The Thieves of Shiny Things

A murder mystery from the Stone Age, The Thieves of Shiny Things takes place among the Miwokitul tribelet of cave-dwelling Native Americans in what became the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California. When Jupa discovers his father lying dead, he and Keleli, a wise elder, must solve the crime using only keen observation, persistent questioning, and their wits. The story weaves murder, Jupa's coming-of-age, and social bonds in a Native American community now vanished.