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Detective Monique Blue Hawk #1
The Hatak Witches
After a security guard is found dead and another wounded at the Children's Museum of Science and History in Norman, Oklahoma, Detective Monique Blue Hawk and her partner Chris Pierson are summoned to investigate. They find no fingerprints, no footprints, and no obvious means to enter the locked building.
Monique discovers that a portion of an ancient and deformed skeleton had also been stolen from the neglected museum archives. Her uncle, the spiritual leader Leroy Bear Red Ears, concludes that the stolen remains are those of Hatak haksi, a witch and the matriarch of the Crow family, a group of shape-shifting Choctaws who plan to reestablish themselves as the powerful creatures they were when the tribe lived in Mississippi. Monique, Leroy, and Chris must stop the Crows, but to their dread, the entities have retreated to the dark and treacherous hollow in the center of Chalakwa Ranch.
But what no one counts on is the unexpected appearance and power of the Old Ones who guard the lands of the Choctaw afterlife. Blending tribal beliefs and myths into a modern context, The Hatak Witches continues the storyline of Choctaw cosmology and cultural survival that are prominent in Devon A. Mihesuah's award-winning novel, The Roads of My Relations.
Monique discovers that a portion of an ancient and deformed skeleton had also been stolen from the neglected museum archives. Her uncle, the spiritual leader Leroy Bear Red Ears, concludes that the stolen remains are those of Hatak haksi, a witch and the matriarch of the Crow family, a group of shape-shifting Choctaws who plan to reestablish themselves as the powerful creatures they were when the tribe lived in Mississippi. Monique, Leroy, and Chris must stop the Crows, but to their dread, the entities have retreated to the dark and treacherous hollow in the center of Chalakwa Ranch.
But what no one counts on is the unexpected appearance and power of the Old Ones who guard the lands of the Choctaw afterlife. Blending tribal beliefs and myths into a modern context, The Hatak Witches continues the storyline of Choctaw cosmology and cultural survival that are prominent in Devon A. Mihesuah's award-winning novel, The Roads of My Relations.
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First published April 20, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
April 30, 2023
This is one of the few books I've read that is truly terrifying. A compelling blend of police procedural and Indigenous supernatural horror, this novel consistently sent chills down my spine. I went into this novel not knowing anything about Choctaw myths or beliefs, so this was a fresh and captivating read.
April 7, 2022
This was NOT a good book. The dialogue was completely unbelievable, the characters are collections of trivia rather than fleshed-out people, there was way too much focus on people's appearance, diet, and exercise routine (and not a little fat-shaming), and the plot meandered quite a bit before getting anywhere. I was actually shocked to learn that the author is a woman, given the way she described female characters:
"Chris watched her, trying to figure out what it was about her that commanded respect. The sexist men she often had to work with did not intimidate her. She had presence. Standing five-eleven in flats, she equaled Chris in height, if not in weight. She told him once that she was 145 pounds, and he could not believe it. On the other hand, he knew she lifted weights. Muscle weighs more than fat, so that might account for it."
"Tall, broad-shouldered, and attractive, she looked like a dark Patricia Neal. When she raised her voice, it resonated through the hall with confident Lauren Bacall power."
"His wife, Fran, had also once been quite a catch, with her Veronica Lake waves and tiny waist, but now she was reaping the rewards of consuming biscuits and gravy five days a week."
"'Halito, Lighthorseman,' said Rachel, who looked like the schoolteacher version of Salma Hayek."
"Meanwhile, she spent hours in the weight room and pool. Her chiseled body bore witness to that. Monique teased her that she should model as an anatomy chart."
"Walmart was the closest store. She pulled into the lot, turned off the engine, and watched a shockingly obese woman in stretch shorts and a tank top put bags into the trunk of her tortured Mazda. The immense woman’s belly hung down below the leg-line of her shorts."
I was going to be generous and give this 2 stars, but after rereading those excerpts, I'm taking it down to 1. There's a lot more I could say, but frankly it's not worth it. Don't waste money or time on this one.
