Set in nineteenth century Minnesota during the events leading up to the Dawes Act of 1887 (one of the biggest land grabs in the history of white and Native relations), Peter Grandbois' new novel, Half Burnt, follows the life of Hole in the Day, arguably the most important historical chief of the Ojibwe nation. Narrated by an aging, Métis priest as he takes the confession of Hole in the Day's right hand man, Niibiinishkang the novel slowly uncovers the mystery of who murdered Hole in the Day. But for a people who have seemingly lost everything is there an easy answer to anything, especially murder?