The Shaman Sings

Charlie Moon #1

by James D. Doss

Science and mysticism, ghosts and hard-edged cop work combine to stunning effect in this first novel set in Native American lands of Colorado. Daisy Perika, an aged Ute shaman, sees images of imminent death in her dreams and outside her remote trailer. Daisy understands her visions. Not so Scott Parrish, chief of police in a nearby town, who has similar experiences while investigating the murder of Priscilla Song. Song, a researcher at the university, was stabbed to death while working on her computer. The obvious suspect in the university murder is the Mexican handyman, who compounds his guilt by taking off cross-country and leaving corpses in his wake. Yet soon after the murder, a miraculous breakthrough in the application of superconductors, Song's field, is announced by another professor. Clues in the case include cryptic letters the victim left on a computer screen, odd abrasions found in the roof of her mouth and the fact that her research is missing. Doss keeps his reader's attention focused by nimbly leaping among points of view: the killer answers to a hidden Voice; the cop stumbles along, comprehending little; Daisy's spiritual reveries are rife with legend and symbolism; the canny caretaker and a big, dumb cop named Piggy conduct a bloody yet oddly humorous chase that manipulates the reader's sense of sympathy. Doss, an electrical engineer, sets off quite a spark with this ambitious, successful debut.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc

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

230 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

James D. Doss (1939, Kentucky, -17 May 2012) was a noted American mystery novel author. He was the creator of the popular fictional Ute detective/rancher Charlie Moon, of whom he wrote 17 mystery novels. James "Danny" Doss was born and raised in Kentucky and died in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He was also an electrical engineer who worked on particle accelerators and biomedical technology for the University of California's Los Alamos National Laboratory, while writing his novels. After retirement from Los Alamos National Laboratory, he continued to write his popular novels while living in Taos, New Mexico and Los Alamos, New Mexico.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Doss

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is often compared to Tony Hillerman novels, though the writing styles of these two authors are markedly different. The similarities are primarily in genre with mysteries involving Native American culture, Colorado settings, and tribal investigator protagonists. Qualities appreciated by Hillerman fans won't necessarily translate to Doss novels, and vice versa. My limited experience with Hillerman novels is based on Dance Hall of the Dead, which I couldn't even finish for its hard-boiled writing style. I also thought his characters were less developed.

The Shaman Sings introduces readers to Scott Parris, who is tasked with investigating the grisly death of Priscilla Song, a university researcher of superconductors, murdered in her lab. The primary suspect is the Mexican handyman who flees the scene and begins a bloody flight for the border leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. The surprise announcement of a pending patent in the field of superconductivity lends credible evidence that Song's murder is not all that it seems. Doss keeps readers guessing about whodunit by shifting perspectives from different characters, including tribal shaman Daisy Perika, whose mystical visions of death compound and oddly alarm Police Chief Parris for their similarity to his own odd dreams.

Fans of the series will be entertained by this first glimpse of feisty Daisy Perika's mystical conversations with the pitukupf--the legendary dwarf who dwells in middle earth. Add a dose of comedy with bumbling Officer Piggy Slocum, and you have a recipe for success. I enjoyed the novel for its merits despite the lack of Charlie Moon, though my expectations were much higher based on the more developed characterization in Doss's series. I would have appreciated knowing in advance that favored protagonist Charlie Moon was not the main character, but readers new to the series won't have this trouble.

[Randee Baty · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems like I compare books to food a lot lately so this one reminds me of casserole where it tastes pretty good but there’s just some ingredient in it you just can’t place and would have been fine without and maybe the whole thing is slightly underseasoned.

The Shaman Sings was James D. Doss’ debut novel and I think that shows pretty clearly. There are a lot of elements in the story. There is the mystical Ute woman, the Keystone cop deputies, the illegal immigrant, the visions, the dreams, the drug dealing professor, the beautiful and ambitious reporter, the angsty chief of police, the English cryptographer hermit, the victim’s rodeo cowboy boyfriend…you get the idea. Lots going on. And because there is so much going on some of the lines just get buried.

I enjoyed the book and it kept my attention but some of the characters and storylines could have been used much more effectively. The romance storyline was particularly rushed. I felt there was a lot of story in the author’s brain that he left out of the book.

The mystery was well-done with several red herrings along the way. There were points of humor which I appreciate. The characters felt like real people to me. I think the flaws in the story come strictly from this being the first in a series for a new author. I will be reading the rest of the series because I’ve heard from others that it gets better and better.