"Chris watched her, trying to figure out what it was about her that commanded respect. The sexist men she often had to work with did not intimidate her. She had presence. Standing five-eleven in flats, she equaled Chris in height, if not in weight. She told him once that she was 145 pounds, and he could not believe it. On the other hand, he knew she lifted weights. Muscle weighs more than fat, so that might account for it."
"Tall, broad-shouldered, and attractive, she looked like a dark Patricia Neal. When she raised her voice, it resonated through the hall with confident Lauren Bacall power."
"His wife, Fran, had also once been quite a catch, with her Veronica Lake waves and tiny waist, but now she was reaping the rewards of consuming biscuits and gravy five days a week."
"'Halito, Lighthorseman,' said Rachel, who looked like the schoolteacher version of Salma Hayek."
"Meanwhile, she spent hours in the weight room and pool. Her chiseled body bore witness to that. Monique teased her that she should model as an anatomy chart."
"Walmart was the closest store. She pulled into the lot, turned off the engine, and watched a shockingly obese woman in stretch shorts and a tank top put bags into the trunk of her tortured Mazda. The immense woman’s belly hung down below the leg-line of her shorts."
I was going to be generous and give this 2 stars, but after rereading those excerpts, I'm taking it down to 1. There's a lot more I could say, but frankly it's not worth it. Don't waste money or time on this one.
January 20, 2023
Well, I'm not starting out well with my 2023 reads.
I stopped listening to this one at 80%. I will never know why a blonde woman was being kept prisoner in a cage in a cave but I assume it's a Mars Needs Women situation. That has little to no bearing on this mess of a story, though.
Many of the one- and two-star reviews here discuss the myriad problems in this novel, from poor writing and lack of editing to misogyny and fatphobia to flat dialogue and cardboard characters.
I particularly recommend A. Rose's excellent review in which the question of trusting the reader is also brought forth.
On my own personal note, I would like to add that none of my colleagues, many of whom work in museums and archives throughout the US, call themselves "museuologists" unironically.
If you really love mass market paperback (grocery store and airport books) police detective mystery/suspense/horror novels written in the mid-1980's to mid-1990's and you don't mind a shit ton of pointless yet often inaccurate descriptions and explanations (California condors are condors native to North America. I suspect, due to the big push to get them off the critically endangered list, that many people have heard of them?) then this is the book for you!
I stopped listening to this one at 80%. I will never know why a blonde woman was being kept prisoner in a cage in a cave but I assume it's a Mars Needs Women situation. That has little to no bearing on this mess of a story, though.
Many of the one- and two-star reviews here discuss the myriad problems in this novel, from poor writing and lack of editing to misogyny and fatphobia to flat dialogue and cardboard characters.
I particularly recommend A. Rose's excellent review in which the question of trusting the reader is also brought forth.
On my own personal note, I would like to add that none of my colleagues, many of whom work in museums and archives throughout the US, call themselves "museuologists" unironically.
If you really love mass market paperback (grocery store and airport books) police detective mystery/suspense/horror novels written in the mid-1980's to mid-1990's and you don't mind a shit ton of pointless yet often inaccurate descriptions and explanations (California condors are condors native to North America. I suspect, due to the big push to get them off the critically endangered list, that many people have heard of them?) then this is the book for you!
April 24, 2022
1st in the series of supernatural mysteries with a Choctaw heroine, police Detective Monique Blue Hawk in Norman, Oklahoma. 2nd in the series, Dance of the Returned, publishes in September 2022.
A descriptive, eerie & gruesome story that shifts in tone from horror to occasional humor and sometimes odd clichés. My favorite characters are the settings: a wildlife-rich wooded hollow wilderness and a children's museum.
The author is an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation and a Chickasaw descendant, professor, & historian with much to say about treatment of Indigenous remains and Native American burial artifact in museums; she also shares Choctaw cosmology within the bounds of information that is readily available elsewhere. Dr. Mihesuah teaches Indigenous Studies at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.
