The Lost Bird
Authors: Margaret Coel
Praise for Margaret Coel’s
national bestselling series . . .
The Lost Bird
“A truly touching story . . . the whole book is infused with the spirit of the Arapaho community.”
—Sarah Smith, author of
The Knowledge of Water
“[Margaret Coel] writes vividly about western landscapes and Native American customs, and, best of all, she gives her characters plenty of room to play off one another as they stumble toward the truth. Holden, in particular, has developed into a . . . complex and satisfying individual, balancing Native American and white cultures with earnestness and dry humor.”
—
Booklist
“Clever . . . [Coel’s] stories are carefully crafted, her characters likable and believable, and her book is a delight to read.”
—
The Colorado Springs Gazette
The Story Teller
“Vivid western landscapes, intriguing history, compelling characters, and quick, tight writing that is a joy to read . . . Holden is a unique mix of the modern and the traditional. [Holden and O’Malley] prove delightful and sympathetic, as they suffer an endearing confusion about whether they are friends or something more. One of the best of the year.”
—
Booklist
(starred review)
“All the strengths of this fine series are present here: Coel’s knowledge of and respect for western history, a solid mystery with a credible premise in Indian lore, and the struggles of Holden and O’Malley with their powerful, but so far unconsummated, attraction to each other.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Coel’s fourth Native American mystery may be her best work to date as she brilliantly ties together a who-done-it with Indian culture.”
—Harriet Klausner
“You finish [
The Story Teller
] not only well-entertained but all the better for it.”
—
Arizona Daily Star
The Dream Stalker
“Seamless storytelling by someone who’s obviously been there.”
—J. A. Jance
“Swift and compelling.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“Coel weaves deeply human conflicts into her characters’ lives . . . Critics who have called Coel a ‘female Hillerman’ are right on the mark. Her breezy, fast-paced style and grasp of cultural details make
The Dream Stalker
a book that will keep you reading until late at night.”
—
Boulder Daily Camera
“Murder, romance, a nuclear storage facility, and Indian lore blend appealingly in this third mystery . . . Another coup for Coel.”
—
Publishers Weekly
The Ghost Walker
“Margaret Coel guides us mystery lovers on another of her gripping tours of evil among the Wind River Arapahos.”
—Tony Hillerman
“Coel is a vivid voice for the West, its struggles to retain its past and at the same time enjoy the fruits of the future.”
—
The Dallas Morning News
“A cooking good read . . . Excellent . . . An outstanding entry in a superior series.”
—
Booklist
(starred review)
“There is something so real, so good about the setting and the people in
The Ghost Walker.”
—Elaine Long,
award-winning author of
Jenny’s Mountain
and
Bittersweet Country
“A tautly written, compelling mystery grounded in and sympathetic to the Arapaho Culture.”
—
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Engaging . . . Coel’s series in the Hillerman tradition finds a space where Jesuits and Native Americans can meet in a culture of common decency.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Margaret Coel
Catherine McLeod Mysteries
BLOOD MEMORY
THE PERFECT SUSPECT
Wind River Mysteries
THE EAGLE CATCHER
THE GHOST WALKER
THE DREAM STALKER
THE STORY TELLER
THE LOST BIRD
THE SPIRIT WOMAN
THE THUNDER KEEPER
THE SHADOW DANCER
KILLING RAVEN
WIFE OF MOON
EYE OF THE WOLF
THE DROWNING MAN
THE GIRL WITH BRAIDED HAIR
THE SILENT SPIRIT
THE SPIDER’S WEB
BUFFALO BILL’S DEAD NOW
KILLING CUSTER
NIGHT OF THE WHITE BUFFALO
Anthologies
WATCHING EAGLES SOAR
An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
THE LOST BIRD
A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author
Copyright © 1999 by Margaret Coel.
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME design are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.
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.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-66374-5
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime hardcover edition / October 1999
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / August 2000
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank the following people: Richard Frisque, professor of molecular virology, Penn State University; Bill Rankin, adoption consultant, Department of Family Services, State of Wyoming; Gary Beach, administrator, Water Quality, State of Wyoming; Lonnie Cox, FBI agent, Riverton, Wyoming; Tom Pruett, MD, Lander, Wyoming; and Sid Vinall, MD, Joan Reid, adoption attorney, Judge Sheila Carrigan, and Phil Miller, assistant district attorney, all of Boulder, Colorado; Dr. Virginia Sutter, member of the Arapaho tribe; Anthony Short, S.J.; Beverly Carrigan; George and Kristin Coel; and authors Ann Ripley, Sybil Downing, and Karen Gilleland.
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Margaret Coel
Listen . . .
All you creatures
under the ground,
All you creatures
above the ground
and in the waters.
May our boys and girls,
our children of all ages . . .
May they increase
and be strengthened.
Arapaho prayer
1
H
e was late.
Father John Aloysius O’Malley stopped the Toyota pickup behind the yellow school bus. The red lights flashed into the afternoon sun. A glance at his watch confirmed what he already knew. It was nearly half-past three, and twenty Arapaho kids would be in Eagle Hall waiting for confirmation class to begin. He should have gotten back to St. Francis Mission thirty minutes ago. The quiet melody of “Si, Mi chiamano Mimi” rose from the tape player on the seat beside him, punctuating his growing impatience as he watched the red lights.
Blink. Blink. Blink.