The Shadow Dancer

Wind River Reservation #8

by Margaret Coel

Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and her friend and fellow sleuth, Father John O'Malley, are faced with an uphill battle as they try to investigate the mysterious death of Ben Holden while dealing with James "Orlando" Sherwood and his followers, who are intent on resurrecting the old Shadow Dance religion to bring about a new Native American paradise.

Genres: Mystery, Native American, Westerns, Fiction, Native Americans, Audiobook, Crime

291 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

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

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In book #8 of the 'Wind River Reservation' series, lawyer Vicky Holden is suspected of killing her abusive ex-husband. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Vicky Holden, an Arapaho who grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, recently returned to the region and set up her new law office.





After a huge public fight with her abusive ex-husband, Ben Holden, he is shot dead - and Vicky is a suspect. Other troubles are also brewing in the area. A self-proclaimed prophet named Orlando has revived the Shadow Dance religion, meant to rid the region of white people and restore the land to the Indians. Moreover, a young computer expert named Dean Little Horse is missing.

Vicky's situation is made more difficult because Ben's family and the Indians on the reservation revered Ben and thought Vicky should have reconciled with him. This was perplexing (to me) since it was known that Ben was an unfaithful wife-beater. Neverthless, everyone is ready to believe that Vicky killed Ben, and she is taunted and harassed. Determined to clear her name Vicky investigates.



She learns that, just before he was killed, Ben had a confrontation with two Lakota Indians who stole something from the ranch he managed. Vicky feels sure they were involved in Ben's death and sets out to find them - running into various kinds of trouble along the way.

Vicky is assisted by Father John O'Malley, the priest in charge of the Catholic mission on the Wind River Reservation. Father John, who is not-so-secretly in love with Vicky, sets out to help Vicky prove her innocence, find Dean Little Horse, and shut down Orlando's cult. He's also busy trying to save the mission, which may be shut down for financial reasons.



Margaret Coel skillfully includes glimpses about the Arapaho people and culture, which was an enjoyable addition to the story. The motive for the killings made sense and the mystery - and tangential issues - were resolved in a satisfactory manner. I'd recommend the book as light reading for mystery fans.



You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I do enjoy the characters, this format is getting to be to routine: Father John stumbles into a problem. Separately, so does Vicky. They eventually combine forces to fight the bad but not before being almost killed. SIGH.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent plot, but Vicky seemed to spend this book being inexplicably stupid and naive.

Or maybe its just because I've read three books in this series back to back, so I should rest it for a while.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Father's new associate priest seems to be collecting data for the provincial to close the mission at the upcoming meeting. Father John enlists the aid of a "grandfather" to be present at the meeting which will decide the mission's fate. Meanwhile a woman reports a missing Arapaho man who worked for a technology firm. She doesn't want to involve the police although Father John knows it is past time to report his disappearance. He goes to a ranch where an Arapaho who had a near death experience and came back claiming to be Orlando who was trying to revive the ghost dance religion. He discovers the man had been there and suspects he may be hidden on the ranch. He reports what he sees to chief Banner who begins investigating the man's disappearance. Meanwhile Vicki's ex-husband invites her to dinner where they get into a fight. He is shot shortly thereafter, making her the FBI's prime suspect. He'd mentioned two Lakota men who had stolen something. The story lines become linked and intertwined as the story unfolds. I enjoy the reservation setting. I really wish the author would drop the romantic attraction between the priest the and the lawyer. It's unnecessary, and the two could team up without that element in a more effective manner. I listened to the audiobook read by Stephanie Brush. (3.5 stars)

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed. For a New York Times Best Selling Author, I was not impressed. I found several typos throughout the book, and I found that the language was over-simplified for many of the characters (are villains usually this inarticulate?)

I was also disappointed in the attitude towards spousal abuse. How is it that Vicky's ex-husband put her through hell, but because other people respected him, he was still a good man? And how could she just forgive him, and still LOVE him despite his attitude that she was not a person but a possession? This made me sick.

I hate to say it, but John O'Malley seemed almost like he was ripped from "The Thorn Birds". Just more honorable.

Kirkus Reviews are over-exaggerated. "A surprising culprit"? I think not. "a finely textured world of believable characters"? Nope.

The only reason I gave this book two stars is because it's older characters were interesting.

[David Bareiss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Protagonist's family relationships not believable.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the setting for this series and the good character work, but boy howdy are they frustrating. The two main characters are dumb and always haring off without communicating, but are always somehow working on the same thing at the same time. They leap to conclusions (which often turn out to be true OR are part of some Major Misunderstanding that Causes Heartbreak). The church is always on the verge of closing. The MCs are always on the verge of getting together. Here's hoping that the elimination of one character in this will make the series less repetitive.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An e-audio book narrated by Stephanie Brush.

