This book is a nice twist on the usual; Jason Gaspard is a half-breed Indian who studies medicine and hangs his shingle in a small town near his reservation. Acceptance comes slowly; Jason mostly treats Indians, drunks and whores.
Rachel Hammond is terrified and hates Indians. As an 8 year-old child, Rachels family was killed before her eyes by an Indian they had befriended. Twelve years later, her husband, an Indian government agent, was killed (in a gruesome fashion) a few days after her arrival.
Rachel had come to the small town (where Jeremy had been living for the past 2 years) because she was tired of living with Jeremys parents who hated her. Jeremy kept telling Rachel (1) that he was trying to get things ready for her, and (2) that life was too dangerous in Northern California.
Even though the town should be sympathetic to Rachels plight, people generally were intolerant and hostile towards her. That hostility towards Rachel extends to Jason Gaspard, the doctor. Penniless, Rachel must find a job to support herself; eventually, the doctor hires her so he can keep an eye on her.
This is actually a mystery (who killed Jeremy). It portrays an Indian as the most educated person in the area and racial tensions between whites and Indians at a dangerous level.
Rachel Hammond is terrified and hates Indians. As an 8 year-old child, Rachels family was killed before her eyes by an Indian they had befriended. Twelve years later, her husband, an Indian government agent, was killed (in a gruesome fashion) a few days after her arrival.
Rachel had come to the small town (where Jeremy had been living for the past 2 years) because she was tired of living with Jeremys parents who hated her. Jeremy kept telling Rachel (1) that he was trying to get things ready for her, and (2) that life was too dangerous in Northern California.
Even though the town should be sympathetic to Rachels plight, people generally were intolerant and hostile towards her. That hostility towards Rachel extends to Jason Gaspard, the doctor. Penniless, Rachel must find a job to support herself; eventually, the doctor hires her so he can keep an eye on her.
This is actually a mystery (who killed Jeremy). It portrays an Indian as the most educated person in the area and racial tensions between whites and Indians at a dangerous level.
New author for me...pretty good read.
