The Girl With Braided Hair

Wind River Reservation #13

by Margaret Coel

"In 1973, Liz Plenty Horses was accused of betraying the militant American Indian Movement, known as AIM, to the FBI after the death of one of their members. She went into hiding with her baby daughter, never to be seen again. Now, a skeleton with a bullet hole in the back of the skull has been discovered at the bottom of a ravine on the Wind River Reservation. The body was that of a woman who was murdered sometime in 1973. With the police reluctant to investigate, Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley must unravel the truth, even if it incites the malice of a long-dormant killer."

Genres: Mystery, Native American, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Detective, Westerns

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2007

About the author

Margaret Coel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of the acclaimed novels featuring Father John O'Malley and Vicky Holden, as well as several works of nonfiction. Originally a historian by trade, she is considered an expert on the Arapaho Indians.

Reviews

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Coel's long-running mystery series featuring her crime-solving duo Vicki Holden and Father John O'Malley would probably be just another mundane series if it weren't for two things:

1) Margaret Coel can write, and she can tell an entertaining and suspenseful mystery, and

2) The series takes place on an Arapahoe reservation, where the wide-open beautiful (and dangerous) western landscape plays as important a role as any of the characters that inhabit it.

"The Girl With Braided Hair" is actually the 13th book in the series. Here is what I can clearly glean from context: Vicki Holden, an Arapahoe lawyer, is the survivor of an abusive marriage. She is also (not-so-secretly) in love with Father John. Likewise, Father John is struggling with the fact that he, too, is in love with Vicki. Unfortunately for both, he is a priest, and a pretty devout one at that.

Father John, meanwhile, has a checkered past: a recovering alcoholic who was apparently transferred to the Wind River Reservation as a punishment for his sins, but he has grown to love it and the strong people that live there.

Those are the givens. Here's the plot: The body of a young woman is found buried in a field. She was tortured and murdered, according to the forensics report, in 1973, or thereabouts. 1973 was apparently a rough year for the reservation, as the American Indian Movement (AIM), a militant group of protesters fighting for Indian rights back in the '70s (basically the Black Panthers for Native Americans), was in full-swing that year. It divided the reservation, causing unrest and violence. Those who were around back then don't want to talk about it, and the (white) police don't really want to dig up that particularly uncomfortable past.

Still, a group of Arapahoe women hire Vicki to investigate to, at least, discover the young girl's identity and, if possible, bring the killer to justice. With Vicki's past, she is more than willing to take on the investigation. Unfortunately, the killer doesn't want her to, and he (or she) makes every effort to stop her, including attempted murder.

She recruits Father John, and the two find themselves involved in a mystery that quickly re-opens old wounds and leads to some shocking revelations.

Well-developed and likable characters, taut suspense, and an intriguing history lesson about the American Indian Movement make Coel's novel stand out amidst the dozens of mediocre mystery novels currently taking up space on bookstore's shelves. Fans of Tony Hillerman may want to check out Margaret Coel.

[Sherri F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 to 4.5 stars Very good! This is my first in this series or by this author, but I will definitely be reading more in this series! I picked it up b/c it fulfilled Wyoming for the State challenge (& used for 2 other challenges) and I like mystery/suspense and curious about the American Indian angle since it is a culture that I haven't read much about or personally have had much exposure to--living in an area of east coast that has more Asian Indians as well as many other cultures, just not American Indians (except a couple friends that claim 1/8 or 1/16 Cherokee or something, like this book calls them very "whiteized"). So I was pleasantly surprised that I really like Coel's writing style, as well as the plot/storyline was very good & had several suspenseful moments with a tenderhearted ending AND learned so much about Arapaho tribe (which is relative since I knew almost nothing) as well as a little of Lakota, Crow, Shoshone, and Cheyenne and American Indian Movement (AIM) in the early 70s, which I sadly knew nothing about since I was a baby then & have also lived on east coast. I've been ignorant to the fact that American Indians have had some of the struggles they've had esp. during that time 40ish years ago. I look forward to learning more while reading enjoyable mysteries by Margaret Coel. Also, it was pretty action packed b/c she fit a lot in a nice 290ish pages--I would have finished it in just over a day if I didn't have a darn migraine & I was frustrated I couldn't read the book & didn't have an audio of it.

