Coyote Alibi Audiobook

Naomi Manymules #1

by Jena Burges, Dennis Burges

Audiobook version of the novel of the same name.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Indigenous, Westerns, Cozy, Detective

Audiobook

First published February 18, 2018

About the author

Coyote Alibi was a 2019 Public Library Association regional winner for fiction. In the 2020 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, it was named Best Arizona Book and Best Mystery.

J. & D. Burges are a husband-and-wife writing team. Having lived for many years on the edge of the Navajo Nation, they write with cheerful authority about open spaces, big lakes, and the unique mix of cultures captured in their Sage Landing stories.

Their mysteries are now hatched in a cottage in the woods near a lake. It’s a great place to plot light-hearted homicides, capers, scams, and other fictional mischief. .

They can’t resist tinkering with each other’s work. It’s often hard for them to remember which story idea originated where and whose words made it into the final draft. Each of them claims that the best lines belong to the other.

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great cozy mystery that keept me guessing, can't wait for the next book in the series and see what's gonna happen next with the characters :)

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens to a scene in which rookie paralegal, Naomi, unknowingly witnesses a murder from a lake below. The next day, Willard Highsmith is found shot to death. Since he had lots of enemies, there are many suspects. Naomi’s new boss, an attorney, agrees to represent Ellen, a Navajo wife, who has been accused of murdering him.

This book is written by a husband-and-wife team who take a lighthearted approach to their mystery writing, while still honoring the Navajo culture.

They keep the readers guessing to the very end in this easy-to-read, twisty mystery with quirky and vividly portrayed, but appealing characters.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A Navajo single mother finagles herself a job with a local lawyer down in Tony Hillerman country. The lawyer seems a bit down at the heels, but at least it's a job.

Then things start to get busy. A prominent local man with a lot of enemies is shot on his boat. The man's wife is the primary suspect, who just happens to be the sleuth's best friend. Suspects come out of the woodwork, and some shots are fired.

Not a bad first entry in a series. A different take on the 4 corners area.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coyote Alibi is the first in a new series about a Navajo woman named Naomi Manymules who finds a job that she desperately needs with the only attorney in town. The only drawback is that Grant Carson doesn't seem all that interested in taking cases or charging clients. Naomi knows that if she doesn't change his patterns she won't get paid. So she encourages him to defend her best friend who is being charged with the murder of her abusive husband. Naomi was inadvertently a witness to the sound of the murder but had no idea who did it. As the investigation moves forward, other potential suspects also seek Carson's counsel so he ends up with several potential conflicts of interest. I enjoyed this book. It was funny and clever but the mystery held my interest as a mystery as well. I just got the second in the series and am looking forward to reading it.

[Sara Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book, and I hope the rest of the books can match it. The characters were pretty well developed without a lot of background narrative, leaving more to be discovered as the series progresses while giving a good feel for them. The murder was solved, but was it convenient rather than accurate? Should the reader care? No. The winding road to solving it was entertaining and revealing. All in all the only thing that marred it was the narrator's voice characterizations, which were kind of annoying. She doesn't do men's voices very well. Maybe the next book will have a different narrator.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read of this 4-corners region mystery series.

Interested in Naomi Manymules' adventures with her jaded boss, in the Four-Corners area - but is a mild interest. I stayed to the end, but am looking to see if the next book revves me up a little more. Next book is Bear Witness. . .

3-stars.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable setting, a good story, and interesting characters made this a fun listen. I enjoyed the unfolding of the friendship and trust between Naomi and her boss. He seemed like kind of a louse but he really wasn’t a bad guy. And the endless list of suspects made it hard to guess who the real culprit was. I am pretty sure the confessor wasn’t the person who committed the crime. The plot thickens.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Fun

Sufficiently complicated to entertain, but not so complicated as to kill the fun. I am happy to have found a new mystery series to enjoy. At least, it is new to me. I forgot to check the dates, but there are no cell phones involved, so these stories may have been around for a while. Half an hour later: the copyright is 2018. That makes it even more commendable that the plot did not depend on cell phones, email or security cameras. I also discovered that I am in on the ground floor to the extent that there is only one more book available and it is not available in audible. I will have to read this with my very own eyes.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won Coyote Alibi from a goodreads giveaway, and am grateful that I did! I really enjoyed the setting of the book on the edge of Navajo Nation, with some Navajo culture thrown in and set in the 1980's. The plot was very well thought out and keeps you guessing with a surprise twist to who the killer really is at the end. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery (especially where the main character isn't just out of high school, that drives me nuts!). I can't wait to read the next book out in the series this fall, Bear Witness!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder investigation, knitting, and a real snarkfest, just my style! Naomi is flabbergasted when she gets involved in the problems of a friend just after getting a new job with a burned out former prosecutor now disinterestedly operating as a general purpose lawyer in their small town. There's bedroom intrigue and a lot of other misdeeds going on that she never knew about all brought to light when friend is the prime suspect in the murder of her abusive husband. Plenty of twists and red herrings, gigglesnorts, and gunplay to keep your nose glued to the page. The publisher's blurb gives hints and there is no need for spoilers, but that can't begin to prepare you for all the suspense and laughs!
I really lucked out by winning this free ebook in a Goodreads Giveaway!

