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Winter Counts

David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Goodreads Author)

3.89 · Rating details · 9,815 ratings · 1,671 reviews

A groundbreaking thriller about a vigilante on a Native American reservation who embarks on a dangerous mission to track down the source of a heroin influx.

Virgil Wounded Horse is the local enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When justice is denied by the American legal system or the tribal council, Virgil is hired to deliver his own punishment, t ...more

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Hardcover, 336 pages

Published August 25th 2020 by Ecco

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Lists with This Book

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Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

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38 books — 39 voters

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Average rating 3.89 ·

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· 9,815 ratings · 1,671 reviews

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Jul 24, 2020 Chelsea Humphrey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: bookstagram-made-me-do-it, from-publisher, recommended, netgalley

"Winter counts were the calendar system used by the Lakota, but they weren't like modern ones. I'd loved the little pictures in the calendars, each image showing the most significant event from the past year.

If you are a lover of slow burning, character driven crime fiction, please halt your scroll and immediately add Winter Counts to your 2020 TBR. I know that time and money are limited resources for many readers these days, but I highly recommend planning ahead and making this book a priority "Winter counts were the calendar system used by the Lakota, but they weren't like modern ones. I'd loved the little pictures in the calendars, each image showing the most significant event from the past year.

If you are a lover of slow burning, character driven crime fiction, please halt your scroll and immediately add Winter Counts to your 2020 TBR. I know that time and money are limited resources for many readers these days, but I highly recommend planning ahead and making this book a priority if it is within your realm of reading preferences. As a privileged white woman, I'm always actively seeking out books beyond my personal scope of experience, and it's surprisingly hard to find Indigenous crime fiction written by Indigenous authors! This debut blew my expectations out of the water, and managed to provide an educational experience to readers unfamiliar with Indigenous, and more specifically Lakota, ways, while also throwing out a gripping, heart-pounding plot.

"Back in the time before Columbus, there were only Indians here, no skyscrapers, no automobiles, no streets. Of course, we didn't use the words Indian or Native American then; we were just people. We didn't know we were supposedly drunks or lazy or savages. I wondered what it was like to live without that weight on your shoulders, the weight of the murdered ancestors, the stolen land, the abused children, the burden every Native person carried."

Winter Counts introduces us to Virgil Wounded Horse, a bit of a pariah within the perimeters of his reservation, but also a man with skills that the other residents find necessary. Virgil is the person you call when the American government has failed you; when the FBI chooses not to prosecute those committing rape, abuse, theft, and murder on Indigenous land, you hire Virgil as muscle to deliver the justice you are owed. When word spreads that someone has been selling heroin on the reservation and local teenagers are overdosing, one of the council members hires Virgil to take care of the problem. Teaming up with his ex-girlfriend, Virgil decides to take on the case when the epidemic hits too close to home.

While the mystery behind the drug problem is certainly engaging and entertaining, I found the real beauty of this story is the deep look we get into Virgil and his demons. As a biracial man, he isn't fully accepted into his community, but also isn't awarded the privilege associated with the half of him that is white either. This struggle of finding belonging in a world that had been stacked against him is peppered throughout the criminal investigation, but these personal touches are clearly what makes the story shine bright amongst a sea of mundane mysteries. There are even prejudices within the reservation, classism and elitism and privilege based on your family, and Virgil also deals with past loss, a faith that has failed him, and religion tied into cultural practice and beliefs.

I don't want to give anything away, but the way that this story wrapped up was beautiful and tinged with just the right amount of bittersweet sadness. As I am unsure if this is truly a standalone, or the beginning of a new series, I will say that I would follow Virgil on future adventures if the author so chose to create them. Highly, highly recommended!

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy. ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Melanie added it

Shelves: adult, dragons-and-tea, read-in-2020, maëlys, thriller, mystery, own-voices, quarantine-reads

➽ content and trigger warnings:
mention of rape, assault, death of a toddler *page 124* police injustice, police brutality, drugs, drug abuse, desolate living conditions, suicidal ideology, alcoholism, murder, criminal activities (thank you so much Michelle!)

