Review Tuesday: Chasing the Dead - #ReviewTuesday #WesternRomance #Ghosts

Chasing the Dead: A Western Romance by Keta Diablo

Keta Diablo, 2019

In New Mexico, in 1884, spirits disturb the world of the living.

Madrid Arrende does not have her late mother’s power to exorcise ghosts, but the Mexican peasants who live on or around her wealthy father’s hacienda believe that she has inherited Celesta’s supernatural abilities. In fact, her mother’s fame has even reached the hostile Apaches, who kidnap Maddie in the hope that she can banish the vicious, vengeful spirit terrorizing their village. Proud and violent even in life, Uday murdered the father of Sacheen, the woman he wanted, when the father refused to force Sacheen to wed him. Sacheen’s brother killed Uday in a fair fight, but the spurned brave refused to move on to the spirit world. Instead, the vicious wraith threatens the entire tribe in his lust to possess Sacheen, even from beyond the grave.

Deacon and Gideon Bannister live with a different sort of ghost. Seven years ago, an Apache war party attacked their ranch, killed their parents and abducted their sisters Callie and Tess. The brothers can’t rest until they’ve tracked down the missing young women. In fact, Deacon broke off his engagement with Maddie because he felt that the search for his sisters had to take first priority.

Nevertheless, when Madrid’s father enlists Deacon’s aid in recovering his daughter, Deacon quickly agrees. He has realized his mistake in rejecting the beautiful, independent young woman. Though she is now engaged to someone else, Deacon is determined not only to save her from the Indians, but to win back her love – if the tribe, or the demonic Uday, do not kill them first.

Chasing the Dead is a short but satisfying Western romance with a generous dash of the paranormal. In fact, I’m not usually a fan of the Western genre, which tends toward stereotypes and anachronisms. However, Keta Diablo obviously did extensive research for this book, especially with regard to Apache language and customs. I’m no expert, but the book feels genuine.

The plot is surprisingly complex and the cast of characters more extensive than I’d expect in a book of only 110 pages (in epub format). Even the minor characters, such as Nasario the Mexican shaman and the Bannister’s youngest brother Sefton, have some depth. The main protagonists are both distinctive and appealing. In particular, I loved the portrayal of Sacheen. She’s fierce and loyal, with a world view that contrasts with that of the whites and the Mexicans.

Probably my favorite aspect of Chasing the Dead was the chilling and vivid depictions of the ghost and the underworld. The Apache version of Hell looks quite different from our Western version. I loved the intensity and the originality.

The book does merit the label of romance. It’s no surprise when Madrid breaks off her engagement to cleave to Deacon, or when Gideon and Sacheen fall in love. However, the romantic and erotic aspects of the novel were overshadowed, for me, by the fascinating cultural details and the supernatural elements.

I have one complaint about the book. I felt that the chapters were too short. I understand the author’s intentions. She is juggling four major characters, and needs to alternate among them in order to get her story told. However, because she spends only three or four pages in each perspective, I ended up feeling a bit rushed – almost out of breath.

Still, Ms. Diablo does an excellent job tying all the threads together – and laying the foundations for a sequel, without leaving the reader on the edge of cliff. Overall, I definitely enjoyed Chasing the Dead.