Purple Palette for Murder

Meg Harris Mysteries #8

by R.J. Harlick

With her husband under arrest for murder and Meg desperate to prove his innocence, she flies to Yellowknife, where a tangled web of family secrets and greed awaits her.
Meg Harris is forced to leave the sanctuary of Three Deer Point and fly to Yellowknife, where her stepdaughter lies near death and her husband is in jail for killing a man. Expecting to find Eric shouting his innocence, she instead finds him cowed and willing to do hard time. But Meg doesn't believe he s guilty.
Convinced that there s more to the murder victim and the attack on her stepdaughter than the police think, Meg finds herself on a sordid trail of family secrets and greed, hoping she can prove her husband s innocence. Fragments of an ancient embroidery lead her to a remote Dene hunting camp, where all is not what it seems."

Genres: Mystery

392 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2017

About the author

Called "queen of Canadian wilderness fiction", R.J. Harlick writes the acclaimed Meg Harris mystery series set in the wilds of Canada with an underlying native theme. There are currently seven books in the series with the eighth, Purple Palette for Murder, due out in October 2017.

The fourth book, Arctic Blue Death, was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Best Novel award. Silver Totem of Shame was named one of the top ten summer crime fiction reads by the Globe & Mail and was a recommended beach read by the Seattle Public Library. Cold White Fear was a CBC recommended mystery read.

With Death's Golden Whisper, the first book in the Meg Harris mystery series, RJ introduces protagonist Meg Harris who has fled the urban frenzy of Toronto and her failed marriage to Three Deer Point, a remote wilderness property in West Quebec, that she inherited from her Great Aunt Agatha. She lives in a century old Victorian timber cottage perched on a granite point overlooking the black waters of Echo Lake. Her only neighbour is the reserve of the Fishhook Algonquins, or Migiskan Anishinabeg. She drinks a little too much and is afraid of the dark, yet her only companion in this remote cottage is her wimpy standard poodle, Sergei.

She has fled to this northern paradise to heal her bruised soul. But her sought after peace is invariably interrupted by injustice and murder. Unable to ignore it, Meg becomes enmeshed in a quagmire of murderous intrigue.

After travelling to Baffin Island in Arctic Blue Death, Meg decided that she would love to explore a different Canadian wilderness and visit with its native peoples in every other book. Silver Totem of Shame takes place in Vancouver and Haida Gwaii, the mystical islands of the Haida. Purple Palette for Murder has Meg flying to the Northwest Territories when her husband is charged with murder.

Though the story of each book can stand on its own, there is a backstory about Meg and other characters that evolves from book to book. So avid readers of mystery series might want to start with the first book, Death's Golden Whisper.

Harlick is a member and past president of Crime Writers of Canada and Capital Crime Writers. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime, The Writers Union of Canada and Quebec Writers Federation.

She is a regular panelists at such conferences as Bouchercon, Left Coast Crime, and Malice Domestic. She also does many store signings and library readings. To check out her schedule visit her blog. http://rjharlick.blogspot.ca

RJ blogs every second Tuesday on Criminal Minds - http://7criminalminds.blogspot.ca.

Visit with RJ on Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/RJHarlick
and on her website - http://www.rjharlick.ca

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
I enjoyed reading this mystery, set in the Northwest Territories, Canada. It starts with Meg Harris getting a phone call from a lawyer in Yellowknife, NWT, telling her that her husband, Eric Odjik, has been arrested for murder. She lives in Quebec, north of Ottawa, Ontario. She flies to Yellowknife from Ottawa, determined to prove Eric innocent. Eric is a member of the Dene First Nations tribe in NWT. But he was sent to a white couple for adoption, under the "civilization" policy that Canada used to take First Nations people from their families.
He has reconnected with his people and visits them enough that he was recently elected a Dene chief. Meg gets to Yellowknife and finds that the Crown has a strong case against Eric. His lawyer tells her that the Crown is offering a plea deal and Eric is about to take it. She starts asking questions, and with the help of Eric's Uncle Joe, uncovers the truth. But there is more than one criminal and sorting out who did what to whom had me guessing until almost the end of the book.
There is some violence, but no graphic description of violence, so I would call it a cozy mystery. I liked that the author has woven First Nation Dene traditions into the story. I think Tony Hillerman fans would enjoy this book. It is book 8 in the series, but it read ok for me as a standalone.
Thanks to NetGalley, Dundurn and R.J. Harlick for sending me this ebook.
Update January 19, 2018, I bought books 1-6, kindle set.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 8th book in the Meg Harris series by R.J. Harlick. This series has been on my radar for a couple of years, recommended by a good friend of mine. She knows I love mysteries set in the wilderness, and bonus points for First Nations themes or arctic settings (or both). This was my first foray into the series, but I am definitely going to go dig up the other books in the series immediately.

