Under a Mulberry Moon

Booklist calls the Ben Pecos mysteries, from award-winning author Susan Slater, "A series to watch."Psychologist Ben Pecos takes a transfer to Florida in his job with the Indian Health Service. His first assignment in St. Augustine puts him right in the middle of a terrifying case where a student has brought a gun to school and threatened his teacher. Ben works with both the troubled eight-year-old and the traumatized teacher, Maureen Beltzer. When Mo is offered a new job with the botanical garden at the prestigious Whitney Labs, she jumps at the chance to get out of teaching, little knowing that cataloging and photographing rare orchids may actually involve more danger than her pint-sized adversary ever dreamed of inflicting.Praise for the Ben Pecos mystery series:"This is a wonderful book with loveable heroes." – Library Journal, (on The Pumpkin Seed Massacre)"Susan Slater's Thunderbird is a witty, absorbing tale." -Publishers Weekly"Slater effectively combines an appealing mix of new and existing characters … dry humor; crackling suspense; and a surprise ending." -Booklist"Take a great plot idea and Susan Slater's skill with language, combine them with her understanding of the religion and culture of a proud and ancient people, and you have a gripping novel. The Pumpkin Seed Massacre is her first novel. We mystery lovers hope it's the first of many." – Tony Hillerman"A solid, suspenseful narrative and colorful glimpses of Native American life strongly recommend this …" – Library Journal (on Thunderbird)"… Ben Pecos-raised far from New Mexico's Tewa Pueblo-could become as lasting a fictional presence as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee." – Chicago Tribune Kansas native Susan Slater lived in New Mexico for thirty-nine years and uses this enchanting Southwest setting for most of her mystery novels. Her Ben Pecos series reflects her extensive knowledge of the area and Native American tribal ways. As an educator, she directed the Six Sandoval Teacher Education Program for the All Indian Pueblo Council through the University of New Mexico. She taught creative writing for UNM and the University of Phoenix.The first in this highly acclaimed series, The Pumpkin Seed Massacre, reached Germany's bestseller list shortly after its initial publication as a German translation. Original print versions of the first three titles were outstandingly reviewed in nationwide major media.In July, 2009, Susan made her first foray into women's fiction with 0 to 60, a zany, all too true-to-life story of a woman dumped, and the book was immediately optioned by Hollywood.Late 2017 and 2018 brings a new era to Susan's storytelling. Secret Staircase Books is releasing newly edited versions of her entire Ben Pecos series in paperback, and brings the series to a whole new set of readers for the first time in all e-book formats.Now residing in Florida with her menagerie of dogs and canaries, Susan writes full time and stays busy in community theatre and other volunteer projects. Contact her by email: susan@susansslater.com Native American psychologist Ben Pecos lives and works in New Mexico.Traveling between the northern pueblos and reservations, he becomes embroiled in a new mystery in every location.