To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself.
At rock bottom following her daughter’s death, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.
In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.
Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.
What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.
Genre: Mystery
At rock bottom following her daughter’s death, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.
In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.
Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.
What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"Mask of the Deer Woman, by Laurie L. Dove, is the story of a law enforcement officer who belongs nowhere. Lonely, living amongst strangers, desperate to atone for mistakes and lost opportunities of the past, Carrie Starr is searching for her true home and seeking to find the reason why so many of the women of the Saliquaw Nation have disappeared. Mask of the Deer Woman is both mystery and character study, and Carrie is both easy to root for and difficult to like. She has hard edges and a wounded heart. This is a novel that will keep you awake at night - reading it, thinking about it, and later dreaming about it." - William Holinger
"Mask of the Deer Woman stunningly illuminates the reality of young indigenous women gone missing from the 326 reservations in the U.S., through a mix of mystery and myth, and a cast of suspects including intriguing locals and scheming officials. In creating a flawed, damaged protagonist, author Laurie Dove brings additional gravitas to this tribal mystery." - Daphne Kalotay
"Mask of the Deer Woman shines an important spotlight on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis while folding a compelling mystery into a heartfelt journey of grief, identity, and reconnection." - Vanessa Lillie
"A beautifully written tale about the Indigenous girls who disappear twice, once in life and once in the news. Clever, elegant and utterly compelling, Mask of the Deer Woman is a brilliant exploration of identity and the struggle of being separated from one's culture. Hypnotic and beguiling, I was hooked from the first sentence." - Christina McDonald
"Spotlighting the real life crisis of Native women and girls who are abducted and murdered at an astonishing rate, Laurie L. Dove presents a vital story of danger, corruption, and a fraying thread of hope in Indian Country. Full of mystery, suspense, and an enthralling dose of Native mythology, Mask of the Deer Woman is both a propulsive thriller and a much-needed call to action." - Nick Medina
"A thriller that dreams are made of - thoroughly engrossing, riveting, an absolute pleasure. The work of a rare, singular talent." - Chris Mooney
"Mask of the Deer Woman is a creepy, atmospheric page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of identity and belonging. Dove's detailed descriptions plunge the reader into the world of an Oklahoma reservation and its troubled inhabitants. Above all, this immersive debut is an ode to women's resilience and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters." - K T Nguyen
"A compelling and sinister story that brings to life the real, shocking epidemic of violence against native women, led by a complex character divided from her own identity and history." - Lori Rader-Day
"Dove seamlessly weaves magical threads into a narrative that reminds us of the forces beyond what is seen, and the importance of protecting and cherishing women." - Mary Sullivan
"Laurie Dove masterfully tells a suspenseful story with a complex protagonist who straddles the worlds between the living and the dead and her dual heritages. A compelling read." - Iris Yamashita
"Mask of the Deer Woman stunningly illuminates the reality of young indigenous women gone missing from the 326 reservations in the U.S., through a mix of mystery and myth, and a cast of suspects including intriguing locals and scheming officials. In creating a flawed, damaged protagonist, author Laurie Dove brings additional gravitas to this tribal mystery." - Daphne Kalotay
"Mask of the Deer Woman shines an important spotlight on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis while folding a compelling mystery into a heartfelt journey of grief, identity, and reconnection." - Vanessa Lillie
"A beautifully written tale about the Indigenous girls who disappear twice, once in life and once in the news. Clever, elegant and utterly compelling, Mask of the Deer Woman is a brilliant exploration of identity and the struggle of being separated from one's culture. Hypnotic and beguiling, I was hooked from the first sentence." - Christina McDonald
"Spotlighting the real life crisis of Native women and girls who are abducted and murdered at an astonishing rate, Laurie L. Dove presents a vital story of danger, corruption, and a fraying thread of hope in Indian Country. Full of mystery, suspense, and an enthralling dose of Native mythology, Mask of the Deer Woman is both a propulsive thriller and a much-needed call to action." - Nick Medina
"A thriller that dreams are made of - thoroughly engrossing, riveting, an absolute pleasure. The work of a rare, singular talent." - Chris Mooney
"Mask of the Deer Woman is a creepy, atmospheric page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of identity and belonging. Dove's detailed descriptions plunge the reader into the world of an Oklahoma reservation and its troubled inhabitants. Above all, this immersive debut is an ode to women's resilience and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters." - K T Nguyen
"A compelling and sinister story that brings to life the real, shocking epidemic of violence against native women, led by a complex character divided from her own identity and history." - Lori Rader-Day
"Dove seamlessly weaves magical threads into a narrative that reminds us of the forces beyond what is seen, and the importance of protecting and cherishing women." - Mary Sullivan
"Laurie Dove masterfully tells a suspenseful story with a complex protagonist who straddles the worlds between the living and the dead and her dual heritages. A compelling read." - Iris Yamashita
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