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Here are comments from our group of Advance Readers about Margaret Coel's EYE OF THE WOLF.
Christy from Tremonton, UT
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
No.
What other mystery writers do you read?
James Patterson, Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
I loved it...couldn't put it down. I was instantly drawn into the homicide mystery, the history of the Arapahos and Shoshone peoples, and the lives of Father John and Vicky.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes, most definitely.
Jesse from Lake Hiawatha, NJ
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
No.
What other mystery writers do you read?
Dan Brown, Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman, James Patterson, M.C. Beaton, P.D. James and Ed Gorman.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
It was an easy read and a fun mystery. I got a real feel for the Wind River Reservation, and its haunting past, as well as the Shoshone/Arapaho history. I really liked the way Ms. Coel wove together the long-ago yesterday and the right-now today. I also appreciated the environmental issues she brought out relating to the wolves. I thought that the characters, Vicky, Father John, Adam Lone Eagle and Frankie Montana were interesting, but that I was missing a lot of their background. Except for the highly improbable dish-towel rope, I found the book most enjoyable.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes, but I think I would try a previous book to get to know Vicky and Father John better.
Marie from Reseda, CA
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
No, I have not read [Coel's] previous books.
What other mystery writers do you read?
I read all kinds of mysteries and love Patricia Cornwell's books.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
I read EYE OF THE WOLF in two days. It was so interesting --- and what a great ending.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes, I would read any future books [Coel] writes.
Mary from Woodridge, IL
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
This was my first Margaret Coel mystery, but not my last.
What other mystery writers do you read?
I read:
Susan Wittig Albert
M.C. Beaton
Patricia Cornwell
Deborah Crombie
Cleo Coyle
Elizabeth George
Erin Hart
Alexander McCall Smith
Donna Leon
Kathy Hogan Trocheck
Margaret Truman
Charles Todd
Jacqueline Winspear
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
Coel's story pulls the reader into an alarming situation involving dead Shoshone Indians and the possibility of revenge killings toward the Arapahos Indians. These two tribes had been enemies in the previous century. The cryptic voice-mail message to the priest on the reservation leads Father O'Malley to believe the battle between the tribes will begin again. The hesitant relationship between Father O'Malley and the Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden adds dimension to the main characters. This is a sure winner for action and mystery! Readers will learn some American Indian history too.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
I plan to read Margaret Coel's books from the first to present to follow the Father O'Malley/Vicky Holden relationship.
Nancy from Mt. Vernon, NY
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
I've never read a book by Margaret Coel before, but I will add her to my list of favorite mystery authors.
What other mystery writers do you read?
Among my favorites are James Lee Burke, Lawrence Block, Tony Hillerman and Robert Parker, plus a host of others that are not so prolific.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
EYE OF THE WOLF is set on a reservation for Arapaho and Shoshone Native Americans. The traditional enmity of these tribes contributes to the plot. A ne'er-do-well Arapaho is blamed for the murders of several young Shoshone men. Add a white supremacist, whose ex-girlfriend is pregnant by one of the dead Shoshone, a mysterious voice on an answering machine and a world famous scholar, Father John O'Malley is faced with a mystery that threatens the peace between the two tribes. The new partnership between Vicky Holden and Adam is threatened by ghosts from her past.
My only quibble is that Father O'Malley is an alcoholic...do we need another ex-alcoholic detective? A number of my favorite authors have already explored the psychology of the alcoholic; not counting the ethnic connotation!
Thanks for a great read!
Pat from Bryson City, NC
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
The most striking aspects of Coel's writing from THE EAGLE CATCHER to EYE OF THE WOLF have been her character development, her realization of settings and descriptions, and her treatment of personal relationships. The reader knows and understands these people and can see everything that happens. The weaving of the historical record into present day happenings kept this reader up way past bedtime! Having also read all of Hillerman and most of the works of the Thurlos (and living on the edge of the reservation of the Eastern Band of the Cherokees), I have to vote Ms. Coel no.1 in the genre. It is, however, worrisome that this ending seems very, very final! Margaret??
What other mystery writers do you read?
I spent the last years of my checkered past as an editor of technical books and, coming from a family of readers, I still read 15 to 25 books each month. Gifts are almost always gift certificates to Books-a-Million. You name a mystery author --- I probably read him or her, particularly Kaminsky, Collins, Reichs, Sandford, Patterson, Peters, Barr, White, both Kellermans, Grimes, Haddam, James W. Hall and McCrumb, etc., etc.
Ruth from Oshkosh, WI
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
Thank you for the opportunity to become acquainted with a mystery author new to me. I had not even heard of Margaret Coel before
What other mystery writers do you read?
