Fancy Dancer and the Seven Drums

A nine-year-old Nez Perce Fancy Shawl pow wow dancer, Beth Louie, is killed on the reservation by a hit-and-run drunk driver while walking home from the bus stop with her younger brother. Tire marks and boot tracks on the remote gravel road suggest to a Colville tribal member Ben Moses and his grandson, Alex, who find the two children, that the driver of a pick-up truck tampered with the scene and evidence, and hid the body. Tribal law enforcement and the FBI are stymied, but evidence points to a white cattle rancher from Omak as the prime suspect. In the prejudicial environment of the 1950s, will an all-white Spokane jury convict and send the killer to jail?

About the author

Author and photographer John Roskelley is a dabbler in everything outdoors. If he’s not dodging rocks on some alpine face in Canada or scratching his way up a frozen WI6 waterfall, John can be found paddling the Columbia River from source to mouth.  John admits adventuring flows in his blood. In his first half-century, John fought his way to the summit of four 8,000-meter peaks, including K2 and Everest, plus a plethora of devilishly hard unclimbed Himalayan and Karakorum faces and ridges. A graduate of Washington State University in geology, John has written three first person adventure books; a paddler’s guidebook to the entire 1,200 miles of the Columbia River; and edited, organized, and published his deceased father’s biography. His photography has been on the covers of National Geographic, books, posters, and other notable national magazines. John received the International Piolets d’Or Walter Bonatti Lifetime Achievement award in 2014 and is an honorary member of the Alpine Club of Great Britain, the Mountaineers, the Mazamas, and the American Alpine Club. John and his wife, Joyce, have been married 50 years and have three great kids.

Summary

In the heart of the Coville reservation, tragedy strikes as nine-year-old Beth Louie, a vibrant Fancy Shawl pow wow dancer, falls victim to a hit-and-run drunk driver while walking home from the bus stop with her younger brother.
The remote gravel road becomes a crime scene, revealing tire marks and boot tracks that suggest foul play. Colville tribal member Ben Moses and his grandson, Alex, make the grim discovery, suspecting a cover-up and hidden evidence.
As tribal law enforcement and the FBI face obstacles in their investigation, the finger points toward a white cattle rancher from Omak. Set against the backdrop of the racially charged 1950s, the question looms: Will an all-white Spokane jury deliver justice and convict the killer?
The narrative unfolds through a dual lens, exploring both the present-day investigation and the intricate past lives of the characters involved. Pete Louie, a proud Nez Perce man with a military background, and Ben Moses, a respected figure transcending racial boundaries, navigate a complex web of prejudice and injustice. Sally Moses, Ben's daughter, bears the scars of attending Catholic school under oppressive laws, shedding light on the dangerous environment within.
As the story weaves through diverse lives connected by tragedy, "Fancy Dancer and the Seven Drums" delves into the depths of historical trauma, systemic injustice, and the resilience of those affected. John Roskelley crafts a narrative that not only serves as a suspenseful crime investigation but also unearths the complexities of cultural clashes, personal struggles, and the pursuit of justice in a prejudiced era.

Product details

• Authors: John Roskelley
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 23.02.2023
• EAN: 9781955690430
• ISBN: 978-1-955690-43-0
• No. of pages: 420
• Subjects: Fiction > Suspense; FICTION / Crime, FICTION / Indigenous