Blog | Instagram | Youtube | Ko-fi | Spotify | Twitch

This was our November 2020 pick for the Dragons and Tea Book Club! 🐉☕
...more

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Sep 30, 2020 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it

Shelves: hardback-own, unhauled, botm, native-american, own, mystery-thriller-etc

4.5 Stars ⭐️

I love Native American books and I loved this mystery/thriller written by this author. I look forward to reading more of his work!!

I’m going to give away my hardback and purchase it in kindle.

Happy Reading!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 ...more

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Nov 09, 2020 Gabby rated it really liked it

Shelves: botm, 4-star-books, adult, contemporary, own, read-in-2020, liked-it, reviewed, thrillers-or-mystery

3.5 stars
I enjoyed this one! Here are some notes I jotted down while reading:

-There is some great social commentary in this book about what it’s like to live on an Indian reservation, and I feel like I learned so much, especially with the authors note at the end. It’s tragic that most times federal authorities refuse to prosecute murders, assaults, and sex crimes: over 35% of crimes are declined and over a quarter of those cases are sexual assaults against women and children
-Very eye opening, ...more

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Aug 24, 2020 Elle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: from-publisher, 2020

A fast-paced crime thriller that has just as much grit as it does heart, Winter Counts had me flying through the pages up to the end. I’m very impressed by this debut by David Heska Wanbli Weiden.

Left with little recourse against injustice on their reservation, Virgil Wounded Horse is the man you call when seeking retribution. Wounded Horse is a Lakota man living on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota along with his teenaged nephew, Nathan. Virgil is a hired enforcer, a vigilante judg A fast-paced crime thriller that has just as much grit as it does heart, Winter Counts had me flying through the pages up to the end. I’m very impressed by this debut by David Heska Wanbli Weiden.

Left with little recourse against injustice on their reservation, Virgil Wounded Horse is the man you call when seeking retribution. Wounded Horse is a Lakota man living on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota along with his teenaged nephew, Nathan. Virgil is a hired enforcer, a vigilante judge and jury that hands down sentences with his fists as opposed to throwing offenders behind bars. It’s a difficult way to make a living, so when the leader of his local tribal council makes him an offer to track down the lowlifes smuggling drugs onto their reservation, he’s not in much of a position to turn him down.

I’m not usually one for a tough-guy main character that plays by his own rules, but for the most part I really liked Virgil. He reminded me of Bug Montage of Blacktop Wasteland in that way. He equally loves and is wary of his community, understanding what they’re up against but also knowing what they’re capable of. The members of his tribe view him in much the same way, with barely veiled contempt until they are in need of his services.

Winter Counts cracks a window for non-Indigenous readers to see into a small sliver of what life on a reservation is like. You witness both things specific to this reservation and the Lakota people, as well as in a general sense for most ‘Native Americans’. The legal limbo was one aspect that is crucial to the story but probably will surprise most readers. Crimes committed on reservations are typically not prosecuted, by tribal police or federal agents. Reservations are also often the last to get resources, if they make it there at all, and then the residents are criticized for not ‘bootstrapping’ their way out of poverty. It’s a cycle the U.S. government seems unwilling and uninterested in addressing meaningfully.

“Sadness is like an abandoned car left out in a field for good—it changes a little over the years, but doesn’t ever disappear. You may forget about it for a while, but it’s still there, rusting away, until you notice it again.”

I won’t say too much more about the plot, but I really loved this book. I guessed a few of the big twists, but still had a good time as I sped towards the conclusion. I imagine this author is going to have a long and successful writing career in the future. Thanks to @thor.wants.another.letter & @erins_library for selecting this book as the September MBC pick and to @jordys.book.club & @bostonbookfanatic for hosting!

*Also thank you to Ecco Books for an advance copy! ...more

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Jul 30, 2020 Fran rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Lakota winter counts are documents of recorded history. "Usually drawn on buffalo skins or deer hide, Lakota winter counts are comprised of pictographs organized in spiral or horizontal rows...Waniyeti is the Lakota word for year, which is measured from first snow to first snow".
-Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center

"By federal law, tribal police couldn't prosecute any federal crimes that happened on the rez. A murder on the rez in 1880's...the killer was banished, but not jailed...upset by the Lakota winter counts are documents of recorded history. "Usually drawn on buffalo skins or deer hide, Lakota winter counts are comprised of pictographs organized in spiral or horizontal rows...Waniyeti is the Lakota word for year, which is measured from first snow to first snow".
-Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center

"By federal law, tribal police couldn't prosecute any federal crimes that happened on the rez. A murder on the rez in 1880's...the killer was banished, but not jailed...upset by the Native way of justice...a law [was passed] taking away our right to punish our own people". On Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Virgil Wounded Horse is a vigilante for hire, an enforcer. In Virgil's words, "I'd been hired to beat the hell out of Guv Yellowback [gym teacher] by the father of the little girl at the school. He had raped her. The school had refused to take any action. Tribal police couldn't do anything."

