From award-winning literary author Thomas King (aka Hartley GoodWeather) comes a stylish mystery debut featuring ex-California cop Thumps DreadfulWater, a smart and savvy Cherokee Indian whose witty exterior belies a clever, stubborn sleuth.

With his cop life officially behind him, Thumps now makes his living as a fine-arts photographer in Chinook — a western town snuggled up against a reservation that's struggling for economic independence via investment in a glitzy new resort and casino complex called Buffalo Mountain. It's a slow-paced, good life for Thumps and his eccentric cat, Freeway. Most of the time. But when a dead body turns up in one of the just-completed luxury condos, things change fast — and not for the better. Photographing corpses is not part of Thumps's master plan.

He can't help getting involved, especially when he realizes that the number one suspect is Stanley "Stick" Merchant, anticondo protestor and wayward son of Claire Merchant, head of the tribal council and Thumps's onetime love. If it affects Claire, it affects Thumps.

It seems that Stick disappeared just about the time of the murder. Coincidence? Or just bad timing? Thumps knows that the police often shoot smart-ass teenagers first and ask questions later. He doesn't want that to happen to Stick. But can Thumps find Stick in time? And can Thumps find a killer before a killer finds Thumps?

DreadfulWater Shows Up marks the arrival of a detective with a difference. With energy and verve and a very special voice, Thomas King and Hartley GoodWeather create an engaging and original page-turner that zings with memorable characters and biting social commentary.

Tony Hillerman

Readers who enjoy wry wit, clever writing, amusing characters, a well-tuned plot, and a very funny Cherokee Indian detective are going to love sharing this adventure with Thumps DreadfulWater.

Michael McGarrity

Packed with sly humor, off-the-wall characters, and assured writing, DreadfulWater Shows Up introduces a Native American detective with a full-blown sarcastical view of his world, who is sure to entertain.

Hartley GoodWeather is the pseudonym for Thomas King, the award-winning author of literary novels that include Truth and Bright Water; Green Grass, Running Water; and Medicine River. Born to a Cherokee father and a Greek mother and raised in Roseville, California, he holds a Ph.D. in English and American Studies from the University of Utah and has worked in Native Studies programs in Utah, California, Minnesota, and Canada. He now lives in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, where he teaches Native literature and creative writing at the University of Guelph. Thomas King is at work on a new Thumps DreadfulWater novel.