Set on a Wyoming's Wind River Reservation in 2008 or 09 and skeleton remains are found in a ravine on outskirts of town, which are found to be from early 1970s and quickly thought to be associated with the American Indian Movement, which are people hiding out on their reservation. They also learn they bones belong to a young Indian female so some of the town women come to Vicky Holden, an Indian rights attorney, to push the sheriff/detective to not drop it as a cold case. Also the towns long time priest Father O'Malley, who also has close friendship w/Holden, is brought into the investigation and soon they become targets of threats to leave the case alone, thereby letting them know the killer or someone associated with it must still be in the area. The investigation, story, culture and Wyoming landscape is very detailed, descriptive, suspenseful and well wort the read! Can't wait to read more in this series.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a wonderful read. So often Margaret Coel manages to create a sense of loss and the struggle with that loss. She couples this with father John's constant battle with being a recovering alcoholic - and a priest in love with one of this parishioners; and the attorney, Vicky's struggle with the ghosts of her former life as an abused wife and of having gone "against" the normal flow of an Arapaho woman's expected life. We feel what must be that great sense of emptiness or of a hollow dug out in the lives of all Native Americans.
A body is found, after thirty years. A woman. Shot in the head but also abused beforehand. The Arapaho women want justice. They can see that woman as themselves or their daughters. They are afraid that the bones will end up on a forgotten shelf, the investigating file in the back of a drawer. Vicky is roped in to investigate and (given her background) does so willingly. Father John also wants to see justice done and the hunt for who the woman was and to bring her murderer to justice begins.
But the woman belonged to the American Indian Movement for civil rights and there are those, from those days so long ago, who don't want the truth to come out.
Wonderful book.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up after a teacher in my building recommended the series. She had met the author while traveling through Colorado and started reading them. The Wind River Reservation series involves mysteries involving a Native American lawyer and a Catholic priest. They are quick reads in which you pick up lots of tidbits about American Indian history. Much like the Tony Hillerman books, this series makes the reader want to visit the settings used and find out even more about the cultures of the characters. This particular mystery involved American Indian Movement, AIM,in the early 70's which was a violent part of our history.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this. It works well as a standalone, I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, but I likely will.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual, I find the attraction, non-romance between Father John and Vicky just annoying. Vicky seems to be the kind of independent woman who sees herself as independent, but can't live without a man. How much more interesting to have a man and woman who respect each other as friends and equals, knowing there can be nothing different and not constantly playing at the (non)possibility of something more. But I stray from the plot. It is pretty obvious who the bad guy was back in the 70s, somewhat more of a surprise to find out his identity in the 2010s. What was interesting in the book were the varying takes on the American Indian Movement from the 1970s. Helpful? Harmful? Something else.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent entry in the Wind River Reservation mystery series, featuring Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley. In this story, a skeleton of a young woman is found on the reservation, and her identity must be found so that she can have a traditional burial. As Father John and Vicky delve into the mystery, their lives are threatened by an unknown killer, whose identity surprises everyone when it is discovered.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very exciting story! Listened on a 10 hour drive to get my vaccine. This was a good way to spend the time.

[Anne Marie]

Margaret Coel brings light to the vulnerability of women in a patriarchal world. Despite the at times repetitive narrative writing pattern, I could feel the power of women coming together, demanding that they be seen and heard. I appreciate this message. I also appreciate how Coel grounds her stories in the land of sagebrush, open space, and the mountains. The landscape never becomes repetitive for me. Neither do Vicky and Father John. I like these characters.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series ... the setting, the characters, the history, the descriptions. In college, I read quite a few books about European-Native encounters -- Wounded Knee, Custer's Last Stand ... that kind of story. Then I quit cold turkey. They were too painful to read, and I couldn't correct old wrongs. Coel allows the readers to revisit historical moments and even sense some of the pain without total immersion.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I thought but predictable.

I figured it out half way thru which is better than most of the time. The book wasn't too bad. The plot was feasible and seemed well researched. This is the only one in the series I have read and it was for book club. The writing was ok. Because I haven't read the others I didn't have any background on Vicky and the priest but I found the hints at a live thing very predictable.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all the Margaret Coel's, but this one was particularly good. I learned a lot about the American Indian Movement (AIM) in the 70's and how ambivalent or torn members of the tribes were in relationship to that sometimes violent activist movement. Good characters, plot complex enough to be interesting but not too taxing for my belabored brain!

