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Emmett Parker and Anna Turnipseed #1
Cry Dance
If there's one thing Bureau of Indian Affairs Investigator Emmet Quanah Parker knows, it's that the dead don't always stay dead. With him he carries the ghosts of a partner killed in action, three failed marriages, and a long affair with the bottle. And now he's about to face the most dangerous case of his career--one that begins with a body that doesn't stay buried.
Brutally murdered and bizarrely mutilated, a woman's corpse is discovered on Havasupai Nation land. Parker is paired with FBI Special Agent Anna Turnipseed in a hastily assembled task force of two. The two share a mixed Native American ancestry...and little else. As they are pulled deeper into a complex case, Parker suspects they are being led--like Custer into Little Bighorn--into a killer's trap, with Anna the bait and Parker himself the quarry. At the heart of it are the dead, with history the most lethal weapon of all....
From the Paperback edition.
Brutally murdered and bizarrely mutilated, a woman's corpse is discovered on Havasupai Nation land. Parker is paired with FBI Special Agent Anna Turnipseed in a hastily assembled task force of two. The two share a mixed Native American ancestry...and little else. As they are pulled deeper into a complex case, Parker suspects they are being led--like Custer into Little Bighorn--into a killer's trap, with Anna the bait and Parker himself the quarry. At the heart of it are the dead, with history the most lethal weapon of all....
From the Paperback edition.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
9 people are currently reading
979 people want to read
About the author
Kirk Mitchell
39 books69 followersKirk Mitchell is an author who is known for his time travel, alternate history, historical fiction, and adventure fiction novels. Mitchell has also created several novelizations of movies.He writes under the pseudonym of Joel Norst
Kirk Mitchell served as a deputy sheriff on the Paiute- Shoshone Indian reservations of the desert country that includes Death Valley, and was a SWAT sergeant in southern California, before beginning his career as a full-time writer.
Kirk Mitchell served as a deputy sheriff on the Paiute- Shoshone Indian reservations of the desert country that includes Death Valley, and was a SWAT sergeant in southern California, before beginning his career as a full-time writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
March 15, 2015
210 pages of book was how much I could take before I decided that enough was enough, now I’m just browsing through the pages, skipping parts just to get through the book. This is not enjoying a book, this is going back to school and forcing myself to read something I don’t want to read flashback…and God dammit I bought this book from amazon, looked forward to read it, but instead I discovered the cure for insomnia...
Review also posted on And Now for Something Completely Different and It's a Mad Mad World
Review also posted on And Now for Something Completely Different and It's a Mad Mad World
July 30, 2022
I wanted to love this but the writing weighed me down. Even with the audiobook it was hard to focus which is a shame because I really enjoyed the author's knowledge about different tribes. And the story has the potential to be interesting, but I can't do it. I'm dnfing 52% in.
July 23, 2014
As a long-time Craig Johnson, (B4 the TV series) Walt Longmire, and Tony Hillerman, Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee, fan; I was excited to have found another writer of Western Mystery/Native American detectives through Goodreads. (Goodreads continues to impress me and now I would be lost without it.) Found Kirk Mitchell's style of writing very enjoyable, realistic, and attention keeping. Have the second in the series ordered and hope it arrives soon.
August 9, 2013
Contrary to the jacket claim, Tony Hillerman needn't "watch his back". The only thing this writer and Mr Hillerman have in common is that they write (or wrote) books set in Arizona Indian Country. Any other resemblance is the wishful thinking of Mr Mitchell's publicity agent.
July 7, 2011
I picked this up because it was described as a Tony Hillerman "read alike." There are worse things to be.
Overall, I enjoyed it. There were some twists and turns I couldn't follow, both plot-wise and geographically. And the author inserted so many little facts about so many different Indian tribes that sometimes it seemed like he was doing it just to show off his knowledge. But they were interesting things to learn, nevertheless. And the plot was a solid one, the surprises totally making sense after the fact.
And by the end, I really liked Parker and Turnipseed. So I guess I'll have to read Mitchell's later books with them, too.
