The Raven's Daughter

By: Peggy A. Wheeler

Narrated by: Joe Hempel

After a police shootout where she killed a man, criminologist Maggie Tall Bear Sloan retires from the force to enjoy peace and quiet in rural California. When sets of young twins are murdered in her town, the local sheriff recruits her to solve the gruesome killings.

But to catch a killer, Maggie either accepts her true nature as a "pukkukwerek" - the shapeshifting monster killer of Yurok legend - or more children will die. As the manhunt intensifies and her own family is threatened, Maggie will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Whether she's awake or asleep dreaming, Maggie is faced with a difficult choice: embrace her heritage - even if it means turning into myth itself - or deny that heritage and lose everything.

©2016 Peggy A. Wheeler (P)2017 Peggy A. Wheeler

very satisfying with everything neatly tied up

This is an excellent addition to the urban fantasy genre. Maggie Sloan, who is Yurok Native American and Irish, is a fascinating lead character. She's quickly approaching middle age and the events of this book could well be her mid-life crisis. Ha! She's got an interesting past where she worked in law enforcement and made a big mistake. Now she works as a reserve cop for the Wicklow (spelling?) Sheriff's office in northern California. She's an atheist and yet spooky stuff keeps happening around her as well as ravens invading her dreams. But she's got this bigger issue: there's a serial killer taking out children, twin children specifically.

The story has several great side characters as well. Sally Winter is Maggie's best friend and she's also a hereditary witch. Maggie feels uncomfortable with Sally's witchy side but accepts it. However, she doesn't accept Sally's abusive and lazy husband John. That creates some friction between the two friends but it's great to see how the two rise above it and maintain their bond. Then there's the handsome Mingon, a Christian Algonquin. It was interesting to see how Mingon was uncomfortable with Maggie's lack of religious belief even though it's obvious the two are steamily attracted to each other. Maggie also has plenty of family members involved in this tale such as her twin 6-year-old grandnieces Bird and Flower. There's tension, anger, and love in this family adding yet another dimension to the story. Maggie sure is juggling quite a bit!

The Native American folklore is woven throughout the story. There's a secondary timeline set in Canada 28 years before this present-day tale that is told in small bits throughout the main timeline. It is deliciously spooky with a family trapped in a snowy avalanche having to make tough choices to stay alive. There's also a paranormal touch to that storyline. Meanwhile, Maggie is having to embrace the idea of a pukkukwerek, a shapeshifter of sorts. Her ravens are doing their best to bring Maggie up to speed but she is a stubborn woman!

In fact, Maggie is so stubborn that she gets a little boring at times. At one point, she comes to the conclusion that the killer is still out there and she has a general idea of where. However, instead of going on the hunt, she shuts herself in her house with her dog Chester and cat Samantha and ignores the world for weeks. She starts ignoring basic cleanliness as well and her friends have to shake her out of this depression and clean up after her. I wasn't too keen on that part of the story and seemed quite contrary to the Maggie I had come to know and greatly like. Also, that was boring and just felt like filler.

The story gets back on track with Jake, a local cop, finally putting some clues together. He's deeply concerned for Maggie, who he has known since childhood. I did feel that Jake was a little childish here and there with his jealousy. He's been carrying a torch for Maggie forever even though she has made it clear she's not interested in him romantically. Still, Jake has other dimensions and those really shine during the last quarter of the book as the final hunt for the killer comes to a head. I found the ending very satisfying with everything neatly tied up. There's plenty of groundwork laid here for this to be the beginning of a series (looks hopefully at the author).

The Narration: Joe Hempel did a really good job with this story. He made a great Maggie. His voice was feminine while also conveying her wisdom and gruffness gained with her years in law enforcement. His various raven voices were great too, especially his cackling raven! All his character voices were distinct. Also, I want to say that I really appreciate that he didn't fall into using a stereotyped accent for the Native Americans. Yay! I live in an area that has many Native Americans, and very few have accents.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog.

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Good mystery, really draws you in

I received this book free from ebalst, and this is my unbiased opion. this is a good mystery a little slow at first but then you get sucked into the story. I didn't want to stop listening until I found out who the killer was.

Great Story!!!

I received this audio book for free in exchange for my honest review. This is a very well written story accompanied by excellent narration. I loved it and I'm sure that you will too.

Hopefully this is a series, I want book 2

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Joe Hempel is an excellent narrator, he really knows how to bring characters to life. I really enjoyed this book. It was kind of reminiscent of CE Murphy's Urban Shaman series but written more as a murder mystery with paranormal stuff thrown in. I found I really quite liked it. I really hope this is a series, because I'd definitely pick up for another book by this duo.

I dreaded the start of each chapter:28 years ago..

Where does The Raven's Daughter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I really enjoyed the book. I did receive a free copy at my request for an unbiased review so here goes....(Read the review without regard to Audible's questions which is how I wrote the review). I listen to books on my commute to/from work and always looked forward to my drive knowing I'd get to hear a bit more about Maggie and Jake and friends.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I knew the start of each chapter was leading to "the making of a killer" but I thought it was actually a really good lead in to the rest of the story. It was like getting 2 stories in one. Parts of the story were predictable but not so much that it distracted from the story as a whole. The characters were developed well (I'm a bit concerned about Maggie's drinking) and would read/listen to more about them if their story continues. The history and folklore also added to the story giving more depth into the characters and their lives. A very well written book especially as a debut novel!

Pukkukwerek

I was offered a copy of this book & chose to review it.

This was a very entertaining book, well written & well narrated. If you enjoy books involving Native American myths, a hard-assed heroine or just a mystery, you will enjoy this book.

Native American lore meets crime fiction

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I probably would if only for the native lore and supernatural mystery.

Would you be willing to try another book from Peggy A. Wheeler? Why or why not?

I would try another in the hopes that the main character would have more depth and be more likable or at least more relatable. At some point the character crossed from angry to sour and unaware of herself.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The performance was adequate. It didn't have much distinction of characters.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes the plot has possibilities.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher. This is my honest and unbiased review.

The Raven's daughter

What did you love best about The Raven's Daughter?

Peggy Wheeler really knows how to throw you for a loop with her excellent writing. Going back and forth explaining what is happening in the past all the while drawing you into the heart of the story.

Have you listened to any of Joe Hempel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Joe Hempel's performance is excellent.

Good Thriller

This was the first book I’ve listened to by the author and was impressed. It held my interest with the suspense with the mythology. Has good character development and I loved Maggie and Jacob .I look forward to reading more. The narration was great for the book. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher. THANK YOU!

Twisted

Maggie doesn't want to work a case involving twin murders. Maggie's character was very well developed. I could feel so much emotion from her. I love that she was combining her Irish and Native American roots.

The mystery of who is killing the twins is well written and keeps you guessing. At one time I thought that I had figured out who the murder was (and I was correct), but then convinced myself I was wrong. I also loved that at the start of every chapter we got to discover pieces of why the murder does what he does. To begin with, this seemed a bit off because I didn't realize why a story about a young boy was being told, but after the first few times it happened it dawned on me why the author was doing it.

I really wanted to listen to this book from start to finish.

This review copy audiobook was provided by the author/narrator/publisher free of charge.