A Time of Change

The Thurlos (Black Thunder) are unlikely to please either romance or suspense readers with this pedestrian endeavor. Josephine %E2%80%9CJo" Buck, an apprentice medicine woman in the Din%C3%A9 (Navajo) community of Farmington, N.M., values her relationship with her employer and father figure, Tom Stuart. When Tom is murdered in his home, Jo mourns him while trying to protect herself and the other Outpost staff from anonymous threats, armed men and robbery, and loss of business and revenue. Tom's son, Sgt. Ben Stuart, returns on military emergency leave to sort out the estate. This is further complicated by his past relationship with Jo, especially since Tom willed the Outpost to her. Some insights into the Din%C3%A9 culture and interesting supporting characters fail to enrich the book beyond its by-the-numbers romance and cardboard villains. (Apr.)