A Time of Change

The Thurlos (Black Thunder) are unlikely to please either romance or suspense readers with this pedestrian endeavor. Josephine "Jo" Buck, an apprentice Navajo medicine woman in Farmington, N.Mex., values her relationship with her employer and father figure, Tom Stuart. When Tom is murdered in his home, Jo mourns him while trying protect herself and the other Outpost staff from the resulting dangers: anonymous threats, armed men and robbery, and loss of business and revenue. Meanwhile, Tom's son, Sgt. Ben Stuart, returns on military emergency leave to deal with his father's death and the estate%E2%80%94but he and Jo have an uncomfortable history, especially since Tom willed the Outpost to Jo. Some insights into the Dine culture and interesting supporting characters among the Outpost staff fail to enrich the book beyond its by-the-numbers romance and cardboard villains. (Apr.)