Flotsam

by Patricia Boomsma

A single cry for help can change the person who listens forever.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Flynn is called to a crime scene where a foot in a running shoe has washed up along the Pacific shoreline. While there, she meets Therese, the mother of a missing Native woman, Diyanni. The young woman has been missing for almost a month, but the local police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have shown little interest.

Kelly resists Therese’s plea for help as she feels overwhelmed with other commitments and the needs of her troubled teenaged daughter. But when Therese tells her about the dismissive attitude of the city police, Kelly decides to help Therese work through the jurisdictional maze of law enforcement agencies.

Kelly finds herself in an eye-opening tangle of disinterest, negligence, lack of resources, and no easy answers for cases involving missing Indigenous people. As she begins to learn more, she works to hold on to her idealism and help find justice for Diyanni.

Flotsam is an awakening to the tragedy of treating people like discarded debris, wrapped up in a page-turning mystery set in the misty Pacific Northwest.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2023

Reviews

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery beyond the crime scene...

"Flotsam" by Patricia Boomsma is a poignant exploration of societal failures and a fractured justice system, painting a grim picture of the misty Pacific Northwest. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Flynn is pulled into a dark reality with the discovery of a washed-up foot in a running shoe, yet it's the desperate plea from Therese, the mother of a missing Native woman, that propels Kelly into a labyrinth of law enforcement agencies. Boomsma presents a narrative that delves into disinterest, negligence, and systemic shortcomings in the pursuit of justice. The book is a wake-up call, decrying the tragedy of treating individuals as disposable. It stands out with unique characters, vivid settings, and the author's bold commentary on dismissive attitudes toward cases involving missing Indigenous people. Not just a mystery, "Flotsam" positions itself as a compelling social commentary, advocating for a more humane system of care for those in need. Boomsma's storytelling is cleverly plotted and emotionally charged, promising a read that challenges conventional norms and expectations in the mystery genre. Highly recommended.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

When deputy prosecuting attorney Kelly Flynn is called out to the scene of a severed foot found in the bay, no one knows who it belongs to, but there’s another crime to solve. The daughter of an indigenous woman there has been missing for weeks, and the mother can’t get the white cops to pay attention. Kelly gets involved in the investigation. One of the cops who is new to the area takes an interest not only in the missing girl but in Kelly. The story switches on page 68 to a whole new tale of an abused teen who joins the army and ultimately plays a part in the story. There’s also a wild dog who appears here and there. It’s an interesting story but awkwardly put together, occasionally confusing, and ultimately leaving the reader without a solid conclusion. We know who the bad guy is, but why did he do it, and what came of the other missing girls he might have been involved with. We know who the severed foot belongs to, but who cut it off, and why? One more run through the editing machine, and this could be a five-star mystery.

[Val Wilkerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Patricia Boomsma, it may be her first published book. I think her writing is exceptional. You could feel the chill in the air, the smell of the sea in the northwest. She hit upon the subject of the prejudice inflicted upon the native people, how crimes against the natives are not treated as fairly as they are to the wealthy people of the area. She also hits upon motherhood, one of the characters has an adopted daughter who has hit her teens and is treating her mother as if she knows nothing. This happens to all mothers at one point I think, not just mothers of adopted children.
I very much enjoyed Flotsam (nice cover art also) and look forward to reading other books published by Patricia in the future.

[Maggie Jansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a compelling read. Set against contemporary issues in our world today, Boomsma created believable characters, who, in a complicated plot full of twists, deliver a compassionate message. “Flotsam” was not only a page-turner, it delves into the systematic racism and neglect towards missing Indigenous women in North America. I love when a book shows me the issues, doesn’t “tell” me. I couldn’t put it down.