Cold Skies by Thomas King

In this third DreadfulWater mystery from Thomas King, Cherokee landscape photographer Thumps DreadfulWater is again recruited as Acting Sheriff of Chinook, whether he likes it or not. He was once a cop in California and still feels the looming specter of The Obsidian Murders, a serial-killer case which upended his life.

A man is found dead in a rental car at the airport, but when they arrive, the car is gone. The man is found later at his motel, shot dead. Part of Orion Technologies, which is mapping the Blackfoot aquifer, he was in town for a Water Rights conference.

It's soon discovered the technology can also detect oil and gas, making it valuable enough to kill for. When his partner turns up shot dead as well, attention is drawn to the other players in the fight for water commodification. Wealthy Boomer Austin is also in town to acquire the technology (under local protests) with his sidekick Cisco, and Jayme, a journalist looking for a story. Tribal land rights have been in place since 1902, but all of that is changing.

All the characters return, and if you haven't met them yet, it's beneficial to have read the first two mysteries: reluctant detective Thumps; his girlfriend Claire, elected tribal chief; her computer-whiz son Stanley; County Coroner Beth and her girlfriend Ora Mae; Sheriff Hockney; bookstore owner Archie and diner owner Alvera; Cooley Small Elk and Moses Blood. For this is driven mainly by the characters and atmosphere, against a laid-back backdrop of murder. When the plot deals as much with Claire's health and Thumps' newly discovered diabetes as with who is continuing to kill—indeed, the killer may also be a notorious serial killer—it feels the setting may not be enough to keep this mystery afloat. Murderers will come and go, but your community will remain. It's always nice to spend time in Chinook, but not a recommended mystery.

Thomas King has written eight in the DreadfulWater series, originally under the name Hartley GoodWeather, with another reported to be awaiting publication.

2018 / Tradeback / 456 pages

My other reviews for Thomas King:

DreadfulWater (DreadfulWater #1)

The Red Power Murders (DreadfulWater #2)

Aliens On The Moon