I really enjoyed Winter Counts and once I got to about the 75% mark I stayed up way too late finishing it because I had to know what would happen. (Though before that point there were times I had to put it down because I got stressed about the characters' safety.) Virgil Wounded Horse lives on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, where certain crimes have to be referred to the feds, who often decline to prosecute. Virgil steps in as a vigilante, punishing criminals. He gets asked to look into a new source of drugs on the reservation and finds a lot more than he bargained for. I think that's all you need to know about the plot - I didn't know a whole lot going into this book and preferred it that way. I loved Virgil's relationship with his nephew Nathan, who lives with him after the death of Virgil's sister. They both have lost so much, and Virgil doesn't know how to help Nathan with bullying at school. Virgil's ex Marie is also back in his life, trying to figure out how she can best help the Lakota people. It looks like this will be the beginning of a series - I really hope so, and am all in for the next one. Highly recommended.

This book transports you to an Indian reservation out west. Not only was the plot engaging, it also gave an interesting perspective on the type of issues that may arise on current day indian reservations. The topic of drug use and its prevalence in the lives of our youth was also relevant .

“Winter Counts” started off with a unique storyline, but I think it loses its way with respect to plot development in the middle of the book. It also seemed that some of the characters’ motivations for why they performed certain actions were not thoroughly explained, which failed to tie the whole story together. All in all, it’s a solid read, but I was left wanting a bit more. 3 ⭐️.

I found the concept of private enforcers and the Natives’ relationship with police compelling but that didn’t translate into my enjoyment of the plot as a whole. It just succeeded a lot more in the informative aspects than it did in the entertainment aspects for me.

I didn’t particularly care for any of the characters besides maybe Marie and struggled to stay interested in the story despite the interesting bits I learned about Native traditions and life. I also didn’t find the villain’s ultimate motivations very plausible.

2.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced copy. This debut novel is wonderful and I was excited to purchase for my library and share it with others.

QUICK TAKE: This story centered around an Indigenous "fixer" on the Rosebud Reservation was so freakin' good. Compelling mystery, well-written characters, insight into Indigenous culture and struggles Indigenous people face every day in America. It was a book that was entertaining but also opened my eyes to issues I wasn't aware of and led me to doing more research on some of the topics explored. Couldn't recommend this one enough.

This book draws you in and compels you to keep reading. A story of family, poverty, crime, and change on a Midwest reservation for the Lakota.

I wish there was a glossary of terms so I could more fully appreciate the meanings of the Lakota words. I was able to get a general understanding of the words based on their use, but a readily accessible glossary would be appreciated.

This is an important piece of literature that represents native culture in the United States. The bits of history explained throughout really taught me a lot about a culture I didn’t know much about. For that I think this is a necessary read. As for the actual plot, I wasn’t too excited by it but I still felt I wanted to know more. It was also a very emotional read at points within the story.

I came to this book because I wanted to read more books by Indigenous authors. What I found was a captivating thriller that expanded my understanding of life on the reservation and the genre itself.

This is a book that wrestles with the concept of vigilante justice, drugs, and the concept of justice. An engrossing read that I won't soon forget.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

After his nephew, Nathan, overdoses on heroin, Virgil Wounded Horse sets to the task of tracking down drug dealer Rick Crow and ending the illegal trafficking of drugs on the Lakota reservation. Virgil is a man used to taking the law into own his hands, working as a freelance enforcer to deliver justice where the police can not or will not. What he's not prepared for, though, are the complications involved in tracking down a drug gang, especially as Nathan's troubles begin to multiply and he learns of the FBI's involvement.

Winter Counts is a solid mystery, albeit a rather generic one, but one's that is enhanced by its uncommon protagonist and its authentic exploration of Native American culture. David Heska Wanbli Weiden's debut feels, at times, like a flip-side to David Joy's August release, When These Mountains Burn, which also dealt, in part, with the opioid epidemic funneling through a Native American community. Where Joy's book dealt with the trafficking of drugs through a reservation and out into the wider Appalachian region, Weiden's is firmly entrenched in Indian life and the struggles of reservation living.

Weiden does a superb job exploring, and educating readers on, the tension that exists between Native American reservations and the United States government, and the various ways in which the latter turns a blind eye to the former. Federal law enforcement is charged with prosecuting all federal crimes on reservations, but never bother with anything short of murder or going after a foreign drug cartel that would win the FBI major news coverage. By law, tribal police are prohibited from handling felonies and can only prosecute misdemeanor offenses in tribal court. Crimes like rape, pedophilia, assault and battery, thefts - that's where Virgil steps in.

