Sand Creek
by D. W. Linden
A great mystery and so much more
Publisher:
Intrigue Press (August 2006)
D.W.
Linden's Sand Creek is
a mystery set in southeastern Colorado with an unlikely sleuth, a
broken down cowboy, hunting down Native American history to unearth a
serial killer and save his friend from murder allegations. Sand Creek is a mystery with an
intriguing romance subplot. Superb characterization and themes make
this a 5+ mystery read.
Ex-rodeo man and now laid back sheriff Johnny Hart's life is fairly
much lost down the bottle. He hasn't been to a rodeo in a while, his
wife has left him and his superiors are always warning him. He is even
finding it difficult to track down the cattle rustlers. It could not
get much worse, but of course, it does. His friend and rodeo buddy Char
Sixkiller has been pegged by the FBI as the serial killer mutilating
blond white women and dumping them on historic sites of Native American
massacres. Can broken down cowboy Johnny save himself, his friend and
Sandy?
This mystery focuses mostly on the friendship between two men and the
hunt for a killer. Johnny and Char have a long history fro their rodeo
past. Both are broken cowboys from past scars but loyal friends. In
searching for the identity of the serial killer, Johnny and Char must
face their past and rely on their friendship. Can the present hunt also
heal their past and teach them how to forgive?
Although the mystery focuses on the friendship between Char and Johnny,
two important women in this mystery make Sand Creek a 5 star+ read and
more than a mystery. Barbara, Johnny's ex-wife, is a divorcee with a
career and independent. Sandy Cross is an independent unmarried woman,
running her cattle ranch mostly alone since Mr. Cross is just too old.
She is a Christian but she is spending a lot of time with a man with
different spiritual beliefs and a Native American when Native Americans
are seen with suspicion in this part of the country. Will she calmly
break the law when push comes to shove? Sometimes a girl has to do what
she has to do! Sandy is blond and smart and breaks all stereotypes.
When the going gets tough, she doesn't reach for the hair dye or the
comfort of the big city.
Sandy in this book can be described with one word --- fortitude. She
may seem preachy for one small moment or two but circumstances have to
mellow out her fortitude and make it less rigid. The Christian element
is balanced by the Native American massacre reality and the character
of Char who also sees more than beyond his viewpoint. Actually, all the
characters in this novel are written without rigid good and evil traits
which is why I like this mystery so much.
Sand Creek drew me into the author's description of Southeastern
Colorado which is quite different than the Front Range Denver Metro
area where I live. A slightly melancholic tone in the beginning was a
nice reading change from other mystery reads this year. I also liked
hearing about the history of the Native Americans and the massacres
which are often spoken about in local papers but never explained to
newcomers. Sand Creek has some nice twists and turns mystery-wise. The
first third of this book is more about the rodeo life, the area, and
the building of the friendship between Johnny and Char and the life of
Sandy. I was drawn into the place and liked that immersion feeling
before the mystery pace wound tighter and tighter.
This was not a romance per se but I liked it's multi-faceted take on
love: friendship, love and understanding that divorced people might
still have, love emerging, the love of a father for a child, a
Christian understanding of love, a Native American approach to
spirituality and love/friendship. Sand Creek offers an intriguing
insight into history and the massacres. A very nice read...a mystery
but also a view more expansive and some insights I will remember and
ponder even after finishing the last page.
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