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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.
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Praise for the Ben Pecos mystery series:
âThis is a wonderful book with loveable heroes.â â Library Journal, (on The Pumpkin Seed Massacre)
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âSusan Slaterâs Thunderbird is a witty, absorbing tale.â âPublishers Weekly
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âSlater effectively combines an appealing mix of new and existing characters âĶ dry humor; crackling suspense; and a surprise ending.â âBooklist
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âTake a great plot idea and Susan Slaterâs 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 itâs the first of many.â â Tony Hillerman
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âA solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life strongly recommend this âĶâ â Library Journal (on Thunderbird)
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ââĶ Ben Pecosâraised far from New Mexicoâs Tewa Puebloâcould become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.â â Chicago Tribune
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Susan Slater lived in New Mexico for 39 years, where she began writing her internationally bestselling Ben Pecos series. When she retired from her career with a government contractor and moved to Florida to write full time, Ben and Julie moved with her. Susan also writes the Dan Mahoney mystery series, and has penned several standalone works as well. She uses her own extensive knowledge of orchidsâboth growing and showing themâto build the complex plot of Under A Mulberry Moon.