Virgil Wounded Horse, half-Lakota, was adrift, caught between two cultures. "I didn't feel any mystical bond with the rez...unpaved roads and our falling-down houses...good kids, decent kids-got involved with drugs and crime...there was nothing for them to do here...why not leave...get a job and make a clean break...putting aside Native ways and assimilating...the sound of the drummers at a powwow, the smell of wild sage...could I ever really leave the reservation?...".

Virgil was a reformed alcoholic. He lived with his fourteen year old nephew, Nathan. Nathan's mother had died in a car accident. "I'd quit drinking for good. The money I saved would pay for Nathan's college". Like most teenagers, Nathan had become secretive, more distant...tragedy strikes...Nathan overdoses on heroin, a free "hit" made available to him.

Virgil's ex-girlfriend, Marie, was the daughter of Ben Short Bear, a candidate for Tribal President. Marie's parents were upwardly mobile, sought prestige. Marie was expected to reach for the stars, become a doctor...her parent's dream. She'd attended tribal college studying Lakota language and culture. She currently worked for the commodity food program. Marie was learning how to prepare indigenous, healthy cuisine.

A sweep of Nathan's school locker...an arrest...possible long term jail sentence. Ben Short Bear wanted Virgil to "take out" those instrumental in bringing heroin to the reservation. He offers Virgil a substantial payday for "setting Rick Crow straight". Removing drugs has now become personal for Virgil, with Nathan's life in the balance. Marie insists on working with him and has ideas of her own where to find and how to handle Rick and other suppliers.

"Winter Counts" by David Heska Wanbli Weiden is a character driven crime thriller, a debut by Weiden, an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota nation. This fast-paced, gritty tome involves the collaboration of the FBI, the Tribal police and Virgil, who is determined to clear Nathan of wrongdoing. Support from Marie Short Bear and many secondary players was invaluable. These players were well characterized.

Virgil felt that Native traditions-the ceremonies, prayers, teaching- were empty rituals... but"...one day, the words my mother used to say finally came to me...Wakan Tanka nici un. May the Creator guide you".

This reader anxiously awaits the next offering in the series with Virgil Wounded Horse. Highly recommended!

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Oct 07, 2020 Anne Bogel rated it really liked it

I thoroughly enjoyed this new crime novel set on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu Lakota nation. (Weiden is a citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Nation and received his MFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts.)

Virgil Wounded Horse is a Native American vigilante for hire: when people can't get justice through the reservation's official channels they turn to him to enact their own. This happens with depressing regularity because of the 1885 Major Crimes Act: certain ...more

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Aug 23, 2020 Michelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: august-2020-reads, direct-from-publisher, my-favorites

Wow, wow, wow. This was an excellent debut!

From reading the summary of this book and previously reading There There, I thought I had an idea of what would be in these pages. I was wrong. No matter who the writer or population discussed is, the very bleak, but important issues in these pages of drug abuse and economic poverty was something that I previously would have moved away from reading about. As I grow and mature as a reader, I am trying really hard to diversify what I read and and also su ...more

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Dec 08, 2020 mina reads™️ rated it it was amazing

I never expected that I would love a thriller so much 🤧
Gonna list the trigger warnings now ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Trigger warnings: mentions of rape and pedophilia(most heavily in the first chapter), assault, murder, drug abuse, child death

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Jan 04, 2021 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2021

TW: rape, violence, child abuse, pedophilia, drug use, addiction, overdose, racism, racial slurs

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Oct 03, 2020 Liz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: library

Five big stars!
This is a great character driven story of a Native American fixer’s search to find the source of heroin being brought onto his reservation. Virgil Wounded Horse lives on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota. He’s a recovered alcoholic, a half breed and more outcast than accepted.
Due to the way the laws work, it’s sometimes hard to find justice on the rez. Virgil is a means to get that justice. When his nephew almost overdosed on heroin, Virgil agreed to accept an assignment t ...more

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Mar 09, 2020 Dani rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I don’t read much crime fiction (hint: it’s closer to none.) There’s no particular reason other than it just has never been a drama I turn to and I think I know why: there is not a lot of Indigenous authored crime fiction. I’ve discovered I will read ANY genre as long as it’s written by a Native author.