The author has an amazing facility with description. Breathtaking scenery and wilderness really made the story come alive for me. In fact the writing and descriptions reminded me a lot of Tony Hillerman's books and the characters' delicate balance (or imbalance) trying to be true to their culture whilst being forced to conform to white culture were a recurring theme in this book as well.

The story itself is a well plotted mystery with greed and double crosses, politics and assault, old history and old crimes which won't stay buried. The plot twists and denouement were fairly done and I hadn't worked out the whole solution by the end of the book.

For anyone who is a fan of C.J. Box's Joe Pickett books, or Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series, definitely find this book. I can't believe it took me this long.

Four stars, I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

[Grace Koshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg Harris is still traumatized from her encounter with three men last winter at her Three Deer Point cabin in Quebec, Canada. But when Meg learns that her stepdaughter Teth'aa has been brutally attacked and her husband Eric Odjik has been arrested for killing a man, she forces herself to travel across the country to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Meg is shocked to find that Eric is not defending himself. And when Meg learns that Eric's lawyer wants him to plead out, she fires him and hires defense counsel Sally McLeod. While Teht’aa slowly recovers and Eric languishes in jail, Meg starts her own investigation. While she’s using Teht’aa’s apartment, Meg meets Teht’aa’s troubled cousin Gloria. A piece of ancient suede embroidery decorated with sparkly purple flowers is an important clue. With the help of Erik's mentor, Uncle Joe Bluegoose, Meg learns about the controversial use of native lands for mining. The trail eventually leads Meg and Uncle Joe to a remote island far north of civilization and a family secret held by the female members of Teth'aa's family that is worth killing for.

This was another thrilling and enjoyable read in the Meg Harris mystery series.

I received this book for free from Netgalley and Dundurn Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon Mensing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg Harris is recuperating from a nightmare event when she receives a call from a lawyer in Yellowknife telling her that her husband has been arrested for murder and her daughter is in a coma in the hospital. She must force herself to leave the sanctuary of her home to go to their assistance. When she arrives, she finds secrets, lies, and mysteries that all seem centered around some torn pieces of embroidery depicting purple flowers. As she searches to find the truth and free her husband, she ventures deep into a backcountry that is reminiscent of William Kent Krueger's boundary waters. At the same time, the depths to which humans can fall as they satisfy their own greed are revealed. There's a consistent understory about what happened at the Christian schools to which Canada's indigenous children were sent, adding an overall sense of sadness to the book but providing for final redemption. Meg's character is fully developed, even in this 8th book in the series, as well as several of the other more important characters. Other characters are a bit more stereotypical. The book captivates, and it kept me up late to reach the denouement.

Thank you to netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review.

[Laurie Beemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

R.J. Harlick did an amazing job describing the scenery in this book, Because I haven't had an opportunity to read all the other books before this one in the Meg Harris Mystery it took a few minutes to get into this story. Once I started reading further it really didn't matter because the author did a terrific job making the reader understand what was happening. The descriptions of the land and locations in the book were written with such detail that it embraced the reader and it actually felt that I had been there; I loved that.
There are serious moments in this book that will make the reader emotional and wish that they could be there to offer their support to Meg and her daughter as well as moments when you want to cheer for them.
Thank you NetGalley and R.J. Harlick for letting me read and offer a honest review of this book.

[Elite Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique, northern Canadian, Meg Harris mystery that crosses intercultural boundaries and enfolds you into the life of the Algonquin community.
With her husband, Eric Odjik - Grand Chief of the Grand Council of First Nations, under arrest for murder and her stepdaughter - Teht’aa Bluegoose, in a hospital near death, Meg Harris is convinced the two crimes are linked, and not in the way the police believe. She must overcome her fear of leaving her sanctuary of Three Deer Point and fly to Yellowknife to prove his innocence. In her search for justice, she finds a tangled web of family secrets and greed that she must unravel if she is to free the only man she has ever loved. Fragments of an ancient embroidery give her clues that guide her on her way and lead her to a remote Dene hunting camp where all is not as it seems and she meets members of her husband’s family that she has not met before.
Throughout the book, I could sense the author’s love for Canada’s untamed wilds and the people who inhabit them. The novel highlights the plight of FASD – foetal alcohol spectrum disorder amongst the Algonquin people and the abuse that many children suffered at the Catholic residential schools they were forced to attend. It also brings to life the ancestral use of oral maps and the rich culture of story-telling to keep the history of a people alive. After reading the book I definitely want to read the other books by the author – her storytelling takes me to places that I would love to visit but know that the only way I shall visit them is in my imagination as I create pictures with the words that are written. Her book allowed me to mingle amongst people with whom I would be very at home and to be part of the rich Algonquin culture.
Saphira
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Meg Harris receives a telephone call and is told that her husband Eric has been arrested for murder and is currently in jail. Crippled by near agoraphobia, she knows she must go to him, for he would never have done such a thing. She immediately hops a flight to Yellowknife and proceeds directly to the hospital to see her step-daughter Teht’aa who is in a coma and badly hurt from a violent attack.

She hires the best attorney she can who is named Sally and they proceed to work on Eric’s case. However, the RCMP is convinced that they have the right man, for Eric was standing over the murdered man with a knife in his hand.

Meg meets “Uncle” Joe, a wise and irascible old fella who is sitting by Teht’aa’s bedside in the hospital. They get along famously and explore the possible motives and suspects who might have caused Teht’aa’s wounds and killed Frank, the man who supposedly hurt Teht’aa and whom Eric was supposed to have killed. They journey around picking up clues and following leads. Meg soon discovers that the pieces of hide with the strange markings and purple flowers embroidered into them are significant to the case. Indeed, they make the case.

This is an exciting and fast-paced story with beautiful descriptions of the countryside and the First Nations peoples. It is an extremely well-written and plotted novel. The suspense was immediate and did not let up until the story was finished. I truly enjoyed this book. It was my first R.J. Harlick novel, but I immediately went to Amazon and ordered all her other books. I can’t wait to dig into them as well.

I want to thank NetGalley and Dundurn for forwarding to me a copy of this most remarkable book for me to read and enjoy.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purple Palette for Murder is the latest Meg Harris mystery by author R.J. Harlick. The Meg Harris series is set in Canada and written by a Canadian author. R.J. Harlick thoroughly researches the areas where she sets the stories and I find that I learn a lot while I am reading an enjoyable tale.

Meg is still recovering from her experiences in the last book, A Cold White Fear, which was a terrifying read. I would still be recovering from them too. But when she finds out her husband has been arrested for the murder of his daughter's accused rapist and attacker, she is on the first plane to Yellowknife in Canada's North West Territories.

Purple Palette for Murder is a great mystery but it is also a great geography lesson. More importantly, the book realistically approaches the problems that linger for Canada's First Nation people. Most of the problems lead back to the residential school system where native children where taken from their parents and placed in schools far from home. At these schools, the children were told to forget their native heritage and become "white" basically. There was terrible abuse at these schools. The results of the abuse have trickled down through the generations and we are left with a lot of damaged people. I applaud author Harlick for her realistic portrayal of a broken but resilient people.

Purple Palette for Murder also touches on the resource development of the North West Territories. Diamonds were discovered there and there has been a boom accompanying this. A number of First Nations people are torn between leaving the habitat intact or exploiting the resources such as diamonds.

I highly recommend Purple Palette for Murder.

[Julie Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC, and there are no spoilers.

Purple Palette for Murder is the first book I've read by this author, R.J. Harlick. It captivated me.

The book is a murder mystery set in Yellowknife, Canada, and out on the tundra. The female protagonist's husband, a First Nations chief and national figure, is charged with the murder of his daughter's boyfriend. Meg is frustrated by the authorities poor investigation and calls in her contacts and starts her own probe.

