The Relentless Sun
A Harry Thursday Thriller
by Robert Walton
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Pub Date 1 May 2024 | Archive Date 30 Sep 2024
Robert Walton | Independent
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Description
The Bottom Line: A riveting historical thriller set at the intersection between white and tribal culture in Arizona. Fans of Dark Winds will love Relentless Sun.
Set in the late 1960s, Relentless Sun begins as archeologist and private investigator Harry Thursday embarks on a government mission to Arizona. Working for the Bureau of Audits and Reclamation (BAR), a clandestine Pentagon department tasked with finding lost and stolen World War II war booty, Harry returns to Flagstaff for the first time in 20 years. But what begins as an investigation into a mysterious collection of rare rubies is destined to become an absorbing murder mystery.
A trickle of Burmese rubies – worth more than diamonds – have been flowing to a local lapidary. Meanwhile, Harry’s former lover and new client, Sara, reveals the discovery of a single ruby and a deed to a long-dead mine. That’s hardly the end of it. Harry and Department of Justice partner Tom will soon find that a young Navajo woman has stumbled upon a hidden deposit north of Flagstaff.
As in Walton’s excellent Harry Thursday novel Wish to Die, the trail leads back to World War II, and includes a Navajo soldier, a Nazi spy and a business partnership gone awry. Walton always excels at tying threads together from multiple centuries, and this fourth Harry Thursday novel is no exception. As such, the case also has roots in the 1800s, where Harry and Tom will piece together fascinating regional dealings between the Mexican government and cattle barons. The closer Harry and Tom get to the truth, the closer they are to becoming victims themselves.
Among Walton’s cast, Harry’s Navajo guide, Sun, is perhaps the most enigmatic character of them all. In possession of a quick wit and beauty that Harry finds irresistible, she’s far from what she seems as she both helps and hinders the investigation. Speaking of which, Relentless Sun reveals Thursday to be quite the ladies’ man (who knew a man in a bolo tie could be so magnetic?). And when it comes to a certain provocatively placed tattoo on one of his lovers, Harry’s take is timeless: “location, location, location.”
While Harry's humor keeps the overall tenor light, the story is set against the backdrop of the Navajo reservation, and the tensions between the Native American and white communities are a recurring theme. Further, conflict between the Moynihans and the Lone Wolf family is emblematic of the larger cultural divide, with both sides believing that they are entitled to the treasure. The lens of Walton’s protagonist – filled with curiosity, levity and Harry’s undeniable masculinity – make this an endlessly entertaining journey.
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9798880269792 |
PRICE | US$14.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 312 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Review: Let's first get the errors out of the way. When Thursday is at the airport and is rescued by Schilling, the DOJ agent reaches into the seat and pulls out a pack of cigarettes and smokes. Later in the novel Schilling hands Thursday a lighter and Thursday says " I didn't know you smoked?". This later evolves into a joke between the two of them.
While escaping the airport, Thursday is running from two men. Later, Schilling mentions that there were three men. The story line continues thereafter mentioning the two men, only.
Thursdays' rental goes back and forth from a Ford Falcon to a Ford Fairlane quite a few times. They are different models. I know, I had a Ford Falcon. It is not a Fairlane. Not even close.
When they both go out to recon the salvage yard, Thursday checks to see if his gun is loaded. A few minutes later when attacked, he loads a "shell" into his pistol. Did he mean he initially checked that it had a full magazine" Probably not. So he loads it twice with a shell which is considered just the case. What he should have said was "Cartridge".
Anyway, this was a fun read. I really enjoyed the setting. I am a sucker for Southwestern habitat foreged in mystery. The story line jumps around a bit and there is no solid resolution for some of the characters. I still liked the writing style and the character development.
Rating: 4.7/5