[Betty410 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I'm getting tired of this series and the characters involved. But, also, the author seemingly needed to fill the pages and the repitition of discriptions of the same scenery was tiresome.
The basic idea of the search for the murderer of a skeleton from 30 years ago involving the Ameican Indian Movement and the FBI wanting to end the actions of the movement was interesting history.

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my local bookclub.

This book was a bit of a struggle for me to get through. I had not read the previous books so that may have been part of the problem. However, I was inclined to skip over paragraphs just to get through the whole book.

I feel the book was very plot centered and lacked intriguing characters that I REALLY cared about.

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had a mix of legal problems, relationship issues, murder, intrigue and suspense. Held me throughout. I would recommend this author to anyone who loves a good story and likes Native American people and things.

[Carolyn Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story is about solving a murder that happened in 1973 during when AIM was active on the reservation.  The mystery wasn't very good; I figured it out within the first 1/3 of the book.  But, as usual with Coel, I found the history that was interwoven into the story to be interesting.  

[John Chadwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good installment in the series. A fun and quick read. Plausible plot, a bit of history of AIM.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another unwitting re-read, not familiar until the last chapter! Good for mystery fans and for fans of Native American history and fiction.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 13th installment in the series. I have found they are getting better and better. This one did surprise me a bit. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and remember Wounded Knee and the takeover of Alcatraz and the BIA building in Washington. I remember movies that showed defenders of Native Americans such as the Billy Jack series and Flap. I grew up believing in the righteousness of the militant movement. Since then ugly truths have seen the light of day. The kidnapping and murder in this book has great similarities to the non-fiction kidnapping and murder of the Micmac activist Anna Mae Aquash by fellow AIM members in 1976. Her killer was convicted in 2010 of felony murder. This is discussed in the nonfiction books Ojibwa Warrior by Dennis Banks and The Unquiet Grave by Steve Hendricks. I was frankly surprised to see Ms. Coel take on this subject from the point of view that she did. As someone of Native American heritage I did not find Ms. Coel's take on events culturally insensitive. The characters do point out the reasons why AIM was popular, but also why it became less popular over time.

I enjoyed the book very much and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the series and anyone who wants to see AIM in a light that is not 100% polarized as being very good or dammed evil.

[Nina Chambers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finding this book generally problematic, not particularly Native-sensitive which finds me wondering on what basis Ms. Coel is considered an Arapaho-specialist & by whom. Her description of the encounter between O'Malley & Joe, wherein she continutally refers to the latter as "the Indian" was not only awkward & redundant, but I found it rather insensitive when "the man" would have done very well for her 2nd - 6th reference. Also, a few other descriptions of Native women & men, I found less than adroit & bordering on somewhat archaic racial stereotyping.
Her overall depiction of AIM was negative & I am sure there were negative, even violent, moments but... I found it generally over-the-top. Maybe I need to read more history of the movement. Was this really the Wind River experience of AIM, or exagerated in service of the plot? I would be interested in reading her non-fiction book on Chief Left Hand, to see how it reads..
I was very enthused to find this series & looked forward to enjoying them, but found too many squirmy moments.
Am hoping the Ella Clah mysteries will be more in the Hillerman vein--more culturally sensitive.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery surrounds a set of bones found out in the hills on the reservation. The dead woman's identity takes a long time to discover and then Vicki and Father John try to figure out what happened to the woman and who the killer is. They are both in danger because one of the killers is still on the loose. The woman had been involved with AIM (American Indian Movement) back in the 1970s and it is thought that the murder had something to do with that.
The story goes back and forth between the past and present. Vicki also is dealing with things going on with her law practice and a possible lawsuit against a company because of discrimination against Indians. She also witnesses an assault on a young woman along with her son and daughter and some high priced lawyers are trying to get the assailant off and she is very adamant that that won't happen.
Story describes a lot about what was happening in the 1970 with the American Indian Movement and how some of the Indians didn't want to have anything to do with it and others were very involved.

