Murder on the Red River by Marcie R. Rendon

 

This is the first book in a series centered around Renee "Cash" Blackbear. It's set in the 1970s in the Red River Valley between Moorhead, Minnesota, and Fargo, North Dakota. Cash is nineteen and Native American. She works as a farm laborer driving truck, and hustles pool at night. Growing up, she was bounced around from one white foster family to another. The only constant figure in her life was the local sheriff, who still watches out for her. 

When a man from the Red Lake reservation turns up murdered near the Red River, Cash helps Sheriff Wheaton find out who the man was, and why he was killed. Because they both know no one on the reservation will talk to a white policeman. And Cash has other skills: she can spirit walk, and she sometimes has dreams about the dead that turn out to be true. 

I really liked Cash, which is good because this is a very character-driven novel. And I thought Rendon did an excellent job of capturing the feel of the 1970s, and showing the racism and sexism that existed for a woman like Cash. The mystery was also interesting. My one complaint is Cash's excessive drinking and smoking. The amount of time the author spends on Cash's habit of buying Marlboros, lighting up, smoking, stubbing out butts, sharing cigs, running out, buying more, etc. got old fast and ended up being very annoying. I hope she tones that part down in the next book. Because I definitely want to read the next few books in this series. 

Happy Reading!