Another good book in this series.

[CHM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shallow characters, never happen romance lurking in the back.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series is a good one, though this is the eighth in the series and is fairly formulaic. They are easy to read, fun books. I tend to read in depth history books and detailed Scandinavian mysteries. The Wind River mysteries, along with the Navaho mysteries of Aimee Thurlo are quick easy reads. This one dealt with the issues surrounding a Jim Jones style false prophet. The surprise ending was a nice twist to end the story.

I recommend it as light reading and a fun book.

[Wanda Hargrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

How the world can turn against a person in an instant must have been what Vicky Holden thought when she found out that someone had killed her ex-husband Ben Holden on Rendevous Road a mere hour or so after she'd had dinner with him and he caused a scene. She's determined to find out who killed her ex-husband.

Father John O'Malley has problems on his plate. First of all, he's got an upcoming meeting to decide the fate of St. Francis Mission. Then he's contacted by one of his parishioners concerning the disappearance of her grandson Dean Little Horse. Everywhere John goes he's told Dean's a good young man who wouldn't just up and leave his grandmother.

There's a revival of the old Ghost Dance religion started by Wovoka. But now they call it the Shadow Dance. How does the death of Ben Holden tie into the disappearance of Dean Little Horse? The questions mount as they look for Dean and try to solve the murder while Vicky looks for a way to keep from being indicted for murder, which she didn't commit.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another well crafted story. Interesting plot, but the issues in all of the book series are the same.
The FBI & the serriff can't solve the crime and don't want Father John or Vicky to get in the way. Of course they do get involved and solve the crime in the last chapter.
The Church is always broke and continues to be a problem between the two loves.
So after reading 8 books in the series, I am not to sure that I am up to reading the next 8.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book of Margaret Coel's I have ever read. A fair-to-middling quality mystery with a by-the-numbers "thriller"-type ending. It earned its third star for me because of the interesting portrayal of life on the Wind River Arapaho Reservation. Although it does not rise to the level of Hillerman's Leaphorn/Chee mysteries, IMO, it was a fun read.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Father John O'Malley has to deal with the possibility of the mission on the reservation closing with and with an assistant priest who is a spy for the bishop. Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden returns to the reservation and her ex-husband is murdered after a public argument. The ghost dance is revised and Dean Little Horse comes up missing. Vicky is accused of the murder of her ex by the family clan.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book that I've read by this author. She seems to be a solid 3 stars for me, which seemed to be exactly what I needed today. Her stories usually have one line to follow. They aren't complicated, but easy reads. I liked the ending of this one. I thought it was all over, but then there was an extra twist at the end that was nice surprise.

[Caroline Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, did Vicky ever piss me off in this one! I read infuriately. WEAK! A total weak ass! The last pages were probably the best! I’m hoping the next installment is better.

[Bill Plott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 8th book in Coel's series set on the Wind River Arapaho Reservation in Colorado. Father John O'Malley is facing yet another threat from the Provincial for closing financially-strapped St. Francis Mission. Attorney Vicky Holden is facing an unwanted dinner with her abusive ex-husband Ben who is determined to get his family together again. A blow-up verbal fight at the restaurant sends Ben storming out, unknowingly to his death by gunshot later that evening. The suspect? Vicky. Meanwhile an Indian named Orlando has resurrected the Shadow Dance, the mystical changing-of- the-world belief that led to the massacre at Wounded Knee. Coel again marvelously brings all of these disparate storylines together in another totally engaging novel. It's hard to keep myself from binge this writer sometimes.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began reading this what is now a twenty book series in 2014. Even though I have read them out of order that has not affected my understanding or the flow of the series. I have slowed down in reading the series as I don’t want to finish the series as I always want there to be a story with the flawed characters of Irish Catholic Father John O’Malley and Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden who love and care for the Wind River Reservation. With only five more titles to read the time with John O’Malley and Vicky Holden will soon end.
This particular title is the best one I have read in the series, fast paced with a
possible catastrophe coming to the Reservation, I could not put this title down.
Lots of family dynamics with Vicky and her family members as well as loss.
Good fictional read that does provide some insights to Arapaho culture.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series and this one didn't disappoint. Father John is fighting to keep the mission open against great odds, Vicky Holden has returned to the reservation and the attraction is still there between them, Father John is asked to look for a young man whose family has not heard from him, and Vicky's ex-husband is killed and she is the main suspect. And then to add another layer of drama a cult of Ghost Dancers has established themselves on the reservation and promises to bring peace and prosperity back to the reservation and get rid of the whites. But they have totally twisted the the teaching of the ancient prophet of the Ghost Dancers and the only thing they will be bring is death and destruction.

