The Silent Spirit

By: Margaret Coel

Narrated by: Henry Strozier

Margaret Coel’s spellbinding Wind River mysteries have long celebrated the spirit of the American West. When Kiki Wallowingbull is found dead on the reservation, all signs point to a drug deal gone wrong. Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden and Jesuit priest Father John O’Malley begin an investigation into the murder, but soon find themselves spiraling toward a deadly world of drugs and deceit.

©2009 Margaret Coel (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Settling Old Scores

With Father John O’Malley just back from his sabbatical and Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden, working in partnership with Adam Lone Eagle, it looks as though the two will not resume their old friendship. That is until Kiki Wallowingbull is found dead, from what authorities are calling a drug overdose. Kiki's grandfather swears that the young Arapaho was clean and starting over. Father O'Malley isn't so sure. Then Vicky starts getting frightening phone calls from a killer. She tries to ignore them, only to end up in danger, and in a major tiff with her boyfriend and partner, Adam Lone Eagle. But Vicky is her own person, not the young and naïve girl she had been when she had married a man who turned out to abuse her. And it isn't long until both she and Father John O'Malley are looking into the death of Kiki Wallowingbull. The history of the first silent western, The Covered Wagon and the treatment of the Indians who worked for the movie industry is very interesting . . . and heartbreaking. Excellent story and an ending well worth the wait.

slow plot, plot holes good story

takes forever to unfold, author needed to stop repeating things already known to the reader an edit down the length. Not enough about Arapahoe POV and culture. Interesting story. I would have made a different choice as a writer with the last reveal--seems the characters left their fellow characters believing something that was not true and why tell
the whole story if you are going to do that to the characters I hope her other books are better.

Whether my cultural ignorance or absurd, loved it.

If you allow yourself to suspend judgement while dropping into a culture that may not make sense to your own, you will probably enjoy this read. Otherwise, the decisions made by an intelligent Indian, may seem absurd. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and look forward to reading more by this author.

Great story.

Another great Vicki Holden mystery. Interesting plot with lots of twistsand turns. Very enjoyable listening.

Narrator was superb

Good story but so much description that it was a very slow slog to the end.