Ben Pecos Mysteries Series

A week before Christmas Charlene Toya, local teen basketball star, goes missing on the way to her Tewa pueblo home. Native American psychologist Ben Pecos offers to help the family and begins to piece together some disturbing facts—Charlene’s dark and painful secret has likely put her on a collision course with some very nasty bad guys. As the people of the pueblo prepare for the holidays, a cloud of sadness hangs over all. Tension mounts as Ben and the police try to find Charlene before the unthinkable happens. Surprisingly, 96-year-old Lorenzo Loretto provides the most important clues in this heartwarming Christmas novella, rich with New Mexico ambiance and tradition. “Susan Slater captures our New Mexico pueblo Indian traditions perfectly—you’ll love this beautiful Christmas story!” –Connie Shelton, USA Today bestselling author

The coyote howled four times. Salvador Zuni laughed, realizing he was holding his breath, then waited for another long piercing wail—hoped for another... Salvador Zuni is a master carver of traditional Native American fetishes. He is also a cheat. He makes synthetic amber that rivals anything to be found in nature, complete down to the insects he places inside. His recipe is worth a fortune, and someone is after it. When Ben Pecos, the new resident Indian Health Services psychologist, arrives at the pueblo, he finds himself caught up in the investigation of the murder of a trader in native artifacts and fetishes. Someone is willing to kill and use the spirits of the tribes to drive Salvador out of his mind and into prison for the crime. But something smells odd to Ben, and as he begins to investigate, he treads deeper into the mystic and the list of suspects grows longer. Masterfully plotted and rich with the spirit and characters of the Southwest, Yellow Lies shows Susan Slater to be at the top of her form. Newly edited first e-book edition. Praise for Susan Slater’s Ben Pecos mysteries: “This is a wonderful book with loveable heroes.” –Library Journal, on The Pumpkin Seed Massacre “Take a great plot idea and Susan Slater’s skill with language, combine them with her understanding of the religion and culture of a proud and ancient people, and you have a gripping novel. The Pumpkin Seed Massacre is her first novel. We hope it’s the first of many.” –Tony Hillerman “... Ben Pecos—a half-Navajo medical researcher raised far from New Mexico’s Tewa Pueblo—could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.” –Chicago Tribune “Solid characters, fascinating atmosphere, and authentic setting—The Pumpkin Seed Massacre is a book you will enjoy. Ben Pecos is a star in the detective firmament. I predict a big future for Susan Slater.” –Barbara D’Amato “Slater’s first novel holds the reader’s interest with its brisk pace, well-rendered New Mexico landscape and challenging plot ... [T]his promising first novel heralds a series to watch.” –Booklist

The fiery midnight crash of a Stealth fighter on a New Mexico reservation and the disappearance of a young Navajo woman put psychologist Ben Pecos and tribal police officer Tommy Spottedhorse on a sinister and mysterious trail. Tribal police lock horns with air force personnel over jurisdiction and the right to search for the missing woman. The murder of a local park ranger and several livestock mutilations complicate the whole picture and take the case from strange to downright bizarre. When it appears the missing Navajo woman, Brenda Begay, may have witnessed what happened that fateful night and might still be alive, Ben and Tommy Spottedhorse race to connect the pieces of the puzzle. Because, otherworldly or not, something evil is out there in the desert, awaiting a final showdown among the ruins of the Ancient Ones. When it appears the missing Navajo woman, Brenda Begay, may have witnessed what happened that fateful night and might still be alive, Ben and Tommy Spottedhorse race to connect the pieces of the puzzle. Because, otherworldly or not, something evil is out there in the desert, awaiting a final showdown among the ruins of the Ancient Ones. Critical acclaim for Susan Slater’s Thunderbird: “Thunderbird is a witty, absorbing tale.” —Publishers Weekly “A solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life strongly recommend this ...” —Library Journal

