Few writers can combine history and mystery as well as Edgar-winner Pattison, as shown in the sequel to 2007's Bone Rattler
, which introduced Duncan McCallum, a Scot who becomes an unlikely detective in 18th-century North America. In 1760, McCallum and his close friend, Conawago, a Jesuit-trained member of the Nipmuc tribe, stumble into a case with potentially far-reaching repercussions for a peace treaty between the Iroquois and the British. When the pair find a prominent Virginia militia commander, Winston Burke, nailed to a tree with a gear wheel stuck in his chest, Conawago becomes a suspect in the man's murder. Burke turns out to be but the latest victim of a killer who's targeted surveyors sent to map the Pennsylvania wilderness. While Burke's vengeful friends are eager for swift frontier justice, McCallum works frantically to uncover the truth. Evocative language, tight plotting, and memorable characters make this a standout. (Jan.)