A descriptive, eerie & gruesome story that shifts in tone from horror to occasional humor and sometimes odd clichés. My favorite characters are the settings: a wildlife-rich wooded hollow wilderness and a children's museum.
The author is an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation and a Chickasaw descendant, professor, & historian with much to say about treatment of Indigenous remains and Native American burial artifact in museums; she also shares Choctaw cosmology within the bounds of information that is readily available elsewhere. Dr. Mihesuah teaches Indigenous Studies at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.
April 14, 2022
A police procedural in Oklahoma morphs into an X-Files like horror story with shape shifting demons. The lead investigator, Monique, is Choctaw and open minded when it comes to Native American creation stories. She and her partner, a white man, are drawn into a supernatural thriller after museum guards in Norman are assaulted and one killed over the burglary of indigenous remains that were completely forgotten in a museum closet. Nicely told. The X-Files in reverse gender wise.
July 17, 2023
i was going to be nice and give this 2 stars but then a character asked another if they thought there would be a book written about the events and that was my last straw
Rep: Choctaw cast
CWs: gore, violence
Rep: Choctaw cast
CWs: gore, violence
December 17, 2021
I was drawn in by the first chapter, and then it became a bit of a slog. Despite the wooden writing and cardboard characters, I persisted to see how the concept would play out.
If this book were a tree, it would be in need of an arborist to prune away the needless repetitions, the excess details and unnecessary adjectives. I like my stories tightly written and fast moving, especially in this genre. Keep to the main branch; show don't tell. Too much detail, too many explanations just get in the way of a good story.
The writer is an academic and it shows - and not just in the didactic tone. The museum staff all seem like caricatures of academic life, with their mutual disdain and petty rivalries. But that's fodder for a comedy of manners, not a thriller.
If this book were a tree, it would be in need of an arborist to prune away the needless repetitions, the excess details and unnecessary adjectives. I like my stories tightly written and fast moving, especially in this genre. Keep to the main branch; show don't tell. Too much detail, too many explanations just get in the way of a good story.
The writer is an academic and it shows - and not just in the didactic tone. The museum staff all seem like caricatures of academic life, with their mutual disdain and petty rivalries. But that's fodder for a comedy of manners, not a thriller.
June 8, 2021
Effectively creepy police procedural thoroughly grounded in indigenous beliefs. I found it difficult to put down, with evocative writing and several interesting characters.
The only criticism I would offer is that the police partnership between Monique and Chris is a bit unbelievable — in theory they’ve been working together for years, but their conversations make them seem like virtual strangers. I hope that they continue to develop deeper and more rounded voices if the series continues.
Advanced readers copy provided by Edelweiss.
The only criticism I would offer is that the police partnership between Monique and Chris is a bit unbelievable — in theory they’ve been working together for years, but their conversations make them seem like virtual strangers. I hope that they continue to develop deeper and more rounded voices if the series continues.
Advanced readers copy provided by Edelweiss.
November 30, 2021
⋆⋆⋆½ (rounded to four)
Content Warning: death, violence, murder, racism, misogyny, rape, sexual assault, suicide, gore.
When Detective Monique Blue Hawk arrives on the scene at the Children's Museum of Science and History in Norman, Oklahoma, she quickly realizes that this is unlike any crime she's investigated before. One security guard has been brutally murdered, the other wounded but fortunately alive, and at the center of it all are the unrepatriated indigenous remains that the museum holds in its so-called "Room of Secrets." Parts of an old skeleton have been taken, but its strange deformities lead Monique to contacting her uncle, a powerful spiritual leader who informs her that she might be dealing with something beyond the ordinary...
November is Native Heritage Month, and it seemed the perfect time to pick up a book by an Indigenous author. I was planning to read more this month, but due to life circumstances, it sadly didn't work out that way for me. However, I think it's important to remember that we should be reading novels written by Indigenous authors all the time, not just during November! Many of the books I read are an exploration of cultures not my own, and so I'm going to make a conscious effort going forward to make sure and include more Native-authored books in my repertoire, as I actually haven't read many before!
