Enemy Way

Ella Clah #4

by Aimée Thurlo, David Thurlo

Former FBI agent Ella Clah is now a Special Investigator with the native police force.  Her brother, Clifford, a medicine man, says that her investigative skills are gifts from the spirits who guard and guide the Navajo, but Ella insists it's her FBI training that has honed her instincts. The Navajo are in turmoil.  The tribal police are spread thin throughout the vast reservation, trying to rein in gang violence, murderous drunk drivers, and race riots. Ella's newest assignment is to solve the murder of an old friend's fiancée, apparently killed during a gang-related robbery.  Ella is shocked to discover signs of skinwalker activity in the woman's home--was her friend's fiancée a Navajo witch, a hereditary enemy of Ella's family? Ella must solve the murder, do something to stop drinking and driving on the Rez, and keep Navajo teenagers from killing each other, while trying to find and fight her oldest enemies.At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Native American, Westerns, Crime

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Aimee and David Thurlo are the authors of the Ella Clah mysteries, the Sister Agatha mysteries, the Lee Nez vampire novels all set in New Mexico. David grew up on the Navajo Indian Nation, and Aimee, a native of Cuba, lived in the southwest for forty years.

Aimée passed away peacefully at her home on the morning of February 28, 2014, after a brief struggle with cancer and related complications. She was attended by her husband of 43 years, David. Aimée was 62 years old.

Reviews

[Nancy Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series finally clicked with me--not sure if it was me or the writer but I dashed through this book. If any reservation cops have days that are half as long as Ella Clah's I pity. But the story itself moved quickly and managed to keep a whole lot of different strings unknotted!

[Helen Beesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seriously thought this book would never end. I need to say that it is a series, and I have not read the previous books, nor do I plan to. While I found the Native American information fascinating, there wasn't enough of an early explanation of things for me to fully grasp it. Also there were multiple plot lines going and it all ended with a more supernatural feel to it. Some things were not explained, while other things were explained a zillion times.

[Linda K. Melzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but not their best.

I like Ella Clah and I love reading Navajo novel. This novel seemed to have too many entities and I had difficulty following the various storylines. It won't stop me from reading more of their novels and I can recommend the Thurlo books.

[Steve Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wished I liked this series more. Ella could be a really memorable character but she's not. The dialogue is forced. I want a better picture of Shiprock and the surrounding area and you don't get that. I want to compare all Native American focused books with Tony Hillerman and I know that just isn't fair.

[Lyle Krewson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is #4 in the Ella Clah mystery series set by the Thurlos. I have enjoyed it tremendously, and plan to read many more...starting with #1 thru #3. As a devotee of mysteries set in the southwest, and especially with Native American protagonists, this book struck a strong cord, and developed for me a liking for the Ella Clah character, as well as others in the book. Recommendable!!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

# 4 in the series brings in youth gangs, a robbery, a murder, and of course more skinwalkers. The series seems to focus less on police procedurals and more on the spiritual aspects of Navaho beliefs. While interesting, personally I don't mind a mix but the series with this installment has become more entrenched in the belief side.

[Kathy Schouten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to read this series as I have grown fond of the characters. As in previous books Ella is busy trying to solve crimes and balance her work and home live. Gangs on the reservation played a big part in this book- as did the skinwalkers.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book in the series.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I have read 4 of these books and the story is interesting, but it’s the same story in every book.

[Gerda Leek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very good writing. I do not like the dark side - the shape walkers trying to kill people.

[Viccy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dorothy_L authors
Interesting premise. Navajo police vs. skinwalkers.

[Tamara Barringer · Rating 3 out of 5]

skinwalkers vs. super cop

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good….

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The evil ones - Navajo witches bent on destroying Ella Clah's family and causing chaos among the Dineh - resurface in Enemy Way. Ella's mother, Rose Destea, is badly injured in an auto accident, teen gangs clash and the fiance of Ella's good friend Joe Wilson is murdered. All three incidents are linked, though the links are not easy to uncover. Surprising details about Joe's fiance surface as Ella and her cousin and police colleague, Justine, uncover signs of the family's enemies at work. The geography of the Rez continues to be a complex and fascinating character in itself that adds to the difficulties of unraveling the mystery.

An enjoyable afternoon or bedtime read. With each Ella Clah novel, my interest in visiting this area of the country and learning more about the Navajo culture grows. Isn't that the sign of a good read - one that piques curiosity and challenges us even just a little to expand our understanding?

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book had more of the mystical than I thought was realistic, I still enjoyed the overall story, just not the woo-woo factor. I was immersed in the story, though, as Rose and the rest of Ella's family were drawn in repeatedly by the various intertwined story lines.

One of the major reasons I return to the series is the feeling of family and connected groups, cousins and other relations, where each person is known in some way. This is a powerful pull in this age of disconnected groups and families where you might not see your own siblings for years.

Overall a good read with an interesting story, although I couldn't give it five stars as I felt that there was too much unexplained in the backstory and the everyday tasks.

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella Clah is a terrific character. If you like Tony Hillerman's books, you'll enjoy this series. Ella Clah is a Najaho policewoman working on the reservation, in this book, there are gang problems on the reservation, there have been a series of burglaries and now one that turned into murder when a teacher forgets her grade book and comes home unexepectedley to her home being robbed, then Ella's mother is hit by a drunk driver, a tribal lawyer who has had multiple DUI's but has gotten off and if there isn't enough going on in Ella's life but there is also a growing gang problem on the reservation. Definitely going to read more of these.

[Bj Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this in 2000, and just finished it again. Fortunately, (or unfortunately) my memory isn't what it used to be, and I can reread books and not remember enough to spoil the plot! It's possible for me to reenter the world and experience it all over again. I truly enjoy the Thurlo's writing and their depiction of the Navajo culture. Enemy Way is the 4th Ella Clah mystery and each one is great.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first "Ella Clah". I love Hillerman so this was an adjustment and I tried hard not to judge. It was good but I didn't understand much (again) of the personal relationships. A few more hints would have been nice and not to much of a drag for the educated Ella fans.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just too mystical for this Anglo. I do not believe in Magic or Ghostwalkers so I found it just kind of silly overall. I have read other books in this series that are not quite so intuned to the Indian mystics and they are far better. I do like the writing style of the Thurlos.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty good plot, very bad proofreading

[chrisanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good story that combines real world (gang violence) and Navajo magic. I wish the author would put in the pronunciation of the Navajo words.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good fun read, a bit too much formula.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Ella Clah and this whole series, altho' it wouldn't be bad for her to get a love interest that lasted at some point--she is a great Native American and the mysteries are very good

[Toesnorth's mom]

stupid and boring

[Michael Starsheen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great entry in this series

I gave this book five stars because it has great suspense and is a good read. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the mysteries of the Southwest.

[Thea · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books keep getting better and better.

[Ruth Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read. i love this series.

[Ray York · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella Clah does it again

Another enjoyable read with a good set of characters. I'm looking forward to the next book to see if the list of will expand beyond "Skin walkers".

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one wasn't as good as the others, but I'm going to keep reading.

[Terry]

See Bad Medicine review.