Native American psychologist Ben Pecos has returned to the New Mexico pueblo of his birth as an intern with the Indian Health Service. Still struggling with the demons of his past, he is plunged into the nightmare rampage of a mysterious illness that is killing the residents of the pueblo, including his own grandmother. One of the victims, the powerful tribal governor, had made powerful enemies, and Ben suspects his murder was premeditated—but that doesn't explain the insidious killer now stalking the innocent. Undaunted, Ben digs deep into the motives of power and greed to root out a killer whose deadly agenda is spiraling out of control. Newly edited first e-book edition. Praise for The Pumpkin Seed Massacre: “... a gripping novel.” –Tony Hillerman “This is a wonderful book with loveable heroes.” –Library Journal “... Ben Pecos—raised far from New Mexico’s Tewa Pueblo—could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.” – Chicago Tribune “Solid characters, fascinating atmosphere, and authentic setting—The Pumpkin Seed Massacre is a book you will enjoy. Ben Pecos is a star in the detective firmament. I predict a big future for Susan Slater.” – Barbara D’Amato “Slater’s first novel holds the reader’s interest with its brisk pace, well-rendered New Mexico landscape and challenging plot ... [T]his promising first novel heralds a series to watch.” –Booklist

Booklist calls the Ben Pecos mysteries, from award-winning author Susan Slater, “A series to watch.” Psychologist Ben Pecos takes a transfer to Florida in his job with the Indian Health Service. His first assignment in St. Augustine puts him right in the middle of a terrifying case where a student has brought a gun to school and threatened his teacher. Ben works with both the troubled eight-year-old and the traumatized teacher, Maureen Beltzer. When Mo is offered a new job with the botanical garden at the prestigious Whitney Labs, she jumps at the chance to get out of teaching, little knowing that cataloging and photographing rare orchids may actually involve more danger than her pint-sized adversary ever dreamed of inflicting. Praise for the Ben Pecos mystery series: “This is a wonderful book with loveable heroes.” – Library Journal, (on The Pumpkin Seed Massacre) “Susan Slater’s Thunderbird is a witty, absorbing tale.” —Publishers Weekly “Slater effectively combines an appealing mix of new and existing characters ... dry humor; crackling suspense; and a surprise ending.” —Booklist “Take a great plot idea and Susan Slater’s skill with language, combine them with her understanding of the religion and culture of a proud and ancient people, and you have a gripping novel. The Pumpkin Seed Massacre is her first novel. We mystery lovers hope it’s the first of many.” – Tony Hillerman “A solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life strongly recommend this ...” – Library Journal (on Thunderbird) “... Ben Pecos—raised far from New Mexico’s Tewa Pueblo—could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.” – Chicago Tribune

From award-winning author Susan Slater, the fourth installment in her critically acclaimed New Mexico Ben Pecos mysteries, which Booklist calls “a series to watch.” Ben Pecos has the opportunity to work in Albuquerque on a research project for the Indian Health Service, and his fiancée Julie Conlin decides to join him when she snags an invitation for the couple to stay at the lavish home of an old family friend, Connie CdeBaca, who is the head of a family of successful land developers. But Connie harbors a deep secret she has never told anyone. Ben and Julie are hardly settled when people begin dying, and they find themselves swept into the midst of another mystery. The twists and turns in this complex plot will keep readers guessing to the very end! Praise for Susan Slater and the Ben Pecos series: “Solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life ... strongly recommend.” —Library Journal “A series to watch.” —Booklist “... Ben Pecos—raised far from New Mexico’s Tewa Pueblo—could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.” – Chicago Tribune “... a gripping, interesting tale.” –5 stars, online review

Booklist calls the Ben Pecos mysteries, from award-winning author Susan Slater, “A series to watch.” Ben Pecos finds himself leaving his new home and new wife Julie in Florida, as he is sent on temporary assignment with the Indian Health Service to remote and frigid Moose Flats, Alaska. There, his job will be to help set up a new clinic to address the community’s problems. He soon discovers that alcoholism, drugs, and domestic violence aren’t the only issues in this tiny village. Almost before he has set up his office, there are three deaths under questionable circumstances. But what do a heart attack, a drug overdose, and frozen corpse out on the tundra have in common? Ben is shocked to learn it could all involve his ex-girlfriend, who has quite a few surprises in store, including a son Ben never knew about. And when Julie rearranges her work assignment to come and spend several months with Ben in Alaska, that’s when the tough questions must be answered—if they survive long enough to put together all the complex clues. Praise for Susan Slater and the Ben Pecos Mystery Series: “This is a wonderful book with loveable heroes.” – Library Journal, (on The Pumpkin Seed Massacre) “Susan Slater’s Thunderbird is a witty, absorbing tale.” —Publishers Weekly “Slater effectively combines an appealing mix of new and existing characters ... dry humor; crackling suspense; and a surprise ending.” —Booklist “... a gripping novel. We mystery lovers hope it’s the first of many.” – Tony Hillerman “A solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life strongly recommend this ...” – Library Journal (on Thunderbird) “... Ben Pecos—raised far from New Mexico’s Tewa Pueblo—could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.” – Chicago Tribune

