White Thunder
Aimee & David Thurlo
Forge, March 2005, $23.94, 304 pp.
ISBN 0765311747

Navaho Police Special Investigator Ella Clah is still recovering emotionally after almost dying in a uranium mine. She hopes to spend more time with her daughter Dawn but when an FBI agent goes missing on the reservation, Ella and her unit gives top priority to finding him. She doesn't expect too much cooperation from the tribe because Agent Thomas interrupted a medicine man during a Sing (a healing ceremony). This is a taboo and dealt with severely but after talking to the shaman, Ella clears him of any crimes.

Ella wants to talk to the man who underwent the Sing Melvin Rainwater in connection with the social security checks of dead men that were not reported deceased sent to a special post office box. A phone call from Agent Thomas confirms he is still alive and in a dark place, which Ella believes is one of the deserted mines just like she was not so long ago. She uses all the resources at her disposal to find him, even going so far as to break some laws, but somebody wants to stop her investigation or at least slow it down and they don't care if they harm Ella in the process.

An Ella Clah mystery is always a special treat and WHITE THUNDER is particularly good because the authors bring to life a culture in the same way that Tony Hillerman does. The investigation is compressed into a short period because the protagonist knows that the victim is running out of time which raises the level of tension and makes the audience feels as they are involved in the search. This tale is another great mystery by the talented Thurlos.

Harriet Klausner