The Goodreads Top 50 Native American mystery novels list only contains one Indigenous author. Tony Hillerman is a popular crime fiction novelist whose novels often pop up on such lists, he has bee ...more

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Aug 12, 2020 Linda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery-thrillers, nature-themes, 5-star-winners, native-americans, soul-spiritual-themes, police-procedural, net-galley, favorites

"Become the spark that lights the fire and then burn, burn with intensity and purpose because only as ashes shall you rise." (Bernice Angoh Lakota)

Winter Counts encompasses those embers that smolder from within. The flame reflects the initiative of the individual as well as the depth and the forcefulness exhibited by the very people themselves. Dare we even imagine the generations upon generations of the Sicangu Lakota who came before these times. Dare we to even know the inner thoughts and the "Become the spark that lights the fire and then burn, burn with intensity and purpose because only as ashes shall you rise." (Bernice Angoh Lakota)

Winter Counts encompasses those embers that smolder from within. The flame reflects the initiative of the individual as well as the depth and the forcefulness exhibited by the very people themselves. Dare we even imagine the generations upon generations of the Sicangu Lakota who came before these times. Dare we to even know the inner thoughts and the life experiences of a Great People who respectfully treasure the Lakota ways.

David Heska Wanbli Weiden creates a multi-faceted view into a deeply drawn existence familiar to those who live on Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He sets the parallels of ancient honored times of the past with the harsh realities of present life encountered day-by-day on the reservation. But it is through the hard-hitting inner dialogue of these characters that we get a glimpse into lifestyles so unfamiliar to us......to unspeakable injustices that have become a way of life for others.

Virgil Wounded Horse has become a boiling cauldron of emotions that overflow and seem to suffocate his soul. He lost his parents some time back and he and his sister, Sybil, created a calendar system of symbols depicting their inner feelings. Virgil would visit that tender place within, once again, when his sister dies in an auto accident. He takes it upon himself to raise his young orphaned fourteen year old nephew, Nathan. With highly charged resentment, Virgil tries to extinguish the Lakota ways. His emptiness seems to limit himself when it comes to Nathan. But he does love the boy and still feels that bond with his sister.

Virgil is a master at carrying out the revenge of others. It is noted that the tribal police are limited in their capacity and can't prosecute felony crimes on the reservation. The legal system is almost non-existent and the Feds rarely make an appearance. Rape and murder occur often. Virgil's pent-up emotions serve him well as he is hired to carry out secret payback for those crimes.

Serious drugs have made their way onto the reservation with black tar heroin and opiods. Virgil is hired by a tribal councilman to trace their source. His investigation takes him to Denver and to a world more dangerous than he ever imagined. That danger will seep into the crevices aligning Virgil's own life.

Winter Counts has depth and breadth and burns slowly as we enter into these lives. Know that going in. It is an intense character study that reveals the inner workings of those existing in a way of life that leads to honor at its highest point and frustration at its lowest point. Thanks to David Heska Wanbli Weiden we hear the powerful winds across the fields and the echoing of the voices of those who need to be heard.

I received a copy of Winter Counts through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Harper Collins Publishers and to the talented David Heska Wanbli Weiden for the opportunity. ...more

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Dec 02, 2020 Bookishrealm rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult-thriller, audiobook, books-read-in-2020

Trigger Warnings: Assault, rape, drug use, drug overdose, death of a child, alcoholism, violence

Whewww listen! This book was absolutely crazy in the last 10-15%. I actually didn't realize it was a thriller until I read a few reviews. Winter Counts is a fast-paced thriller that centers around the main character Virgil Wounded Horse. In the beginning of the novel (maybe the first 2 to 3 pages) readers learn that he serves as a vigilante on the reservation. What was so interesting about even the in Trigger Warnings: Assault, rape, drug use, drug overdose, death of a child, alcoholism, violence