Indian Health Services psychologist Ben Pecos and his eleven-year-old son are enjoying a summer vacation to Ben’s New Mexico pueblo ancestral home when Ben is called back to duty, this time on the Navajo reservation. It’s the year of the global pandemic and the Navajo Nation is under particular threat, especially when supplies ordered by the tribe are being stolen before they ever reach the reservation. Trucks have been hijacked and one driver killed. On their way, Ben and Zac are caught in a huge sandstorm, known to the Native people as ghost dust. Ben slows their vehicle and Zac has an almost supernatural experience. A pronghorn antelope appears beside his window, meeting his gaze and keeping pace with the pickup truck in the gritty, driving sand. Then it vanishes. As Ben works to coordinate relief efforts for the tribe and find out what has happened to their missing medical supplies, Zac meets a new friend, a boy who tells him about Skinwalkers. These humans who can take animal form and make evil things happen represent the darker side of tribal culture. Zac remembers the antelope—did it have kindly intentions, as he imagined, or was it a Skinwalker? As the days pass, the virus isn’t the only danger in the Navajo community—a delivery driver is beaten, and an unexplained murder hits the family of Zac’s new friend. Ben’s wife Julie joins in the effort, only to have her own life threatened as well. Ben has his hands full on all sides, and the twists don’t let up until the final pages of this heart-pounding thriller. Praise for Susan Slater and the Ben Pecos series: “This is a wonderful book with loveable heroes.” – Library Journal, (on The Pumpkin Seed Massacre) “Susan Slater’s Thunderbird is a witty, absorbing tale.” —Publishers Weekly “Slater effectively combines an appealing mix of new and existing characters ... dry humor; crackling suspense; and a surprise ending.” —Booklist “... a gripping novel. We mystery lovers hope it’s the first of many.” – Tony Hillerman “A solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life strongly recommend this ...” – Library Journal (on Thunderbird) “... Ben Pecos—raised far from New Mexico’s Tewa Pueblo—could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.” – Chicago Tribune

When psychologist Ben Pecos gets the call—his 12 year old ward, Nathan Yazzi has been expelled from school—Ben sees a road trip as an opportunity to spend extended time with the troubled boy, camping and fishing and talking things through. Little does he realize they are driving right into trouble in the small town of Spearfish, South Dakota, where the local sheriff is investigating the mysterious death of a Lakota Sun Dancer. Things are not looking good when the sheriff directs his attention toward Ben. And when it turns out the dead man was neither Lakota nor a Sun Dancer, the mystery deepens. Meanwhile, hoards of protestors are showing up over a proposed oil pipeline through the reservation, people from outside the area who are being trucked in and paid to create havoc. As the body count rises, Sheriff Mac Sterling and the reservation police chief, Red Bull, have their hands full, as neither the tribe nor the county have the manpower to keep things from getting out of hand. Ben gets recruited to help but soon finds his world rocked to the core with the revelation of the darkest secret from his own past. Praise for Susan Slater and the Ben Pecos mystery series: “This is a wonderful book with loveable heroes.” – Library Journal, (on The Pumpkin Seed Massacre) “Susan Slater’s Thunderbird is a witty, absorbing tale.” —Publishers Weekly “Slater effectively combines an appealing mix of new and existing characters ... dry humor; crackling suspense; and a surprise ending.” —Booklist “... a gripping novel. We mystery lovers hope it’s the first of many.” – Tony Hillerman “A solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life strongly recommend this ...” – Library Journal (on Thunderbird) “... Ben Pecos—raised far from New Mexico’s Tewa Pueblo—could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.” – Chicago Tribune