On the evening of March 31st, Tommy Tonompicket, en route on a delivery of restaurant equipment for Ozzie’s Fine Seafood, notices a pickup truck parked off the highway. Stopping to investigate, Tommy learns that the driver is William Pizinski, a scientist. Pizinski is involved in several secret government projects, although he is careful not to inform Tommy of his actual type of employment. Pizinski is, at this moment, enjoying a cold beer, which Tommy talks him into sharing. After several more cans have been consumed, the two become good friends. As the night wears on they are disturbed by a strange noise, accompanied by light. Pizinski thinks the light may be the moon, but Tommy thinks otherwise.

At the same time, Daisy and Sarah also become aware of the odd noise and light, and venture outdoors to investigate. The next morning, Pizinski and Tonompicket’s vehicles are found, but there is no sign of either man. Southern Ute acting Police Chief Charlie Moon is sent to investigate the circumstances of the disappearance of the two men. When he interviews his Aunt Daisy and Sarah he learns from Sarah that they saw what appeared to be Grandmother Spider, a huge creature with eight legs and a monstrous mouth from which came an unearthly noise. Charlie has been educated in the White man’s world so intellectually he demands a more definitive explanation for the men’s’ disappearance. However, being born a Ute, he cannot totally disregard Aunt Daisy’s explanation.

Grandmother Spider, James Doss’ latest entry in the series featuring Charlie Moon, continues Mr. Doss’ fine tradition of marrying traditional Ute culture with a modern police procedural to produce an unusual detective story. Charlie is a most engaging hero. He is his own man, not easily swayed by unsubstantiated opinions of others, determined to make his own observations and decisions. Yet, he is still influenced by Ute superstitions and beliefs.

The puzzle with which he is confronted in this book, easily explained by Aunt Daisy’s Ute tale provides a dilemma for him. It is fascinating to watch him wrestle with the two viewpoints to try to make sense from the situation.

The characters are what really make this novel go. The enigmatic Charlie, irascible Aunt Daisy, and the two missing men who themselves provide an interesting contrast between the scientific world of the White man and traditional Ute culture. Numerous minor characters, while not as well developed, exhibit some amusing traits as well.

Mr. Doss writes well. His prose is literate. He correctly uses words of more than three syllables, and he is a master craftsman when it comes to some pretty wicked puns. To keep himself awake in one situation, Moon goes through “the multiplication tables through twelve - a grossly correct calculation.” You get the idea. There is no shortage of humor in this story. Whether it be the verbal exchanges between Aunt Daisy and Charlie, or a naive comment made by Pizinski’s rather egotistical wife, the reader is rewarded with many a chuckle. The humor is usually subtle which makes it all the more effective. The author also makes ample use of asides which allows the reader to smile at the characters’ naiveté.

Charlie Moon’s “logical” explanation for the events that happened seemed to me to be outlandish. Granted, the author did his homework and laid the foundation for the explanation from the beginning of the book, but the events which supposedly took place are totally bizarre. All these events could have happened but the likelihood for these scenarios to occur takes a giant stretch of one’s imagination. However, there are so many more positive aspects of this novel, I am more than willing to grant Mr. Doss some latitude with his conclusion.

--Andy Plonka