May 23, 2022
Rita Todacheene, the narrator of Emerson’s strong debut, has excelled at her job with the Albuquerque (N.Mex.) PD’s Crime Scene Specialist Unit for the past five years, exposing valuable clues through her meticulous photography. Flair and technical expertise aside, much of her success is due to a unique ability to communicate with the ghosts of crime victims. It’s a gift she discovered during childhood, but these unusual powers come at a price—her peculiar behavior and obsession with “imaginary friends” alienated her from her classmates and drove her out of her Navajo community. Ever since, damaged spirits, desperate for her help, plague her, pushing her to the edge of sanity and making her friends and colleagues question her psychological competence. After photographing a grisly highway suicide, she’s coerced into investigating members of the police force with connections to the victim and major players in a Mexican drug cartel, ultimately drawing her into a perilous quest for truth and justice. Rich, expressive prose matches the suspenseful storytelling. Only the predictable finale disappoints. Crime fiction fans will relish this keenly balanced paranormal page-turner and piquant coming-of-age yarn.
December 1, 2022
Emerson's debut, narrated by Oglala Lakota/Mohawk actor Charley Flyte, features Rita Todacheene, a Din� woman living and working in Albuquerque, NM, as a forensic photographer. Rita is gifted at her job, but she has been hiding an ability that aids her work-- she can see ghosts. One such ghost, Erma, was thought to have died by suicide, but she insists that she was murdered and wants Rita to solve the case. In her search, Rita comes across ghosts, murderers, and corrupt police officers. While the paranormal plot is occasionally wearying, the descriptions of the crime scenes and investigatory process is riveting. Listeners will appreciate Flyte's sensitive narration of flashbacks, depicting Rita's experiences growing up with her grandmother on reservation. He believably brings out Rita's stress and exhaustion, although his depiction of other characters is more one-dimensional. VERDICT Emerson, herself a Din� writer and filmmaker, delivers an intriguing supernatural thriller. Recommend to those seeking thrillers written by Indigenous authors such as David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Carol LaFavor, and Marcie Rendon.--Danielle Arpin
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