“Shutter” by Ramona Emerson is a book that I picked up at lunch time, started reading and all of a sudden it was 1 a.m. (0100) and I was finally finished. Do you ever wonder why a certain book calls to you, why you can’t put it down? What ephemeral feeling does it fulfill that you didn’t know you needed? Hm…
The main character is a young Navajo woman (Rita Todacheene) who is working hard to save money to help her grandmother, for a better life on the reservation. After finishing a degree in art, she starts work as a forensic photographer for the Albuquerque police department working all sorts of death-related cases documenting conditions and situations related to the death. If you are familiar with her culture, you know that photographing and documenting death scenes is very unexpected and difficult for her.
The story skillfully weaves her love of photography from a very young age to the present with her need to make a living using her talents. The unexpected twist is that she also has talent as a medium. This ability opens her to a dark path that she needs to navigate to help a tortured soul find answers and rest.
I loved the blend of history, culture conflict and crime. If you love a mystery mixed with a dash of history about another culture, I highly recommend this one!
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