The plot surges along, twisting and turning, as potential suspects come and go. Action is fast-paced, and the setting is superbly researched and described — I felt I was there. Intrigue and distrust are present throughout in full measure.

I highly recommend this mystery as a different read and the author's skill. I shall be seeking out other books in the series.

[W.L. Hawkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It was a vast empty land we paddled through. With only low hills to obstruct the view, the horizon seemed limitless, apart from a few days of rain, when clouds cloaked us in misty drizzle. After paddling through still smouldering lands of the forest fire, we travelled northward. The smattering of short, scrubby trees grew sparse until disappearing altogether. We had travelled beyond the treeline…We were utterly alone.”

The wild romantic landscape of the Canadian north plays a major character in this, RJ Harlick’s latest Meg Harris mystery. The ninth book in the series, it explores the culture of the Tlicho or Dogrib people, part of the Dene First Nation in the Northwest Territories. This is the land of continuous daylight, of stubbly trees, barren lands, pristine lakes, and resources just waiting to be gobbled up by the greedy; juxtaposed alongside Yellowknife, a makeshift amalgam of big box stores, parking lots, strip malls, and all the seedier sides of life a city offers.

This is my first introduction to Harlick and her tenacious and complex heroine, Meg. In prior books, Meg has explored the Migiskan Algonquin, an Anishinabe culture of West Quebec—her neighbours at Three Pines and her husband Erik Odjik’s people. She’s flown to Iqaluit in the Canadian Arctic looking for answers to her father’s disappearance and encountered the dangerous world of Inuit art forgery. And in Vancouver, she’s been caught up in the death of a young Haida carver and explored the beauty of Haida Gwaii.

A reluctant hero, Meg, must venture once again from the safety of her home at Three Pines in Quebec. She’s recently experienced a vicious attack by two men during a terrifying blizzard—an attack she has yet to deal with or heal from. But leave her safe haven she must. Her husband, Eric Odjik, Grand Chief of the Grand Council of First Nations, has been imprisoned for murdering his step-daughter’s abusive ex-boyfriend, Frank. To up the stakes, Teht’aa, Eric’s step-daughter lies in a coma after being raped, beaten, and left in a alley to die. Believing Frank is her attacker, Eric exacted his revenge—so the police believe—and Eric thinks it might be true. He doesn’t remember a thing.

This is plenty for Meg to deal with. She’s an alcoholic who’s only been sober two years, and is a recent assault victim herself. But Meg is strong and feisty and when she decides to do something, she does it. In this story, she must watch over her step-daughter who lies in a coma, and free her husband from prison. She must unravel the truth of what happened; a truth that involves her husband’s Dene family.

My favourite character is Joe Bluegoose. The “uncle” who helped Eric reclaim his Algonkian heritage, Uncle Joe acts as sidekick to Meg. He reminds me so much of his namesake Joe Gomba from North of 60, that I see him and hear his voice with every word this Joe utters. They are both old, grey, wiry, wizened indigenous men who know the land and love their people with every bone in their skinny bodies. A man of grunts and few words, Joe Bluegoose misses verbs, but understands everything. He is a man of the land, cooking up caribou stew, bannock, and smoked grilled whitefish, which he manages to pull out of the lake with surprising dexterity.

As is the nature of all good murder mysteries, RJ Harlick keeps us guessing about what really happened. Is the death of Frank Chocolate, and the rape and beating of Teht’aa somehow connected to the creepy Father Harris, former teacher at St. Anne’s Residential School? Or is Reggie, an ambitious Tlicho man, who has declared himself acting Grand Chief due to Eric’s incarceration, involved? Then, there is the bad-tempered Hans, a German prospector who scans the land for diamonds, and Teht’aa’s complicated cousin Gloria, who’s into drugs, alcohol, and prostitution. The one thing Meg does know, is that her husband cannot possibly be guilty, though he doesn’t remember a thing and woke up beside Frank’s body clutching the bloody knife. What really happened? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

