The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Remember why those four friends journeyed down the train tracks in the movie Stand By Me? It was to see a dead body. Hardly anyone remembers the purpose of their walking: they remember the friendships and the way these young boys grow up during their journey. The Round House reminded me of Stand By Me. Four goofy young teens are enjoying childish things when an event turns their lives upside down. The mother of one of the boys is brutally attacked and the quartet decides that they are going to catch the man who did this and make sure justice is served.
The book is set on an Indian reservation in the 80s and details what life was like on a reservation at that time as well as how convoluted the law governing tribal lands were (and are). A good read, quite dark, with moments of humor, best enjoyed by mystery lovers.
