Mask of the Deer Woman

Praise

“Mask of the Deer Woman shines an important spotlight on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis while folding a compelling mystery into a heartfelt journey of grief, identity, and reconnection.” 
—Vanessa Lillie, USA Today bestselling author of Blood Sisters

“A beautifully written tale about the Indigenous girls who disappear twice, once in life and once in the news. Clever, elegant and utterly compelling, Mask of the Deer Woman is a brilliant exploration of identity and the struggle of being separated from one’s culture. Hypnotic and beguiling, I was hooked from the first sentence.”
—Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of These Still Black Waters

“A thriller that dreams are made of—thoroughly engrossing, riveting, an absolute pleasure.  The work of a rare, singular talent.”
—Chris Mooney, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Walk in My Combat Boots

“Spotlighting the real life crisis of Native women and girls who are abducted and murdered at an astonishing rate, Laurie L. Dove presents a vital story of danger, corruption, and a fraying thread of hope in Indian Country. Full of mystery, suspense, and an enthralling dose of Native mythology, Mask of the Deer Woman is both a propulsive thriller and a much-needed call to action.”
—Nick Medina, author of Indian Burial Ground

“Laurie Dove masterfully tells a suspenseful story with a complex protagonist who straddles the worlds between the living and the dead and her dual heritages. A compelling read.”
—Iris Yamashita, author of City Under One Roof
 
“Mask of the Deer Woman is a creepy, atmospheric page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of identity and belonging. Dove’s detailed descriptions plunge the reader into the world of an Oklahoma reservation and its troubled inhabitants. Above all, this immersive debut is an ode to women’s resilience and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters.”
—K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did

“A compelling and sinister story that brings to life the real, shocking epidemic of violence against native women, led by a complex character divided from her own identity and history.”
—Lori Rader-Day, award-winning author of The Death of Us
 
“Dove seamlessly weaves magical threads into a narrative that reminds us of the forces beyond what is seen, and the importance of protecting and cherishing women.”
—Mary Sullivan, author of High

“Mask of the Deer Woman stunningly illuminates the reality of young indigenous women gone missing from the 326 reservations in the U.S., through a mix of mystery and myth, and a cast of suspects including intriguing locals and scheming officials. In creating a flawed, damaged protagonist, author Laurie Dove brings additional gravitas to this tribal mystery.”
—Daphne Kalotay, author of The Archivists
 
“Mask of the Deer Woman, by Laurie L. Dove, is the story of a law enforcement officer who belongs nowhere. Lonely, living amongst strangers, desperate to atone for mistakes and lost opportunities of the past, Carrie Starr is searching for her true home and seeking to find the reason why so many of the women of the Saliquaw Nation have disappeared. Mask of the Deer Woman is both mystery and character study, and Carrie is both easy to root for and difficult to like. She has hard edges and a wounded heart. This is a novel that will keep you awake at night—reading it, thinking about it, and later dreaming about it.”
—William Holinger, author of The Fence-walker