Marin Sinclair, Book 2
Suspense Thriller
Date Published: 09/15/2025
Publisher: RabbitHole LLC
When Marin Sinclair discovers teenager Garret Washburn in danger from a
deadly conspiracy involving bootlegged alcohol, wolf-witches, an election
campaign, murder, and an unknown bomber, she looks to Navajo Nation Police
Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes and Federal Agent Cullen MacPherson to help protect
Vangie Tso’s son from the dark forces at play.
deadly conspiracy involving bootlegged alcohol, wolf-witches, an election
campaign, murder, and an unknown bomber, she looks to Navajo Nation Police
Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes and Federal Agent Cullen MacPherson to help protect
Vangie Tso’s son from the dark forces at play.
EXCERPT
How far would you go to honor the last request of a dying friend? In the heart of the Navajo
Nation, Changing Woman—a central Holy Person in the Dinéh creation story—embodies
harmony and balance in the cycle of life. Her enduring spirit sets the stage for ‘Changing
Woman’s Hair’, a gripping novel where crime, mythology, and cultural identity collide.
Marin Sinclair is reeling from the death of her beloved friend and mentor, Evangelina Tso, but
when she finds Vangie has appointed her as guardian to her teenage son, Garret, Marin must
grapple not only with her own grief but with whether she will accept or refuse the challenge of
guardianship. How can she hope to earn the trust of a teen who blames her for both his
mother’s death and his father’s desertion?
As Marin struggles with her decision, she is drawn into a murder investigation when Navajo
Nation Police Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes responds to a stolen vehicle call and discovers a
murdered boy inside, a boy who was a close friend of Garret’s. The growing number of reports
of vehicle theft and attacks by fire-wielding skinwalkers—Dinéh wolf-witches—on lonely
reservation highways have also drawn the attention of federal agent Cullen MacPherson,
currently on liaison assignment to a political entourage in a US Senator’s bid for reelection.
Events converge during a horseback trip amid the towering ruins of Canyon de Chelly, where
the canyon walls are streaked with the black varnish called Changing Woman’s hair. Here Marin
looks to the ever-mysterious Lewis George for help when their party faces a rising tide of
dangers—murder, political violence, and a deadly cascade of bomb attacks. Marin’s journey
tests her courage and her loyalties as she navigates not only the external threats but her own
ghosts of past regrets, betrayals, lost love, and the on-going question of who and what
constitutes family.
Nation, Changing Woman—a central Holy Person in the Dinéh creation story—embodies
harmony and balance in the cycle of life. Her enduring spirit sets the stage for ‘Changing
Woman’s Hair’, a gripping novel where crime, mythology, and cultural identity collide.
Marin Sinclair is reeling from the death of her beloved friend and mentor, Evangelina Tso, but
when she finds Vangie has appointed her as guardian to her teenage son, Garret, Marin must
grapple not only with her own grief but with whether she will accept or refuse the challenge of
guardianship. How can she hope to earn the trust of a teen who blames her for both his
mother’s death and his father’s desertion?
As Marin struggles with her decision, she is drawn into a murder investigation when Navajo
Nation Police Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes responds to a stolen vehicle call and discovers a
murdered boy inside, a boy who was a close friend of Garret’s. The growing number of reports
of vehicle theft and attacks by fire-wielding skinwalkers—Dinéh wolf-witches—on lonely
reservation highways have also drawn the attention of federal agent Cullen MacPherson,
currently on liaison assignment to a political entourage in a US Senator’s bid for reelection.
Events converge during a horseback trip amid the towering ruins of Canyon de Chelly, where
the canyon walls are streaked with the black varnish called Changing Woman’s hair. Here Marin
looks to the ever-mysterious Lewis George for help when their party faces a rising tide of
dangers—murder, political violence, and a deadly cascade of bomb attacks. Marin’s journey
tests her courage and her loyalties as she navigates not only the external threats but her own
ghosts of past regrets, betrayals, lost love, and the on-going question of who and what
constitutes family.
About the Author
Drawing from her own life story in the Four Corners area of the Navajo
Nation, author Jan D. Payne offers readers a journey into the heart of the
American Southwest in a modern-day romantic suspense series. Writing
characters who navigate diverse cultural influences to explore the lines
between the seen and the unseen, the modern and the traditional, the present
and the past—she creates a world where the impossible becomes possible,
and mythical legends come to life.
Nation, author Jan D. Payne offers readers a journey into the heart of the
American Southwest in a modern-day romantic suspense series. Writing
characters who navigate diverse cultural influences to explore the lines
between the seen and the unseen, the modern and the traditional, the present
and the past—she creates a world where the impossible becomes possible,
and mythical legends come to life.
Jan is a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West. She
and her husband live in northern Minnesota with their three big
dogs—Kaibab, Rudi, and Orrin. Visit her website at: jandpayne.com
Contact Links
