Book Review: The Pusherman by Lisa Boyle

Reviewed by Erin Britton

Forces of tradition and modernity clash with devastating effects in this third book of a mystery series that’s absolutely thriving.

Private investigator James Pinter’s sometimes deadly, often explosive, and always compelling anti-crime odyssey across the Diné–Navajo reservation near Sanostee, New Mexico, continues apace in The Pusherman, the third installment in Lisa Boyle’s gripping late-1970s-set Pinter PI series.

Recently married and contemplating trying for a baby, James and Kay (née Benally) Pinter have adapted nicely to their unexpected domestic bliss. So too has Molly, James’s fifteen-year-old daughter from a previous, disastrous relationship wherein he was largely absent due to deployment in Vietnam.

However, while the new-found family may have gelled well, life elsewhere on the reservation is just as complex and contentious as ever. Patricia Dawes, head of the Shiprock chapter of the group Women of All Red Nations, or WARN, is alarmed by news of her friend Robin Kinsel’s sudden passing and seeks help from James and Lieutenant Wayne Tully of the tribal police.

Patricia explains that Robin had recently complained of intense stomach pain and a high fever but was otherwise healthy. While the official explanation is that a host of underlying issues could have led to Robin’s demise, Patricia thinks her death is related to threats she was receiving.

“Before she died. Someone messed up her car. They slashed her tires and spray-painted words on it.” It seems Robin had been accused—in both English and Navajo—of being a “Liar. Enemy or outsider.” Patricia suspects the threats are related to Robin’s activist work with WARN, but even though the group has a lot of enemies, who could be angry enough to kill Robin? And how?

With the viable suspects ranging from a local mining company to the staff of a major hospital to the infamous Cody family, among others, James Pinter and associates certainly have their work cut out for them in The Pusherman.

Lisa Boyle has once again crafted a deviously complex and multifaceted mystery for the combined forces of law enforcement, political activism, and social support on the reservation to solve.

Luckily, James’s prior experience as a military policeman and Wayne’s decades of service with the tribal police mean they’re well equipped to handle all the murk, corruption, and violence kicked up by the investigation. Both on the reservation and when James follows a lead that takes him to Texas, there is no shortage of suspects and possible motives when it comes to Robin’s death, although lack of proof remains an issue.

As in previous cases—In the Silence of Decay and No One Left—in addition to their official sources, James and Wayne are aided in their pursuit of the killer by their nearest and dearest, whether they like it or not. Molly continues to be a valuable investigative assistant, and this time she’s backed up by best friend Paula, with their interactions both solving and causing problems, as well as adding a dose of humor to proceedings.

The father-daughter relationship between James and Molly has come a long way over the course of the series so far, and it continues to evolve in a realistic way. While James’s marriage to Kay has actually helped to shore things up between him and Molly, there are a couple of issues that threaten to derail their nascent connection in The Pusherman, above and beyond all the deadly danger they face.

First, Molly now has a boyfriend, Joey Baca, which James finds difficult to reconcile with. He keeps the image of her as a little girl close to his chest along with the guilt of being absent during her childhood. “I missed all those in-between years, and I have only myself to blame. I was a damn idiot. Stubborn and stupid.” Second, the possibility of doing things differently if he and Kay have a baby raises both hopes and concerns for father and daughter.

Aside from the excellent personal dynamics, Boyle again excels at weaving historical, cultural, and political issues into the central mystery. This time round, she focuses more on Indigenous women’s rights and traditions, highlighting their role and power. For instance, in relation to WARN, “The young women had a habit of stirring up frustrations on the reservation and had recently led a protest against the latest mining operation, resulting in fights and arrests.”

In addition to reflecting the conflicts between those who live on the reservation and various outside parties, Boyle takes pains to reveal the troubles within the Diné–Navajo community. From controversial practices such as peyote use to the abandonment of traditions, things are certainly not harmonious.

The rich backstory and detailed worldbuilding really enhance the atmosphere of the story and elevate the stakes, as does Boyle’s practice of sharing the narration among a host of characters, both main and supporting, established and new. With a twisting mystery, sinister suspects, and myriad potential motives, The Pusherman presents another suspenseful and disquieting case for PI James Pinter.

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