Lola Wicks is a previous war reporter in Afghanistan, soured on the procedure and acknowledged a position out in Montana at the Magpie Daily Express where she met and wedded Charlie Laurendeau, a Blackfeet cop and are bringing up their 7 yo girl Margaret and the 3-legged outskirt collie Bub.

Charlie is generally irritated from his sibling Edgar who lives in Arizona on the Navajo Reservation with his attorney spouse Naomi and little girl Juliana. Charlie, Lola and Margaret are taking a 'special night' of sorts by going by Arizona and ideally recover the siblings in great graces with each other.

Ben Yazzie is/was a Navajo inborn senior who gave voyages through dinosaur tracks. After said piss, he sat down in the shade of a bulletin to sit tight for the vacationer. At that point the bomb shreds the announcement and Ben Yazzie. Most everybody trusts that the bulletin was the objective, not old Ben.

This is #4 in the Lola Wicks inheritance. General perusers (who focus) know I like puzzles situated in the west with a Native American associations. Think Tony Hillerman and Craig Johnson among others. While Hillerman recounted his stories through the eyes of two Navajo Tribal policeman, and Johnson's vehicle is a white sheriff and his Cheyenne closest companion, Florio presents Lola as an unmistakable untouchable in the place where she grew up and when traveling in Arizona. Navajo magic is introduced, however for the most part as told by the Navajo. Regardless of how hard Lola tries and in spite of being hitched to a Blackfeet cop, she is as yet a pariah. What's more, in vast part, that is the thing that drives Lola, her want to be acknowledged by the more distant family (which reaches out past blood associations) she so readily joined.

Lola Wicks is a journalist who loves to follow and dig deep into a story. When she learns that there's an eco-terrorist setting off bombs near a new coal mine on the Navajo Reservation she can't help but get involved. But her family connections in the area could prove to be a problem and people on both sides of the issue have a problem with her investigations.

This was my first foray into a Lola Wicks mystery (this is the fourth book in a series) and my first time reading author Gwen Florio. I was attracted to the book because of the location of the story - I love the American Southwest.

Florio does a very fine job of bringing this region to life, making us believe we are right there on the reservation with Lola and all the other characters. She's also made Lola Wicks a character that rings true and someone we might believe truly exists and researches her stories in this way.

The story is oddly current and relevant, with eco-terrorism taking place because of a major corporation operating on Native American land and causing pollution so bad that no one can safely live in the area any more. As I read this book the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation stand-off was just coming to an end, with major business winning and putting in a pipeline across the land. I couldn't help but make the connection to this big business/Native Reservation story.

Yet for all that I liked about this book - and I liked a lot of it in individual sections - the entirety of the work, the way everything was put together, just didn't capture my attention. Although it all felt very authentic, or real, reality is often boring and I was tremendously bored through much of this book.

I liked Lola, and yet I didn't care about her. It seems strange, this dichotomy, but I really couldn't get into this story and I wanted desperately for some other character to show up to bring something a little more powerful, with a little more passion to the story. As things got more and more personal for Wicks, the story did get more and more interesting, but it was difficult to get to that point.

I'm glad I read this, but I found it to be quite an average read and it certainly did not make me want to run out and get caught up on the series.

Looking for a good book? <em>Reservations</em> by Gwen Florio is a deeply involved mystery on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. It captures the spirit of the environment but moves along a bit too slowly to keep this reader truly interested.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

A compelling story of environmental destruction, made relatable by Lola Wick's personal issues with her family. Well written, and an enjoyable, intelligent fast-paced read.