My favorite mystery author is Mary Higgins Clark, so this was definitely a change of pace for me.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
Even though I figured out the identity and motive of the murderer quite early on, I was still drawn into the storyline to see if my suspicions were true. The historical connection made it more interesting than the typical mystery. The author did a good job of portraying the characters and bringing the setting to life.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
I will definitely be looking for some of this author's previous works as well as recommending EYE OF THE WOLF to other mystery readers.
Suzanne from Little Rock, AR
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
Yes.
What other mystery writers do you read?
Janet Evanovich, JD Robb, Nevada Barr, Jill Churchill and Sandra Brown.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
I loved her technique and the unfolding of the clues. I care about the characters and enjoyed learning Native American facts --- past and present.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes.
Jim from Wichita, KS
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
No.
What other mystery writers do you read?
I own a small bookstore where mysteries are a large part of our business, so I read a number of mystery writers. However, among my personal favorites are James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, Janet Evanovich and Alex Kava.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
EYE OF THE WOLF is my first exposure to Margaret Coel's Wind River mystery series, featuring the "Indian priest," Father John O'Malley, and Arapaho tribal lawyer Vicky Holden. The somewhat reluctant duo are drawn into solving the murder of 3 Shoshone Indians --- their bodies found posed like those of dead warriors from the 1874 Bates Battle --- before an intertribal war breaks out between two longtime enemies: the Arapahos and the Shoshones. On balance, Coel does a good job of setting up multiple layers of tensions between the main characters, their personal demons, their nemesis in the form of a new assistant priest and a partner-lover, and two thoroughly despicable suspects in the form of a petty criminal Arapaho youth and a white supremacist. However, for a priest, Father John seems a bit too eager to do violence, particularly with a baseball bat against some hot-header Shoshone youths; and, for a lawyer, Vicky Holden seems a bit too emotional. Nevertheless, the dialogue and storyline are believable and the action is well-timed in this highly readable mystery.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes, very definitely.
Paul from Surrey, British Columbia
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
No.
What other mystery writers do you read?
I read books by John Grisham, Michael Connelly and James Patterson.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
I enjoyed it. It was a good read. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read my first book by this author.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes, I would.
Jerry from Vancouver, WA
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
This was the first book that I have read by the author and I found it to be a good read.
What other mystery writers do you read?
I enjoy mysteries more so than most other types of writing, particularly books by John Sandford, C.J. Box, Robert Parker, Janet Evanovich, James Patterson, Robin Cook and many others.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
The story of cultures in conflict and upheaval are illuminating and very interesting. And this story contains not only conflict between whites and Native Americans but conflicts between divergent groups of Native Americans and different white cultures as well. Learning just small bits of Native American culture and belief makes me thirst for more. The Caucasian nation has treated our “Indian” cousins so poorly and continues to do so to some extent even now. Coel shows us also the inner conflicts of even the Native American peoples among themselves that most of us have not been aware.
The story will keep readers turning pages to discover the next conflict whether it is between Father John and Father Ian, or Arapaho and Shoshones, or Vicky and Adam in an effort to see where the twisting roads lead. The avid mystery reader will probably figure out the “whodunit” part rather easily but will continue to read to find how the loose ends come to a conclusion. Certainly a fine book with great promise of future expansion of the characters. A third book will be well worth waiting for.
Cat from Austin, TX
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
Yes, two others.
What other mystery writers do you read?
Martha Lawrence, J.A. Jance, Rita Mae Brown and Tony Hillerman.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
Like Coel's other books, the gritty details of life on the reservation add a somewhat sorrowful but true tone to her characters (will we all ever get over the guilt of Indian/white history?). Father John and Vicky Holden's relationship remains an important part of the story, but not as center stage as before. Filled with more suspense and tricky ends than ever, this book is a definite must read this summer.
Would you ever read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes.
Shirley from Cape Fair, MO
Have you previously read a book by Margaret Coel?
This is the first book by Margaret Coel that I have read.
What other mystery writers do you read?
Michael Connelly is probably my favorite mystery writer. And I have many others that I read: James Patterson, Sue Grafton, Nancy Cohen and J.A. Jance, to name just a few.
What did you think of EYE OF THE WOLF?
The book grabbed me from the beginning. [It was] filled with characters that are very real and vital to the story. I found myself having trouble putting the book down. [I] couldn't wait to see what happened next. The author made me feel like I was there watching from the sidelines as the plot developed.
Would you read a future book by Margaret Coel?
Yes.
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