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A review by popthebutterfly
Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Mask of the Deer Woman
Author: Laurie L. Dove
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Indigenous Author, Indigenous MC and characters
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery readers, thriller readers, Indigenous story readers, horror readers
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 18+ (alcohol, drug use, alcoholism, animal violence, animal death, language, racism, child death, rape, violence, death, murder)
Explanation of CWs: Alcohol and alcoholism are mentioned and shown in this book. There is some drug use mentioned. There are scenes detailing animal violence and death. There is cursing in this book. There are scenes of racism and violence. There is a child death mentioned along with other deaths mentioned and shown. Rape is mentioned. Murder is mentioned and investigated.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: No Body, No Crime
Synopsis: To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself. At rock bottom following her daughter’s murder, ex-Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation that raised him, but they need a new tribal marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home. In the last decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some 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.
Review: I loved this thriller/mystery book. The story is about a down and out detective, who's basically put on this case as the new Tribal Marshall to a reservation that she's not been back to in a long time, to placate the mother of a missing young college student. What Starr uncovers through her research though is much larger and shows a much bigger problem than what she and others originally thought. I loved that it actually discussed the multiple issues that Indigenous persons in America are currently facing, the biggest being the epidemic of missing and murdered women and the second being the issue of companies and governments wanting to abuse and steal Native land to drill on or put pipelines on or other things. I thought the premise and story were well written and it's a very important story that puts missing Indigenous women at the forefront of it with an Indigenous woman as the MC. The book was action packed, mysterious, and it kept my attention throughout it.
The only issues I had with the book were that I didn't like all the smaller plot points, the basic filler pieces. I was also left wanting more from this story. I really hope this becomes a series because I'd love to see Starr return to a book and solve another mystery.
Verdict: I loved it a lot! Definitely picking up a copy.
Book: Mask of the Deer Woman
Author: Laurie L. Dove
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Indigenous Author, Indigenous MC and characters
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery readers, thriller readers, Indigenous story readers, horror readers
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 18+ (alcohol, drug use, alcoholism, animal violence, animal death, language, racism, child death, rape, violence, death, murder)
Explanation of CWs: Alcohol and alcoholism are mentioned and shown in this book. There is some drug use mentioned. There are scenes detailing animal violence and death. There is cursing in this book. There are scenes of racism and violence. There is a child death mentioned along with other deaths mentioned and shown. Rape is mentioned. Murder is mentioned and investigated.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: No Body, No Crime
Synopsis: To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself. At rock bottom following her daughter’s murder, ex-Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation that raised him, but they need a new tribal marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home. In the last decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some 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.
Review: I loved this thriller/mystery book. The story is about a down and out detective, who's basically put on this case as the new Tribal Marshall to a reservation that she's not been back to in a long time, to placate the mother of a missing young college student. What Starr uncovers through her research though is much larger and shows a much bigger problem than what she and others originally thought. I loved that it actually discussed the multiple issues that Indigenous persons in America are currently facing, the biggest being the epidemic of missing and murdered women and the second being the issue of companies and governments wanting to abuse and steal Native land to drill on or put pipelines on or other things. I thought the premise and story were well written and it's a very important story that puts missing Indigenous women at the forefront of it with an Indigenous woman as the MC. The book was action packed, mysterious, and it kept my attention throughout it.
The only issues I had with the book were that I didn't like all the smaller plot points, the basic filler pieces. I was also left wanting more from this story. I really hope this becomes a series because I'd love to see Starr return to a book and solve another mystery.
Verdict: I loved it a lot! Definitely picking up a copy.