Virgil Wounded Horse, however, is a man at odds with his own culture. The ceremonies and beliefs of his tribe couldn't save his father's life and, in fact, cost him the chance to be able to say goodbye to the man on his deathbed. Externally, he's sworn off much of his Lakotan heritage and is an outsider for all intents and purposes, something that is only further complicated by his willingness to use violence to exact justice. He's seen as a traitor by some, and little more than a paid thug by others. Internally, though, Weiden explores a man who is also deeply appreciative of Lakotan culture and wants it to be respected, not only by his fellow tribespeople, but by society at large, particularly in the news and media.

Weiden does an excellent job establishing all these various tensions and turning Winter Counts into a propulsive and supremely interesting, not to mention edifying, read. The only real complaint I have about it, though, is that in terms of the central mystery itself, there's little in the way of new ground being broken here. While the perspectives and voices explored are wonderfully fresh, experienced genre readers will likely have answered a number of the core questions posted by Virgil's investigations well before the climax, and Weiden's red herrings all but have arrows with flashing lights around them. By the time Weiden makes a play for the grand reveal, there's little surprise to be had.

As a mystery, Winter Counts falls a bit short, but where it really excels is in its exploration of Native American life and culture in the 21st Century, as written by a member of the Sicangu Lakota nation. In that regard, it's a vital addition to the genre, giving us a fresh perspective on an under-appreciated culture from an OwnVoices author. I'm eager to see where Weiden takes Virgil next, and I'm looking forward to more of his commentary on life on the rez and in America.

I would put Winter Counts in with slow-burn crime novels in addition to thrillers. I enjoyed reading it as much as The Only Good Indians – both were eye-opening, and ironically, both authors are professors currently residing in my home state of Colorado. I am thankful to indigenous authors who choose to tell these stories of fiction while weaving in facts and hard truths of everyday Native life.

The concept of Lack Strongbow’s food truck, restaurants, and eating the indigenous foods found in the Great Plains region is intriguing. The meals and menus that were listed sounded interesting to try at least once. I would say the majority of people in the US have no clue what is edible in their respective regions – probably a couple of items but not enough to survive on. I enjoyed the glimpses of Lakota customs and ceremonies.

"What I’d discovered is that sadness is like an abandoned car left out in a field for good–it changes over time, but doesn’t ever disappear. You may forget about it for a while, but it’s still there, rusting away, until you notice it again."

I felt connected with all of the characters in this book – their backstory vivid enough to feel real. My favorite person in Winter Counts was Marie – her strength is inspiring, and I can see why Virgil was enchanted by her, even after all this time. My other favorite was Tommy – he often provided light-hearted and comical commentary throughout the book. Virgil is a resilient character; I understand why he became an enforcer – his story about the young boy in the snowstorm was gutting. As a mother, it is not something I will forget any time soon.

I would highly recommend Winter Counts to readers looking to expand their reading, for own voices books, thrillers, and slow-burn crime. A big thank you to Ecco Books, NetGalley, and David Heska Wanbli Weiden for the opportunity to read this beautiful and hard-hitting book – all opinions are my own.

Excellent debut from David Heska Wanbli Weiden! This book kept me on my toes and guessing throughout the story... It gave me thrills and chills and everything you expect from a good thriller/mystery. Writing was very good, and I am definitely looking forward to the authors next book. Also yay for inclusive author reads!!

This book is a terrific crime thriller set on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It is populated with great characters, including our main character Virgil Wounded Horse, an unofficial local law enforcer/vigilante, who is called upon by locals when the federal government doesn’t do its job. I learned reading this book that serious crimes on reservations cannot be handled by tribal police, which means they’re passed on to the feds, who frequently fail to prosecute. This means many violent offenders are not prosecuted, thus the need for people like Virgil.
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This is a gritty character driven crime drama, but it’s also a window into the world of the reservation and the customs and traditions of the Lakota people. I loved this book from start to finish and highly recommend it to anyone that likes smart, engaging thrillers.

This was absolutely incredible. A contemporary crime (thriller? drama? I'm not sure what to categorize it as) that takes place on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Virgil Wounded Horse is a vigilante who brings justice to those on the reservation who can't get it from the authorities, and he's tasked with tracking down a man who is bringing heroin and other opioids onto the reservation. Weiden's writing is so fast and engaging. I was attached to Virgil and Nathan right away, and I absolutely couldn't stop reading to find out their fates.

