The King's Lizard: A Tale of Murder and Deception in Old Santa Fe

by Pamela Christie

Santa Fe. 1782. The colony of New Mexico teeters on the brink of extinction. Unknown enemies sabotage the desperately needed peace between the Spanish and Comanches. To whom can Governor Anza turn? Unexpectedly, aid comes from the least likely of his subjects, one as invisible as a lizard on a wall. Nando Aguilar, the half-breed son of a Spanish don and a Ute slave, finds himself recruited to be the eyes and ears for Anza's government. Caught between warring cultures, Nando soon becomes deeply embroiled in murder and intrigue. Immerse yourself in the world of one the greatest governors of New Mexico and gallop across the lands of El Norte with the wily Nando. The King's Lizard is a fascinating and colorful journey back into time, rich in historical detail, full of treason and revenge, with enough red herrings and plot turns to dazzle the most ardent mystery fan. Illustrated with maps after the style of the eighteenth century cartographer and explorer Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco, and complemented with a bibliography of sources that is a substantial must-read list for Anza's New Mexico, The Kings Lizard is both a super-charged mystery and a historically authentic visit to New Mexico's past. Students and study groups have chosen this book as a lively introduction to New Mexico in the late colonial period. ". . . a rarity among the lightweight historical novels knocking around bookstores nowadays . . . a hell of a saga."-- The Santa Fe New Mexican "Christie's plot twists are so well woven the reader keeps reading late at night . . . sure to delight the most discriminating historical devotee as well as the mystery fan."-- Southwest BookViews

Genres: Historical, Mystery, Historical Fiction

354 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Pamela Christie has lived and written in New Mexico since 1970. Her two historical mysteries derive in part from a decade of living in a remote Hispanic village in Northern New Mexico.Pamela Christie has lived and written in New Mexico since 1970. Her two historical mysteries derive in part from a decade of living in a remote Hispanic village in Northern New Mexico.She received her education at Bryn Mawr College, Pitzer College and the University of California at Berkeley.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading books about the history of our state. I also enjoy history altogether. This book was a real nice insight to the 1700's and how we got our start. The Author really did her research and add her data at the end of the book and a glossary of translation for the few spanish words that were used. Which any New Mexican would not need to use. I enjoyed the plot line and all the up in downs in this great mystery. I did not want to put it down. I can't wait to read the second one.

[Loretta Miles Tollefson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The King’s Lizard, Christie introduces us to the Old New Mexico version of the invisible person—the half-Ute, half-Spanish Fernando Nando Aguilar who lives in a kind of limbo between his Spanish and Native origins. This liminal status makes Nando easy to overlook. But it also gives him access to both the Native and Spanish worlds, an access which makes him a valuable tool for Governor Juan Bautista de Anza. This book is a fascinating look at New Mexico in the 1780s, long before the United States made it part of “The West.” For a full review of this and the other King’s Lizard books (yes, there are more!), see my review at LorettaMilesTollefson.com.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it was my familiarity with the area and bit of nostalgia I felt as the story took my to and through familiar places, compounding worth my appreciation for historical fiction, but I loved the book! It kept me thinking and on my toes and I seldom could turn pages quick enough. Nice flow, great plot, and wonderful story line. I seldom reread books, but this will probably be an exception for me.
P.S. This book possesses all the symptoms of a great book in that you keep thinking about it for days after you finished reading it and are sad when you remember there is no more to read.

[T J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of the Nando Mysteries. A murder of a soldier in an unusual way starts Nando on the trail. There are slavers and indios on the rampage and the Governor calls Nando to use his talents to sniff out who is responsible. In 1782 Santa Fe it is an exciting time and Pamela Christie captures it perfectly. Looking forward to see what the next mess Nando finds himself in.

[Rick Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this gem at 'Tome on the Range' in Las Vegas New Mexico. I was a bit leery but thought I would give it a try. I am about half way through and really glad I picked it up. I also picked up the next book, 'Dead Lizards Dance' which I am looking forward to

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent adventure in Spanish colonial New Mexico - a time and place after my own heart. Fictional but researched with bibliography at the end as well as glossary for those not familiar with the area.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good fast read about Santa Fe and it's environment in 1782.

[Mary Gunderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Loved the setting and use of history to make a page turner. Many red herrings. Expected mayhem at beginning of every chapter. Still, good read.