R.B. Young: Crimes of Disrespect

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.