[Jena · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A solid small-town mystery. Naomi is a winning, spirited protagonist. The writing here is clever, crisp, and consistent."--Critic's Report, The BookLife Prize

Click this link to enter our Amazon instant giveaway!
https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/9ee2183...

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good fast mystery

I liked Naomi Manymules and he commonsense way of dealing with each problem as it came up. I enjoyed learning about the Navajo culture and I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

[cherry malcom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coyote Alibi

I have lived in the four corners area a good part of my life. I have had many Navajo friends. Never have I heard them use vulgar language. The vulgar language did not make the story any better. In fact, it detracted from it. I feel bad for authors whose vocabulary is so poor they must resort to vulgar words!

[Krupa Chirravoori]

I was waiting for the book to be over

When I was at about 66% down through the story, I realised I was going to have to force myself to finish the book because I don't enjoy abandoning stories midway.

Firstly, I picked this book in the hope that I would learn something interesting about Native Americans through fiction. While I did learn something about their way of life (because some of the characters were Navajo), there wasn't enough of it for me.

The story revolves around a Navajo woman who finds a job as a paralegal/secretary to a laid-back white lawyer with questionable ethics. Together they investigate a murder of a commonly disliked man, because they have taken on several clients at the same time who are all suspects in the murder.

The story involves way too many suspects to keep track of, a casual attitude towards firearms (at one point, the female protagonist Naomi Manymules actually encourages her 14 YO daughter to use her borrowed gun, and somewhere else, a boy scout was awarded a certificate for superior markmanship with rifles) and generous acceptance of drugs and substance abuse and promiscuity.

There's also domestic violence, bending thr rules of legal practice and letting bad cops go unpunished. There's all sorts of stuff that made me SMH.

The story itself felt too dragged and confusing. There were minor editing errors too, but that hardly mattered.

Coyote's Alibi was pretty much disappointing and not an enjoyable read for me. I had downloaded the next in the series - Bear Witness - but I am returning it to Kindle Unlimited without reading, because I couldn't even like Naomi Manymules much, even though her boss Grant Carson was somewhat interesting.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads Kindle Win

We meet Naomi Manymules who recently got a job as a paralegal. Her boss is a middle age attorney Grant Carson who is a bit unorganized but is ruggedly handsome. He was a prosecutor from Phoenix but he moved to the lakeside town to practice.

While Naomi was looking out on the cliff side, she witnesses a dead philanderer naked butt in the moonlight. The wife is the prime suspect but her alibi is a coyote. She and her boss must figure out if she did it or if someone else is involved. Things get dicey as Naomi life is in danger as they get close to the truth.

A nice new mystery series in the drop of the Southwest and the culture of the Navajo.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. I really enjoy the authors writing style, the author pulls you into the book from the very beginning and makes it so you don't want to put the book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat reading from cover to cover. This book was a very interesting read. I would recommend this to anyone. This book is incredible. A must read!

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Goodreads, Naaltsoos Press, Kindle and theauthors for a really fun read. I did not put it down and as a result I stayed up 2 hours past my bedtime. Thanks so much

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say enough good things about this book. It’s smart, witty and has such a great story. I don’t normally read detective novels, but this one got me interested in more books in this genre. Naomi Manymules is a great character, and offers the perfect point-of-view into the small desert town and each of the characters, all of which have depth to them - a little grey area of morality that enriches the story. It's full of humor and suspense, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

[Tom Feux · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good start

The characters are good and the story has much legal content that is interesting but the dialogue is strained and relying on “cute” over authentic. There is also the tendency to put everything you know in your first story as though you may not get another; don’t! Drop the asides and references to cultural memes that don’t have a place in the story and I will see you in your next effort.

[Renee Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I love the Southwest vibe, the unique characters, glimpses into the Navajo culture, and the ever-present humor. Really great dialogue and character development. I look forward to reading more about this community, Naomi and her boss, and the rest of denizens of Sage Landing.

[Alita Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Martin H Jacobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right up there with Tony Hillerman's books

This book is not only funny and intriguing but it is very well written. These authors know how to tell a story!

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful mystery set in Northern Arizona and the Navajo Nation. I am looking forward to reading more about Naomi Manymules and Grant Carson.