[Michele Beacham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up from the Local Authors shelf at a bookstore in Albuquerque on a whim to read while I was there for the weekend. It was pretty good and a fast read, but I was a little bit disappointed at it being listed at the first "Charlie Moon" book, because he was hardly in it at all. I probably would have liked it less had I not read it on vacation (I find that vacation makes everything better!)

[Elaine Nickolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 An enjoyable read for sure. This was a combination of Indian lore mixed with modern day detective work. When a young science student is killed it is up to the new police chief to solve the brutal murder.
Scott Parris left the big city and thought his tough cases were over when he signed up for this job in a small town in Colorado. While investigating the case there is input from the local shaman. Her visions seem to match with some of Scott's dreams and he begins to wonder if there is really something with this shamans' powers.
Interesting read that kept me reading long past my bedtime.

[JaNelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I live in the area that the book is set in. It's fun seeing your local sites in a book. Good way to get through a rainy day.

[Laura Knaapen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough that I'll check out the next one in the series. Physics department technology vs. Ute traditional spiritualism. Both are interesting. Some of the characters are too dumb to believe. Fire Piggy!

[LJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

THE SHAMAN SINGS - DNF
Doss, James D.

The shocking death of a female physics student has shattered the peaceful community of Granite Creek, Colorado—and police chief Scott Parrish has a hunch he can’t even begin to explain. He saw the killing…in his dreams.

Daisy Perika experienced the same visions. An aged Ute shaman who lives in a trailer on the lonesome highlands, hers is the realm of the Native American spirit. But Daisy doesn’t need scientific proof to know that the student’s breakthrough discovery was to kill for. And it isn’t over yet.

Parrish wants to believe that Daisy can unleash the truth. But will her visions of Coyote and fire make for evidence in a court of law? Now it’s up to Parrish and Daisy’s nephew, Tribal Police investigator Charlie Moon, to summon the supernatural and seize the killer—before he strikes again…

I couldn't even finish this.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Lots of things to like -- a little science, a little Ute lore, set in Colorado (but I wouldn't have known that from the descriptions which are all vague), very engaging (but fairly gruesome)

I'm looking for something along the lines of Hillerman's works. This didn't capture the 'feel' of a place, nor did it say much about Ute beliefs ... but this is only the first in a series of 17, so it's too early to make any generalizations.

Scott P's interactions with Anne F are out of character and unrealistic. I hope Doss develop's Anne's potential in the next book. Unless he does so, I may just give up on the series. Romance is not Doss's strength.

[Nigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a fair bit. Basic cops/murder story but made better than simply that by some good writing and characters. Throw in some humour and it was a worthwhile read for me. My only read complaint is that it is tagged as A "Charlie Moon novel" and he almost doesn't appear in it and I was expecting a bit more of the magical mysticism but I'll read another as soon as I can.

[Lisa Simantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun combination of Native American mysticism and murder mystery

[Stacie Haden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flawed and disjointed. Clearly, a first work by the author. I hear they get better.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not so much a detective story as the struggle between good and evil with a confusion of Ute mythology, white man's "the bad", the Catholic church, the Inca's and Mayan's, dream quests, witches and perhaps schizophrenia backed by evil.

The overall plot hangs together although sometimes it feels like the mish mash of the supranatural is the "get out of jail" card for writing oneself into a box. The characterization of some of the attitudes such as Mexican illegal, Julio Pacheco, relationship with the numerous Catholic saints is well drawn and amusing, the fact that this is billed as the first Charlie Moon mystery is rather misleading. He barely puts in an appearance.

The new chief of Granite Creek, CO, Scott Paris, has a particularly grisly murder of young female graduate student to solve. He has help and the ultimate showdown with support of the aged Ute shaman, Daisy Perika, the aunt of his dispatcher. While new fashioned and old fashioned police skills play their part the ultimate solutions are found within the supranatural and their questionable role in helping or hindering us.

[Marlène · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voilà un polar "ethnique" très sympathique. Bourré d'humour, un juste équilibre entre sciences, ici une sombre histoire d'assassinat suite à la découverte du Graal des super-conducteurs, et traditions natives-américaines, avec les visions de Daisy Perika, vieille chaman Ute, et les prémonitions du chef de la police Scotty Parris.
Un tas de fausses pistes à l'entourloupe bien menée, des personnages chouettes et drôles, même si certains sont un peu trop caricaturaux (le criminel mexicain et le flic incapable à la taille et l'appétit XXXL).
La série aurait pour autre personnage central Charlie Moon, neveu de la police tribale de Daisy. Il apparaît exactement 2 fois, au début puis à la fin de ce premier tome. Pourquoi le mentionner comme personnage central du polar? Au plaisir de le découvrir plus présent dans la suite de ces aventures par Jame D. Doss!

[Julie Howard · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, the positive......good characters, and an interesting murder.
The negative......1. Not enough Charlie Moon 2. Too much stuff left unexplained that is unrelated to the story. Daisy's friend is taken by angels and his sheep killed? No one investigates? 3. The pretty reporter is hurt badly then is out running around the next day? Seriously, no. 4. There were serious hints of a supernatural thing about the killer, never explained. 4. What the heck were the fireballs and witches that Daisy saw?
I read a later Charlie Moon novel and enjoyed it a lot more. This is definitely a first book.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this one. Charlie Moon is hardly in it. Most of the book has your typical stereotypes of lawmen, academics,etc.. Some of the action feels contrived and hollow. In one case a character is almost murdered but she survives and is walking around like nothing happened within hours of the near fatal wounding. The best parts of the book were about the scientific discovery. The attempt to meld the Native American mythology with a murder mystery didn't succeed like the works of Tony Hillerman. Not going to read any more of these.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some interesting bits to this story that will have me seeking out at least one more in the series (the superconductor science, the Native American settings), but Charlie Moon whose name is attached to the series hardly features in it at all, and some of the characters were just obnoxious. The pace of the "romance" between the sheriff and the reporter seemed disjointed to me, and I couldn't tell how seriously or "real" some of the shamanistic experiences were supposed to be considered.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I just discovered this author recently and I really liked the concept of mysteries set on the Ute reservation. Like having another Hillerman to read. But somehow, so far, he never quite pulls it off. I do like some of his characters. But the plots get pretty contrived, and the twist is never "honest" from the reader's point of view, IMHO.

[Rhane · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can feel the wind and smell the piñon smoke

James Doss’s Charlie Moon novels are a delight. The introduction of Chief Paris in this one was very satisfying. A policeman who senses the currents of the invisible world is an interesting friend for Aunt Daisy Perika. I always look forward to a James Doss novel.

[Victoria Stolp]

I love Daisy and her relationship with the Dwarf. I might have enjoyed more lengthy treatment of the characters than what was offered in this sort book.
I know this book is the first in a series featuring Charlie Moon, but there's the bearest of mentions of him here. I'll give James Doss another try with the next on the series, because he does a fair job of hiding the culprit till the end.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have all these Doss books and liked every one....and have kept them as I plan to re-read them later this year. Sorry that he has passed away...I was hoping for more on Charlie Moon....
I have all of Margaret Coel's Indian mysteries and hoping more from her.

[B B 3682 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the books James Doss wrote, tespecially Charlie Moon. Wish I could find some more of them

[Amber Foxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

An analytical review

I’ve previous reviewed James Scott Belle’s writing guide, Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story, and I love the mystical mysteries of James D. Doss. To teach myself to better apply Bell’s structural signposts, I reread Doss’s first book, noting how he intuitively applied those story-line elements in his unconventional way, long before Bell wrote the book. I hope this review will be useful to readers looking for a good book and to authors hoping to write one. (FYI: I worked hard to avoid plot spoilers while doing this analysis.)

Bell’s first signpost—The Initial Disturbance
This has to be the rock that starts the landslide of the rest of the plot. It can be a pebble or a boulder, but it shifts the status quo in the world of the protagonist, requiring change and action in response. In the first chapter of The Shaman Sings., the disturbance is the arrival of a coyote near Daisy Perika’s isolated trailer home at the mouth of the Canyon of the Spirits. This book is immediately set up to be deeply mystical and yet also funny. In a few pages of conflict between an old shaman and a spirit coyote—and her own thoughts, her inner conflict—it’s not obvious what the impact of the animal’s message will be, but the feeling is strong: there will be one.

Doss delivers the same disturbance—a premonition of evil—in the point pf view of an Anglo newcomer to the region, police chief Scott Parris, the second lead character. The disturbance comes around a third time in the point of view of a nameless stalker observing physics graduate student in a laboratory at night, a nameless stalker who understands what she’s doing scientifically, and who hears a Voice.

