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Gabriel Du Pre #8
Cruzatte and Maria
A deputy discovers Meriwether Lewis’s journal in this modern-day mystery by an author who “writes about the rural West better than anyone” (Rocky Mountain News).
When he’s asked to serve as a consultant for a documentary about the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark’s expedition up the Missouri River, Gabriel Du Pré’s impulse is to flee. Eastern Montana isn’t accustomed to getting much attention, and its residents prefer it that way. But the director of the film is dating Du Pré’s daughter Maria, so this hard-bitten fiddler’s hands are tied.
The Métis Indian lawman agrees to act as a guide and help the filmmakers navigate the river, which is as deadly now as it was in 1805. The Missouri has claimed nine lives in the past three years—a suspiciously high death toll the FBI wants Du Pré to investigate. While trolling the riverbanks, Du Pré stumbles upon a national treasure: Meriwether Lewis’s lost journals, which the American government will do anything to get back. Meanwhile, when members of the film crew start dying, Du Pré begins to wonder if the locals hate outsiders so much they might be willing to kill to keep them out.
“Bowen’s exuberant storytelling mines the rich cultural history of the West . . . [and features] delightfully extravagant characters” (Publishers Weekly).
Cruzatte and Maria is the 8th book in The Montana Mysteries Featuring Gabriel Du Pré series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
When he’s asked to serve as a consultant for a documentary about the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark’s expedition up the Missouri River, Gabriel Du Pré’s impulse is to flee. Eastern Montana isn’t accustomed to getting much attention, and its residents prefer it that way. But the director of the film is dating Du Pré’s daughter Maria, so this hard-bitten fiddler’s hands are tied.
The Métis Indian lawman agrees to act as a guide and help the filmmakers navigate the river, which is as deadly now as it was in 1805. The Missouri has claimed nine lives in the past three years—a suspiciously high death toll the FBI wants Du Pré to investigate. While trolling the riverbanks, Du Pré stumbles upon a national treasure: Meriwether Lewis’s lost journals, which the American government will do anything to get back. Meanwhile, when members of the film crew start dying, Du Pré begins to wonder if the locals hate outsiders so much they might be willing to kill to keep them out.
“Bowen’s exuberant storytelling mines the rich cultural history of the West . . . [and features] delightfully extravagant characters” (Publishers Weekly).
Cruzatte and Maria is the 8th book in The Montana Mysteries Featuring Gabriel Du Pré series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2001
About the author
Peter Bowen
44 books75 followersPeter Bowen (b. 1945) is an author best known for mystery novels set in the modern American West. When he was ten, Bowen’s family moved to Bozeman, Montana, where a paper route introduced him to the grizzled old cowboys who frequented a bar called The Oaks. Listening to their stories, some of which stretched back to the 1870s, Bowen found inspiration for his later fiction.
Following time at the University of Michigan and the University of Montana, Bowen published his first novel, Yellowstone Kelly, in 1987. After two more novels featuring the real-life Western hero, Bowen published Coyote Wind (1994), which introduced Gabriel Du Pré, a mixed-race lawman living in fictional Toussaint, Montana. Bowen has written thirteen novels in the series, in which Du Pré gets tangled up in everything from cold-blooded murder to the hunt for rare fossils. Bowen continues to live and write in Livingston, Montana.
Following time at the University of Michigan and the University of Montana, Bowen published his first novel, Yellowstone Kelly, in 1987. After two more novels featuring the real-life Western hero, Bowen published Coyote Wind (1994), which introduced Gabriel Du Pré, a mixed-race lawman living in fictional Toussaint, Montana. Bowen has written thirteen novels in the series, in which Du Pré gets tangled up in everything from cold-blooded murder to the hunt for rare fossils. Bowen continues to live and write in Livingston, Montana.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 30, 2025
Book 8 in this entertaining series has Gabriel Du Pre` being used as a consultant on a documentary about Lewis & Clark and their time on the Missouri River, along with unofficially being recruited by the FBI to solve a string of lost boaters on the river. Murder is afoot, and Du Pre` is able to use his Metis Indian ways to solve what turns out to be over 10 murders. Really is a great book for detailing the battle between today's Montanans and environmentalists who want to return the state to its primitive roots back in the days of Lewis & Clark. Enjoyed this book a lot and got a huge kick out of Lester the trained bear!! Fine series of book from this recently deceased author.
May 29, 2020
I enjoyed this regional Montana book. The dialect seemed right, which can be difficult to pull off. The Métis characters are handled especially well. If you like Carl Hiaasen this book might please you—humor and local color but Montana instead of Florida. The mystery itself is really secondary.
