Indian burial ground

Medina (Sisters of the Lost Nation, 2023) returns with another mystery encased in supernatural mythology, set on a Louisiana reservation. Noemi, 38, is starting to see a future for herself when her boyfriend is unexpectedly killed. Louie, the uncle who helped to raise her until the age of five, returns for the annual powwow just as Noemi is receiving the terrible news, reminding him of the summer of 1986 when a series of deaths led to the unraveling of his life. Told from both Louie and Noemi's points of view, the story moves fluidly between past and present, enhancing the unease and layering the dread, allowing readers to feel the reverberations of both horrible secrets and reservation life over time. However, despite the pain and fear, there is ultimately a celebration of life at the novel's core. A great choice for fans of mystery-horror hybrids that offer a compelling, character-focused story that entertains without shying away from a direct portrayal of the generational trauma experienced by marginalized people, similar to Cynthia Pelayo's Children of Chicago (2021) or Erika T. Wurth's White Horse (2022).

Medina (Sisters of the Lost Nation, 2023) returns with another mystery encased in supernatural mythology, set on a Louisiana reservation. Noemi, 38, is starting to see a future for herself when her boyfriend is unexpectedly killed. Louie, the uncle who helped to raise her until the age of five, returns for the annual powwow just as Noemi is receiving the terrible news, reminding him of the summer of 1986 when a series of deaths led to the unraveling of his life. Told from both Louie and Noemi's points of view, the story moves fluidly between past and present, enhancing the unease and layering the dread, allowing readers to feel the reverberations of both horrible secrets and reservation life over time. However, despite the pain and fear, there is ultimately a celebration of life at the novel's core. A great choice for fans of mystery-horror hybrids that offer a compelling, character-focused story that entertains without shying away from a direct portrayal of the generational trauma experienced by marginalized people, similar to Cynthia Pelayo's Children of Chicago (2021) or Erika T. Wurth's White Horse (2022). Copyright 2024 Booklist Reviews.

Medina follows up his much-anticipated and well-reviewed debut, Sisters of the Lost Nation, with mythological horror from an Indigenous point of view. As suspicious deaths mount on a reservation in Louisiana, Noemi begins to uncover secrets about what is menacing the tribal lands. Prepub Alert. Copyright 2023 Library Journal

Medina's second novel returns readers to the fictional Takoda tribe that was first introduced in his debut, Sisters of the Lost Nation. It delivers another haunting, page-turner of a tale that is as gripping as it is devastating. Louie has returned to the reservation after a decade-long absence and reconnects with his 40-year-old niece, Noemi, who has just been given the tragic news of her boyfriend's mysterious death. Noemi doggedly investigates the circumstances of the death, while Louie, concerned it may be connected to his past, recalls details of a long-ago summer in which an increasingly disturbing series of events with chilling, supernatural undertones rocked the reservation. Medina skillfully brings to life a rich and complex cast of characters that are grappling not only with real-life horrors such as alcoholism, poverty, and suicide but also an unnatural horror inextricably linked to the Takoda people's history, culture, and identity—and threatens to devour their community. Medina shines a compassionate yet unflinching light on these heartrending themes and consistently manages to humanize his characters even as readers witness their most monstrous moments. VERDICT Expertly blending timelines and perspectives, Medina delivers another atmospheric, unsettling, and downright eerie read that will keep readers guessing until the last page.—Jennifer Embree