Rating: 
Summary: A suspenseful Arapaho mystery
Review: "The Lost Bird" is the fifth in Margaret Coel's beautifully written series set on the Wind River Arapaho Reservation in Wyoming. Our sleuths are the opera-loving Jesuit priest Father John O'Malley, sent to the remote St. Francis Mission several years ago after a fall into alcoholism, and his friend Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden, divorced and known to her people as Woman Alone. Both are well portrayed, flawed just enough to be human and likable. The story involves the murder of the mission's 72-year-old assistant priest, who has recently returned to the reservation after a 35-year absence; the search for her biological parents by a movie actress who thinks she was born to Arapahos; an unexpected visit from Father John's architect niece, who is troubled about her parentage; and some dark secrets from the past. I think fans of Tony Hillerman are likely to enjoy this series. There's less mysticism here, but these mysteries are steeped in Arapaho culture. Ms. Coel is a historian of the American West, and her novels are well researched. Most important, she knows how to write a good, suspenseful whodunit.
Rating:
Summary: A suspenseful Arapaho mystery
Review: "The Lost Bird" is the fifth in Margaret Coel's beautifully written series set on the Wind River Arapaho Reservation in Wyoming. Our sleuths are the opera-loving Jesuit priest Father John O'Malley, sent to the remote St. Francis Mission several years ago after a fall into alcoholism, and his friend Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden, divorced and known to her people as Woman Alone. Both are well portrayed, flawed just enough to be human and likable. The story involves the murder of the mission's 72-year-old assistant priest, who has recently returned to the reservation after a 35-year absence; the search for her biological parents by a movie actress who thinks she was born to Arapahos; an unexpected visit from Father John's architect niece, who is troubled about her parentage; and some dark secrets from the past. I think fans of Tony Hillerman are likely to enjoy this series. There's less mysticism here, but these mysteries are steeped in Arapaho culture. Ms. Coel is a historian of the American West, and her novels are well researched. Most important, she knows how to write a good, suspenseful whodunit.
Rating:
Summary: The fifth in the Father John/Vicky Holden mystery series...
Review: Father Keeena from the St. Francis Mission is shot. A adopted Hollywood actress shows up looking for her family. Thirty-five years ago, in 1964, dozens of newborns died from contaminated water.
What do all these facts have to do with each other? At first, it looks like they are not linked at all, but as Father John tries to solve a murder and Vicky Holden tries to find a family that might have given up its baby, things start to fall into place.
Margaret Coel is a perfect author. She buries the clues all over the place and its a delight to watch Father John and Vicky dig them up, dust them off and try to fit them together. The characters, the places and the plot are all gritty with reality. I'm happy I have continued to read her books and have more to look forward to!
Rating:
Summary: The fifth in the Father John/Vicky Holden mystery series...
Review: Father Keeena from the St. Francis Mission is shot. A adopted Hollywood actress shows up looking for her family. Thirty-five years ago, in 1964, dozens of newborns died from contaminated water.
What do all these facts have to do with each other? At first, it looks like they are not linked at all, but as Father John tries to solve a murder and Vicky Holden tries to find a family that might have given up its baby, things start to fall into place.
Margaret Coel is a perfect author. She buries the clues all over the place and its a delight to watch Father John and Vicky dig them up, dust them off and try to fit them together. The characters, the places and the plot are all gritty with reality. I'm happy I have continued to read her books and have more to look forward to!
Rating: 
Summary: Coel is a winner with lost bird
Review: Father O'Malley demonstrates his humanity and detective abilities in The Lost Bird. The women in his life add to the challenges of solving murders. His niece arrives unexpectedly after the death of an elderly priest who returned to the Wyoming reservation seemingly to die. There are questions on the Moccasin Trail (Indian gossip-line) about O'Malley's relationships to his red-haired niece and female colleague. As always, Margaret Coel handles her subject-matter with sensitivity. Her insight into the man behind the cloth is moving, not sensational. The denouement will satisfy her fans and attract new readers.
Rating:
Summary: The Lost Bird Comes Home
Review: I'm a recent fan of Margaret Coel's mysteries, but this one is my favorite, perhaps because of its theme of adoption and search for roots. A famous actress comes to Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden in search of her birthparents, convinced that she came from the Wind River Reservation. Meanwhile, an elderly priest with no apparent enemies has been killed, and Father O'Malley thinks he was the intended target. Is there a connection between the actress and the priest's death, along with several others? Margeret Coel captures Arapaho ways of thought and family values, weaving a complex story of intrigue, duty and love. A beautiful work!
Rating:
Summary: Another must have
Review: If you like the Native American culture you will appreciate this mystery even more. The characters have depth and you can't help but get emotionally involved in their plight. Good from cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: Searching for home
Review: In this 5th. book of the series, the opera-loving priest, Father John, again teams up with Vicki Holden, an Arapaho attorney, to solve a crime and right the wrongs on the Wind River Reservation. The problems start when a priest who had been at the mission on the reservation several years ago, returns and is murdered. At the same time, two women who are searching for their identity come back to the reservation. One of them is a movie star who has been adopted and who feels that she was born on the Arapaho reservation. The other is Father John's niece who comes to him with questions about her paternity. There is the usual tension and undeniable attraction between Father John and Vicki, and also the presence of Vicki's ex-husband Ben to contend with. This is a good read and will please Margaret Coel fans.
Rating:
Summary: Searching for home
Review: In this 5th. book of the series, the opera-loving priest, Father John, again teams up with Vicki Holden, an Arapaho attorney, to solve a crime and right the wrongs on the Wind River Reservation. The problems start when a priest who had been at the mission on the reservation several years ago, returns and is murdered. At the same time, two women who are searching for their identity come back to the reservation. One of them is a movie star who has been adopted and who feels that she was born on the Arapaho reservation. The other is Father John's niece who comes to him with questions about her paternity. There is the usual tension and undeniable attraction between Father John and Vicki, and also the presence of Vicki's ex-husband Ben to contend with. This is a good read and will please Margaret Coel fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Make sure to skip it!
Review: The dialogue was trite and unrealistic. The characters did not have different voices and were very flat and superficial. In addition, the dialogue got even worse when more "traditional Natives" spoke, illuminating her views on intelligence on the reservations. Coel's knowledge about Native Americans and reservation life leaves a lot to be desired. Vicky, the "native" lawyer was more American than a Valley Girl. She appeared to completely embrace American ways and completely abondon her tradition without thought. Although other works might explain her context to the reservation and Native life, I kept having to remind myself that she was Native American since she seems more like the misguided non-native attempting to help rather than a member of the society. This story is structured so that all of the negative elements of reservation life occurred in the past rather than the fact they continue to occur. Coel's work reflects the idea that went behind the creation of Reservations in the first place; keep them on the reservation until they are acculturated into modern society. Her work reflects the idea that Native American culture is a thing of the past and should simply remain there. For a more accurate view of Native American life read Sherman Alexie or even Tony Hillerman. Both write mysteries and both make the distinction between fact and mere fantasy.
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