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The metro library Club Book events are fantastic — this year’s talks are unfortunately all over with. (Sept. 18 to Nov. 4, at all the metro area libraries. Carver County Library hosted Nigerian-British novelist Oyinkan Braithwaite on Nov. 4 — a virtual event, Facebook.com/ClubBook/live. These are often recorded and can be watched later.)

Someone that really got my attention this year was a new author I had not heard of before: Jon Hickey, a member of the Lac de Flambeau Band of Chippewa (Anishinaabe).

His debut book “Big Chief” is set on a fictional reservation in northern Wisconsin, the Passage Rouge Nation. Mitch Caddo has spent parts of his childhood living there with an influential family, Joe Beck and his wife, and their two adopted kids Mack and Layla Beck. Joe is the tribe’s white attorney, who saw promise in young Mitch and took him on by helping him get into law school and find his footing, after his mother’s tragic death.

Mack Beck was elected Tribal president, but Mitch does about 90% of the work. Mack and Mitch campaigned against the previous administration’s corruption, but ended up spending a lot of time banishing tribal members, and removing them from the rolls (meaning no annual check from the casino).

Mack is up for re-election against activist Gloria Hawkins, who is getting a lot of support and seems to be ahead. Her platform is anticorruption. Mack bought a big truck, lives in the casino, does whatever he wants, and orders the tribal police around to harass anyone who opposes him.

Mitch tries his best to control Mack’s impulses. Complications include Mitch’s affection for Layla, Mack’s sister, who supports Gloria; and whispers of corruption involving Joe, Mack’s adoptive attorney father. I loved the characters, even though they were often seriously flawed.

Jon Hickey is from Minnesota, but lives in San Francisco now. This is his first book.