The Wolf’s Name

Set in 1880s western Canada, Teague’s inflated debut combines a realistic crime story with a mishmash of magic and politics to limited success. Nineteen-year-old Matilda O’Connor is struggling to keep her family’s farm going while caring for her younger siblings, Olive and Elliot. When her older brother, Nathaniel, is found dead, apparently by suicide, Matilda becomes convinced that their drunken neighbor, Richards, murdered him in a play for their farm. And she sets out to prove it. Interwoven passages from Nathaniel’s journal, meanwhile, reveal his growing interest in shape-shifting magic and a Fenian plot to remove English influence from Canada. Other interludes offer glimpses into the mind of a wolf-man, who’s eventually tamed by Matilda’s compassion and love. Teague has a lot to tie together here, and she doesn’t quite pull it off, with the jerky shifts between perspectives throwing off the pacing. Though there are some fun ideas, they don’t come together into a convincing whole. Readers can safely skip this. (Apr.)