Doss inserts the second sign post—The Care Package—into these scenes. Daisy gives coffee and companionship to the eccentric shepherd Nahum Yaciti who comes to visit, and to share his premonitions. Scott recalls his last premonition was before his wife died. We see him as a man who has loved deeply and lost. We see Daisy as a difficult person but capable of friendship. And we see the student as vulnerable, alone in her endeavors.

Third signpost—Trouble Brewing:
This explodes with the murder and then is doled out steadily. It accelerates when the readers knows the cops are after the wrong suspect and that there are three possible candidates for the real killer.

Fourth signpost—The Argument against Transformation:
Scott moved from Chicago to start life over after his wife died. He wants to get away from death and violence. In Chicago he saw enough of that without working homicide, a job he avoided. He hates looking at dead bodies. He’d thought a small college town would be a safe and peaceful escape, but now he has a murder investigation on his hands. Daisy doesn’t want to answer the spirit world’s call. She is old and tired. But the threat of darkness is demanding her attention.

Fifth and sixth signposts—The Kick in the Shins and the Doorway of No Return:
These are hard to pin down, because the book shifts points of view at every turn, even though it’s essentially an interweaving of Scott’s story and Daisy’s story. Scott’s new girlfriend, an investigative reporter following the same crime, plays a major role. A setback that strikes her could be seen as both the "kick in the shins" for all concerned and a doorway of no return for her and for Scott. This event is blended with a reminder of the otherworldly forces at work. Deciding to share her knowledge with the police is Daisy’s doorway of no return. This is also part of the next signpost. (In Doss’s two-protagonist structure, the essential pieces of the story that Bell identifies are all there, but the pacing and placement vary from Bell’s recommendations.)

Seventh signpost—The Mirror Moment:
Scott and Daisy both have visions of the victim that deliver puzzling clues about her. These come to him in dreams and to her in a shamanic journey. When she meets Scott, something extraordinary happens between them at the level of spiritual consciousness. Neither of them can deny the power of what they know and the need to act on it. The argument against transformation has been won by transformation. She has accepted the continuing burden of her gift. Scott is committed to not only solving murder, but accepting that powers he never believed in might help.

Eight signpost—Pet the Dog:
Scott’s mix of patience and impatience with his inept officers, Slocum and Knox, is the closest I can come to identifying a “pet the dog” moment. Slocum’s ongoing incompetence sets many parts of the plot motion, so Scott’s tolerance of this particular cop is a key weakness, and yet a trait that makes the reader identify with him (at least the reader who would find it hard to fire a well-meaning but bumbling subordinate) and that’s the purpose of Bell’s “pet the dog” scene.

The last signposts—Mounting Forces, Lights Out, the Q factor, and the Final Battle
By this point in the book— the part which Bell in Super Structure describes as being like a raft going over a waterfall—I couldn’t slow my reading down even though I’d read the book before. To avoid spoilers I’m making this part of the analysis brief and skipping the mounting forces. Doss integrates the police work and Daisy’s mystical powers into a stunning final battle. He sets up his “Q Factor” at the outset—that thing which the lead can pull out and use to survive and keep going against all odds during the “lights out” moment. Scott, as a dedicated cop, of course has the motivation and the resources. Without the very beginning of the book, this perfect ending that blends both leads’ storylines wouldn’t work. What makes the finale succeed is that Daisy, as a shaman, also has motivation and resources.

A few more words of review:
The complex plot and colorful characters make this page-turning read. Doss never wastes a character. Why have a boring person as the code expert when he could have an eccentric old British hermit, a retired mathematician who is having an affair with young librarian? Why have just any cop mess up a few times when it could be one like Piggy Slocum? And Daisy Perika is no stereotypical Indian wise woman. The Wild West moment between Officer Knox and Julio Pacheco is classic Doss comedy and drama. The way he uses point of view shifts and humor in a thrilling mystery is unusual, but he pulls it off and never misses a step on the path of building a story.

A note to new readers discovering Doss:
This book is now labeled as the first Charlie Moon mystery. When you find Charlie to be a minor character, it may be puzzling, but at the time Doss wrote the first few books, they were called Shaman Mysteries. Then the author found that the shaman’s nephew, a Ute tribal policeman, was taking over, and he followed his characters’ wishes. The series became the Charlie Moon Mysteries, with his aunt Daisy’s shamanism still part of the stories, and with Scott Parris becoming a close friend as well as collaborating in investigations.

