Christina Garcia y Grant, an attorney disenchanted by the profession, has returned home to the Taos area to operate a bed and breakfast and do some writing in her free time. Asked by her friend, Ignacio Baca, for help in his defense of Pat Salazaar, Christy is drawn back into using the skills of her former profession. Firmly believing no hermano is capable of murder, Christy delves into the details of the murder. Fueled by accounts in the media linking the murder with Satanists, witches and devil worshippers, tempers of the normally placid Taosenos flare, making Christy the recipient of numerous crank phone calls, culminating in an attempt on her life.

As a cleverly plotted mystery, Midnight at the Camposanto falls short of the mark. The circumstances of the murder are quite clear. The list of potential suspects for the murder, not lengthy to begin with, shortens readily as the story unfolds. The route by which Christy ultimately discovers the culprit is somewhat farfetched and requires the reader to display a benevolence toward belief in the supernatural. This aspect of the book will not impress readers who favor an intricate, carefully pieced together puzzle.

However, there are certainly points to recommend in Ms. Ulmer’s work. She displays a detailed knowledge of the Hispanic culture in the Taos area as well as characteristics of all the long time residents of the area. I was particularly struck by her description of the “Taos Shuffle.” She does demand that the reader think, since she does not make a point of carefully explaining the meaning of Hispanic words or phrases. One must deduce from the context the meaning of camposanto or vigas, for example.

Christy, her lawyer friend Ignacio Baca, la Dona Aborgada Doris Jordan as well as the guests art Christy’s bed and breakfast are all interesting characters. With the possible exception of Christy, who is torn between her Hispanic heritage and her Anglo-cized other half, and Doris Jordan, the author does not explore their personalities in depth. We learn little beyond one or two outstanding character traits of the remainder of the players in the story.

For aficionados of the southwest, Midnight at the Camposanto should find a spot on their to-read list. Readers who enjoy the challenge of deciphering word meanings from context will also find this book appealing. Unfortunately, the fast-paced plot or intricate puzzle lover may be disappointed with Ms. Ulmer’s first novel.

--Andy Plonka