billy Smoke's "business" connections.
James Doss's novels are consistently acclaimed for their combination of tight, suspenseful plotting and lyrical, authentic rendering of Native American themes and images, and Dead Soul is no exception.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A dash of humor and a sprinkling of romance season Doss's eighth Charlie Moon mystery (after 2002's White Shell Woman). The part-time Ute tribal investigator and full-time rancher looks into the death of fellow tribesman Billy Smoke, murdered during an assault that left Billy's high-profile employer, Senator Patch Davidson, permanently crippled. An explosion at a new airport adds to the body count. Meanwhile, Charlie's acid-tongued Aunt Daisy, a shaman and tribal elder, pulls Charlie into more intrigue when her otherworldly visions focus on a missing red-haired campus policewoman. Allan Pearson, Patch's spoiled orphaned nephew, is hiding more than his own insecurity behind his mask of arrogance, while Miss James, Patch's beautiful assistant, seems to be Charlie's fatal attraction. And ranch foreman Henry Buford, formerly with the Defense Intelligence Agency, is clearly a man who would take or give a bullet to defend those who trust him. Despite his good nature and gentle heart, Charlie winds up in plenty of skirmishes, including a slugfest with Half-Ton, a mammoth biker whose entourage later returns with a vengeance. But these guys are the least of his worries. If the killing is ever to stop, Moon must send a certain "dead soul" to his rest.
Customer Reviews
Dead Soul
I am now a big fan of James Doss. If you like mysteries, then you will love Dead Soul. The author spins a tail with amazing detail. I actually felt like I was in Granite Creek and on the Columbine Ranch. Just a great read.