Murder on the Red River

Really enjoyed this novella. Set in the same part of northern Minnesota that my mom grew up in, the names of small towns and bigger cities were immediately recognizable to me as places we drove past/through on my way to visit my grandparents. Knowing her seemingly idyllic chidlhood took place in the same part of the state that was forcibly removing indiginous kids from their homes and sending them to boarding schools or white foster families makes the story of Cash more immediate and powerful for me. This is a murder mystery, of course, but it is also clearly setting the stage for something deeper - the story of a young indiginous woman, brutalized by the system, trying to decide what she is going to make of her life. It can be tough to read - Cash lives a hard life, and resorts to many destructive numbing behavoirs. But it is impossible not to root for this brash, imepetuous, smart, reckless young woman. I am excited to see this series progess, and will definitely be reading more.