October 3, 2025
Another very entertaining Gabriel Du Pré book. Du Pré's youngest daughter comes home from college with her boyfriend. And because Du Pré can't refuse her anything he finds himself the technical adviser on a documentary on Lewis and Clark.
Of course there are people murdered, and he finds himself looking into it. All the humor and off beat antics are there as l've come to expect in this series.
Of course there are people murdered, and he finds himself looking into it. All the humor and off beat antics are there as l've come to expect in this series.
March 3, 2014
I am a fan of Peter Bowen's Montana Mysteries. Protagonist Gabriel du Pre, his friends and family, and the other characters that make up his world, almost feel like some of those online friends that you can chat with but have never seen face to face and probably never will. Not that du Pre would actually ever bother to connect to the Internet, or even attempt to use a computer.
This novel, the 8th in the series, has du Pre acting as a technical advisor on a movie about Lewis and Clark – and checking out what happened to some outsiders who were killed in the area as a favor to the FBI.
Like most of the other books I've read in this series to date, the author manages to present a mystery to me, make me think I've figured it out, then pull the rug out from under me. THEN toss a bone that maybe I was right all along … or that the reason I went off on that red herring was because I didn't know one important fact – only to pull the rug out all over again.
If you have not read any of the books in this series – what is keeping you???
RATING: 5 stars. I finished the book 6 weeks ago and the plot, action, and characters still exist vividly in my mind.
This novel, the 8th in the series, has du Pre acting as a technical advisor on a movie about Lewis and Clark – and checking out what happened to some outsiders who were killed in the area as a favor to the FBI.
Like most of the other books I've read in this series to date, the author manages to present a mystery to me, make me think I've figured it out, then pull the rug out from under me. THEN toss a bone that maybe I was right all along … or that the reason I went off on that red herring was because I didn't know one important fact – only to pull the rug out all over again.
If you have not read any of the books in this series – what is keeping you???
RATING: 5 stars. I finished the book 6 weeks ago and the plot, action, and characters still exist vividly in my mind.
June 25, 2026
The Gabriel Du Pre series is different than any other. Not only does it feature the Metis people and their distinct culture, but much of the dialogue is in their version of the English Language. It makes for an interesting read.
Peter Bowen also presents a fine mystery and plenty of outdoors action. Once you get used to the Metis dialogue, this is a quick read. It was the river scenes, some humorous others deadly, that kept my attention. I did feel that the author could have done a little more research on Cruzatte and his role in the Lewis & Clark expedition. I thought he might have educated us as the story progressed.
Peter Bowen also presents a fine mystery and plenty of outdoors action. Once you get used to the Metis dialogue, this is a quick read. It was the river scenes, some humorous others deadly, that kept my attention. I did feel that the author could have done a little more research on Cruzatte and his role in the Lewis & Clark expedition. I thought he might have educated us as the story progressed.
June 21, 2020
People keep missing in a remote region in the shadow of the murky Missouri River and Gabriel is asked to investigate or locate the missing people. As a consultant on a documentary being filmed of the Lewis and Clark's expedition Gabriel has access to the area where these events keep happening.
September 13, 2017
As Du Pré would say, "Ver' good".
September 22, 2018
A good book and series.
January 27, 2021
I read this before, prior to the time I was keeping track on this site.
It was well worth reading again.
It was well worth reading again.
May 13, 2022
excellent
One of the best books in the series. Couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Great storyline and great characters. Just loved it.
One of the best books in the series. Couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Great storyline and great characters. Just loved it.
December 7, 2022
Best in the series so far.
December 22, 2022
Probably should have started with the first book in Bowen’s Du Pre series. Maybe would have given it another star.
December 23, 2022
This series of books is great fun--very relaxing, easy to read, engaging, funny.
August 1, 2021
3 stars for the story. 4.5 stars for the audiobook.
I’ve stopped reading Peter Bowen’s Montana mysteries on Kindle, because the Audible versions are so much better. The story is average, but Christopher Lane is a brilliant narrator who bring the book to life. Bravo, Mr. Lane!
I’ve stopped reading Peter Bowen’s Montana mysteries on Kindle, because the Audible versions are so much better. The story is average, but Christopher Lane is a brilliant narrator who bring the book to life. Bravo, Mr. Lane!
