New works by two best-selling Cherokee writers intertwine riveting fictional narratives with a dose of Native American historical reality. Vanessa Lillie’s “The Bone Thief” continues the suspenseful trajectory of Syd Walker, a BIA archaeologist first introduced in Lillie’s novel, “Blood Sisters.” This time, the setting for the story is present-day Narragansett territory in New England and colonial mythology about the first Thanksgiving plays a part.
Brandon Hobsen’s “The Devil is a Southpaw” takes readers back almost four decades to the heart of Cherokee country, but readers are warned upfront that the memories portrayed now may not be reliable. Hobson takes a surrealistic detour where both Salvador Dali and a character named Brandon H. make appearances. It’s an imaginative character study that propels a gripping story of love and loss.
