DreadfulWater by Thomas King

DreadfulWater is the first in a mystery series by bestselling author Thomas King.

With wit and a fast-moving plot, this introduces Thumps DreadfulWater, a Cherokee ex-cop living in the Northwest US town of Chinook. Now retired, he takes up fine art photography, but can't help getting dragged into local mysteries - his California cop instincts tough to shed.

Buffalo Mountain Resort is a condo/casino complex (designed by Douglas Cardinal no less) under construction by the local Indian band. Touring the show suites, realtor Ora Mae finds a man in a chair, overlooking the million dollar views of the Rockies, shot dead. She calls Sheriff Hockney first, then Thumps, who has been acting as default crime scene photographer. One thing is clear, the Asian man was not killed there.

It's the Sherrif's case to solve, but Thumps can't help be involved as he knows everyone in the small town. Beth Mooney, the doctor and pathologist, in a relationship with Ora Mae; Cooley Small Elk, the resort security, and his brother Floyd, just out of jail. The main suspect seems Thumps' friend 'Stick' Merchant, rebellious son of Claire, the head of the tribal council and Thumps' lover. 'Stick' had been picketing the construction project, and is now missing. The dead man was inspecting the gaming systems of the casino, and both the President and Vice-President of Genesis Data Systems arrive, more worried about a computer virus than the murder.

Thumps is easy-going and makes his own schedule since retirement, his cat Freeway a good companion. He is a smart guy, but even by page 276 neither of us had a clue, and he was desperate for something straightforward. In true mystery novel style, King succeeds in holding off (after a few more attempts and murders) the reveal of the culprit until the very end. Thumps also has a tragic backstory through the series: the unsolved deaths of his girlfriend and her daughter in what they called the Obsidian Murders, and the reason he left the police force.

There are now 8 Dreadfulwater mysteries, perfect for a streaming series. More comic than dark, the crisp dialogue smoothly revolves around terrific characters.

Recommended for mystery fans and those who enjoy Indigenous writers.

Thomas King is a member of the Order of Canada, and won the Governor General's Award for his novel The Back of the Turtle. He is the author of An Inconvenient Indian and Green Grass, Running Water.

2002 / Tradeback / 448 pages