The Lost Bird

This is a mystery about the life of an Arapaho woman, Vicky, who has broken some bonds with her people and become a lawyer. After being recommended to a film star as the person to discover the stars heritage, Vicky delves into the history of her own tribe, only to discover some alarming information about the death of many infants in the past. This story goes into the history and lives of the Arapaho Indians and the many issues that they faced in the past and present to solve the mystery for this film star. This story is not only a good mystery but a interesting glimpse into the lives of American Indians and the hardships they face, now and in the past.

Father Keeena from the St. Francis Mission is shot. A adopted Hollywood actress shows up looking for her family. Thirty-five years ago, in 1964, dozens of newborns died from contaminated water.What do all these facts have to do with each other? At first, it looks like they are not linked at all, but as Father John tries to solve a murder and Vicky Holden tries to find a family that might have given up its baby, things start to fall into place.Margaret Coel is a perfect author. She buries the clues all over the place and its a delight to watch Father John and Vicky dig them up, dust them off and try to fit them together. The characters, the places and the plot are all gritty with reality. I'm happy I have continued to read her books and have more to look forward to!

If you like the Native American culture you will appreciate this mystery even more. The characters have depth and you can't help but get emotionally involved in their plight. Good from cover to cover.

"The Lost Bird" is the fifth in Margaret Coel's beautifully written series set on the Wind River Arapaho Reservation in Wyoming. Our sleuths are the opera-loving Jesuit priest Father John O'Malley, sent to the remote St. Francis Mission several years ago after a fall into alcoholism, and his friend Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden, divorced and known to her people as Woman Alone. Both are well portrayed, flawed just enough to be human and likable. The story involves the murder of the mission's 72-year-old assistant priest, who has recently returned to the reservation after a 35-year absence; the search for her biological parents by a movie actress who thinks she was born to Arapahos; an unexpected visit from Father John's architect niece, who is troubled about her parentage; and some dark secrets from the past. I think fans of Tony Hillerman are likely to enjoy this series. There's less mysticism here, but these mysteries are steeped in Arapaho culture. Ms. Coel is a historian of the American West, and her novels are well researched. Most important, she knows how to write a good, suspenseful whodunit.

This is the story of another tragic episode involving a Native American tribe. That this probably happened under other circumstances, and happened to more than the Arapaho tribe, cannot be doubted. This is another in a series that has given us insight into tribal life and continues to leave us wanting more. The characters are strong, believable, and you want the best for all of them. The underlying plot--selling tribal babies and telling their parents they died--is heartbreaking. The reunion of one such child with her father made me weep. And Vicki's trial reconciliation with Ben gave me hope. This is a great work, written with deep feeling.