Whewww listen! This book was absolutely crazy in the last 10-15%. I actually didn't realize it was a thriller until I read a few reviews. Winter Counts is a fast-paced thriller that centers around the main character Virgil Wounded Horse. In the beginning of the novel (maybe the first 2 to 3 pages) readers learn that he serves as a vigilante on the reservation. What was so interesting about even the introduction of this novel, is that it is so woven in Native history and how colonization forever changed Native communities. These changes are still apparent today. I had no idea that the ability for Native communities to prosecute their own community members only extended to certain crimes before the federal government stepped in and of course the overt racism perpetuated by them is clearly evident in how cases are handled (or shall we say not handled).

The story doesn't necessarily focus in on that, but it plays an important part in the framework of the novel. When heroine makes an appearance on the reservation and directly impacts Virgil's family he is willing to partner with another community member to figure out where it's coming from. Weiden's greatest gift in constructing this novel definitely lies within his ability to make you feel a part of the story. This book went by quickly because I felt like I was a part of the story. I'm not exactly sure how to explain that feeling, but the balance between giving readers social commentary while also providing an engaging, fast-paced story was present for every page. I personally haven't read a lot of novels that revolve around the drug trade, but I found the usage in this novel to be intriguing.

I don't have many criticisms of this book. It was well done; however, I did see the ending coming, but not necessarily exactly who was going to be involved. It didn't necessarily detract from the overall story because it was so immersive and fast paced. Overall, I really did enjoy this book and I'm happy that I read it. There was a lot that I learned and took away from the book and I'm looking forward to seeing where David goes in the future. ...more

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Sep 03, 2020 Barbara rated it really liked it

Shelves: suspense, thriller, crime-mystery

“Winter Counts” by author David Heska Wanbli Weiden is a special thriller suspense novel because it takes place on South Dakota’s Rosebud Indian Reservation and it involves the Lakota Sioux Indian culture. The mystery/thriller is almost secondary; the beauty and novelty of the story is the cultural information gained.

David Heska Wanbili Weiden is a registered member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation. In addition, has a JD degree including a legal career. His background provides authenticity to his th ...more

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Aug 28, 2020 Anna Luce rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-good-reads, audiobooks, 2020-reviews

3 ½ stars

“Winter counts. This was the winter of my sorrow, one I had tried to elude but which had come for me with a terrible cruelty.”

Winter Counts is a compelling debut novel. Although this book uses elements and tropes of the thriller genre, the narrative isn’t solely focused on its 'loner vigilante vs. bad guys' storyline (which is perhaps the novel’s weakest aspect). In fact, throughout the course of his narrative, David Heska Wanbli Weiden sheds light on America's past and present syst ...more

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Sep 26, 2020 Kristin rated it it was ok

Shelves: new, mystery

The novel has three strengths imo—and they are formidable, but not enough to redeem the story as a whole. The first is in the world it describes, the day to day life and details about a specific Lakota reservation in South Dakota. This world is rendered with clear love and understanding. The second strength is the pains it takes in describing the religious practices and spiritual beliefs of this specific native nation. There is so much love and honor here and these details make the story sing. A ...more

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Feb 27, 2020 Jessica Woodbury rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery, arc-provided-by-publisher, authors-of-color

I often start my reviews of crime novels by identifying the type of protagonist. It tells you a lot about the book, and a lot of books use the same handful of tired tropes. WINTER COUNTS has the "tough guy" protagonist, usually enough to send me running in the opposite direction. But the thing about these character types isn't that they're inherently bad, it's that they're just so poorly and lazily executed much of the time. This isn't one of those times. Usually the tough guy is past rock botto I often start my reviews of crime novels by identifying the type of protagonist. It tells you a lot about the book, and a lot of books use the same handful of tired tropes. WINTER COUNTS has the "tough guy" protagonist, usually enough to send me running in the opposite direction. But the thing about these character types isn't that they're inherently bad, it's that they're just so poorly and lazily executed much of the time. This isn't one of those times. Usually the tough guy is past rock bottom and the book traces his path back up to goodness/stability/whatever. He is always going "back" to the good life he squandered because he's not really "that guy" blah blah blah. WINTER COUNTS isn't that kind of story.

