King scores with mystery

Book Review: DreadfulWater Shows Up by Thomas KingDreadfulWater Shows Up is Canadian author Thomas King's first foray into the field of crime fiction (he's using the name of Hartley GoodWeather for the series, but since his real name is splashed all over the cover and Hartley is a poor second-line credit, it's not much of a pen name) and the switch in genres hasn't caused him to stint in the application of his writing skills. All the elements that a fan has come to expect from a Thomas King novel are in full attendance and ensure this isn't just some run-of-the-mill mystery story.

Thomas King is a Cherokee and like most authors he writes about what he is, or the community he is, most familiar with. In his case that's the people of the foothills in the Rockies on both sides of the border who were living there when the settlers rolled into town. But these aren't "Native" books; they are books with Natives as the lead characters. These characters eat, go to the bathroom, have relationship problems, and worry about their children. Just like the rest of the world. Imagine that.