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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Let me first say that this book, and any other books regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, should be written, told and read. Just because this book didn’t quite land for me, doesn’t mean I was unaffected by its subject material.
I appreciated Rendon’s commitment to give us a full picture of the Native American community and culture in this book. This story fell flat for me mainly due to the writing style/quality and Quill’s characterization. She became hard to root for when she continuously made bad decisions.
I appreciated Rendon’s commitment to give us a full picture of the Native American community and culture in this book. This story fell flat for me mainly due to the writing style/quality and Quill’s characterization. She became hard to root for when she continuously made bad decisions.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie Rendon is a gripping and sobering mystery that pulls no punches when it comes to portraying the everyday violence and systemic discrimination Indigenous women face.
Written by an Indigenous author, this story is grounded in cultural truth and lived experience. It's not just a suspenseful thriller—it’s a call to witness. The plot centers around a missing Indigenous girl, but the real tension lies in the stark portrayal of how these cases are too often ignored or mishandled by law enforcement. The book doesn’t sugarcoat the reality. It’s raw, emotional, and at times incredibly hard to read—which makes it all the more important.
What stood out most beyond the central mystery were the relationships. The friendship and romantic bond between the main couple felt refreshingly real and rooted in mutual care and respect. Their dynamic added warmth and depth to an otherwise intense and haunting story.
💬 Themes:
🔍 Missing and murdered Indigenous women
💔 Systemic injustice and intergenerational trauma
🤝 Friendship and chosen family
🧩 Mystery with emotional depth
🔍 Missing and murdered Indigenous women
💔 Systemic injustice and intergenerational trauma
🤝 Friendship and chosen family
🧩 Mystery with emotional depth
This isn’t a light read, but it’s a powerful one—grounded, suspenseful, and necessary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Indigenous women have been trafficked since the beginning of time, and this novel delves into that in mystery/thriller format.
.
Overall, the writing could have had a bit more heft, and I saw the plot twist from the moment the "bad guy" was introduced, but still I recognized my Indigenous neighbors and their lives in these characters.
.
This is a story that would make a great movie or limited series. I want to see Quill on screen.
.
"Here on the rez, shit happened, and you just kept going."
.
"We've been targets since the chimook arrived here. First war. Then boarding schools. Then foster homes. And Indian women have been targets all the way back to Pocahontas and Sacajawea. Teenage girls taken and used. Women taken and used."
.
"Pocahontas was between nine and eleven years old when she first encountered John Smith. Sacajawea was probably twelve or thirteen when she was taken on the Lewis and Clark expedition. These two young women are probably the most recognizable names among the Native American women who have been kidnapped and trafficked. The majority of the women and children trafficked today remain nameless, and the country unaware of them."
.
Overall, the writing could have had a bit more heft, and I saw the plot twist from the moment the "bad guy" was introduced, but still I recognized my Indigenous neighbors and their lives in these characters.
.
This is a story that would make a great movie or limited series. I want to see Quill on screen.
.
"Here on the rez, shit happened, and you just kept going."
.
"We've been targets since the chimook arrived here. First war. Then boarding schools. Then foster homes. And Indian women have been targets all the way back to Pocahontas and Sacajawea. Teenage girls taken and used. Women taken and used."
.
"Pocahontas was between nine and eleven years old when she first encountered John Smith. Sacajawea was probably twelve or thirteen when she was taken on the Lewis and Clark expedition. These two young women are probably the most recognizable names among the Native American women who have been kidnapped and trafficked. The majority of the women and children trafficked today remain nameless, and the country unaware of them."
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
It can be hard to conceptualize how nefarious and embedded exploitative systems are especially considering human trafficking in smaller towns. This books takes a deeper look at how indigenous marginalized folks are preyed upon and all of the difficulties and barriers to addressing these issues. One thing I appreciated about this book was the MC taking things into her own hands at least a bit bc the cops are 🤮 wish they would've been a little more critical of 🐷. Also appreciate the relationship dynamics brought up as folks navigate their politic and how they show up for family and general community! Love that this was set in MN ❤️🛶
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A