BKMT READING GUIDES
Black Thunder: An Ella Clah Novel (Ella Clah Novels)
by Aimee Thurlo, David Thurlo
Hardcover : 320 pages
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Because some of the bodies were buried outside the Rez, Navajo Police Special Investigator Ella Clah and her team must work a delicate joint ...
Introduction
A construction crew found the first body. The cops found three more, in a cluster that lay on both sides of the border of the Navajo Reservation.
Because some of the bodies were buried outside the Rez, Navajo Police Special Investigator Ella Clah and her team must work a delicate joint investigation with the New Mexico police. Identifying the dead isn't easy--some had been buried for years--and at first the cases look to be nothing but dead ends. Then one of the bodies turns out to be that of a missing man who was believed to have embezzled funds from his construction firm and suspicions focus on the man's partner.
With no obvious links between any of the corpses and the anniversary of their deaths fast approaching, Ella feels frustrated by the investigation's lack of progress. Unless they can find what connects these victims, someone else may soon be killed. Ella's ability to concentrate is battered by worries about her teenage daughter, who has been skipping school, and her mother, who is cooking up a storm, a sure sign that trouble is brewing in the household.
Excerpt
CHAPTER ONETribal Police Investigator Ella Clah stood next to her department’s cruiser, a dusty, white SUV that had more miles on it than a Two Grey Hills sheep dog. As she stood beneath the shade of the Quick Mart station’s island, watching the dollar amount shoot past fifty as the pump fed regular into the tank, her second cousin and partner, Justine Goodluck, was busy cleaning the windshield. ...
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Discussion Questions
From the author:Ella continually has to shift focus between family and work, reflecting the tasks before many women these days? How do you think she's doing maintaining that balance in her life? What could she do to improve those relationships?
A multi agency investigation is always tricky. Do you think Ella strikes the right tone to keep things working harmoniously? If you were Ella, what would you have done differently?
Justine is Ella's partner. Would you like to see her have a bigger part in the stories, and if so, what would you like to learn about her? About her personal life?
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
Note from the author: David grew up on the Navajo Reservation and we were coming back from his high school reunion when our gaze was drawn to Hogback, a steep sided outcrop visible for many miles. We spoke about the abandoned trading post that butted up against the side of the gigantic formation, and about the tribal border line nearby. Then we began to speculate on what would happen if a killer buried his victims on both sides of the fence - some in County, some on the Rez. As always our story ideas start out with "what if". Or, "wouldn't it be cool if.... The story is packed with action, but at the root of it is a woman, a single mom trying hard to support her family and follow a career she loves. It's about honoring our roots and the traditions that make us who we are. We work hard to give the readers an exciting story with a compelling character, one who may fail from time to time but always gets back up, ready to try again. That's our definition of courage.Book Club Recommendations
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