Book cover of Shutter

Book description

Longlisted for the National Book Award

This blood-chilling debut set in New Mexico’s Navajo Nation is equal parts gripping crime thriller, supernatural horror, and poignant portrayal of coming of age on the reservation.

Rita Todacheene is a forensic photographer working for the Albuquerque police force. Her excellent photography skills have…

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Why read it?

3 authors picked Shutter as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Another unlikely heroine, but only because she sees ghosts—okay, okay, maybe also because seeing ghosts or even talking about them is strictly forbidden in Rita Todacheene’s Navajo culture.

I loved this book so, so much for both its detail and its unusual premise. Todacheene’s ghosts haunt her and play an active part in her investigations as a forensic photographer. And, since the author was a forensic photographer herself, the work rings true and sharp. Ghosts aside, she also has to contend with her own culture, a struggle with which I’m intimately familiar.  

I also loved the way that Emerson structured…

Rita Todacheen, a true-born Navajo, was granted a gift at birth. Her talent with a camera has secured her a job for the forensic department of the Albuquerque Police as a photographer. But this is not the only thing that Rita has been blessed with.

Since childhood, she has been able to see spirits and now finds herself haunted by the city’s latest homicide victim, who tries to help in the solving of her own murder.

This beautifully written book transcends the reader into a world of action, filled with mystical mysteries, worthy of a binge read!  

I’ve always admired the beauty of New Mexico, but my pictures don’t do it justice. From the abandoned shacks and hogans to the scenic views of the Navaho reservation, and the dusty streets of Albuquerque, Ramona Emerson has captured in prose the light and weight of a great paranormal mystery. Forensic photographer Rita Todacheene sees ghosts but they’re less dangerous than cartels and bad cops. Learning more about Navaho culture and Rita’s close ties to it is a huge plus.

From Veronica's list on badass female detectives on location.

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The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

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