Don't Think Twice - by Wayne Johnson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Deep in the north woods of Minnesota, Paul Two Persons is struggling to keep his resort lodge afloat. He has lent money to his childhood friend, Al, and needs it back fast before the bank forecloses on his business.
When Al turns up missing -- and then dead of an apparent suicide -- Paul is propelled into a labyrinth of intrigue that leads to some ugly discoveries. There is corruption within his own Tribal Council, developers' plans for the land that Paul has fought so hard to keep, and the "accidental death" of his eight-year-old son that now seems something more sinister.
Haunted by these demons, growing increasingly distant from his grieving wife, and facing the very real threat of losing his livelihood, Paul feels he has become what the Chippewa call a tchibai -- a walking shadow. Attempts are made on his life, the lodge is nearly burned to the ground, and people on the reservation behave oddly in his presence.
The escalating circumstances of one summer -- and Paul's determination to survive them -- reveal the indomitable spirit that is his Chippewa heritage. Set in the breathtaking landscape of northwestern Minnesota, Don't Think Twice is a haunting and memorable story about a man's struggle when pushed to the edge.

Review Quotes

Kirkus Reviews (starred review) An audacious debut...Johnson deftly mixes the componenets of a thriller with a complex character study, and Paul is a difficult, tormented figure, but also a compelling one. The language, while terse, is exact and vigourous...An original, wonderfully assured, and powerful work.

Library Journal Johnson has written a book that manages to make the wide, airy spaces of the Land of a Thousand Lakes feel claustrophobic with tension...He gives the reader a brilliant sense of place, even as the plot tightens a noose of anxiety.

The Kansas City Star This novel crosses boundaries of cultures and also of literary genres. Although this is a murder mystery, the polish of the language, the pacing, and the characters make a fine literary fiction....Johnson's terse descriptions are as poetic as the best of Raymon Chandler.

The New York Times Book Review By turns wily, sad, violent, somber, and hopeful....Johnson's sentences shimmer, dip, swoop, and stretch. He has a fine eye for impressionistic detail....

Madison Smartt Bell author of All Souls' Rising A cunningly crafted thriller...More than that, it's an insightful, realistic portrait of the world of American Indians today.