The Spirit Woman

Table of Contents

 

 

 

“Intriguing Arapaho and Shoshone history and realistic treatment of contemporary Native American issues make this cozy a winner.”

 

“A well-drawn tale. Margaret Coel changes the direction of the series so that there is an added freshness that doesn't lose the essence of the Wind River mysteries. [She] provides rich detail about reservation life, assimilation into the Anglo world, and preservation of the Indian heritage inside an exhilarating plot.”

 

“Gives the readers a rare look into the lives of the Arapahos, and they can feel the pain of a nation forced to live by the white man's standards. This is one of those books that keeps the blood pumping. Tight tension keeps it moving at an accelerating pace.”

 

“Interweaving the legend of Sacajawea with a suspenseful story makes for a fascinating read. As usual, the interplay between Father John and Vicky is bound to hold your attention.”

 

 

“A truly touching story . . . the whole book is infused with the spirit of Arapaho community.”

—Sarah Smith, author of
Knowledge of Water

 

“Among the best mysteries of the year. She writes vividly about western landscapes and Native American customs . . . Coel is clearly at the top of her game.”

—
Booklist
(starred review)

 

“An engrossing mystery and a great read. Margaret Coel manages to have enjoyable characters and a super mystery—not an easy task.”

—
The Literary Times

 

“Mining her knowledge of Arapaho Indian culture, Coel must now be considered on equal footing with the most famous Indian mystery novelist, Tony Hillerman. [She] does her job as well as Hillerman ever did: Her puzzles and resolutions are plausible, and her characters are real and flawed.”

—Sunday Camera
(Boulder, CO)

 

“Suspenseful . . . solid characters and a keen sense of place . . . keep this tale humming.”

 

“Her stories are carefully crafted, her characters likable and believable, and her books a delight to read. Each of Coel's books provides a bit more insight into the Arapaho people and culture—which just gives us another reason to follow the series.”

—The Gazette
(Colorado Springs, CO)

 

 

“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

 

“You finish [
The Story Teller
] not only well-entertained but all the better for it.”

—
The Arizona Daily Star

 

 

“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.”

—
Daily Camera
(Boulder, CO)

 

“Murder, romance, a nuclear storage facility and Indian lore blend appealingly in this third mystery. . . . Another coup for Coel.”

—
Publishers Weekly

 

 

“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 corking 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

 

“Margaret Coel's account of dastardly deeds among the
Arapahos on the Wind River Reservation shouldn't be
missed by anyone interested in either new trends in mystery
writing or contemporary American Indian culture.
She's a master at both.”

—Tony Hillerman

“An uncanny sense of dialogue . . . Coel merges her grasp of history with the mystery genre. The result is so successful, you wonder what took her so long!”

—
The Denver Post

“Insightful commentary about Arapaho culture, well-drawn characters and a lively pace.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Welcome Margaret Coel to the ranks of esteemed western mystery writers such as Hillerman, Hager, and Prowell.
The Eagle Catcher
is not only an alluring fresh mystery told with the authoritative voice of an historian, it is also a thoughtful testimony to the clash of cultures that endures in the West.”

—Stephen White, author of
Higher Authority
and
Private Practices

“Intense and fascinating . . . Coel has gifted us with a western mystery full of characters we long to know better and a Wyoming setting that takes our breath away.”

—Earlene Fowler, author of
Arkansas Traveler
and
Seven Sisters

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and
incidents are either 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.

 

The Spirit Woman

 

A BERKLEY Book / published by arrangement with the author

 

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2001 by Margaret Coel.

This book may not be reproduced in whole or part, by
mimeograph or any other means, without permission.
Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes
copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to
criminal and civil liability.
For information address:
The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 

The Penguin Putnam Inc. World Wide Web site address is
http://www.penguinputnam.com

 

eISBN : 978-1-101-16201-9

 

A BERKLEYBOOK®
BERKLEY Books first published by Berkley Publishing Group,
a member of Penguin Putnam Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY and the “B” design are trademarks belonging to
Penguin Putnam Inc.

 

Electronic edition: October 2002

Robert Pickering, Ph.D., forensic anthropologist, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY.

Todd Dawson, special agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lander, WY.

Detective Sergeant Bob Campbell, Lander Police Department, Lander, WY.

Zelda R. Tillman, director, Shoshone Cultural Center, Fort Washakie, WY.

Mary Keenan, chief deputy district attorney, Boulder, CO.

Judge Sheila Carrigan, Boulder, CO.

Barbara Paradiso, longtime advocate for battered women, Boulder, CO.

Anthony Short, S.J., Denver, CO., formerly at St. Stephen's Mission, Wind River Reservation.

Ron and Laura Mamot, St. Stephens, WY.

Virginia Sutter, Ph.D., member of the Arapaho tribe, Auburn, WA.

Karen Gilleland, Beverly Carrigan, and Mary Hill, Boulder, CO; Mary and Ron Dunning, Louisville, CO; and John Dix, Washington, DC.

George and Kristin Coel, and Lisa and Tom Harrison.

—Tom Rivington, Wyoming pioneer

F
ather John O'Malley pulled up the collar of his jacket and dipped the brim of his cowboy hat against the hard wind whirling little pellets of snow into the air. Thick gray clouds scuttled overhead and rolled through the cottonwoods like a dense fog, nearly obscuring the snow-covered path that ran between the trees and the Little Wind River. He could see his breath ahead of him. The rhythmic crunch of his boots on the snow punctuated the sound of water gurgling over ice. It was November, the twelfth month in the Arapaho Way, the Moon When the Rivers Start to Freeze.

Walks-On-Three-Legs bounded toward him out of the trees, and Father John coaxed the red disk from the golden retriever's mouth and gave it another toss. It sailed down the path into the fog, a streak of red in the grayness. The dog loped after it and, pivoting on his only hind leg, snatched the disk out of the air and darted back. Another toss, another snatch. Was it really three years ago that he'd found the dog in the barrow ditch? It seemed like yesterday. He'd rushed him to Riverton, where the vet had amputated the dog's smashed left hind leg and saved his life. Father John had brought him back to St. Francis Mission.