I absolutely loved the depictions of life on the reservation, and in the South Dakota/Nebraska region in general. The discussions of how the legal system works (and doesn't work) on the reservation, the stigmas of people going to reservation universities, the poverty and health issues that are rampant because of their colonization-it was just so well done. I had to Google so many words and phrases I read in the book, and I thought it was great that I had to do that. It seemed like this book was written for other Lakota/Native people, not white people like myself.
I also never thought I would read an eloquent musing on the origin and meaning behind Carhenge, but Weiden did it.

In short, this book was absolutely incredible, and everyone should pick it up, now. Please and thank you.

*Thanks so much to the publisher for providing my review copy of the book via Netgalley!*

“Winter Counts” by David Heska Wanbli Weiden is the story of Virgil, a vigilante on the Rosebud Reservation who takes justice into his own hands when the U.S. System inevitably fails. So many parts of this novel were familiar— the opioid crisis (my own tribe has declared a state of emergency), the relationship with law enforcement (or lack thereof) and, of course, the subplot about Indigenous Food Sovereignty. The characters were also rich and dynamic— Virgil has never fully recovered from childhood and early adulthood trauma, Marie (who I related to the most) is torn between western education and being Indigenous enough. I didn’t see the end coming, which, in my book, is a marker of a good crime novel. Weiden did an incredible job of taking the crime genre to a Reservation setting— I know there are crime novels set on Reservations, but, as always, we have to ask who’s telling the story? “Winter Counts” is a book I’ll be thinking about for awhile.

Set on an Indian reservation in South Dakota, this debut novel outlines the story of Virgil a paid enforcer for the people on the reservation. This story is not only a great crime fiction novel, it is also a history lesson on how the US government and dealt blow after blow to the Native Americans of the United States.

The word I would use to describe this book is gritty. From the very beginning of the book, you get a tough and worn out vibe from the characters and and the setting. This was a great read and it really makes me think about the disparity in so many areas of our country and how justice should be served. . I thought the meaning of the title was appropriate - the name of the Lakota calendar using symbols.

I really enjoyed this book and hope it becomes a series... IT would be great to explore Virgil Wounded Horse and his emotional and professional emergence over time.

We really know so little about life on an Indian reservation and the truth is pretty shocking. I'm glad I had a chance to learn more while reading a really entertaining story.

Wow! Thank you, Net Galley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to discover a great book! I decided to avoid reading any other reviews or descriptions of this book before I read it, so I had very little idea what the story was going to be. It sat in my kindle for a while, as the cover design kept putting me off. The sideways buffalo always looked, at first glance, like road kill to me Ugh! Once I started it, however, I couldn't put it down. I don't read a lot of mysteries or crime/thrillers but this book really had me hooked. Not only is it a great thriller, but it provided a look into the traditions and also the contemporary lives of the Lakota people. The characters were well developed and if this is the beginning of a series, I look forward to meeting them again! I work in a public library and am in several book clubs, so I'm often asked for reading recommendations. I think this is one that will be at the top of my list this fall.

On the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Virgil Wounded Horse is in the throes of a dead end life. His only source of income comes sporadically as the hired goon on the Rez, a few bucks here and there to rough somebody up. No longer a drunk, that straight and narrow has arisen to meet him as an official guardian for his teenage nephew, Nathan, after a sudden tragedy befalls Virgil’s sister. Yet there is only room for one epiphany in Virgil’s life at a time. While he no longer drinks, he has no interest in the indigenous and tribal customs and faiths of his people. The triumvirate of these interweave so definitively as Virgil loses his grip on Nathan and his own substance abuse, his reconnection with a former love interest (Marie) and the complicated connection her parents have as strong members of the Rez community, and an opportunity to hunt down the culprits that are bringing the drugs onto the reservation, including a former childhood bully who tormented him endlessly. Virgil eventually gets clouded by his trust of people in positions of authority and his lack of self-efficacy. In the end, redemption of a violent and abrupt nature descend upon the psyche of Virgil both familiarly and personally. Drawn back into the customs of his people, he is awakened to the image of his own potential death to see where his nephew, Nathan, is being held against his will in a failed drug coup. The only factor is time. For many of us, the only factor is time.

As always, thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.