A thrilling series featuring a Native American sheriff’s deputy who risks it all to find a friend who’s gone missing.

After four women disappear from the Taos Pueblo reservation, Deputy Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran dives into the case. For her, it’s personal. Among the missing is her best friend, Paloma, a heroin addict who left behind an eighteen-year-old son.

Eva senses a lack of interest from the department as she embarks on the investigation. But their reluctance only fuels her fire. Eva teams up with tribal police officer and longtime friend Cruz “Wolf Song” Romero to tackle a mystery that could both ruin her reputation and threaten her standing in the tribe.

And when the missing women start turning up dead, Eva uncovers clues that take her deeper into the reservation’s protected secrets. As Eva races to find Paloma before it’s too late, she will face several tests of loyalty—to her friend, her culture, and her tribe.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, August 2023

• SheReads Most Anticipated Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense of Fall 2023
• Zibby Magazine Native American Heritage Month Reading List
• New Mexico Magazine’s 22 Giftworthy Page-Turners

• Poisoned Pen Bookstore Croak & Dagger Book Club Pick

“A riveting tale of murder and intrigue on a Native American reservation from an immensely talented voice in crime fiction. Deborah J Ledford has created a page-turner featuring an unforgettable hero in Eva ‘Lighting Dance’ Duran.”
-Isabella Maldonado, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

“Redemption, by Deborah J Ledford gets under your skin. Fresh and ferocious Native American Deputy Eva ‘Lightning Dance’ Duran, never lets up in her quest woven through the Taos Pueblo land. Atmospheric and awash with color, customs and ancient ways. I loved this.”
-Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author

Redemption is a page-turner! I loved reading about sheriff’s deputy Eva Duran and her battle against dark forces on the reservation. Sharp characters, a great setting, and a plot that keeps you guessing. A riveting thriller that hits hard and keeps you hooked.”
-David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Anthony and Thriller Award-winning author of Winter Counts

“Deborah J Ledford has artfully woven the voices of multiple characters connected to the Taos Pueblo to create a pattern of stories that illuminate the challenges as well as the enduring power of native women. The rhythm of daily life is evident in Ledford’s lovely, intimate prose. I eagerly await the new adventures of Eva Duran, who will, no doubt, unearth more mysteries in the buried layers of New Mexico.”
-Naomi Hirahara, the Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of Clark and Division

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio

In this tightly paced sequel to Redemption, Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran joins the Taos Pueblo tribal police department to uncover a member of her community’s murder…and the conspiracy behind it.

It’s been over a year since the case that almost broke her, but when Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran is called back to duty, she doesn’t hesitate to answer. A bank robbery has left an officer down and a suspect on the run. Law enforcement is in hot pursuit, and residents are on the lookout—but before anyone can catch the criminal, tragedy strikes.

A member of the Taos Pueblo tribe has been shot and killed. The culprit? An untraceable 3D-printed gun. With the support of fellow tribal cops, Eva breaks the news to the victim’s family and swears to find justice.

More violence follows, feeding the rising racial tensions between the Taos Pueblo people and the Hispanic community. New evidence forces Eva to consider the possibility that the bank robbery and 3D guns are related, but until she figures out how, there’s no telling how deep this crime ring goes…or how far its evasive ringleader will go to protect it.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Thomas & Mercer, July 2024

“Ledford’s sequel to Redemption excels… For fans of books by both Tony and Anne Hillerman, along with others that embody the spirit and landscape of the Southwest.”
—Library Journal

“Ledford brings this impeccably paced, character-driven procedural to a satisfying conclusion.”
—The Irish Times

“A beautiful, sometimes mystical book.”
—Lesa’s Book Critiques

“Deborah J Ledford’s Havoc releases the latest chapter in the harrowing story of Taos officer Eva Duran and her latest quest for justice. During a significantly dark day in the Pueblo community, Ledford tells the story of Officer Duran and a wide community of characters who somehow balance their duties to solving a devastating crime in their community and maintaining traditional obligations with pride and dignity. Ledford juggles these details with a heightened sense of knowledge and research and creates a significant and accomplished portrait of contemporary crime fighting in tribal communities.”
—Ramona Emerson, author of Shutter, Edgar Award nominee, Longlisted for the National Book Award and PEN/Hemingway Award

“Havoc is a crackerjack crime novel that got me at page one and had me reading as fast as possible. My favorite kind of story: gripping, fast moving, and emotionally involving with characters I truly cared about. A winner!”
—Christopher Reich, New York Times bestselling author

“Atmospheric, poignant, and set in the Taos Pueblo, Ledford’s tribal police officer Eva ‘Lightning Dance’ Duran doesn’t flinch in this dark, twisting tale that’s riveting from the first page. A fantastic second book in this new series from a master of crime fiction.”
—Jamie Freveletti, award-winning and internationally bestselling author of the Emma Caldridge series

“Havoc encompasses the elements of a thriller that I look for: a no-nonsense, relatable heroine who gives as much as she takes; a book that’s as much about the characters and what they’re going through as about the crime; and a story that weaves in culture and representation of its setting—the Taos Pueblo reservation. Deborah Ledford lays out a multifaceted plot that is thoughtful and compelling, giving us multiple perspectives that only elevate an already propulsive plot. All I can say is applause to you, Deborah.”
—Yasmin Angoe, author of acclaimed Her Name Is Knight

“A pitch-perfect sequel for fans of Eva ‘Lightning Dance’ Duran, who is back seeking justice for her Taos Pueblo community after violence strikes and a dark conspiracy must be unraveled.”
—Vanessa Lillie, author of USA Today bestseller Blood Sisters

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Brilliance Audio