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Second Shadow

Name: Second Shadow
Author: Aimee Thurlo, David Thurlo
ISBN: 9780812523812

by Aimee Thurlo, David Thurlo

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Overview

Irene Pobikan, a Tewa Indian and a promising architect, has landed her first major commission: the restoration of the Mendoza hacienda. Construction has barely begun when an owl, symbol of ill omen to the Tewa, appears, heralding a series of mysterious accidents. Whether the owl's cry marks the discovery of a twenty-ykear-old corpse, Irene, embracing the Tewa beliefs, calls on her guardian spirit, the mountain lion, for protection and help. The murderer still stalks the Mendoza lands and everyone, from Irene to Raul Mendoza, the man she had come to love, is in grave danger.

Irene, a Tewa Indian and an architect, has landed her first commission--the restoration of the Mendoza hacienda. Construction has barely begun when a series of mysterious accidents occur and a 20-year-old corpse is found. Embracing her Tewa beliefs, she calls on her guardian spirit, the mountain lion, for protection and help--for the murderer still walks.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The authors' background as romance novelists--David is an uncredited coauthor on many of Aimee's books--and their extensive knowledge of Native American lore are both evident in this overlong mainstream thriller. Aside from a few disconcerting shifts in viewpoint, the story is seen through the eyes of Irene Pobikan, a Tewa Indian who banks her architectural career on the restoration of a Taos landmark--the hacienda of a Spanish family with a history of mistreating her tribe. Tight deadlines force architect and construction crew to live on the isolated Mendoza family grounds. The project seems to be jinxed: relations between the Spanish and Indian members of the construction crew are tense; accidents turn out to be sabotage; and Pobikan and the construction foreman have a hard time working together. Adding to the complication are the Mendoza siblings: Raul, to whom Pobikan is attracted; his alcoholic brother Gene; and beautiful but slightly retarded sister Elena, who guards a secret. The discovery of skeletal remains on the property begins to bring things to a head but the drawn-out struggle--including the ongoing attempts to catch a mysterious hallway lurker--eventually becomes ludicrous. In addition, calculated cliffhanger endings to every chapter shriek of formulization and rob the novel of spontaneity. (Nov.)

Library Journal

Irene Pobikan, a Tewa Indian architect, gets her first big chance when hired to renovate the Mendoza hacienda. She is chosen because of her vast experience with adobe buildings from the Pueblo. Soon, however, Irene becomes the target of several near-accidents and a mysterious prowler. She finds herself attracted to Raul, the head of the Mendoza family, but his brother Gene and others are determined to sabotage the project. Aimee Thurlo, whose earlier works include numerous Harlequin and other romances (e.g., Strangers Who Linger , 1991), has written several works with husband David. Here they combine mystery and romance, telling the story mostly from the point of view of Irene. The few instances when Raul's thoughts are used seem out of place. Ultimately, however, readers of mysteries set in the Southwest will enjoy the female Indian heroine and the suspense, which builds effectively to the finale.-- Marion F. Gallivan, Gannon Univ . Lib., Erie, Pa.