[Netti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erinnert mich ein bisschen an die "Dr. Siri"-Reihe von Colin Cotterill, wo ja ebenfalls entscheidende Hinweise zur Lösung des Kriminalfalles von einer metaphysischen Ebene kommen. James D. Doss hat nicht ganz so viel skurillen Humor, obwohl es diese Momente auch gibt...


"Your ancestors," the man said icily, "probably shared a rather familial gene pool."
"Oh, I don't know," Piggy said doubtfully, "my incesters was mainly farmers and ranchers and such. Don't think they had much time for swimmin'."


Es war nicht ganz einfach, in die Geschichte reinzukommen, denn es werden gleich mehrere verschiedene Handlungsfäden aufgenommen und Begriffe aus der Ute-Mythologie und -Kultur ohne Erklärung verwendet. Man findet zwar mit der Zeit heraus, was (wen) man sich z.B. unter "Yogovuch" oder "pitukupf" vorstellen kann - aber Fußnoten wären nett, zumal auch Google und Wikipedia nicht weiterhelfen.

Die Handlung ist komplex und interessant - obwohl ich den Täter schon bald entlarvt hatte, gab es noch ein paar Überraschungen. Andererseits blieben aber auch etliche Fragen offen... was genau hat Nahum Yaciitis Schafe getötet? Ein Tornado? Und ist Nahum nun tot oder nicht? Sind die "Hexen" und Lichter, die Daisy Perika beobachtet hat, das gleiche Phänomen? Ich hatte an (illegale?) wissenschaftliche Experimente gedacht, aber womöglich waren es doch nur übersinnliche "Boten des Bösen"?? Etwas unbefriedigend.

Ich werde die Reihe weiter verfolgen - wenn es nicht allzu übersinnlich wird.

[Bill Plott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best modern western novels seem to be set around Native American reservations. The Hillermans place their stories near the Navaho, Craig Johnson near the Arapaho and Margaret Coel near the Arapaho and Shoshone. I've become intrigued with the settings. Doss, who died in 2012, centered his stories around Ute police officer Charlie Moon, although the first novel focuses more on white, small town police chief Scott Parris. It is a well crafted tale of murder and intellectual property theft in the academic world. I liked the story and the characters. I will renew my acquaintance with Parrish and Moon.

[Shelley Alongi]

I am traditionally, not a mystery reader, but I enjoy the mystical quality of all these books. I don’t pretend to understand all of it. I just kind of like the different perspectives, and I like Daisy. I remember who killed the graduate student I just can’t remember the name. Of course if I went and looked at the book, I’d remember who it was but I kind of suspected it was him. The thing about, the Charlie Moon mysteries is that so far. I’ve been able to figure them out about halfway through the book. Maybe the point of the book is to emphasize the mystical quality and not the who done it quality. I liked the book. I’ll read more of them.

[Virginia Boylan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got impatient with all the diverging threads of this story and found it difficult to care for any character except Anne. She and Parris seem to start a relationship from absolutely nothing. I kept waiting for Charlie Moon to show up, but he didn't until the very end, yet the rest of the series is based on him? The cover on the edition I read implies it's a novel about him. Disappointing. The mystery is well spun, but the solution comes together too neatly and didn't require all the mysticism except to put more people in danger.

[Lithezebra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre

The characters were unconvincing and flat, and Charlie Moon didn't even show up until near the end of the story, at which time he didn't do much. I read as fast as I could, especially while the development of a tangential character, whom it was clear had little to do with the main story, dragged on.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed reading about Indian mysteries and their beliefs.
Elderly Ute shaman, Daisy Perska using the omens she received helped
the new police chief, Scott Perris solve his first homicide case in Granite
Creek, Colorado. The shaman's omen told her the "Dark One" was
among the white people in the area. This was the author's first novel
and I look forward to his next book.

[Marcia Haskell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Old Way or the New

Fascinating story of scientific discovery, people trying to take credit when they don’t believe. Ancient traditions, beliefs and understanding vies with modern police beliefs and wind. Underlying everything is the caring and love of people for each other. Very enjoyable

[Maggies Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book from James D. Ross and his Charlie Moon series. I look forward to reading all the other books in this series concerning the American Indian Nation with their own unique culture and how different it is for a law enforcement officer to assimilate with them.