I love the descriptive writing, plotting and characters of the Lola Wicks mystery series, but this fourth book emotionally wrecked me and yet I had to keep turning the pages and reading late into the night to the end. RESERVATIONS (Lola Wick, #4) by Gwen Florio deserves 5 BIG stars!
Lola hasn’t been the same since her last adventure. Charlie decides it is time to take a honeymoon and visit his brother, wife and niece on the Navaho reservation in Arizona. Charlie has a strained relationship with Edgar, but when they arrive there is an underlying tension in the entire family.
There is an eco-terrorist setting off bombs to try to get rid of the main employer, the coal mine on the reservation. The water and air on the mesa has become so polluted, people can no longer live there. Edgar is an executive for the mining company and his wife Naomi is an attorney for the Navaho and hates the mine, but wanted Edgar to work there so that they have inside information on the company. Naomi and Edgar are both Ivy League educated, but returned to help the People and they use this as a way to demean Charlie and Lola.
Lola begins to return to her hard-driving reporter mode as there is another bombing and death. The tension builds and as Charlie seems to side more with his brother and family than Lola, she does everything she can to figure out what is really happening on the reservation, even as the danger escalates for herself and family.
I was so wrapped up in this plot. It is intricate, fast paced and I did not figure out the whole picture on my own. The descriptions in the writing of the Arizona land, with its natural and deadly beauty take you there and make you feel every bit of the heat.
Lola is taken through extreme physical conditions in this story as well as emotional. If you are like me and have a personal stake in your favorite characters, get the tissues ready! This book is a great read on a mystery/thriller level and an emotional roller-coaster for one of my favorite characters. Excellent!
Thank you very much to Midnight Ink and Net Galley for allowing me to read a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was my pleasure!

Lola Wicks is a former war correspondent in Afghanistan, soured on the process and accepted a position out in Montana at the Magpie Daily Express where she met and married Charlie Laurendeau, a Blackfeet cop and are raising their 7 yo daughter Margaret and the 3-legged border collie Bub.

Charlie is mostly estranged from his brother Edgar who lives in Arizona on the Navajo Reservation with his lawyer wife Naomi and daughter Juliana. Charlie, Lola and Margaret are taking a 'honeymoon' of sorts by visiting Arizona and hopefully get the brothers back in good graces with each other.

Ben Yazzie is/was a Navajo tribal elder who gave tours of dinosaur tracks. After said piss, he sat down in the shade of a billboard to wait for the tourist. Then the bomb shreds the billboard and Ben Yazzie. Most everyone believes that the billboard was the target, not old Ben.

The billboard belonged to Conrad Coal. The huge multinational that operates a mine on Navajo land. To those who cherish the old ways, the mine is an offensive affront to their legacy and ancestors. To the newer generation, it represents jobs and a real world salary with benefits. So maybe it was just a statement . . .

. . . until another bomb detonates destroying a truck full of raw coal and its Navajo driver.

Naomi is a Navajo prosecutor with no love for the mine. Edgar is also a lawyer who actually works for Conrad Coal. From where Conrad sits, Edgar is proof of the company's commitment to hiring locals for all levels of position. From where Naomi sits, Edgar is her link to what's going on inside the mine.

The multiple bombings light Lola's journalistic fire and starts asking questions where she probably shouldn't. And as she digs deeper, the clues start to appear to have some basis in the family Charlie left behind.

This is #4 in the Lola Wicks legacy. Regular readers (who pay attention) know I like mysteries based in the west with a Native American connections. Think Tony Hillerman and Craig Johnson among others. While Hillerman told his stories through the eyes of two Navajo Tribal policeman, and Johnson's vehicle is a white sheriff and his Cheyenne best friend, Florio presents Lola as a distinct outsider in her hometown and when vacationing in Arizona. Navajo mysticism is presented, but mostly as told by the Navajo. No matter how hard Lola tries and despite being married to a Blackfeet cop, she is still an outsider. And in large part, that is what drives Lola, her desire to be accepted by the extended family (which extends beyond blood connections) she so willingly joined.

Flora comes by her presentation of Lola's journalistic thirst honestly. Per her cover bio, Florio has reported from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somolia. Stateside, she covered the Columbine shootings, the Oklahoma City bombing trials, and the Miss Navajo contest where contestants have to slaughter a sheep. Reservations is an excellent combination of an environmental mystery, investigative journalism all with a Navajo sensibility.