[Josephine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am still waiting to laugh

[LTC Larry Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sage Landing - Peyton Place with a Navajo twist

Sage Landing was a quiet little town until the murder of owner of Big Chief Furniture, well-known philanderer Willard Hightower. Then, it suddenly seems that half the people in town are suspects, most with unconfirmed alibis because they don't want to admit where they were or with whom. Sage Landing becomes a small town Peyton Place, with the high school principal seen running naked down a town street in the middle of the night, the wife of the deceased running scared from a coyote which crossed her path, a local drug dealer hiding on the boat of one of the town's attorneys from a mob lawyer and enforcer, an officer on the police force in love with the deceased man's wife, and the local knitting circle having access to all the dirt on everyone in town because of its membership.

Coyote Alibi is a fun, fast read, with constant twists and turns to keep the reader guessing about the outcome. Like an Agatha Christie novel, the list of suspects seems to grow with each day. Several have clear motives for murder, but no opportunity. While the story includes some lessons about Navajo beliefs like bad luck linked to a coyote, the focus is on efforts to determine who killed Hightower. The local police are convinced that his wife did it; her police officer lover is convinced a local juvenile did it in revenge for his mom's affair with Hightower; the defending attorney is convinced someone is trying to kill him and his paralegal; and the paralegal is convinced that Hightower's wife is probably the only person in town actually innocent of the murder. Give this book at try; it's like reading the script from a TV soap opera, but with believable characters.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naomi Manymules is a partially trained paralegal, living close to the Navajo reservation. When she is offered a job working for a local attorney, Grant Carson, she is happy to get the job. She soon finds herself involved in a murder investigation when her best friend is arrested for killing her no-good husband.

Naomi and Grant find themselves representing several of the murder suspects and things get really complicated. The deeper they dig into the various stories being told, the less they seem to know! As Grant says, "What a little Peyton Place we have here."

I enjoy reading books set in areas that I am familiar with and am always eager to find new books that fit this criteria. I read all of the Tony Hillerman books many years ago when I first moved to New Mexico and loved the mix of the mystery with the scenery and culture of the area. This was a humorous cozy-type mystery with plenty of twists and intriguing characters. The author has done a good job in capturing the feel of the area and I look forward to many more adventures of Naomi Manymules!

[EmmyT · Rating 2 out of 5]

It gets 2 for stars the setting.

The main problem with this book is the description comparing Naomi Manymules to Stephanie Plum. Stephanie is funny, is genuinely nice, and has wonderful, quirky friends. Naomi's initial response in all conversations is negative. She doesn't value other people, their lives, opinions or knowledge if they are different from her. Whoever wrote that this was a comparison to Stephanie Plum did this author a terrible disservice. The books don't seem comparable and are a set up for failure if people are expecting a Janet Evanovich type book.

The 2nd problem is the book is too long for the story. At 50% complete, I was wondering when it was going to end. I would hope that a second book would completely change my opinion. I want to like this series.

[J.J. Rusz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Coyote Alibi,” authors J & D Burges introduce the narrator of their Naomi Manymules mysteries—a single mother in need of employment who takes a job with Grant Carson, an eccentric, maybe slightly shady, attorney badly in need of an efficient office manager.

Naomi is that and more—witty, down-to-earth, nosey, and inclined to get herself into awkward situations. She’s so entertaining that the book could almost survive without a plot or murder.

Fortunately, there’s a good one, with lots of suspects in tiny Sage Landing, a gossipy town in Navajo Country. The tale moves quickly, with twists and turns that demand attention, leading up to a fine conclusion.

My only disappointment with “Coyote Alibi” is having to wait for the sequel.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book in a new series that is very promising. The main character, Naomi Manymules, is a spunky Navajo divorced mother of two children. Having taken several legal courses in college, Naomi applies for a secretary/paralegal/office manager job with a reluctant attorney who realizes he needs work to fund his private life but would rather fish and drink and woo the ladies than be an attorney. Set in Arizona on the edge of the Navajo nation, the book mixes southwestern cozy with quirky characters, Native American tradition and good dialogue. When Naomi's best friend is accused of killing her abusive husband and Naomi may have witnessed part of the crime, other possible suspects come calling for representation. Wraps up with a nice twist in the end.

[Judith Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly plotted, written SW mystery

I received an ad for this book on Facebook and decided to try it.
I was hooked by the writing style and characters from the beginning.
A murder, or more, on a Lake near the Navajo reservation in Northern Arizona (think Lake Powell) with a multitude of potential suspects.
The heroine, Naomi Manymules, is a delight with a humorous approach to life who creates a job for herself as an office manager/legal assistant to a sometimes lawyer and finds herself embroiled in murder, danger, and protecting her children. Oh, and there is a dog in need of rescue.
It is a delight to discover a new author(s) of such promise and I hope there will be future novels in a series with these characters.