At rock bottom following her daughter’s death, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.
In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.
Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.
What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
This book was incredible. The storyline is a dark one, but a necessary one. As an Indigenous woman myself, the discussion of missing and murdered indigenous women and children is widely known in Native communities. The jurisdictional issues with state and county law enforcement and the federal government makes it almost impossible to get most of these cases the attention they deserve. I really appreciated how Dove explained these issues in a way that any reader can understand.
The pace of this story was perfect. I have not read such a brilliant page turner in a while. I was completely captivated. The story takes us through only a span of days, but the urgency of needing a certain outcome makes it feel even too long for what the main character, Carrie Starr, is trying to accomplish in these few days.
Throughout the book, I never knew who I could trust, if anyone. I was surprised at who some characters turned out to be and not so surprised at others. I loved the inclusion of certain beliefs and traditions within the Native community, it added so much depth and personality to the story. Dove does a great job of putting a spotlight on the reality of reservation life. The poverty and high unemployment rate, as well as the domestic abuse and drug use, keeps some tribes in an unfortunate socioeconomic space. Add to this that some of these tribes do not have their own police force, and it is a recipe for disaster and tragedy for these missing girls.
If there is ONE book you read in 2025, make it this one. You will not be sorry.
Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase Mask of the Deer Woman here.
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