Book Review: Invisible Path by Marilyn Meredith

Deputy Tempe Crabtree is back in this superb addition to Marilyn Meredith's award-winning series that blends Native American mysticism, the beauty of the Sierra foothills, and a mystery to solve.

Tempe's son, Blair, returns home to celebrate Christmas, bringing along his college roommate. The boys are curious about some pseudo soldiers they've seen driving through town and ask Tempe what she knows, which isn't much.

When a young Indian is found dead near the recovery center on the reservation, Tempe is once again called in to investigate. Jesus Running Bear, a newcomer to the reservation who has been getting help with his addictions, is the prime suspect. But Tempe isn't so sure he's guilty. A secret, a quest to find an Indian legend, and a visit to the para-military compound put Jesus and Tempe in danger.

Can Tempe solve the mystery and save both their lives?

Marilyn has been my client for at least two years now. I got turned onto the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series before I worked for Pump Up Your Book. I loved Judgment Fire so much, that I later went on to purchase the previous books in the series. With Invisible Path, the author has brought back one of my favorite characters from the series, Tempe's son, Blair.

Blair has been away at college, so it's been awhile since we've heard much from him. It was nice to see Tempe and her husband, Hutch's relationship develop outside of being Blair's parents, but it's great to see them together again. It was also satisfying to see Blair, along with his roommate, be sent off to unofficially help uncover clues to the murder. He's no longer just a kid who you have to come up with storylines for every once in a while to make sure readers don't forget he exists.

Invisible Path is phenomenal! The series improves as time goes on. The last book, Dispel the Mist, included the Native American legend of the Hairy Man. He also helps to move the plot in this new installment along. This, and Tempe's continued confusing dreams, which Nick Two John (the innkeeper and Tempe's friend) doesn't really help Tempe decipher, give this mystery series a unique element.

What the author has always done well in both her series is showcase how a law enforcement career can impact family life. While for Tempe that usually means missing dinners or working on her day off, this makes her a character that readers can relate to.

I eagerly await the next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery novel.


Title:  Invisible Path
Author:  Marilyn Meredith
Publisher:  Mundania Press LLC
ISBN-10: 1606592394
ISBN-13: 978-1606592397
SRP:  $12.95 (Also available in a Kindle format)