I will say this. I am charmed by Harlick’s “purple palette” and her web-weaving. One of the major symbols in this book is an artifact, a piece of ancient embroidered caribou skin, died purple with blueberries, tufted with Dene flowers sewn with purple caribou hair and shimmering beads. The way she uses the fabric is brilliant and will keep you reading to the last page.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg Harris is still reeling from the previous year's shocking events (which she dubs The Nightmare) and grappling with agoraphobia when she gets a call informing her of her husband's arrest for murder. In total shock, she gets on a plane to Yellowknife, despite her phobia. She knows Eric, her beloved husband, the Grand Chief of the Algonquin First Nations, could never commit murder and vows to free him. Teht'aa, Eric's daughter, lies in hospital in a coma
nearly beaten to death, probably by her boyfriend Frank, whose killing Eric is accused of after being found by the body with a bloody knife.
This was my first Meg Harris book, but certainly not my last. Her words describing the past Catholic education of Algonquin children, forcing them to give up their cultural heritage, the interactions between Algonquins and non Algonquins as well as the differing opinions between the elders
and the young generation who want the modern life
in the big city, are thought provoking and gave me rare insights into a world I don't know.
Greed, ambition, murder, diamond mining and family loyalties make this a great read. Also, the descriptions of the landscape are breathtaking; another addition to my Bucket List!
Thank you Netgalley and Dundurn Publishing for the eArc

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! First of all, thanks to the publisher for the ARC which allowed me to discover this series, which I don't think has been widely available in the US before. I didn't have the least problem becoming immediately engaged in this story because of the strength of the characters and the plot- and I don't think I missed a thing for not having read the others. Secrets and lies make for the best mysteries and there are lot of them here. Meg has been dealing with the aftermath of a horrible attack the best way she can but she pulls herself out of what is close to agoraphobia to fly to the defense of her husband, who has been accused of murder. I loved the wilderness settings and the First Nations information- it's rare I learn as much as I did from reading a mystery. These are very real, intriguing characters. Eric is also terrific. Try this one for a different take on the amateur detective- it's definitely not a cozy. It's a page turner. I'm going to look for more from Harlick.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

R. J. Harlick's book, Purple Palette for Murder, is a Meg Harris Mystery that takes the reader to the Northwest Territories. Meg finds herself flying to Yellowknife when her step-daughter, Teht'aa, is brutally attacked and her husband is accused of killing a man. Knowing that her husband is innocent, she seeks information from his family to sort things out. What she finds is long kept family secrets, greedy people, and surprises! This book is well written, has an entertaining mystery, and shares the culture of the north. I want to read other books in this series!

[Darlene Otet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. A great little mystery from a series, and is the 8th in the series. I enjoyed it a lot. You follow Meg as she journeys to the northern city of Yellowknife while she is also struggling with her fears from a prior incident. She pushes her own fears aside as she works to free her husband from jail by proving his innocence. As you follow her you also get to learn about First Nation history and culture, and enjoy visual desriptions of the rugged northern landscape. I enjoy mysteries and trying to get ahead and figure out what is coming. My attempts at getting ahead of the story failed - the twists kept coming and secrets held to the very end. Great book!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Meg Harris mysteries get better with each book. Looking forward to the next one.

[Pauline Barlow]

This was a very interesting read.

[Toni Kania · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little known Canadian author writes a wonderful series...

[Chartreuse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like most of the books in the series, but this was a bit disappointing. The end felt rushed and some of the characters were not as developed as they could have been.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg Harris is still suffering from the traumas she endured in Book #7. She is healing slowly when she answers a call. Her husband has been arrested for murdering his daughter's abusive boyfriend. Meg is determined to prove her husband is innocent despite the insurmountable amount of evidence saying otherwise. Meg also discovers her step-daughter has been severely beaten. All evidence points to the abusive boyfriend. Meg knows there is more to both stories.
Meg travels to Canada's Northwest Territory with the support of one of her step-daughter's Elders. With him and others she searches for evidence. Along the way, Readers are given an incredible view of First Nation history - including the terrible forced enrollment and abuse of the Reservation Schools. Several generations were forbidden to practice their Native beliefs and much was lost forever. As a result of these horrors, and poverty many suffer from substance abuse. But we are also given a deep description of Algonquin beliefs and rituals as well as a gorgeous view of the vast wilderness that is part of the Northwest Territory.