Referring to her people's ancient lore and rituals in order to track down a vicious killer, Jordan Tidewater, the first female sheriff of the Salish Reservation, finds a clue in an ancient, cut-down cedar tree When a sacred cedar tree is cut down on the Quinault reservation, the evil spirit of an ancient shaman, Xulk, is released. Thus begins a sequence of macabre events orchestrated by Aminte, a red-haired witch. Losing her husband in a mysterious accident, Hannah McTavish struggles to maintain the logging business while dealing with the environmental issues that threaten her livelihood. Jordan Tidewater, reservation sheriff, assumes her inherited role as shaman and undergoes Native American rituals that allow her passage into the spirit world. In her fiction debut, Stokes (The Castrated Woman: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Hysterectomy, LJ 7/86) artfully blends contemporary conservation concerns of the Pacific Northwest with ancient Native American folklore. A good choice for libraries with demand for Native epics such as Michael and Kathleen Gear's People of the Lakes (Forge, 1994) and Linda Lay Shuler's Voice of the Eagle (Dutton, 1993). --Mary Ellen Elsbernd, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. Stokes has written a unique tale that blends mysticism and mystery with the sometimes harsh reality of the modern world. In ancient times, the evil shaman Xulk was buried alive, his spirit contained in a cedar tree planted on his grave. Hundreds of years later, loggers on Washington State's scenic Olympic Peninsula are locked in a battle with local preservationists. Jordan Tidewater, a Salish Indian and the first female sheriff on the reservation, has her hands full keeping an eye on the feuding camps. What's worse, something evil is afoot: a sacred, ancient cedar tree is cut down; sweet-smelling but deadly winds bring disease and death; and a series of brutal murders takes place. When all of her high-tech, modern methods for solving the murders fail, Jordan realizes that she must reach into her past and find the strength and knowledge that only the most ancient and mysterious Indian rituals can give her. Stokes offers originality and suspense, strong characterizations, and a fascinating look at ancient legends and lore. Emily Melton