Virgil Wounded Horse is a tough guy because it's basically his only option. He isn't there because he ruined a good life. He's there because of the elaborate, systemic oppression of the Lakota people on his reservation. By the end of the book you'll be intimately acquainted with life "on the res" and how just getting off of it doesn't actually fix any of the problems. There aren't that many options for Virgil, and law enforcement on the reservation is basically nonexistent, so there's a demand for a vigilante. Especially one who takes some pleasure in inflicting pain on bad guys.

Things get complicated when his ex's father, a politician and one of the few well-off Lakota, asks him to look into an old bully of Virgil's who he says is bringing heroin into the reservation. Virgil is suspicious about it, but when it becomes clear that heroin is actually infiltrating the community, he takes the job.

Virgil is expertly done. He is just as tough as he should be, has real soft spots and vulnerabilities, but isn't much of an optimist. He doesn't make plans for the future but he's no longer a self-destructive alcoholic. He doesn't participate much in the tribal religious practices but he has good reasons for it. He is the guardian to his teenage nephew and worries about him constantly, trying to keep his life stable but also keeping some distance out of fear and doubt.

The plot moves at a pretty steady clip and I particularly enjoyed how there are several parts of the book that don't impact the central mystery at all, just scenes of Virgil living his life, building our understanding of character and setting while never distracting too much from the big plot. (Particularly enjoyed a tangent chapter spent at Casa Bonita, that Denver institution that any kid who grew up within a couple hours of it is intimately familiar with.) The supporting characters really get to grow and develop along with Virgil.

We don't have a lot of crime fiction from authors of color at all, and Indigenous/Native representation is particularly bad so this is a very welcome addition. It gives a fuller and deeper picture of Native life than we typically see in books by white authors that include Native characters. This is gritty enough that I suspect fans of Don Winslow would enjoy it, and I bet readers of Craig Johnson's Longmire series and C. J. Box would like it, too. I actually can't really think of a type of mystery reader I wouldn't recommend it to except those who can't handle violence. There is a decent amount of descriptive violence, much discussion of drug use, and a lot of casual references to pretty terrible crimes happening on the reservation (sexual assault, violence, suicide) though they're generally off the page.

I hope we see a lot more from the author. ...more

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Jan 13, 2021 Diana | Book of Secrets rated it really liked it

Shelves: suspense-thriller, mystery

WINTER COUNTS is an impressive debut novel from David Heska Wanbli Weiden. It's a gritty and often dark crime thriller that follows Virgil Wounded Horse, a hired vigilante living on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. When tribal police and the feds fail to deliver justice, Virgil takes the law into his own hands. He finds himself personally involved in a dangerous case when his nephew falls prey to hard drugs being pushed on the reservation.

This was a compelling slow-burn mystery, as well ...more

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Sep 21, 2020 Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery-thriller, audiobooks

4.0 Stars
This was such a deep and powerful character driven thriller. Personally, I loved reading all the details related to life on the reservation and the wider experience of being an indigenous person in the United States. As an ownvoices narrative, I found the insights in the culture were very honest and balanced.

For a thriller, there was very little action until the end. Yet, the action that was in the story was surprisingly violent. The actual drug plot was fairly predictable and I did see ...more

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Nov 15, 2020 Natasha Niezgoda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: domestic-drama, audiobook, family-drama, own-voice, murder-crime

GIMME A SEQUEL NOWWW

description

Um hello! If you have this sitting on your TBR shelf, read 👏🏽 it 👏🏽 now 👏🏽

Okay so you have Virgil who’s had a really shitty hand in life - a lot of loss and a lot of demons. But he’s doing his best to set a good example for his nephew, Nathan. But something sinister is going on within the reservation and Nathan gets wrapped up in it. And it’s up to Virgil to save his nephew’s fate.