Overall, I enjoyed it. There were some twists and turns I couldn't follow, both plot-wise and geographically. And the author inserted so many little facts about so many different Indian tribes that sometimes it seemed like he was doing it just to show off his knowledge. But they were interesting things to learn, nevertheless. And the plot was a solid one, the surprises totally making sense after the fact.
And by the end, I really liked Parker and Turnipseed. So I guess I'll have to read Mitchell's later books with them, too.
February 17, 2009
As soon as Anna Turnipseed was introduced as a character in this book, I had the forboding that she was there to be brutalized, tortured and then rescued by our stalwart hero, Emmett Quanah Parker. I guess I could have just skipped to the last couple of chapters at that point, but I didn't. I read on.
I had not read any of Mitchell's previous books and, if I had, perhaps I could have better understood and appreciated this book. The writer kept referring obliquely to things that I didn't understand at all. For example, immediately when Parker, a Bureau of Indian Affairs investigator is called in to investigate a brutal murder and mutilation, he intuits that this is all about HIM. It was done to draw HIM in and set HIM up for...something. How does he know that? Maybe there was something in previous books that would help explain that, but I just found it annoying.
So Turnipseed, a rookie FBI agent, is brought in to work with Parker on the case. Again, this seems an extraordinarily complex case to assign to a rookie. She just doesn't seem to be up for it, frankly, and it looks like the only reason she is assigned is that she is part Modoc. And, of course, because she is petite and pretty and a nice foil for the jaded veteran, Parker. What I'm saying is, it just seems more than a little contrived, but maybe I'm being overly critical.
There were some good bits to the story. The feeling for the culture of the Indian groups of the area seems genuine. Mitchell does appear to have an understanding of those cultures and he writes with empathy of them. But much of the connection between Indian gaming and the Jamaiican mob scene was just sketched in and was not really believable for me. I didn't get it. Again, maybe I'm just hyper-critical or extremely dense.
Overall, I found the book mildly interesting and I might read more of Mitchell, but I think I should go back to the beginning of this series and read from there. Perhaps it would be more interesting and more meaningful to me then.
I had not read any of Mitchell's previous books and, if I had, perhaps I could have better understood and appreciated this book. The writer kept referring obliquely to things that I didn't understand at all. For example, immediately when Parker, a Bureau of Indian Affairs investigator is called in to investigate a brutal murder and mutilation, he intuits that this is all about HIM. It was done to draw HIM in and set HIM up for...something. How does he know that? Maybe there was something in previous books that would help explain that, but I just found it annoying.
So Turnipseed, a rookie FBI agent, is brought in to work with Parker on the case. Again, this seems an extraordinarily complex case to assign to a rookie. She just doesn't seem to be up for it, frankly, and it looks like the only reason she is assigned is that she is part Modoc. And, of course, because she is petite and pretty and a nice foil for the jaded veteran, Parker. What I'm saying is, it just seems more than a little contrived, but maybe I'm being overly critical.
There were some good bits to the story. The feeling for the culture of the Indian groups of the area seems genuine. Mitchell does appear to have an understanding of those cultures and he writes with empathy of them. But much of the connection between Indian gaming and the Jamaiican mob scene was just sketched in and was not really believable for me. I didn't get it. Again, maybe I'm just hyper-critical or extremely dense.
Overall, I found the book mildly interesting and I might read more of Mitchell, but I think I should go back to the beginning of this series and read from there. Perhaps it would be more interesting and more meaningful to me then.
March 17, 2014
Good writing and goos characters, but a little had to follow at times.
January 21, 2022
Published in 1999...a real diatribe against Native casinos, suggesting a connection with Jamaican gangs. I kept googling...could not find anything.
Also tried to research what the Native community thinks of Mitchell's work...his portrayal of Natives. His credibility with this community is important for me to continue this series.
And then, the whole trope of strong man will save the imperiled woman...
Also tried to research what the Native community thinks of Mitchell's work...his portrayal of Natives. His credibility with this community is important for me to continue this series.
And then, the whole trope of strong man will save the imperiled woman...
July 9, 2021
Good story to listen to while driving out west
May 3, 2016
This book has been compared to Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn books, and it is my opinion that the comparison is needed, because it highlights the authentic voice of the author. Both authors, really.
