An American family in Mexico hosts a group of archaeologists—butis there an assassin among them? “Satisfactorily sinister . . . class-A sleuthing” (Saturday Review). “Unconquered” is the family motto of the Faudrees, whose ancestor, a Confederate officer, fled to Mexico decades ago. Now his two granddaughters, Lucy and Monica, live there in a beautiful old house near some black lava fields. The fields have recently attracted a team of archaeologists from an American university, and they’ll be the sisters’ guests during their expedition to Pedregal. But Lucy and Monica soon discover the visiting academics may be unearthing trouble: A professor has died. Strange and threatening letters have been sent. And oddly, owls seem to be invading. To dig up the truth about what’s going on, the Faudree sisters will need some help from US Customs agent and amateur sleuth Hugh Rennert, in this tale featuring “good background, atmosphere and characters” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). “You won’t go wrong in giving Todd Downing a try.” —Michael Dirda, The Washington Post

Though mystery, crime, and detective fiction are some of the most popular genres in the world, little scholarship currently exists regarding Native American writers and how they add new dimensions to this widely read literary form. Rather, the majority of scholarship examines the depiction of Native characters from the perspective of non-Native authors. Native American Mystery Writing: Indigenous Investigations analyzes how Native authors use the genre to foreground centuries of settler-colonial crimes and comment upon the ways in which these acts continue to impact Native individuals and communities today. Considering fourteen novels and two made-for-TV films, this book surveys a spectrum of settler-colonial crimes: the Osage oil murders, sexual assault against Native women, missing and murdered Indigenous women, the California mission system, suppression of spiritual beliefs, theft—of land, children, and cultural items—and, of course, murder. Examination of these texts shows how Native authors working with the mystery, crime, and detective fiction formats are able to entertain readers while also sending strong social, cultural, and political messages that argue for strengthened tribal sovereignty and illustrate the resilience of Indigenous peoples—all in order to promote discussions about creating a more just system for Native Nations.

Native American literature has always been uniquely embattled. It is marked by divergent opinions about what constitutes authenticity, sovereignty, and even literature. It announces a culture beset by paradox: simultaneously primordial and postmodern; oral and inscribed; outmoded and novel. Its texts are a site of political struggle, shifting to meet external and internal expectations. This Cambridge History endeavors to capture and question the contested character of Indigenous texts and the way they are evaluated. It delineates significant periods of literary and cultural development in four sections: “Traces & Removals” (pre-1870s); “Assimilation and Modernity” (1879-1967); “Native American Renaissance” (post-1960s); and “Visions & Revisions” (21st century). These rubrics highlight how Native literatures have evolved alongside major transitions in federal policy toward the Indian, and via contact with broader cultural phenomena such, as the American Civil Rights movement. There is a balance between a history of canonical authors and traditions, introducing less-studied works and themes, and foregrounding critical discussions, approaches, and controversies.

The Mystery Fancier, July/August 1979, Volume 3 Number 4, contains: "Little Old Ladies I Have Known and Loved," by Ellen Nehr, "Tension and Duality: Daphne Du Marier's 'Don't Look Now'," by Jane S. Bakerman, "His Own Desert," by Everett F. Bleiler, "The History and Activities of Mystery Fans in Sweden (and Scandinavia)," by Iwan Hedman, "The Crime Novels of Harold R. Daniels," by George Kelley, "The Curmudgeon in the Corner, Grumblings," by William Loeser and "The Nero Wolfe Saga, Part XIV," by Guy M. Townsend.

A bibliography of various mystery novels published between November 1976 and Fall 1992.