At the foundation of this story is Choctaw tribal beliefs, interwoven into the fabric of a mystery-slash-horror story. It was fascinating to learn about so much Choctaw history, as well as their creation myths and their afterlife, and I think that anyone who reads this book will come away with a new understanding of the depth and complexity of their culture. It also enlightened me to issues that I had only tangentially been aware of before: museum displays of Native skeletal remains and sacred burial pieces, the pressing need to repatriate these back to their true homes with their tribes, as well as the bloody, painful history of the Removal Trails and how white people then and now continue to desecrate Native graves.
Monique was someone I immediately liked: tough and authoritative, but also kind and vulnerable when she needs to be. The rest of the cast was pleasant enough as well, though I found a lot of them falling into stereotypes and clichés. Although she is not the only character we follow throughout the story, she was by far the most interesting. Mihesuah's writing didn't quite click with me, which is one of the reasons that I ended up giving this three and a half stars rather than a full four. There were some lovely descriptions, but then slightly amateurish ways of introducing characters and scenes, and as a whole the writing felt somewhat flat and dry for me.
In all honesty, I think tighter editing would have helped this book to really shine. The horror aspects of the book were well-done, leaving one feeling deeply unsettled (in the best way), and the sections that take place in the hollow are disturbingly atmospheric. I must say that the primary reason I actually ended up lowering my rating for this book was due to the ending. It's funny -- even Monique says "that felt too easy." It was a lot of build-up for a scene that lasted only a chapter or so, and after all the horrible things we learn about those responsible for what's been going on, it was disappointing.
In the end, though, I think that this is a novel worth your time and attention. The historical aspects are particularly engaging, and learning about Choctaw culture was definitely enough to keep me interested until the very end. If you like horror mixed in with mystery and cultural exploration, you should give this one a shot!
For more of my reviews, check out my blog!
Content Warning: death, violence, murder, racism, misogyny, rape, sexual assault, suicide, gore.
When Detective Monique Blue Hawk arrives on the scene at the Children's Museum of Science and History in Norman, Oklahoma, she quickly realizes that this is unlike any crime she's investigated before. One security guard has been brutally murdered, the other wounded but fortunately alive, and at the center of it all are the unrepatriated indigenous remains that the museum holds in its so-called "Room of Secrets." Parts of an old skeleton have been taken, but its strange deformities lead Monique to contacting her uncle, a powerful spiritual leader who informs her that she might be dealing with something beyond the ordinary...
November is Native Heritage Month, and it seemed the perfect time to pick up a book by an Indigenous author. I was planning to read more this month, but due to life circumstances, it sadly didn't work out that way for me. However, I think it's important to remember that we should be reading novels written by Indigenous authors all the time, not just during November! Many of the books I read are an exploration of cultures not my own, and so I'm going to make a conscious effort going forward to make sure and include more Native-authored books in my repertoire, as I actually haven't read many before!
At the foundation of this story is Choctaw tribal beliefs, interwoven into the fabric of a mystery-slash-horror story. It was fascinating to learn about so much Choctaw history, as well as their creation myths and their afterlife, and I think that anyone who reads this book will come away with a new understanding of the depth and complexity of their culture. It also enlightened me to issues that I had only tangentially been aware of before: museum displays of Native skeletal remains and sacred burial pieces, the pressing need to repatriate these back to their true homes with their tribes, as well as the bloody, painful history of the Removal Trails and how white people then and now continue to desecrate Native graves.
Monique was someone I immediately liked: tough and authoritative, but also kind and vulnerable when she needs to be. The rest of the cast was pleasant enough as well, though I found a lot of them falling into stereotypes and clichés. Although she is not the only character we follow throughout the story, she was by far the most interesting. Mihesuah's writing didn't quite click with me, which is one of the reasons that I ended up giving this three and a half stars rather than a full four. There were some lovely descriptions, but then slightly amateurish ways of introducing characters and scenes, and as a whole the writing felt somewhat flat and dry for me.