July 28, 2013
As a pathological reader, my MO is to get on to an author some way or other, qualify them by reading all or part of on of their offspring, then real ALL their published work in roughly chronological order. It is bandied about that each of us has a story to tell or at least one book in them. "One-shot wonders" rarely interest me as they general shoot their entire literary creative wad in the lone work. I particularly enjoy mystery series by authors that do not take themselves too seriously.
My latest tangent has me in books with a character (not necessarily the main) whose origins are of "Indigenous peoples of the Americas" of some sort and is a shaman/mystic of sorts, full or part time. JM Hayes has a great series that features "Mad Dog", a wannabe shaman with mixed results in the nether world.
Another habit is to try to connect via email with said author to briefly encourage and appreciate them without being cloying or in any way demanding of their time. I have found many that are quite open and friendly and from these dialogues I have both given and taken recommendations of their/my favorites. It certainly fines down the process of finding talented but obscure writers.
As for this guy Bowen, he writes well and can spin a yarn from the thinnest thread. But he impossible to reach via email. Even his agent is a recluse, which is an odd characteristic for someone that represents you on your path to the public (customers), does not have a public email address.
The guy has the right to be a hermit, Buddha knows the general public can be trying, but for someone that wants us to pay to listen to him, he sure as heck can hustle though a few emails. Easy enough to hit the delete key, and who knows what gems or germs of an idea he may be missing. The whole curmudgeon deal when it comes to story tellers is mildly infantile and surely off-putting.
My latest tangent has me in books with a character (not necessarily the main) whose origins are of "Indigenous peoples of the Americas" of some sort and is a shaman/mystic of sorts, full or part time. JM Hayes has a great series that features "Mad Dog", a wannabe shaman with mixed results in the nether world.
Another habit is to try to connect via email with said author to briefly encourage and appreciate them without being cloying or in any way demanding of their time. I have found many that are quite open and friendly and from these dialogues I have both given and taken recommendations of their/my favorites. It certainly fines down the process of finding talented but obscure writers.
As for this guy Bowen, he writes well and can spin a yarn from the thinnest thread. But he impossible to reach via email. Even his agent is a recluse, which is an odd characteristic for someone that represents you on your path to the public (customers), does not have a public email address.
The guy has the right to be a hermit, Buddha knows the general public can be trying, but for someone that wants us to pay to listen to him, he sure as heck can hustle though a few emails. Easy enough to hit the delete key, and who knows what gems or germs of an idea he may be missing. The whole curmudgeon deal when it comes to story tellers is mildly infantile and surely off-putting.
March 10, 2012
This is the last (I think) of Peter Bowen's 'Montana Mysteries' featuring Gabrielle DuPre'. I love this series with the down-home wry humor, the old time family values, the love of music and this most interesting character, his family and supporting characters. Bowen captures, to my ear, the rhythms of the Metis English. He captures the distances and weather of Montana and their feelings of the Montana natives toward the larger culture, particularly political correctness and government. These are very fun reads. Go for it.
October 14, 2012
Nine people disappear on the Missouri River, and FBI agent Harvey Wallace/Weasel Fat asks Gabriel Du Pre to travel to Bear Paw country and investigate. At the same time, a movie is being filmed about Lewis and Clark, and Du Pre has been persuaded to act as consultant. The story involves conflicted loyalties, clashes between Montanans and outsiders, and is a lot of fun to read.
February 23, 2015
Cruzatte and Maria
Another very good book by Peter Bowen. The story flows smoothly and introduced some new characters to the plot. Once again you are left wondering just how it will end, right up until the end. If you enjoy the Montana Mystery series with Du Pre, you will want to read this novel.
Another very good book by Peter Bowen. The story flows smoothly and introduced some new characters to the plot. Once again you are left wondering just how it will end, right up until the end. If you enjoy the Montana Mystery series with Du Pre, you will want to read this novel.
February 3, 2016
Basic old time values--liquor, guns, trucks, medicine men, sweat lodges, and cholesterol--face down new age filmmakers, abetted by evil environmentalists. Writing is smooth, booze and politics are not.
May 16, 2016
Despite its sparse Hemingwayesque style, this took me a long time to read. I was only able to get through a chapter or two at a time, and each chapter was only 3-6 pages long. I don't think I like sparse Hemingwayesque writing.
May 14, 2008
This is the only one which disappoints me
October 13, 2025
A lovely re-read.
July 22, 2013
following the Lewis and Clark exposition, filming a quasi documentary.
September 26, 2015
I liked it
August 22, 2022
I Love this Gabriel DuPre series. This book is one of my favorites.
November 2020
August 2022
November 2020
August 2022
March 31, 2011
even sketchier than most of his
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews