Indian Killer

by Sherman Alexie


Transfixed by Alexie's short stories, I picked up this novel - his first. Still haven't gotten to his poetry yet, which I understand is great, but I never seem to take the time poetry requires nowadays.

Anyway, this book is a murder mystery on some levels, a heartbreaking look into mental illness and an expose on the race relations - or lack of them - between whites and American Indians.

The book is set in Seattle, where a serial killer is leaving clues that may or may not lead to the culprit being Indian. In between the crime thriller, however, is the story of John Smith, a young man adopted by whites and struggling painfully with what sounds like schizophrenia. Top that off with brutal portrayals of pretentious whites, homeless Indians and well-meaning liberals and soon you don't know whether it's a murder mystery or not.

My vote is not. It's more like a novel about two longtime warring tribes trying to coexist - or not - with a bit of murder tossed into the middle, like a grenade

I liked the book but not as much as his short stories, which are sparse and lovely.

News from Heaven

by Jennifer Haigh


This was an audio book and by the time I got around to listening I had forgotten it was collection of loosely interwoven short stories, all connected to the same small East Coast town,

Once I got over my surprise I sank into the stories. It reminded me very much of the short stories by Alice Munro, some of which have connections, some strong, some as delicate as a spider's web.

Bakerton, Penn., is a working class town but the stories don't just touch on the miners or millworkers. There are stories about troubled heiresses, repressed merchants and confused kids. Each one is compelling and yet careful in how it peels back the layers of the people and their stories -- which can different depending on who you ask.

I found out this author has another collection of short stories in Bakerton. I'm gettin' it.