In all honesty, I think tighter editing would have helped this book to really shine. The horror aspects of the book were well-done, leaving one feeling deeply unsettled (in the best way), and the sections that take place in the hollow are disturbingly atmospheric. I must say that the primary reason I actually ended up lowering my rating for this book was due to the ending. It's funny -- even Monique says "that felt too easy." It was a lot of build-up for a scene that lasted only a chapter or so, and after all the horrible things we learn about those responsible for what's been going on, it was disappointing.
In the end, though, I think that this is a novel worth your time and attention. The historical aspects are particularly engaging, and learning about Choctaw culture was definitely enough to keep me interested until the very end. If you like horror mixed in with mystery and cultural exploration, you should give this one a shot!
For more of my reviews, check out my blog!
November 18, 2022
Just AMAZING. Loved every chapter! I will look up everything this author writes and read the heck outta it. Interest-capturing (museums, detectives, Native peoples living their lives, mysterious attacks and kidnappings) and easy to follow. Perfectly sinister and with grossness and mystery but not *too* much of either. Satisfying but still wonderfilled, as the best standalone X-files episodes (the ones that do NOT have to do with 'conspiracy').
January 20, 2023
I hate to make my first review on goodreads a one-star. But I was so unpleasantly surprised by this book, that I must admit that I did not finish it. With only about 60 pages to go, I decided that reading it was only frustrating and disappointing me and wasn’t worth it.
Other reviews have gotten into the misogyny and fat phobia that this book is just riddled with, so I won’t get into too much detail about that. Though, I was also surprised that the author was a woman from the way she wrote about women. (Not to mention, it’s just lazy and unimaginative to describe characters like “if Selma Hayek were a school teacher.” What does this mean? Just…Selma Hayek but in business casual and holding a book?? The author compares female characters to thin, conventionally attractive celebrities multiple times. The characters are phoned in in every way, leading to stale cardboard cutouts that I personally couldn’t get invested in.)
I have native ancestry, my great grandmother was raised in a residential school. One of the reasons I picked this book up was that, and my love of horror. But to me this book wasn’t committed to really being horror or a good mystery, unfortunately. The author’s passion for native issues shines through, and I was really intrigued to learn more about Choctaw culture and the tension between white academia/museums and indigenous people. Unfortunately, the story just wasn’t enough to prop up those tidbits that worked for me.
On a similar note, I know that what’s presented in a story isn’t always what the author personally believes. But it truly felt like the author had a personal investment in the book’s message as an indigenous woman. And yet the politics of what the book is trying to say and what the main character believes are very hard to pin down. On the one hand, you have a very deep care for indigenous culture and issues. On the other hand, there’s the rampant internalized misogyny and fat phobia. As well as a seeming lack of interest in interrogating further the issue of indigenous relationships with police and the police state. Our main character is a cop, after all. And aside from some small mentions of other indigenous people seeing her as a traitor or sell out, there isn’t much deeper analysis of the issue beyond the main character insisting they’re wrong. Maybe this is my own personal political belief shining through here, but it seems like a big missed opportunity to have an oddly flatly pro-cop book about native issues. Especially when indigenous women in particular are so vulnerable and law enforcement time and time again lets native communities down when women go missing or are murdered.
I also just had a pervasive sense that the author didn’t trust the reader’s intellect. The main character is meant to be this girl boss detective, and yet she fails to come to quite obvious conclusions that I arrived at pages previously because the author is compelled to hand hold the reader and slooooowly guide them to the answer. Not trusting the reader to be able to understand a very simple plot twist ended up only making the main character look incompetent when others around her had to spell it out for her.
