In the tumultuous 1960s, Santa Fe, New Mexico, is shaken by the arrival of a diabolical killer who preys on young women. One after another, women are found dead, and the killer leaves no trace. As the body count grows, the manhunt begins. The Grayhawk clan is an unusual family who traces their mixed Navajo/Hopi-European roots back hundreds of years. Memphis Grayhawk, a dedicated law student who migrates into private investigation, leads this crime-fighting team. His younger brother, Tucson, is a psychologist in training, while his three youngest siblings provide energy, support, and love. Memphis’s best friend, police detective Sand Hazelwood, and his twin sisters, Snow and Swan, play an integral part in the investigation. Finally, there is Memphis’s cousin, Tansee, a medical student with insight crucial to the case. As these men and women follow the clues, they realize the unfathomable depths of this monster’s motives. Will the killer manage to escape the clutches of justice or get the punishment he deserves? How will these horrific crimes impact those hot on his trail? Will they survive the manhunt or fall into the darkness they pursue?

The kindergarten student, her family recently settled from Mexico, wiggled a loose tooth that she hoped would dislodge soon so she could collect a few coins and not feel left out again at her school’s next bake sale. Lieutenant Governor E. Lee Francis decades earlier had his own wish. He wanted a restraining order against Governor David Cargo, who supposedly was making Francis fear for his safety in the state Capitol. New Mexico Stories is full of gems such as these. They’re stories about life, not just in New Mexico but beyond. They’re stories about the human condition. They’re warm, funny, revealing and at times unsettling. Together they constitute a fascinating segment of New Mexico history. David Roybal, in daily, extraordinary rounds over fifty years, positioned himself to absorb it all.