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Several cowboys have gone missing after working on a buffalo ranch in Wyoming, there have been apparently random shootings of trucks, a buffalo rancher has been murdered, and all this has taken place in an atmosphere of unease between the Arapaho natives on the reservation and the white cowboys on the ranch in its midst. Vicky Holden, the Arapaho lawyer who is one of the series leads, becomes involved as a "Rap" she is defending for assault on one of the missing cowboys is released to rehab, and Father John O'Malley, the other series lead, joins her in the search for the missing cowboys when someone shows up in his confessional to say only, "I killed a man."
The tension between the Arapahos and whites is palpable in this book. The buffalo ranch that is owned by the murdered white rancher and his wife is surrounded by the reservation. The local Arapaho cowboys are desperate for the work, but the rancher and now his widow will hire only white cowboys who have no ties to the area. Into this already stressed environment, a white buffalo calf is born on the ranch. White buffalos signify divinity and hope, and the ranch is further challenged by the thousands of pilgrims who arrive at the remote location to see the white buffalo. Vicky and Father John's investigation into where the missing cowboys have gone is joined by a Colorado cowboy looking for his buddy, another cowboy who seems to have disappeared from the ranch.
It's not clear whether the cowboys are victims of foul play, or whether they have just moved on to another remote ranch somewhere else in the west. Clues to their whereabouts emerge as the rancher's widow tries to hide them. In the end, the plot resolution seemed just a tad far-fetched to me, but it was internally consistent with the events leading up to it. Coel's handling of the conflict between native and white cowboys, as well as the sense of awe that the white buffalo calf inspired, was very well done. The lack of clarity on both Vicky's and Father John's part about whether there was even a mystery to investigate was also well written. The sense of isolation on the ranch, exacerbated by constant money worries, ran through the book creating a unique and specific atmosphere. Coel does a terrific job of bringing the area to life, so that I almost felt I had visited the ranch after having read the book.
This is the 18th book in the series featuring Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley. While there are relationships that have built over time and are further explored in NIGHT OF THE WHITE BUFFALO, the book works well as a standalone or as a point to jump into the series and work your way back.
§ Sharon Mensing is the Head of School of Emerald Mountain School, an independent school in the mountains of Colorado, where she lives, reads, and enjoys the outdoors.
Reviewed by Sharon Mensing, November 2014
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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