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DEATH MEDICINE
by Kat Goldring
Prime Crime, August 2002
272 pages
$5.99
ISBN: 042518580X


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

DEATH MEDICINE is Goldring's second Willi Gallagher mystery. Willi Gallagher is a schoolteacher who frequently finds herself stumbling over dead bodies. She is a Lakota Indian, who is slowly learning about her culture with the help of police chief Lassiter. DEATH MEDICINE takes place over a several days while she is snowbound at an out of season hotel. After witnessing an argument on the Amtrak train between Congressman VanBauer and his aide, as well as general tension between all train members, it is apparent something is afoot. Due to a blizzard, the train passengers are delivered to a hotel until the train lines clear. A murder is the perfect way to begin a visit at a hotel similar to the Bates Hotel, at least in Gallagher's mind. The victim was Congressman VanBauer, who everyone, excluding Gallagher, Lassiter and the hotel staff, had a reason to hate. As long as the murderer remains undetected, violent attacks increase and the threat of another murder looms.

Willi Gallagher is a warmhearted, verbally clumsy heroine. She is a busy body. To fans of such heroines that appear in series such as Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries series (Kate Kingsbury) or the Death on Demand (Carolyn Hart) series than Willi Gallagher is such to satisfy.

Goldring is another author in the expanding genre of authors using Native Americans as the main characters in mysteries. Unlike some of the more famous and more knowledge authors, the Willi Gallagher series lacks organization in regards to the presentation of facts. Goldring's facts are completely accurate but she does not also explain them at the most appropriate times in the novel. For example, while tracking a suspected villain is not the most logical time to explain characters' actions/ history. With the suspense building, it is a let down to read an in depth understanding of Lassiter's character through several pages of dialogue. The information is both interesting and important for character development but distracting when presented at this moment. On the other hand, when more information is appropriate and wanted, Goldring does not provide much explanation or depth. Even with these complaints I am always impressed and excited when an author writes about another culture and has his or her facts correct!

The only other flaw Goldring has in regards to Native Americans is her use of "Indianism" For example, Lassiter says at one point "longer than it takes Turtle to cross the Atlantic." Yes, Native Americans speak like this; however, usually when they are storytelling. Also, the Atlantic is not a word that would appear in traditional stories; it is a "white man's" word. Her repeated use of such phrases seems more demeaning than useful. It is apparent that Goldring is using "Indianisms" to demonstrate the differences between cultures but it falls flat in this mystery. However, both of these mistakes are minor and can easily be corrected in the next book in the series.

The Will Gallagher series has the potential to be an enjoyable series and it seems likely that Kat Goldring will achieve the potential apparent within DEATH MEDICINE.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, August 2002

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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