[Laura Steinert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually give Wind River Res books a four or five star rating, but post-Me, Too movement I found that Coel's repeatedly calling some of the men "the Indian" made me a bit uncomfortable. (As did the implication that all Native Americans are drunken wife beaters--except the ones who ate "whiteized.") As second issue that made my read less than comfortable was the "history" of AIM. All movements lead by charismatic men have issues. All idealistic movements generated among the young, and naive tend to collapse--as did any number of such loosely formed organizations in the 1970s. To dismiss AIM as having no impact was to negate the lives lost. When law enforcement are allowed to believe the only good Indian is a dead Indian (or all Black men are the enemy)there is no real justice in the US. If you read this, remember it is very dated, and please read some of the white press surrounding the incidents mention to see how slanted those reports were and how easy it was for white officers to kill Natives.

[Andrea George · Rating 5 out of 5]

It goes to show once again, the old gems that one can find at the semi-annual Friends of the Library book sale! I've been a fan of Margaret Coel for years. If you enjoy westerns (in particular the lives of native Americans), and good mystery thrillers, I would highly recommend adding Ms. Coel's novels to your tbr list. Ms. Coel has 20 published books from 1995-2016. The novels that I have read take place on the Wind River Reservation. The main characters, an Irish Catholic priest, by the name of Father John Aloysius O'Malley and Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden work together to solve various mysteries. The stories stand alone, so there is no need to read the series in order. "The Girl with Braided Hair" is just as amazingly written as the others in the series.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1973, Liz Plenty Horses was accused of betraying the militant American Indian Movement, known as AIM, to the FBI after the death of one of their members. She went into hiding with her baby daughter, never to be seen again.
Now, a skeleton with a bullet hole in the back of the skull has been discovered at the bottom of a ravine on the Wind River Reservation. The body was that of a woman who was murdered sometime in 1973. With the police reluctant to investigate, Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley must unravel the truth-even if it incites the malice of a long-dormant killer.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've certainly enjoyed this entire series that I've used to replace Tony Hillerman's Navajo policemen, Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee books...setting, characterization, plot and the woven history of the Wind River Reservation people are all very fulfilling reads...As a Catholic, I appreciate the characterization of Fr. John in his faith, his love for the reservation and its people and his struggles being human...In this one, a body is discovered that is tied to the troubled times of the 70s with the rise of AIM on the reservations across the country...someone doesn't want Fr. John and Vickie to revisit those times...Good Stuff!!!

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coel creates good characters in an interesting plot. However, Vicky and John are predictable: Vicky will work on a case despite what her partner thinks and John has the continual threat of a transfer. Their non-romance is annoying. This plot unfolded and unfolded and unfolded. The plot was feasible and seemed well researched, but just when you thought it was a dead end...something came up. Maybe I'm getting tired of this series and the characters involved. I put it in the "did finish" pile and on to the next one.

[Susan Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the books by Margaret Coel, especially her Wind River series featuring Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley. The underlying attraction between them spices the mystery. In 1973 a young woman, active with AIM, the American Indian Movement, is brutally murdered after being accused of being a snitch. Only years later is her body discovered and the two set out to discover what really happened. I couldn't put it down.

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicky and the Father have another cold case murder to solve. In 1973 the American Indian Movement was in full swing. This is a view of AIM from a Native-American perspective. This City Indians decide to move for their rights and in a march on Washington and at Wounded Knee they made their stands. When it was over, they were hunted by the FBI. The young woman was one of them and was murdered. Now they seek to find out first who she was then to find the murderer. It is a good story.

[Vida · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been awhile since I read one of Coel’s books and I remember why I like them. She tells a very compelling story each time. This one held more relevancy for me because the cold case occurred in a time and place familiar to me, the 1970’s and Denver and the surrounding area, Wyoming, Nebraska, the Dakotas to mention a few. Although fictional, the characters are familiar in a personal way. Justice took a long time coming…in many justice is just out of reach still.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden is involved in two cases of violence against young women. Both she and Father John O’Malley are drawn into the investigation of a woman who was beaten and shot in 1973. The other assault takes place in Denver and is witnessed by Vicky. She is willing to go to any lengths, even risking her life, to find the killer of the first victim. However, neither she nor the author seem all that concerned with the resolution of the second incident.