COPPER MOUNTAIN

Alex, a Secwépemc First Nations PI, formerly with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is called in to investigate the attempted murder of Max King, a lawyer involved in bringing suits against mining interests, and Max’s girlfriend, Rose Barlow. Max and Alex are both members of the redz, a secret network of Indigenous people who are helping to coordinate “White Paper Blizzard,” an international, coordinated attempt to bring lawsuits against companies whose ecological degradation is jeopardizing individuals’ “right to a healthy environment.” At the outset, Max’s assailants dump him near the entrance of one of the rare earthmines his group is targeting. His mother calls on Alex to investigate, and the private eye, along with a former Mountie colleague, a couple of local detectives, and the redz work together to unravel a complex situation that involves an organized crime ring, competing corporations, and others who would have a lot to lose from mine closures. Over the course of the novel, Van Clieaf spins a plot that’s ambitious and engaging, even if it sometimes stretches the limits of credibility. The writing style is sometimes a bit flat or clinical, which makes it hard for readers to get a grasp on some of the secondary characters. A few, however, such as mob goon Frank McGiver, are vivid, over-the-top characters that genre fans are likely to recognize and appreciate. The story also addresses the processes of rare earth mining with clarity, and it’s at its strongest when it explores the nuances of complex social and political issues.