It pains me to leave this review, and it’s obvious this book was successful for many other readers! For that, I’m thankful. But for me, this was just a spectacularly frustrating experience and I’m glad I finally decided to put it down and not fall into the sunk cost fallacy. As others have mentioned, there are the bones of a good story somewhere in here. It’s just a shame that it didn’t work for me.
Other reviews have gotten into the misogyny and fat phobia that this book is just riddled with, so I won’t get into too much detail about that. Though, I was also surprised that the author was a woman from the way she wrote about women. (Not to mention, it’s just lazy and unimaginative to describe characters like “if Selma Hayek were a school teacher.” What does this mean? Just…Selma Hayek but in business casual and holding a book?? The author compares female characters to thin, conventionally attractive celebrities multiple times. The characters are phoned in in every way, leading to stale cardboard cutouts that I personally couldn’t get invested in.)
I have native ancestry, my great grandmother was raised in a residential school. One of the reasons I picked this book up was that, and my love of horror. But to me this book wasn’t committed to really being horror or a good mystery, unfortunately. The author’s passion for native issues shines through, and I was really intrigued to learn more about Choctaw culture and the tension between white academia/museums and indigenous people. Unfortunately, the story just wasn’t enough to prop up those tidbits that worked for me.
On a similar note, I know that what’s presented in a story isn’t always what the author personally believes. But it truly felt like the author had a personal investment in the book’s message as an indigenous woman. And yet the politics of what the book is trying to say and what the main character believes are very hard to pin down. On the one hand, you have a very deep care for indigenous culture and issues. On the other hand, there’s the rampant internalized misogyny and fat phobia. As well as a seeming lack of interest in interrogating further the issue of indigenous relationships with police and the police state. Our main character is a cop, after all. And aside from some small mentions of other indigenous people seeing her as a traitor or sell out, there isn’t much deeper analysis of the issue beyond the main character insisting they’re wrong. Maybe this is my own personal political belief shining through here, but it seems like a big missed opportunity to have an oddly flatly pro-cop book about native issues. Especially when indigenous women in particular are so vulnerable and law enforcement time and time again lets native communities down when women go missing or are murdered.
I also just had a pervasive sense that the author didn’t trust the reader’s intellect. The main character is meant to be this girl boss detective, and yet she fails to come to quite obvious conclusions that I arrived at pages previously because the author is compelled to hand hold the reader and slooooowly guide them to the answer. Not trusting the reader to be able to understand a very simple plot twist ended up only making the main character look incompetent when others around her had to spell it out for her.
It pains me to leave this review, and it’s obvious this book was successful for many other readers! For that, I’m thankful. But for me, this was just a spectacularly frustrating experience and I’m glad I finally decided to put it down and not fall into the sunk cost fallacy. As others have mentioned, there are the bones of a good story somewhere in here. It’s just a shame that it didn’t work for me.
February 14, 2024
Alright, the easiest way to describe my feelings about this are: I absolutely loved it.
Set in Norman, Oklahoma, Detective Monique Blue Hawk and her partner Chris Pierson are investigating a heist/murder at a local museum. What makes this story great is that Monique is, of course, a strong Indigenous female detective who doesn't take shit from anyone -- and that's a good lead to have in a story like this. Chris, well, he's a bit of a mess but don't worry, he's not incompetent (which is nice). There has been a murder at the museum (one guard), with one guard injured in the hospital, and it appears that some old bones have been stolen.
Old bones? [Insert a lot of commentary about NAGPRA (the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, for those not in an American Indian Studies department) and the ethics of keeping ancestral bones locked away in museums]. No, on a serious note, Mihesuah is able to weave in a lot of deep commentary about this issue (and many others). She just slips zingers in there, hides information about Indigenous politics and personhood, etc. Yeah, it is a great book.
We eventually seem to discover that the bones belong to a Hatak haksi -- a Choctaw shapeshifting witch. And that's where the story gets a lot of its horror elements, but in many ways it just further delves into Choctaw belief systems.
I loved it. Get it, just get it.
