
Pamela Renard is an exchange student from the Coyote River First Nation high school to the Woodmore Academy, a private school.
It’s a rough start, another student Rose Molloy throws racial slurs at Renard making her time there difficult. As the school and Renard try to educate the students about the unceded land taken from the Haudenosaunee people over the years, Molloy keeps up the harassment.
Renard’s body is found along side the father of her boyfriend outside the school library – a puzzling situation and crime. The file is assigned to Detective Alison Downey who is new to the department. Her partner is off work due to an injury and as Downey investigates she realizes she is struggling.
Against the backdrop of the murder investigation, R.B. Young gives us a history lesson in the wrongs committed against the First Nations and Indigenous peoples of Canada. My own lesson came in learning why we should never use the term Iroquois.
This book is poignant, painful, and daunting. Many of us have so much to learn. It’s also a great crime fiction book and Crimes of Disrespect is a highly recommended read.
~ June Lorraine Roberts
Murder in Common is a Feedspot Top 100 Crime Novel Website
8 responses to “R.B. Young: Crimes of Disrespect”
Nice review! When a crime read sheds light on history, we may stumble upon the discernment of whether or not the history itself is criminal.
Excellent observation…
Thank you. Have a good and exciting day!
Such an important read. I share your angst over what has happened to the indigenous people. I feel a strange kinship to the women.
Thanks so much for this Sheila…
Sounds very good, and it is certainly timely.
Yes, and sadly as discovered, there is so much more…
Heartbreaking.