[Sidney Rippy McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the Best

The story starts off with Vicki and Ben having a public fight, then Den getting killed. Vicki has no alibi and quickly becomes the prime suspect. When her uncle’s gun turns out to be the murder weapon, things look bad.
At the mission, the Jesuit powers are coming together to decide on whether or not they will keep the mission open.
Of course Father John is desperate for it to remain, but gets caught up trying to find a missing parishioner whose girlfriend has gotten involved in a ghost dance cult on the reservation.
Will Vicki find Ben’s real killer? Will Father John find the man he’s looking for? Are the two incidents somehow related? Will the Jesuits close the mission?

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Father John O'Malley makes it his personal business to tend to the souls of the Wind River Reservation. With the disappearance of a young man, and his old friend Vicky Holden accused of murder - his hunch is that both events are somehow connected to the sect leader known as Orlando. Resurrecting the old Shadow Dance religion, Orlando and his followers will let nothing delay the coming of their New World.

To get the proof they need, Father John and Vicky must do more than follow Orlando's trail. They must learn his dance. And there's no telling what a man who believes himself to be a prophet might do when he feels threatened.

[Alonzo Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mainstream, middle of the road bestselling page-turner fiction that is well enough done, but not much more. A pretty Native American lawyer and a recovering alcoholic priest get tangled up in the murder of the charismatic wife-beating ex-husband lawyer, and the wacky cult that has established itself up at the res. Three guesses on who gets accused of all the mayhem breaking out in central Wyoming, and who loves our troubled priest.

Endorsed by Tony Hillerman, but this is murder at the reservation by numbers, and substitutes well-worn cliche for the soulfulness in Hillerman’s better stuff. That said, the plotting is decent, and the killer is not obvious.

[Brian Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms Coel keeps to her formula of presenting Father John and Vicky Holden slightly different facets of the same mystery. Each of them take off on their own to investigate and their investigations merge. The difference in this title is that the murderer is unclear until the last 20 pages, Vicky’s challenge to get close to her son and daughter is a bit more dramatic and threats to the St. Francis Mission are more intense. This title includes some passion among the native residents of the reservation about the Wounded Knee massacre and a small sect intent on making a new world for American Indians.

[Andrea George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all of Ms. Coel's novels. "The Shadow Dancer" was no exception. This novel continues with the adventures of Father John O'Malley and Vicky Holden. Ms. Coel always seems to come up with interesting plots and characters for her novels. I've not read her novels in any particular order and I find that they stand alone. There is no need to read them in chronological order. The only negative comment I have about the storyline in this book, is that Vicky (a normally intelligent character), was off in this novel. Some of her actions were not that of an intelligent person. Still worth the read!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a number of this series, I've come to understand the basic formula for them...a problem hits the mission & reservation & the authority in place are having difficulties with said problem...in steps Father John & Vickie Holden bringing solutions to the problem...so just 3-stars, but Coel crafts a great mystery & draws such wonderful characters, that this formulaic book still gets 4-stars...In this one Vickie is suspected of the murder of her ex-husband & "Ghost Dancing" cult is bringing disruptions...The usual Good Stuff!!!

[Gareld Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a Branch Davidian cult on the reservation possibly harboring murderers. I liked the story, especially the intertwining detective work by Vicky and Father John. I was a bit frustrated with FBI agent Gianelli's portrayal. I hope FBI agents actually work a little harder to find evidence that doesn't match their assumptions of whodunit. I was really annoyed that, through the course of his investigation, he kept spreading rumours about who he thought had done it while interviewing interested parties.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy all of the books in this series. I never read them in order, and I don’t ever really feel like I have to as they can be stand alone books. I love the characters that this author has brought to life. Reading these books makes me feel like I am there, doing the things the characters are doing. Not only is the story good, but the suspense and mystery are good as well. I highly recommend these books and get to know Vicky and Father O’Malley.... as they are the reasons these stories work.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the books in the series although there is somewhat of a pattern to the story, at least in Father John's problems with the provincial and Vicky's relationship with Ben and the relationship between Father John and Vicky. That said, the mysteries are always convoluted and keep the reader's interest. I love the atmosphere created that includes the mission, the res, the Indians (as they're called in the book) and the Arapahoe way.

[Carolyn Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read:  Vicky's ex-husband, Ben Holden, is killed interwoven with the story about a Native American cult.  Vicky finally vocalized that she loved Father John but that she realized they could only be friends.  I'm hoping this will put an end to this tiresome storyline (I'm especially hopeful this may be possible because Coel introduced a male attorney in this story:  he's Native American, and he seems to be attracted to Vicky)