Thank you Libro.fm / Recorded Books, partner for the ALC of Exposure and Berkley /PRH Audio, partner for the e-copy and ALC of Indian Burial Ground in exchange for my honest reviews. I purchased a print copy of Indian Burial Ground for my collection.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, November was Native American Heritage Month. I shared a stack of books I was hoping to get to and I’m here to share two of the ones I did. I’ll have another post up soon with two more books.
EXPOSURE by Ramona Emerson
Published: October 1, 2024, Soho Crime / Recorded Books
Summary:
In the follow-up to the National Book Award–longlisted Shutter, Navajo forensic photographer Rita Todacheene grapples with a fanatical serial killer—and the ghosts he leaves behind.
A dual-voice cat-and-mouse thriller, told from the points of view of a killer who has created his own deadly religion and the only person who can stop him, an embattled young detective who sees the ghosts of his Native victims.
In Gallup, New Mexico, where violent crime is five times the national average, a serial killer is operating unchecked, his targets indigent Native people whose murders are easily disguised as death by exposure on the frigid winter streets. He slips unnoticed through town, hidden in plain sight by his unassuming nature, while the voices in his head guide him toward a terrifying vision of glory. As the Gallup detectives struggle to put the pieces together, they consider calling in a controversial specialist to help.
Rita Todacheene, Albuquerque PD forensic photographer, is at a crisis point in her career. Her colleagues are watching her with suspicion after the recent revelation that she can see the ghosts of murder victims. Her unmanageable caseload is further complicated by the fact that half the department has blacklisted her for ratting out a corrupt fellow cop. And back home in Tohatchi on the Navajo reservation, Rita’s grandma is getting older. Maybe it’s time for her to leave policework behind entirely—if only the ghosts will let her.
My thoughts:
This is the follow-up to Shutter, which took me quite by surprise. We are back with Navajo forensic photographer Rita Todacheene and I love the originality of this storytelling. Rita can see and hear those who have departed before their time – this time she is seeing the victims of a serial killer. I’m not usually one for paranormal elements in my thrillers, but here it works. As dark as this book was, I could not put it down, especially as this time around we get the killer’s POV. I listened to this one and the narration was top-notch! It was the same narrator as the previous book, which I appreciated – Charley Flyte.
Books in this series:
- Shutter
- Exposure
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INDIAN BURIAL GROUND by Nick Medina
Published: April 16, 2024, Berkley / Penguin Audio
Summary:
A man lunges in front of a car. An elderly woman silently drowns herself. A corpse sits up in its coffin and speaks. On this reservation, not all is what it seems, in this new spine-chilling mythological horror from the author of Sisters of the Lost Nation.
All Noemi Broussard wanted was a fresh start. With a new boyfriend who actually treats her right and a plan to move from the reservation she grew up on—just like her beloved Uncle Louie before her—things are finally looking up for Noemi. Until the news of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide brings her world crumbling down.
But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects that something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands.
After over a decade away, Uncle Louie has returned to the reservation, bringing with him a past full of secrets, horror, and what might be the key to determining Roddy’s true cause of death. Together, Noemi and Louie set out to find answers…but as they get closer to the truth, Noemi begins to wonder whether it might be best for some secrets to remain buried.
My thoughts:
This is the 2nd book I’ve read by this author and one thing I’ve come to appreciate is the characters he writes. They just come alive on the pages and are so vivid that they tend to stay with you long after you finish the book. These characters have strong, distinct personalities which really make them stand out and that is so true with those we meet in this book. I became so invested in Noemi and Louie’s lives, & loved the dynamic between the two. I also appreciated the folklore that was woven throughout the story as generational trauma is touched upon and how it can have lasting effects. I alternated between the print and audio, as this worked best for me.
Have you read any Indigenous reads recently? Have you read either of these two books?
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