Friends - this is one of the best multi-dimensional mystery stories I have ever read! I’m talkin ...more

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Oct 12, 2020 Celeste rated it liked it

Shelves: thriller, mystery

Perfectly fine. Loved the setting, as my husband’s great-grandmother grew up on the Rosebud Reservation, and I very much enjoyed getting a peak into what Rez life is like in the present. The elements of the story that most involved the Rez felt unique and original. But the characters fell flat for me, and the mystery/thriller elements felt stale and a bit unoriginal. I was way more interested in the fight to improve nutrition on the Rez than I was in the central crime plot. The writing was good ...more

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Feb 09, 2021 Frank Phillips rated it liked it

Solid and relatively fast-paced Native American action/thriller, however it just wasn't my genre and I was just 'meh' about it throughout. Gangs and drug-related crimes don't get me as excited as my other thrillers do, so I wasn't as engaged as I hoped I would be. That's not to say there weren't great things about this read. I have NA Cherokee tribe blood down my family line, and I appreciated some insight into some aspects of the culture, and have noticed more and more NA authors being publishe ...more

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Sep 10, 2020 Jordan (Jordy’s Book Club) rated it it was amazing

QUICK TAKE: This story centered around an Indigenous "fixer" on the Rosebud Reservation was so freakin' good. Compelling mystery, well-written characters, insight into Indigenous culture and struggles Indigenous people face every day in America. It was a book that was entertaining but also opened my eyes to issues I wasn't aware of and led me to doing more research on some of the topics explored. Couldn't recommend this one enough. ...more

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Nov 05, 2020 Kay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, fiction, thriller, mystery, native-american, library-p, libby

This is a very good mystery crime thriller. It's unique to me as it gives the sense of life in Indian Reservation. Great read! ...more

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Sep 24, 2020 Maëlys added it

Shelves: dragons-and-tea, aoc, audiobook, 2020-releases

this is the November pick for the Dragons & Tea Bookclub!!

dates & breakdown:
November 9th: Chap. 1 - 6
November 10th: Chap. 7 - 12
November 11th: Chap. 13 - 18
November 12th: Chap. 19 - 24
November 13th: Chap. 25 - end

check out Michelle for an ownvoices review & trigger warnings <3

Youtube ☆ Twitter ...more

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Nov 12, 2020 Tori rated it it was amazing

Shelves: thriller-horror-psych-mystery

the way my heart was pounding at the end 😭

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Mar 12, 2020 Kayla Lehn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Nothing bad here, but nothing life changing either. We got a story with no real beginning, no middle, just an end.

It felt less like the characters and story were evolving and more like things just happening, for no rhyme or reason, in order.

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Sep 25, 2020 Chris rated it really liked it

Shelves: misc-fiction

Virgil Wounded Horse is a Lakota enforcer. Dispensing his own form of justice for members of the tribe who can't get justice through the legal system. You see, the tribes are only allowed to prosecute misdemeanors and the feds are the ones who prosecute felonies. However the feds pass on charging most crimes on the reservations, unless it's a murder.

Virgil is hired by his ex-girlfriend Marie's dad to run off some heroin dealers that have started infiltrating the reservation. He's not interested ...more

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Oct 18, 2020 Dave Wickenden rated it it was amazing

This is a new author for me, and I was pulled in right away. Virgil Wounded Horse helps those who are unable to find justice when the police refuse to help them. He hires himself out as a vigilante who beats rapists, thieves and other lowlife on the Rosebud Reservation. When he is approached by a Council member to deal out some justice to a former bully who is selling heroin on the reserve, he wants nothing to do with it, until his nephew overdoses and almost dies of bad dope. Now he’s looking f ...more

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About David Heska Wanbli Weiden

David Heska Wanbli Weiden

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David Heska Wanbli Weiden, an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota nation, is the author of the novel Winter Counts (Ecco/HarperCollins, 2020), a New York Times Editors' Choice and Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2020. He also wrote the children’s book Spotted Tail (Reycraft, 2019), winner of the 2020 Spur Award from the Western Writers of America and finalist for the Colorado Book Awards. His wor ...more

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Quotes from Winter Counts

“What I’d discovered was that sadness is like an abandoned car left out in a field for good—it changes a little over the years, but doesn’t ever disappear. You may forget about it for a while, but it’s still there, rusting away, until you notice it again.” — 11 likes

“There is no word for goodbye in Lakota. That's what my mother used to tell me. Sure, there are words like toksa, which meant "later," that were used by people as a modern substitute. She'd told me later that the Lakota people didn't use a term for farewell because of the idea that we are forever connected. To say goodbye would mean the circle was broken.” — 1 likes

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