Naomi Manymules Mystery: Coyote Alibi

LTC LDD: Sage Landing was a quiet little town until the murder of owner of Big Chief Furniture, well-known philanderer Willard Hightower. Then, it suddenly seems that half the people in town are suspects, most with unconfirmed alibis because they don't want to admit where they were or with whom. Sage Landing becomes a small town Peyton Place, with the high school principal seen running naked down a town street in the middle of the night, the wife of the deceased running scared from a coyote which crossed her path, a local drug dealer hiding on the boat of one of the town's attorneys from a mob lawyer and enforcer, an officer on the police force in love with the deceased man's wife, and the local knitting circle having access to all the dirt on everyone in town because of its membership.

Coyote Alibi is a fun, fast read, with constant twists and turns to keep the reader guessing about the outcome. Like an Agatha Christie novel, the list of suspects seems to grow with each day. Several have clear motives for murder, but no opportunity. While the story includes some lessons about Navajo beliefs like bad luck linked to a coyote, the focus is on efforts to determine who killed Hightower....

United States on Aug 18, 2023

orneryasever: Easy to read and follow, some light learning about Navajo culture and traditions! The characters were believable, and carried the story!

United States on Jul 30, 2023

Michelle: This book was fun to read, especially since I spent most of my life in New Mexico. The characters are well developed and there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing!

United States on Jul 05, 2023

Norman J. Riddell: Who really shot Willard Highsmith? Seems like everyone in town is a suspect. Was it planned and a deliberate killing, or a case of mistaken identity? Or self defense? Or none of those things? He was not a nice man, and had quite a few people around him who would wish him gone. Naomi Manymules and her attorney boss Grant Carson work well together and handle this case like expert jugglers. Lots of surprises in this story. Authors are masters at twists and turns. Great mystery, and will definitely read the next book.

United States on Jun 12, 2023

Krupa C.: When I was at about 66% down through the story, I realised I was going to have to force myself to finish the book because I don't enjoy abandoning stories midway.

Firstly, I picked this book in the hope that I would learn something interesting about Native Americans through fiction. While I did learn something about their way of life (because some of the characters were Navajo), there wasn't enough of it for me.

The story revolves around a Navajo woman who finds a job as a paralegal/secretary to a laid-back white lawyer with questionable ethics. Together they investigate a murder of a commonly disliked man, because they have taken on several clients at the same time who are all suspects in the murder.

The story involves way too many suspects to keep track of, a casual attitude towards firearms (at one point, the female protagonist Naomi Manymules actually encourages her 14 YO daughter to use her borrowed gun, and somewhere else, a boy scout was awarded a certificate for superior markmanship with rifles) and generous acceptance of drugs and substance abuse and promiscuity.

There's also domestic violence, bending thr rules of legal practice and letting...

India on Feb 15, 2023

Shirley Parker: Do not compare this to Hillerman. It's in a different class. However, Naomi is likeable while Grant Carson needs to lighten up and stop being such an alley cat, even though he's suffering from legal system burnout. The insights into Navajo culture are beautiful and the teenagers are relatable to any parent who has one or several, even though a couple of families in Sage Landing should have shown a little parental direction and oversight instead of none at all. The humor is light, so don't expect slapstick. Perhaps a few too many possibilities as to who the killer might have been, even in a small town? A couple of scenes weren't believable and I was very disappointed in Miller. I don't think he would have found another job in law enforcement that quickly. But it's rough country out there, so maybe.

United States on Oct 04, 2022

Ann Icar: There was something about this that kept me hooked. Subtly funny. Some sketchy ethics on the part of Carson, the lawyer. Naomi is very sharp and no nonsense, a tough cookie, I really liked her.

A decent mystery, a large cast of characters in a small town, Naomi & Carson's banter was very entertaining, and there were so many suspects to sift through.

Set 30ish years ago - it certainly has a nostalgic tint to it and the hints of Navajo culture are interesting too.

Definitely keen to read the next one.

Australia on Jul 20, 2022

Fran B: Enjoyed this very much, light hearted yet a great mystery, would recommend this to anyone. Plenty of twists and turns

Australia on Nov 06, 2021

Clifford J Lien: Fun read.

Canada on May 15, 2021