Set in Norman, Oklahoma, Detective Monique Blue Hawk and her partner Chris Pierson are investigating a heist/murder at a local museum. What makes this story great is that Monique is, of course, a strong Indigenous female detective who doesn't take shit from anyone -- and that's a good lead to have in a story like this. Chris, well, he's a bit of a mess but don't worry, he's not incompetent (which is nice). There has been a murder at the museum (one guard), with one guard injured in the hospital, and it appears that some old bones have been stolen.
Old bones? [Insert a lot of commentary about NAGPRA (the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, for those not in an American Indian Studies department) and the ethics of keeping ancestral bones locked away in museums]. No, on a serious note, Mihesuah is able to weave in a lot of deep commentary about this issue (and many others). She just slips zingers in there, hides information about Indigenous politics and personhood, etc. Yeah, it is a great book.
We eventually seem to discover that the bones belong to a Hatak haksi -- a Choctaw shapeshifting witch. And that's where the story gets a lot of its horror elements, but in many ways it just further delves into Choctaw belief systems.
I loved it. Get it, just get it.
April 24, 2022
Really disappointed in this book. There are so many good reviews…and yet so much is lacking from this book. Like descriptions and fleshed out characters. I’m sure there had to be an editor, and yet, it doesn’t really feel like it.
I was looking forward to this book so much, and it didn’t hold up.
I was looking forward to this book so much, and it didn’t hold up.
April 25, 2022
I’d give it 2.5 stars. It has the potential to be a good book, but there are too many errors and a few chapters that just ramble (specifically the first day in the museum). It is a good rough draft, but needs some work.
May 9, 2023
Entertaining, a good premise and a strong start, but ultimately it lagged and fell flat. The overall storytelling style leaned heavily on question and response exposition, which got very repetitive when that is how each clue and plot point is revealed. And because of that, the suspense and horror elements felt dull. There was a cool story here, with really interesting culture and beliefs intertwined, I just wished it had a stronger execution. I am hopeful and confident the author will become a stronger writer with each new novel as they become more comfortable with the characters and l look forward to revisiting these characters in future novels to see if they grow.
November 15, 2024
Super descriptive and written pretty well. The story itself just fell short for me. Half way through I was still waiting for something big to happen. I was definitely a bit bored reading this.
70% murder mystery and 30% horror.
70% murder mystery and 30% horror.
December 13, 2022
For me, one of the major characters in the book was The Hollow. I get shivers just typing that. I loved both the museum, with its staff, and the Hollow. The Hatak Witches offers great nature writing, truly scary scenes, supernatural horrors, and some historical insights into the history of Native Americans.
November 11, 2023
3.5 stars - enjoyed the cultural learnings and the police procedural aspects. There were some pacing issues and an odd observation or two that might be off putting to the reader.
November 23, 2022
The story is centered around the environs of Norman, OK (a place I called home for five years) and centered on Choctaw cosmology. Had high hopes based on description and beginning. Disappointed at the end, which was nicely tied up in less than a dozen hooey paragraphs. Additionally, I found the descriptions of female characters full of white, sexist allusions. I expected more from an indigenous female author.
November 21, 2021
(1\10) when your father was a boy like you and living with me here in Norway l told him about Which is true so that he Would Always be aware now the most important thing you should know about real witches is this now listen"very carefully real Witches dressed in ordinary Clothes"and
January 31, 2022
Paranormal police procedural that is well written with a relatable main character. Loved this novel with its roots in Choctaw cosmology and contemporary Native life: an informative read that immerses readers in the lives of the characters and explores social realities of Native life.
Read
June 27, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Racism
Rape mentioned
Suicide mentioned
Kidnapping
Racism
Rape mentioned
Suicide mentioned
Kidnapping
November 7, 2022
Scary stuff steeped in Choctaw history.
September 8, 2021
4 🌟 | Wow! A crime novel with folklore and paranormal elements 🦉 Perfectly atmospheric!
November 10, 2021
Hard to put down. Educational without feeling like that was its intention.
February 26, 2022
Couldn't put this down, except for when it was about to give me some crazy nightmares.
January 20, 2024
A supernatural mystery about a murder-robbery in a children’s museum, stolen bones, no tracks but owl feathers everywhere… this promised to be really interesting.
The narration feels overly descriptive in places where it didn’t need to be. This may be a personal irk of mine, but I don’t like when every little action gets described. Like, Moniques morning routine gets described to a t…I don’t need to know she applies lip balm (and certainly not the exact brand) when saying goodbye to her husband…at times it ready like “this happened, then this happened, then this happened…etc.” Generally the narrative style just wasn’t my thing. It all felt rather stiff on top of that.
Aside from that I liked the story the more it continued. It felt rather slow in the beginning and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but the longer it went on, the more curious I got as to the solution of the mystery. Sadly, I never got to the “at the edge of my seat” point I had wanted to.
Mostly because there was a looooot of exposition. Sometimes it felt like reading a textbook. Sometimes I found that interesting (about the Choctaw creation stories, the museum organization etc.), but sometimes it became a bit to teachy.
So, all in all I found the story interesting and it got me curious enough to finish it, but it never got me truly engaged.
(One note: I don’t know if I would have liked it more, if I had read a physical copy. The narrator of the audio book did an average job. There was nothing that took me out of the story, but the narration didn’t make it more engaging either.)
(Okay, actually two notes: I didn’t fully read the description before reading the book and now I am happy about that. There are some discoveries made rather late in the story, that the book description spoils…not necessarily the best marketing, so be aware of that!)
The narration feels overly descriptive in places where it didn’t need to be. This may be a personal irk of mine, but I don’t like when every little action gets described. Like, Moniques morning routine gets described to a t…I don’t need to know she applies lip balm (and certainly not the exact brand) when saying goodbye to her husband…at times it ready like “this happened, then this happened, then this happened…etc.” Generally the narrative style just wasn’t my thing. It all felt rather stiff on top of that.
Aside from that I liked the story the more it continued. It felt rather slow in the beginning and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but the longer it went on, the more curious I got as to the solution of the mystery. Sadly, I never got to the “at the edge of my seat” point I had wanted to.
Mostly because there was a looooot of exposition. Sometimes it felt like reading a textbook. Sometimes I found that interesting (about the Choctaw creation stories, the museum organization etc.), but sometimes it became a bit to teachy.
So, all in all I found the story interesting and it got me curious enough to finish it, but it never got me truly engaged.
(One note: I don’t know if I would have liked it more, if I had read a physical copy. The narrator of the audio book did an average job. There was nothing that took me out of the story, but the narration didn’t make it more engaging either.)
(Okay, actually two notes: I didn’t fully read the description before reading the book and now I am happy about that. There are some discoveries made rather late in the story, that the book description spoils…not necessarily the best marketing, so be aware of that!)
December 29, 2025
I read this book as part of an indigenous horror book club pick and enjoyed it! This book felt like a police procedural mixed with some cultural elements. The main female character is an indigenous police officer who has been tasked with figuring out what happened at the local museum. A security guard is missing, another was knocked unconscious, and they can't figure out how some important artifacts have gone missing.
This book mixes elements of folklore, old Native stories, and modern mysticism with his old fashioned police work.
This book mixes elements of folklore, old Native stories, and modern mysticism with his old fashioned police work.
April 23, 2023
I really enjoyed the storyline and the author’s description of things and places that were so familiar to me in the place where I grew up. However, I think there was perhaps a bit too much time spent describing the crime scene and not quite enough time spent discussing the lore. It would’ve made for a fantastic episode of Supernatural.
December 22, 2023
Overall it's very good and interesting and I'm so happy it exists. Once or twice the exposition conversations get a bit lengthy, tho they are necessary, and I have some quibbles with the pacing of the action and the ending. That's all minor, lovely to see an excellent academic and nonfiction writer step into a new genre.
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