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Wind River Reservation #12
The Drowning Man
When a priceless Arapaho artifact, a petroglyph known as "The Drowning Man," is stolen by thieves who offer to ransom it back to the tribe, Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley join forces to find the culprits and recover the petroglyphs, only to discover that the crime may be linked to an unsolved seven-year-old case involving stolen artifacts and murder.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2006
91 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Coel
61 books500 followersMargaret 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 19, 2011
Someone has stolen The Drowning Man, an ancient petroglyph that had been carved into the walls of a sacred canyon on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. The Arapahos who live on the reservation are shattered by the theft, and the assumption is that someone has chiseled out the petroglyph and sold it to some wealthy collector. But then a mysterious Indian contacts the pastor of the Indian mission, Father John O'Malley, and offers to sell the Drowning Man back to the tribe for $250,000. The messenger warns Father John not to contact the authorities.
The theft is eerily reminiscent of a similar case seven years earlier when another glyph was stolen from the same canyon and never recovered. The two presumed thieves in the earlier case had a falling out and one killed the other. The second alleged thief, Travis Birdsong, is now serving time for manslaughter and his grandfather convinces Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden to appeal his conviction.
The conjunction of the second theft and Vicky's decision to take Birdsong's case sets a chain reaction into motion that will put several characters at risk of life and limb as the story progresses to a conclusion.
The late Tony Hillerman pretty much created the sub-genre of mystery novels featuring Native American characters and this book does not rise to the standards that Hillerman established, but readers who enjoy Hillerman's books might want to give this one a try. They might also want to look for one of the books in Peter Bowen's excellent series set in Montana featuring Gabriel Du Pre, the Metis brand inspector, part-time deputy sheriff and fiddle player extraordinaire.
The theft is eerily reminiscent of a similar case seven years earlier when another glyph was stolen from the same canyon and never recovered. The two presumed thieves in the earlier case had a falling out and one killed the other. The second alleged thief, Travis Birdsong, is now serving time for manslaughter and his grandfather convinces Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden to appeal his conviction.
The conjunction of the second theft and Vicky's decision to take Birdsong's case sets a chain reaction into motion that will put several characters at risk of life and limb as the story progresses to a conclusion.
The late Tony Hillerman pretty much created the sub-genre of mystery novels featuring Native American characters and this book does not rise to the standards that Hillerman established, but readers who enjoy Hillerman's books might want to give this one a try. They might also want to look for one of the books in Peter Bowen's excellent series set in Montana featuring Gabriel Du Pre, the Metis brand inspector, part-time deputy sheriff and fiddle player extraordinaire.
October 17, 2018
Another good entry into the Wind River Reservation series. In this one Vicky and Father John must solve who is stealing valuable artifacts from a sacred canyon. Vicky and Adam Lone Eagle continue to have their problems, both personally and with the law practice. I wish Father John would just jump her bones, leave the church, and become a Shaman for the Arapaho. It'll never happen, but I can dream.
May 8, 2016
I should have taken notes. When I finished this one, I thought to myself, "2 stars." But now that I'm writing this review, I can't remember all the things that irritated me. So I will start with what I liked the most which was the main story line. I enjoyed the native American story line. This book dealt with stolen artifacts.
Oh...I remember the problems....its coming back to me. There were two main ones. The narrator was the biggest problem. I shouldn't fault the book for that, but it does affect my enjoyment. The narrator couldn't do male voices and have them come across as believable. I struggled with this audio and I came close to giving up, but I didn't have anything else at the time to listen to. The second thing was that some of the writing felt tedious in an overwritten kind of way. Some of the descriptive strokes felt monotonous instead of enlightening. That is the one thing that I love most about reading or listening. So I probably put too much attention on it. I'll go with 3 stars instead of 2.
Oh...I remember the problems....its coming back to me. There were two main ones. The narrator was the biggest problem. I shouldn't fault the book for that, but it does affect my enjoyment. The narrator couldn't do male voices and have them come across as believable. I struggled with this audio and I came close to giving up, but I didn't have anything else at the time to listen to. The second thing was that some of the writing felt tedious in an overwritten kind of way. Some of the descriptive strokes felt monotonous instead of enlightening. That is the one thing that I love most about reading or listening. So I probably put too much attention on it. I'll go with 3 stars instead of 2.
August 22, 2009
After the Drowning Man petroglyph is removed from a canyon wall and then offered to the highest bidder, Father John and Vicky feel compelled to help find the perpetrators of this crime. This is not the first time a petroglyph or other artifacts have been stolen and as they try to help the tribal leaders they find themselves in danger. This quick, satisfying read will leave you wanting to find more Margaret Coel mysteries.
October 24, 2017
This was so good. A gang of thieves stealing artifacts and sacred art from the side of a canyon, and how a murder from seven years before ties in with the theft of the Drowning Man. I sort of figured out who one of the gangs of thieves were, but I had no idea who the leader of the gang was until the end. This is a total must read.
September 1, 2017
It's official: I'm done with this series. I enjoyed them at first but now I'm just annoyed and I like the main characters less and less, especially Vicki.
Whodunit? Whatever new white characters are introduced. If you read only one or two books, this isn't so glaring, but by book #12 in the series, I knew by the end of Chapter #1 who would end up being the perpetrators. Never heard of Taylor Ranch before this book in the series? That's the first place you should look for the stolen artifacts!
Vicki will get too sick to eat at least 5 times. She will be in at least one accident that will rush Father John to her side. She will put herself, her relationships, and her business at risk to help defend someone against injustice, and then wonder why she has no relationships and why the tribe doesn't trust her with the big legal issues. She gets angry with Adam because she can't trust him, but isn't exactly trustworthy herself. At this point, I don't even like her, and her enabling and lack of insight into herself and the consequences of her actions are just tiresome.
And Father John in this book is almost a non-entity. It's like he has no story of his own other than the unrequited feelings for Vicki. If he had a relapse, he'd at least be more interesting.
I enjoyed the first several books in the series, but the more I read, the more annoyed I get, so I'm going to quit wasting time on these.
Whodunit? Whatever new white characters are introduced. If you read only one or two books, this isn't so glaring, but by book #12 in the series, I knew by the end of Chapter #1 who would end up being the perpetrators. Never heard of Taylor Ranch before this book in the series? That's the first place you should look for the stolen artifacts!
Vicki will get too sick to eat at least 5 times. She will be in at least one accident that will rush Father John to her side. She will put herself, her relationships, and her business at risk to help defend someone against injustice, and then wonder why she has no relationships and why the tribe doesn't trust her with the big legal issues. She gets angry with Adam because she can't trust him, but isn't exactly trustworthy herself. At this point, I don't even like her, and her enabling and lack of insight into herself and the consequences of her actions are just tiresome.
And Father John in this book is almost a non-entity. It's like he has no story of his own other than the unrequited feelings for Vicki. If he had a relapse, he'd at least be more interesting.
I enjoyed the first several books in the series, but the more I read, the more annoyed I get, so I'm going to quit wasting time on these.
October 31, 2012
Margaret Coel does it again! Initially I found this book slow and not easy to settle into but I believe that was largely down to the fact that I'd just read a fast-paced thriller; Coel is much gentler. Her world is that of the Plains Indians; wide, big sky and a sense of loss. She peoples it with strong characters but all of them are a little flawed - a recovering alcoholic Jesuit priest who loves his flock, an Arapaho female lawyer who has a number of personal issues... and the Arapaho themselves, torn between two worlds and trying to find a place in it.
This story begins with the theft of a sacred petroglyph; a dying old man seeking justice for his grandson imprisoned, and abandoned, unjustly for murder (he believes); and another dying man, a Jesuit priest who arrives at the Mission to find a little peace and quiet. What a tale unfolds...
I said I found it hard to get into initially... true, but as the story unfolded I got caught up in the web Coel had spun. Highly recommended!
This story begins with the theft of a sacred petroglyph; a dying old man seeking justice for his grandson imprisoned, and abandoned, unjustly for murder (he believes); and another dying man, a Jesuit priest who arrives at the Mission to find a little peace and quiet. What a tale unfolds...
I said I found it hard to get into initially... true, but as the story unfolded I got caught up in the web Coel had spun. Highly recommended!
July 6, 2015
A Vicky Holden and Father O'Malley mystery on the Wind River Reservation that start out slowly but comes to a satisfying conclusion. Greed, violence, and murder and theft of ancient artifacts makes this a good read for fans of Margaret Coel.
March 8, 2020
The story alternates between Father John O'Malley's viewpoint and Vicky Holden's. Father John is based at the Arapaho mission, and Vicky Holden is an Arapaho lawyer.
Looters have stolen the most sacred petroglyph, the Drowning Man, and are holding it for ransom, if the tribe can pay for its return. Otherwise it will disappear on the black market. Father John finds himself caught as a go-between for collecting the ransom and exchanging it for the petroglyph. Of course things get complicated.
Out of respect for a tribal elder, Vicky Holden reluctantly agrees to represent his grandson who is in prison for a murder committed seven years ago, in connection with an earlier stolen petroglyph. Vicky's agreement is so unpopular, that she finds herself targeted for death.
Masterful writing and a fast pace keeps the reader glued. Nevertheless at times the writing is labored where I feel the author is trying too hard to avoid clichés, only to select an expression that doesn't quite fit. Both Father John and Vicky have more problems than found in the main plot. So we get a sense of realism in their daily lives. But one would expect some light moments, some humor to contrast the troubled mood, but there are none.
Vicky's view of Wyoming is filled with truck traffic, which builds tension and fear for her. Father John's view of Wyoming is the openness and quiet, which he dreads losing.
Coel rushes the story along, building on the sense of danger. Eventually Father John's and Vicky's paths meld with solutions to previously unanswered questions. The mystery is solved, but we end on a tentative note that invites us to speculate on whatever problems appear for these two in the next novel of the series.
Looters have stolen the most sacred petroglyph, the Drowning Man, and are holding it for ransom, if the tribe can pay for its return. Otherwise it will disappear on the black market. Father John finds himself caught as a go-between for collecting the ransom and exchanging it for the petroglyph. Of course things get complicated.
Out of respect for a tribal elder, Vicky Holden reluctantly agrees to represent his grandson who is in prison for a murder committed seven years ago, in connection with an earlier stolen petroglyph. Vicky's agreement is so unpopular, that she finds herself targeted for death.
Masterful writing and a fast pace keeps the reader glued. Nevertheless at times the writing is labored where I feel the author is trying too hard to avoid clichés, only to select an expression that doesn't quite fit. Both Father John and Vicky have more problems than found in the main plot. So we get a sense of realism in their daily lives. But one would expect some light moments, some humor to contrast the troubled mood, but there are none.
Vicky's view of Wyoming is filled with truck traffic, which builds tension and fear for her. Father John's view of Wyoming is the openness and quiet, which he dreads losing.
Coel rushes the story along, building on the sense of danger. Eventually Father John's and Vicky's paths meld with solutions to previously unanswered questions. The mystery is solved, but we end on a tentative note that invites us to speculate on whatever problems appear for these two in the next novel of the series.
September 6, 2024
This is one of the best mystery series I have ever read. I care about the characters, especially Vicky and Father John. Margaret Coel also does a beautiful job of description and scene setting. She has great respect for the Arapaho people and their culture and traditions. The mysteries themselves are page-turning and touch on subjects of interest to anyone. The dynamic between Father John and Vicky is both powerful and heartbreaking. Simply put, a magnificent series that is consistently excellent. I'm reading the series in order and will be sorry when it ends.
March 3, 2020
Pictographs are a part of Indian Heritage. In holy sites you will find pictures carved in rock. In this mystery, there are two pictographs stolen 7 years apart and an Indian serving a sentence for manslaughter. A retired priest comes to the reservation that was guilty of child molestation. Father Tom and Vicky seek to find the pictograph and prove the Indian innocent. Good action and a good mystery.
September 4, 2023
Another enjoyable addition to his series. The history of the glyphs and what they mean was fascinating to read. I like how Vicki and Adam are growing in their relationship while Coel keeps the tension about the forbidden love between her and Father John.
August 8, 2024
3.5
Not a bad mystery read. The characters are especially likeable, and the setting is also authentic and believable, even for a person from Wyoming and who has been to the Wind River Reservation. The plot, even though quite predictable and not the fastest, isn't bad. I liked it a lot.
Not a bad mystery read. The characters are especially likeable, and the setting is also authentic and believable, even for a person from Wyoming and who has been to the Wind River Reservation. The plot, even though quite predictable and not the fastest, isn't bad. I liked it a lot.
September 30, 2022
I hate when the one "who did it"
is barely mentioned in the book.
is barely mentioned in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2011
I have read many books in this series. They are stories of Vicky Holden, an Indian attorney, and John O'Malley, an Irish priest. They both live on/near the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. An ancient petroglyph is stolen right off the side of a mountain. The crime is similar to one committed 7 years ago when a petroglyph was stolen and an Indian ranch hand was murdered. However, the person suspected of both the theft of the petroglyph and murder is sitting in jail in Lander, Wyoming. So, who committed this crime? There is an unrelationship between Vicky and Father John. They love each other, but will not act on this love. (okay??) They do have a life of solving crimes together. Story line in this book was good as always, but when will Vicky ever get good security systems in her home and office?? So many people have broken in there and tried to murder her. And when will Father John learn not to go running just because someone calls him on the phone and says they need him???
March 8, 2013
A very enjoyable mystery. The two stolen "glyphs" or petroglyphs from Red Rock Canyon, a sacred site for the Arapaho, are the basis of the story. On Google, I discovered Wyoming has many glyph sites, which inspired Coel to write this particular book. Lots of action! A new character on the reservation. Wonderful descriptions of the land. I have almost reached the end of this series, which makes me very sad, as I love these characters and Coel's writing.
January 20, 2009
#12 in the Wyoming Arapaho Wind River Reservation mystery series featuring Father John O'Malley and Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden. Stolen cultural artifacts and petroglyphs of significance to the tribe are at the heart of the mystery involving murder, attempted murder as the two friends work to resolve the problems of the reservation.
September 13, 2016
Turns out I read this years ago, so many that I'd forgotten what happened. Consistent with Coel's others in the Father John / Vicky Holden mystery series. Interesting, compelling, and a valid reminder that Native Americans were not wiped out 200+ years ago and are not yet treated as equals in this country. Entertaining without preaching.
October 6, 2011
The Drowing Man is a petroglyph with religious significance. When it is stolen Father O'Malley is contacted by the criminals to act as a go-between for its ransom. Events will occur that could jeopardize his tenure at the Indian mission, especially as he is long overdue for a transfer according to Church policy. A good story.
September 15, 2021
This was a very long book, about 11 hours. And after 12 books, the formula wears: Vicki was too sick; she had two auto accidents; she risked herself to defend someone against injustice; blah-blah. Meanwhile, Father John has staff problems....again. And, we hear about the stolen petroglyphs ad Infiniti. And, a white guy is the perp....again. This book would be pretty good at about 6-7 hours.
March 9, 2008
Another fun Margaret Coel book. I enjoy the characters in the book and a glimpse into the Arapahoe life in the modern world. They are good mysteries and are easy reads. I also enjoy reading books that are set here in the West.
March 21, 2011
A good Wind River Reservation Mystery. Father John O'Malley and Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden again entangled in another who done it. This time in the illegal selling of Indian artifacts. Coel a good writer. I enjoy her work.
May 27, 2017
This one of the series get off to a slower start, but the mystery is a good one, so keep going!!
June 22, 2017
An enjoyable read in an interesting series.
September 17, 2019
This is another fine entry into the Wind River series by Margaret Coel. Her books belong to the mystery genre created by Tony Hillerman and expanded on by Aimee Thurlo. The authors are not directly comparable other than the Native American settings. Hillerman lived the life and grew up in the area he wrote about. He brought out the human side of his characters on a local level. Aimee Thurlo writes from the perspective of a woman and most of her key characters are women. Given the area where the mysteries occur, it is a bit fantastical but her mysteries are sound. Coel on the other hand is first and foremost a historian. She does a great job with the background information on the Arapaho and Shoshone reservations. Over the series the characters grow and the background gets richer. The almost love affair between the Jesuit priest and the Arapaho lawyer is getting a bit timeworn and thin. Surprisingly, I find that Coel as a woman writer seems to have developed the character of Father O'Malley, more than that of Vicky Holden.
This particular book is a good one for fans of the series. First time readers will enjoy it too. However, my warning to all readers of this series. It is a pleasant murder mystery series. The books contain a lot of background information that is interesting for those who enjoy the genre. The books are not "gritty and full of dark angst".
This particular book is a good one for fans of the series. First time readers will enjoy it too. However, my warning to all readers of this series. It is a pleasant murder mystery series. The books contain a lot of background information that is interesting for those who enjoy the genre. The books are not "gritty and full of dark angst".
March 19, 2018
Someone has stolen The Drowning Man, an ancient petroglyph that had been carved into the walls of a sacred canyon on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. The Arapahos who live on the reservation are shattered by the theft, and the assumption is that someone has chiseled out the petroglyph and sold it to some wealthy collector. But then a mysterious Indian contacts the pastor of the Indian mission, Father John O'Malley, and offers to sell the Drowning Man back to the tribe for $250,000. The messenger warns Father John not to contact the authorities.
