Shallow Grave

Surveillance on an insurance fraud case in Bear Butte County unfolds tragically for PI Julie Collins when the reappearance of a mysterious hole—the cause of a fatal accident—brings about the landowner’s unsettling confession. Bones were recently uncovered on the remote ridge but, fearing repercussions from their illegal off-season hunting, the hunters reburied the remains and kept quiet. Now the hole is back, but the bones have vanished. Julie is left to wonder Were the bones part of an ancient Indian burial ground or perhaps connected to the unsolved disappearance of a Native American woman? The overworked, understaffed sheriff asks for Julie’s help, but the case opens old wounds and she soon finds herself at odds with the Native American community. On the wrong side of tribal politics, family disputes, and employee rivalries, Julie continues to dig for answers, while the personal stakes climb ever higher.

Lori G. Armstrong is the author of Blood Ties, which was nominated for a Shamus Award by the Private Eye Writers of America.