Changing Woman

I love all of Aimee and David Thurlo's books. Excellent writing and knowledge of the subject area. The Ella Clan books are all wonderful mysteries written around the Navajo traditions. Great books!

Life on the Navaho reservation in New Mexico is never easy but this winter is particularly hard. The weather is abnormally cold, unemployment is up, and many people are forced to choose between eating and heating up their homes. The Tribal Council, responsible for the welfare of the people on the reservation, debates whether to legalize gambling as a way of bringing in revenue. Navaho Special Investigator Ella Clah knows that the Indian Mafia is behind the wave of vandalism that is concentrated in the Shiprock area. The thugs hope to intimidate the people and the Tribal Council to vote for gambling and they are willing to escalate the level of violence to achieve their goals. Between tracking down the leaders of the criminal element and avoiding snipers and other assaults on her life, Ella has a thirty-six hour day just staying alive. Amy and David Thurlo have created a mystery series that gets better with each book written though the previous novels are all top quality. Ella Clah is a fascinating character who endears herself to the audience by adhering true to her values even defending the rights of those who disagree with her. Fans of Tony Hillerman and Southwest mysteries will appreciate CHANGING WOMAN.Harriet Klausner