Father John, a recovering alcoholic, is shipped to a remote Catholic mission on an Arapaho reservation in the Wind River Range of Wyoming. His three principal passions are opera, baseball, and lately, Vicky Holden.

Vicky Holden is the rare Arapaho female who has joined the "white man's world" as an attorney. Despite fighting her way to this position, she does not enjoy the full trust of the Arapaho nation.

The Dream Stalker is about conflict on every imaginable front. Utility companies are looking for a nuclear waste disposal site and the middle of an Indian Reservation seems a perfect answer. Having ensnared some of the tribal leaders with the age-old offer of money, more jobs and prosperity, the teetering economy for the most part is welcoming the companies' proposal.

Vicki is spearheading the group in opposition. This group has grown to include imported protesters who flock to the scene when the word nuclear is mentioned. Their presence further divides the Wind River community. A public hearing ignites the conflagration and seemingly unrelated people keep getting murdered.

Father John discovers a murder victim in a deserted cabin. His investigation is limited to riding around in his old pickup listening to opera and questioning people. Vicki is a more proactive character and actively seeks the counsel of a tribal grandfather.

Excessive conflict overwhelms The Dream Stalker and, ultimately, the resolutions are too easily reached. However, the author's insights into the Arapaho culture may make this a worthwhile read for some.

--Thea Davis