The theft is eerily reminiscent of a similar case seven years earlier when another glyph was stolen from the same canyon and never recovered. The two presumed thieves in the earlier case had a falling out and one killed the other. The second alleged thief, Travis Birdsong, is now serving time for manslaughter and his grandfather convinces Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden to appeal his conviction.
The conjunction of the second theft and Vicky's decision to take Birdsong's case sets a chain reaction into motion that will put several characters at risk of life and limb as the story progresses to a conclusion.
The theft is eerily reminiscent of a similar case seven years earlier when another glyph was stolen from the same canyon and never recovered. The two presumed thieves in the earlier case had a falling out and one killed the other. The second alleged thief, Travis Birdsong, is now serving time for manslaughter and his grandfather convinces Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden to appeal his conviction.
The conjunction of the second theft and Vicky's decision to take Birdsong's case sets a chain reaction into motion that will put several characters at risk of life and limb as the story progresses to a conclusion.
July 24, 2019
One of the author's better stories. I found the plot twists interesting but the bad guys a bit predictable. I have become comfortable with the relationship between Father O'Malley and Vicky Holden - something I had problems with in the first few books of the series. I value their different approaches to solving a problem and find it interesting how they come together on the conclusions at the end while coming from different places and information. I am not as pleased with the side characters of Adam Lone Eagle and FBI agent Giannelli. Adam comes across as Vicky's boss, not her lover and partner. Giannelli just seems like a jerk sometimes, always trying to find the easy way through something while ignoring the needs of the Arapahoe people when setting out to get the bad guys. It makes it a little hard for me to see how their relationships with the main characters are as positive as it they are. I would have thought the BLM guy would also have been more sensitive to the needs of the Arapahoe and Shoshone people since his office is smack dab in the middle of their reservation.
July 9, 2019
Sitting on the beach at our Lake Michigan cabin rental and just enjoying the wonderful briskness of the beach weather of Door County...significantly different than our Spring Break haunts of Fort Meyers Beach, but nevertheless a great opportunity for wonderful beach reading...Been here 3 days & Ive knocked off 3 novels...What is it about the beach???...I've been into the Margaret Coel "Wind River Reservation" series with Jesuit mission priest Fr. John and Arapahoe lawyer Vicky Holden off and on and have found them to be a wonderful replacement for the Leaphorn/Chee Navajo mysteries...In this one, Vicky and Fr. John are drawn into a murder mystery involving stolen sacred petroglyphs...suspenseful danger arises for both Vicky and Fr. John as they discover more and more about the ring of art thieves involved...Coel also touches upon the Catholic Church's issues regarding abusive priests...Really good stuff!!!
October 21, 2017
A petroglyph is stolen and Father John is caught up in helping retrieve it. Vicky Holden is contacted by one of the tribal elders to help get his grandson out of jail. He was convicted of killing a man associated with a previous theft of a petroglyph. Several attempts are made on Vicki's life. Her business partner doesn't want her involved in the case. They are also trying to help the tribe preserve other ancient art in a canyon that timber companies want to build a road thru.
Brings up some important issues concerning preservation of ancient art and traditions and sacred sites.
A few other things are thrown in the story to add interest. Father John has to deal with a retired priest sent to the mission and finding out he is a pedophile. Vicky is dealing with trust issues with her lover. Reasons behind the theft of the petroglyph is varied between the participants but mostly it is money.
Brings up some important issues concerning preservation of ancient art and traditions and sacred sites.
A few other things are thrown in the story to add interest. Father John has to deal with a retired priest sent to the mission and finding out he is a pedophile. Vicky is dealing with trust issues with her lover. Reasons behind the theft of the petroglyph is varied between the participants but mostly it is money.
July 16, 2020
Good story. Good character development. I did not guess actual criminal until shown near the end. Father John and Vicky Holden behaved true to the stories of these characters shown in other Wind River Mysteries. Ending involving an unexpected sacrifice changed the story from just John and Vicky doing what they do to something unique (for this series) and uplifting. I don’t seem to find mysteries solved by collaborations. Although, I seem to remember Ellis Peters’ title A Morbid Taste for Bones had a collaboration trick the murderer into confessing. I wonder if something like that would be too much for John or Vicky?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews