Mojado

A Well-Crafted Story

I am enjoying this series about the Navajo Nation Mystery. I appreciate Chappell’s skill as a story teller. This story is a bit different from the prior stories in the series. The story is primarily about Charlie Yazzie, Thomas Begay and Harley Ponyboy. These three have been friends since children. Chappell discusses the difficulties Begay and Ponyboy have in maintaining sobriety, and uses this to review the alcohol problem among the Navajo.

In this story we get to see the magnificent skill of Harley Ponyboy as a tracker. First Thomas and Harley find a dead white man, and then the three come across a dead Navajo girl. Instead of leaving the hunt for the killer to the FBI, the three set out to find him. The story goes back and forth between the killer “Mojado” and the three friends.

Chappell paints a trek through the Navajo back country with all its wild loneliness and danger. The book is well written and fast paced. The plot twists and turns more so than Chappell’s other stories. I learned that Mojado is Spanish for wet and often refers to the “wet backs”: Mexicans sneaking across the U.S./Mexico border. Chappell provides a constant sub dialog about Navajo beliefs in ghost, spirits and magic. The ending was a nice unexpected twist. Kaipo Schwab does a good job narrating the story.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Overall a good listen

enjoyed the story and the interesting Native Dina background to the story. Nice to see a author research native information before writing a book.

Got it right

I was astounded at the quality and gritty substance of Chappell's fourth book. He didn't pull any punches on this one. Not only was the story a good one, but the plot and action kept me fully involved to the end. I was truly impressed at Chappell's quantum leap in style, narrative, and realism.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful