Title: The Prescott Murders
Author: Andrew Braden Mitchell
Publisher: Bookmarketeers.com
ISBN: 979-8349457326
Pages: 380
Genre: US Historical Fiction / Thriller & Suspense
Reviewer: Tony Esponiza

Read Book Review

Over the course of American history there are many pivotal moments which stand out both as inspiring and patriotic, as well as those that are shameful and full of regret. One period that was tumultuous and had many moments like this was the era which marked the end of the Old West, and the soon emerging 20th century. From the wars and injustices committed against the Native American people, to the lawlessness which made progress so perilous, this era was marked with turmoil and hardship.

It is in this era author Andrew Braden Mitchell explores a shocking murder mystery in his book The Prescott Murders. The book follows Haseya, a Native American woman who starts her own investigation services business in the town of Prescott in 1897, in the Arizona Territory. After working with a young man named Raymond to find a missing teenager, the two are brought into a high-profile murder investigation when the local mayor is found shot, and as the two find themselves delving deeper into the mystery, they discover racial injustice, strange motives, and even more deaths on the horizon.

A shocking and compelling Western thriller, this author does an incredible job of writing with both detail and powerful imagery, allowing the scenes in each chapter to play out like a film in the readers’ minds. The character arcs were well balanced with a heavy use of dialogue and story exposition, giving readers a great amount of depth to each character’s history, and the history of the times as well. Haseya was a strong protagonist, underscoring the difficulty of being an investigator and business owner in a time both as a woman and as a Native American that made life even more difficult than it already was. The judgement, ridicule, and obstacles she overcame, and the sharp mind she used to delve into this mystery was profoundly explored throughout the narrative, which made each shocking reveal even more powerful.

For readers who enjoy a good western, especially those that enjoy westerns that utilize murder mysteries and thrillers, as well as historical fiction elements, this is the perfect novel to get lost in. The steady pacing, vivid imagery used to bring the setting of Prescott AZ to life on the pages, and the author’s use of multiple POVs that allowed readers to not only get a glimpse into the mind of the protagonist but several townspeople and even the murderer later in the book make this story really shine. Getting to see the plot unfold and the motive for the murder come to life brought the strong emotional core of the narrative to life effortlessly, and made me feel immersed in the story that took on a classic revenge thriller atmosphere.