Title: The Prescott Murders
Author: Andy Mitchell
Publisher: Bookmarketeers.com
ISBN: 979-8349457418
Pages: 412
Genre: Thriller
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Hollywood Book Reviews
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is another cookie-cutter mystery story – because it is far from it. From the outside, it has all the structure of a detective novel and many of its support beams, but this story is built from something else entirely. It’s one part detective novel, one part historical fiction, one part race commentary, and a pinch of fun mixed in. One of the best parts about this book is that the mystery is not as cut and dry as it seems, so you’ll find yourself trying to solve The Prescott Murders right along with Haseya.
The story begins in a cinematic fashion with the whole town gathered for an annual celebration just to watch the mayor ride into town slumped over on his horse. Haseya, a Native American woman, has just opened a private investigation firm in town and is asked to help with the case. Before long, she’s collected a rag-tag team and is working directly with the sheriff’s office to solve the murder. Unfortunately, one murder turns into three as the case unfolds, and the perpetrator must be brought to justice before Prescott has more blood on its hands. The structure of this story is interesting because it doesn’t end where you would assume a story like this ends. Instead, it keeps going for a few more chapters and turns the entire story upside down. It is a breath of fresh air in a genre that can turn out some generic work.
The story stands by itself, but Andy Mitchell does an amazing job of sneaking in some history and social commentary. The story is set at the end of the 1800s, where life was very different than what it is now. Mitchell isn’t heavy-handed in his storytelling, but he gently reminds readers that as a woman and an indigenous person in the late 1800s, Haseya wasn’t highly respected by the townspeople. There are also references to the women’s suffrage movement and some of the atrocities that were committed against indigenous people during westward expansion. History is sprinkled throughout the story if you know where to look, as Mitchell has expertly blended history and fiction into a dime-store detective novel set in the Wild West.
This story will genuinely grow on you. It takes a few chapters to find its legs and settle you comfortably into the story, but then it takes off and doesn’t stop. There are surprises, misdirection, and suspense woven through every chapter. With an open ending and an ensemble of likeable characters with plenty of room to grow, hopefully this won’t be the last time we hear of Haseya or Prescott.