Passing Through a Prairie Country: A Novel

by Dennis E. Staples Narrated by Charlotte Flyte

Overview

For decades, a dark force has terrorized the Languille Lake reservation. Only spoken of in whispers as "the sandman," he lurks in the Hidden Atlantis Lake Resort and Casino, the reservation's main attraction and source of revenue, leeching its patrons' dreams and ambitions and also preventing the ghosts that linger there from moving on. Fleeing a breakup, Marion Lafournier, a mid-twenties Ojibwe, seeks solace in the slot machine's siren song. Here he falls afoul of the sandman, an encounter Marion barely escapes through the timely intervention of his cousins Alana and Cherie, who both work at the casino and are intimately aware of the sandman's power.



Marion and Alana are members of the Bullhead clan, a family with ties to a sacred past and a fierce determination to ensure their future. Alana, with her seven-fire sight, is the only person to fully grasp the danger the sandman poses. Aware of Marion's occasional ability to navigate the spirit world, she enlists his aid in defeating this wraith. But the power and reach of the sandman go far beyond Alana's worst fears. Soon she and Marion find themselves in a battle for their lives and for the souls of the reservation's residents, both the living and the dead.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Ms., A March Must Read
LGBTQ+ Reads, A Most Anticipated Book

"Wooziness pervades Passing Through a Prairie Country, in which Marion escapes the clutches of a malevolent figure known as the Sandman and—with help from cousins Alana and Cherie—is drawn into a battle between good and evil, partially fought between slot machines and blackjack tables." —Chris Hewitt, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

"In this novel he smoothly combines a ghost story with life on the reservation and Indian-owned casinos in a lively and a-lot-of-fun story set among all the flashing lights, bells and whistles in a busy casino in northern Minnesota . . . Staples [...] gives us a creepy and fast-paced story that details the workings of a well-run casino and the spirits of those who have been there in life. A great summer read." —Mary Ann Grossman, Twin Cities Pioneer-Press

"Ojibwe writer Dennis E. Staples' blend of suspense, comedy and thrills is perfect for fans of Reservation Dogs and Stephen Graham Jones." —Lizz Schumer, People

"Illuminates how a community attempts to cope with ancestral trauma. This is worth a look." —Publishers Weekly

"The sense of timelessness and multiple points of view add to the novel's chaotic suspense, giving readers the impression they're trapped in an episode of Twin Peaks. This is a quick and unique read sure to appeal to thriller fans who also enjoy gothic horror." —Booklist

"Taking readers on a journey through the lavish Hidden Atlantis Casino, where no clocks hang on the walls, to the timeless realm of mysterious and death-dealing spirits, Dennis E. Staples delivers an otherworldly story that's haunting, darkly humorous, and chock full of fascinating Native lore." —Nick Medina, author of Indian Burial Ground

Product Details

BN ID:	2940193636854
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	03/18/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

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