PAINTED MOMENT

Two friends of Native American ancestry, bonded by tragic events from their youth, continue on a path of discovery seeking truth, justice, and peace of mind in the fourth novella in Passel’s ongoing series.

This entry takes place in 2003, three decades after the events at the root of the first installment, Summer of Change (2017), in which young PerryAnn’s parents died in an accident; she and her friend MatiLou later investigated the event in their 20s. It picks up the story at a pivotal time as middle-aged PerryAnn and MatiLou work through the aftermath of the former’s past trauma and the latter contemplates difficult choices she faces in her own life. Narrated primarily through MatiLou’s thoughtful, introspective voice, the brief work—fewer than 40 pages in length—features strong themes of spirituality, forgiveness, and protecting the earth. The action, however, is mainly driven by PerryAnn’s search for answers that she hopes will provide her with closure; an old flame, Billy, who’s her daughter’s biological father, may have had something to do with her parent’s tragedy—and now he may be dying. MatiLou’s interest in ecological (wolf killings) and environmental concerns (oil drilling, land leasing), successfully adds another layer to her storyline, fills in aspects that are relevant to the environment in which the women live, and effectively connects to current issues of climate change. A third mystery subplot involving a community elder intersects with MatiLou’s desire to live a life that honors the beliefs that lie at the root of her marital discord. Two short lead-in paragraphs at the beginning of this installment briefly detail important plot points from PerryAnn’s past and describe MatiLou’s present concerns and state of mind; it’s important to highlight those early plot points, but they’re also repeated throughout the story, which can be frustrating; also, despite the recap, newcomers may find it difficult to get a sense of the community in which the main players live.

Two women solve an old mystery and find a new one in this uneven series entry.