Ramona Emerson, Exposure

“Ms. Emerson has done it again. Her first novel, Shutter, introduced us to Rita Todacheene, a forensics photographer working for the Albuquerque, NM police. She’s also a young Navajo woman who can see the spirits of the restless dead. With Exposure she’s ramped up that theme with an explosive story about a series unexplained deaths of homeless Indians living off the rez, a people seen as next to worthless so little is done to investigate their demise until Rita gets involved. A powerful story of family and culture, of history and mental illness, this is a book that will make you want to explore more into indigenous culture once you’re finished breathlessly leafing through its pages.” — Pete Mock