A member of “The Keepers of Order,” an armed militia determined to hunt down the culprits who have been poaching bighorn sheep, is shot while patrolling one of the remotest parts of Utah’s rugged backcountry. In pursuit of the shooter, Deputy Sheriff Manny Rivera stumbles upon another crime linked to the activities of a Ute medicine man who roamed those same lands in the early 1700s. With the … the help of a smart, young anthropologist, Rivera plunges into the past to unravel a sequence of bizarre events underlying a shocking murder. In the end, he’s once again forced to choose between enforcing the letter of the law and serving the cause of justice.
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I really enjoyed this m book! I learned a great deal about a part of the country and how anthropologists work!
Another good Manny Rivera crime story. As usual, good twist and turns in the plot.
However, Manny is a better detective than I ever would of thought figuring out a several hundred year old murder scene. Pretty far fetched part of the story and, in my opinion, took a little away from my enjoyment of the story.
4.5 Stars Once again, Manny Riveria puts his investigation skills to the test. This time I actual discovered one of the murders before the reveal. Of course with this author, there is never just one straightforward crime to solve.
This plot traces the history of the southwest back to the days of the Utes and Spanish Conquistadors. It was so interesting, I found myself googling shamans, petroglyphs, and doubloons. I even dusted off my Road Atlas to search for the location of the “Big Triangle”.
I know this series is in the crime drama genre, but I keep hoping for some romance. Manny deserves a full life to include a wife and kids, to go along with his guppies and lab. It seems I may just get my wish.
I like this series, I’ve read two or three of the books now. Good detective work and it’s from the same area where I live, so the descriptions of the environment are really fun and cool. Keep them coming!
I really like this author so far have read all his books look ing forward to his next book.
This is a quiet mystery…..no gore, wild sex, or shockers. But if you want to know what the southwest is like, please sit and savor the heat, flavor, and people of the area. See the beauty of the area with the red rocks, sheer cliffs, the animals, and the legends. And there’s a neat mystery to solve about gold coins along with the butchering of wild bighorn sheep to solve.
You’ll meet Manny Rivera and see why the sheriffs can come and go, as Manny observes and usually solves the crimes . This is the second book I have read and enjoyed by the author. Exceptionally descriptive without being wordy, you will be transported to Moab, Utah.
The old legends meet the present with top notch equipment to protect the native animals. Hear and about petroglyphs and how they lead to a discovery of doubloons. Meet the people at the Center for Cosmic Consciousness……..Dr. Kennedy, Bob Livingston, Sheila and the others.
The big triangle is a place of wild beauty, few roads, bad reception, a group of so called militia, a lone rancher and his wife, and men taking the heads/horns of the sheep. Mix in murder, lies, greed and the story of an old Ute killing a Spaniard and you have a thinking person’s mystery.
This is a regional mystery where you gain knowledge and insights without leaving your couch. 3.8
Always enjoy this series, this one was one to make you think
Being native American I enjoy all books with this subject matter.
Curtin does a fine job capturing the sense of the modern West. This is one of my preferred genres. His Manny Rivera character, a deputy sheriff, solves mysteries and along the way readers are treated not only to a fine sense of the Utah mountains but interwoven Native American themes. I’ve read all in the series. I hope he writes more.
A easy read and realalistic
Surprise ending–good detective book. Will read more from this author.
Fun, easy read. Based in southern Utah’s color country. Lots of history.
This book does a great job describing the beautiful Dolores Triangle area!
Good police procedural with colorful descriptions of the US Southwest area around Moab.
A sweet romance mixed into a mystery an d set in a beautiful wild area of the US. Beautifully described the landscapes and atmosphere. Almost as good as Tony Hillerman!
Enjoyed it. I’m looking for others in the series.
I learned a lot about the area and how tough the job is to patrol an area the size of one of our states. How did they ever figure out who was the culprit? Great story and could easily be true.
Very well written. Characters well defined. Great story.
Great read
Likeable and believable characters, great location, good story well told. What more can you you ask for. I recommend it.