I like Hillerman's books, so I took a chance on Cry Dance. I had trouble putting it down even though I desperately needed sleep. The twists in the plot, the unshakeable conviction of the characters that they were being played, and the horror of the madman who orchestrated everything were so well written I felt chills at places.
The characters were well done, for the most part, with past history implied between some of them, and most of that negative.
Overall, this is a stirring and powerful book, with flashbacks to the Indian Resistance, Ghost Dances, and the horrors of murders carried out in the guise of law.
I like Hillerman's books, so I took a chance on Cry Dance. I had trouble putting it down even though I desperately needed sleep. The twists in the plot, the unshakeable conviction of the characters that they were being played, and the horror of the madman who orchestrated everything were so well written I felt chills at places.
The characters were well done, for the most part, with past history implied between some of them, and most of that negative.
Overall, this is a stirring and powerful book, with flashbacks to the Indian Resistance, Ghost Dances, and the horrors of murders carried out in the guise of law.
December 2, 2017
When Tony Hillerman passed away I felt lost, thank God his daughter has picked up the mantle. I read "Spider Woman's Daughter" and loved it, so I was checking for another on Amazon and found it, but this book "Cry Dance" by Kirk Mitchell was also suggested, so I gave it a try.
Wow! Nice work Mr. Mitchell! The series began in 1999 with Cry Dance, and the main characters of Emmett Quanah Parker, Comanche BIA investigator, and Anna Turnipseed, Modoc FBI agent assigned to Las Vegas, team up to solve a murder that appears to be a grisly ritualized slaying on an isolated reservation but turns out, as the investigation rolls forward, to have some political and criminal connections to Las Vegas casino money.
I enjoyed it, there were some rough patches, but this is the FIRST of the series, I am looking forward to the rest. Thanks Mr. Mitchell!
Wow! Nice work Mr. Mitchell! The series began in 1999 with Cry Dance, and the main characters of Emmett Quanah Parker, Comanche BIA investigator, and Anna Turnipseed, Modoc FBI agent assigned to Las Vegas, team up to solve a murder that appears to be a grisly ritualized slaying on an isolated reservation but turns out, as the investigation rolls forward, to have some political and criminal connections to Las Vegas casino money.
I enjoyed it, there were some rough patches, but this is the FIRST of the series, I am looking forward to the rest. Thanks Mr. Mitchell!
February 22, 2018
Recommended as a good book for fans of Tony Hillerman, this was OK, but not great. Although most of the characters were some flavor of native American, one did not get the sense of those cultures.
January 14, 2019
Too bloody for me.
January 8, 2023
This one took me forever only because I have been zoning out on tv rather than listening to my audiobook.
But, I am now done and it’s one of those a bit hard to rate due to one major issue: the whole description of how our main character, Emmet Parker, leers at his new partner, like “she’s shapely, etc etc” always somehow about her appearance. Yes, we get it, she’s hot. Then, in other parts of the book, Parker describes seemingly every type of Native American based upon their physical descriptions. Example: So and so had a “sharp cheekbone” or “hooked nose”, etc. First, ok - you can just tell me that this person is Cherokee, and guess what? That’s enough. Secondly, the author, Kirk Mitchell, felt the need to involve each tribe in some way. Like all of them. Now, neither their descriptions nor their tribes had any bearing on anything. So why include it?
I will say this, however, I love Mitchell’s vocabulary. You know exactly who’s talking and how they looked, their posture, sweating, tics, etc - all without overly using repetitive words. I probably counted 20 uses of the word “said” with dialogue? And that’s awesome! The guy knows variety!
Stefan Rudnicki has a great, soothing baritone voice. He knew the right pace for this story, and he had the sound of a grizzled veteran in the field.
There was one small moment when I really cracked up; a scene wherein Parker is speeding towards a location— to paraphrase: “The other cop cars whooshed past him. Parker was driving 100 mph, which means they were doing at least that.”
—————
No, honey, if they whooshed past our hero, it means they were driving a skosh *faster* than him!
I see this is the beginning of a series. I may listen to the next in due time, but I won’t whoosh to the next book. 4/5
But, I am now done and it’s one of those a bit hard to rate due to one major issue: the whole description of how our main character, Emmet Parker, leers at his new partner, like “she’s shapely, etc etc” always somehow about her appearance. Yes, we get it, she’s hot. Then, in other parts of the book, Parker describes seemingly every type of Native American based upon their physical descriptions. Example: So and so had a “sharp cheekbone” or “hooked nose”, etc. First, ok - you can just tell me that this person is Cherokee, and guess what? That’s enough. Secondly, the author, Kirk Mitchell, felt the need to involve each tribe in some way. Like all of them. Now, neither their descriptions nor their tribes had any bearing on anything. So why include it?
I will say this, however, I love Mitchell’s vocabulary. You know exactly who’s talking and how they looked, their posture, sweating, tics, etc - all without overly using repetitive words. I probably counted 20 uses of the word “said” with dialogue? And that’s awesome! The guy knows variety!
Stefan Rudnicki has a great, soothing baritone voice. He knew the right pace for this story, and he had the sound of a grizzled veteran in the field.
There was one small moment when I really cracked up; a scene wherein Parker is speeding towards a location— to paraphrase: “The other cop cars whooshed past him. Parker was driving 100 mph, which means they were doing at least that.”
—————
No, honey, if they whooshed past our hero, it means they were driving a skosh *faster* than him!
I see this is the beginning of a series. I may listen to the next in due time, but I won’t whoosh to the next book. 4/5
January 31, 2020
Oh my goodness I really enjoyed this. There was no supernatural/paranormal traits or horror in this book that I usually look for, but it was Native American and a murder mystery. The fact that it was Native American grabbed me at the start. I've been looking for Native American horror and can't find it. I'm writing a Native American horror about my own tribe and wanted some inspiration. This book may not have been horror but it was terrifying in a real way.
Green FBI agent Anna Turnipseed puts herself in harm's way and her partner BIA Investigator Emmet Parker feels responsible for her even though he didn't know she was going undercover are a great pair.
In this novel, the killer, unfeeling, unflinching and unapologetic takes the faces of his victims, usually by hacking them away from the skull. It was nerve-racking to finally be up close and personal. Hearing his words, cold, unfeeling, and unwavering without emotion as he explained why he disfigured his victims, and why he was going to kill every partner Emmet Parker would have, here and forevermore.
Green FBI agent Anna Turnipseed puts herself in harm's way and her partner BIA Investigator Emmet Parker feels responsible for her even though he didn't know she was going undercover are a great pair.
In this novel, the killer, unfeeling, unflinching and unapologetic takes the faces of his victims, usually by hacking them away from the skull. It was nerve-racking to finally be up close and personal. Hearing his words, cold, unfeeling, and unwavering without emotion as he explained why he disfigured his victims, and why he was going to kill every partner Emmet Parker would have, here and forevermore.
March 13, 2021
Enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more in this series. An inexperienced FBI agent, Anna Turnipseed, is paired with an experienced BIA investigator, Emmett Parker, to look into the death on a BLM employee found on Havasupi land.
They start looking into the victim's background and it appears that she is helping do a land swap that may benefit some tribes and their gaming ambitions. When they dig further they find Jamaican mobsters involved and several others are killed. Anna goes undercover at a Native casino and gets involved with some tribal politics and several suspects. While Emmett is off investigating another angle he comes across an old enemy. Both angles eventually end up coming together and both their lives are at risk.
Love the setting where the story takes place and the discussions involving different tribal customs, some history and current politics.
Moved at a good pace, like the characters.
They start looking into the victim's background and it appears that she is helping do a land swap that may benefit some tribes and their gaming ambitions. When they dig further they find Jamaican mobsters involved and several others are killed. Anna goes undercover at a Native casino and gets involved with some tribal politics and several suspects. While Emmett is off investigating another angle he comes across an old enemy. Both angles eventually end up coming together and both their lives are at risk.
Love the setting where the story takes place and the discussions involving different tribal customs, some history and current politics.
Moved at a good pace, like the characters.
May 21, 2021
I've read Craig Johnson and enjoyed the books enough that when I found this title, I thought it would be similar enough to do the job. In a lot of ways, the stories are similar. What's lacking is the humor, the ebb and flow of the tension, and the likeable characters. I found it hard to empathize, much less like, any but two of the minor characters. While Johnson novels are at least as gory at times, this is something mitigated by the often unpredictable dialogue and plot development. In this first Emmett Parker/Anna Turnipseed book, there's so little variation in the tempo, tension and mood from scene to scene. Given that the transitions between scenes and character POV is often abrupt, it was jarring. I'll read the second novel in the series since I already have it, but I'm hoping this was a one-off and the books improve.
June 30, 2021
This book is really, really fantastic. I HIGHLY recommend it for mystery/action/thriller lovers. Kirk Mitchell is a master at keeping up the pace and the story has so many details and twists and turns that, even when characters are just talking, it's never boring. I love the Native American culture and lore carefully woven into the story. Emmett grows on you too. I found him too dry at first but later couldn't wait for him to be the central character again. Anna's voice could use some development but overall she pretty badass.
That said, the book can be hard to follow. Each detail is significant in some way, so even a momentary lapse in attention might mean missing a name or a case detail. And I would warn readers that are turned off by gore--the details of the murders and brutalizations are pretty dark.
That said, the book can be hard to follow. Each detail is significant in some way, so even a momentary lapse in attention might mean missing a name or a case detail. And I would warn readers that are turned off by gore--the details of the murders and brutalizations are pretty dark.
July 16, 2021
In the style of Tony Hillerman this book follows the investigations of Emmett Parker (Comanche) of the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) and Anna Turnipseed (Modoc) of the FBI. Their stories take place on Indian Reservations. Their story is entertaining but also very informative about the different tribes and cultures of those tribes. Needless to say using current technology and their indigenous intuitive natures to sort through the facts of the case to deduce how to move forward tracking down those who perpetrated a murder on the reservation. I enjoyed the book and the tension between our two investigators. I will have to read the next book in the series to see how these two Indian investigators work together in the future.
March 27, 2020
I kept pushing myself to read this, but I just need to quit. I don't understand everything going on. One of the characters is not developed enough, so I don't end up understanding what the heck he is thinking when he decides to do things. There isn't enough description of place or people. Just because a book has Native American characters and is a mystery does not mean someone who likes Hillerman will enjoy it. If you like action without a lot of other development, you will probably like this book.
January 27, 2019
I refuse to watch Longmire reruns and thought I would satisfy my craving for the series with this book. This was not my first Kirk Mitchell book. It was not bad, but it wasn’t great either. Thank goodness I started this series with book 4. Cause if I started at the beginning I would have given up on Parker and Turnipseed a long time ago.
June 10, 2024
I listened to the audiobook that I got from my library. I found it very interesting and somewhat similar to Tony and Anne Hillerman but different in a good way. It is very suspenseful and I found it hard to stop in order to sleep. It is written in two respective and the story changes from one to the other.
May 24, 2019
I liked learning about the different beliefs and lifestyles of the various Native American tribes. I like Emmet Quanah Parker but this book was long and too drawn out in certain parts and sometimes hard to follow along.
December 5, 2020
Tony Hillerman. Louise Edrich. Craig Johnson. I search for stories influenced by
Native American experience. This series is a welcome addition to the genre. Could have done with some tighter editing. Strong characters.
Native American experience. This series is a welcome addition to the genre. Could have done with some tighter editing. Strong characters.
April 21, 2022
This again is a series, excellent read, reminds me of Tony Holler man books, the main characters in book are bureau of Indian affairs criminal investigator Enmity Quanah and special agent with the FBI Anna Turnipseed. I highly recommend !
October 14, 2024
I came to this one after finding it on sale and wanting a start of a series. The characters are engaging and the descriptions are clear and imaginative. I will definitely read more in series.
I liked the story but wasn't my favorite.
I liked the story but wasn't my favorite.
June 9, 2017
Ray, Village patron, June 2017, 4 stars:
Good, but rough.
Good, but rough.
October 11, 2018
A very good audio book, look forward to next.
May 14, 2019
Far fetched but entertaining :)
July 8, 2020
Intense and engaging
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews