The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Jones, Stephen Graham. The Only Good Indians. New York: Saga Press, 2020.

This novel is set approximately in the present day. The novel opens in Williston, North Dakota. Ricky Boss Ribs is a Blackfeet Native American who left the Blackfeet reservation about ten years ago. One night, he sees an elk in the parking lot of a bar. The elk slams itself into various trucks, setting off their alarms. A group of white men emerge from the bar, thinking that Ricky is vandalizing their trucks. The men attack and kill Ricky.

The story then shifts focus to Lewis A. Clark, a Blackfeet Native American who also left the reservation about ten years ago. He now lives in Great Falls, Montana and is married to a white woman named Peta. He has begun to see strange visions of elk. The reader soon learns that, ten years ago, Lewis went on a hunting expedition with Ricky and two other Blackfeet: Gabe and Cassidy. During the expedition, they followed a herd of elk into an area where only Blackfeet elders are permitted. There, they shot and killed several elk. The hunters were caught and were stripped of their hunting privileges.

Now, Lewis believes that his recent visions of elk may be bad omens. He begins to suspect that a local woman named Shaney may be an incarnation of a vengeful elk spirit. Shaney works with lewis at the local post office and is from the Crow community. Lewis begins to notice other strange occurrences, such as his dog dying of mysterious injuries. Eventually, Lewis murders Shaney. Soon after Shaney’s death, Peta dies suddenly. Lewis notices movement in Shaney’s stomach and cuts it open. He finds a live infant elk in her womb. Not long after, Lewis is found and killed by local vigilantes.

The story then shifts focus to the Blackfeet Reservation, which is headquartered in Browning, Montana. Gabe and Cassidy, the other two men who were present on the hunting trip, still live on the reservation. Gabe is a somewhat reckless man, and he sometimes still hunts, despite his revoked hunting privileges. Cassidy used to make money by selling illegal drugs, but he has recently decided to live a more law-abiding life. Gabe has a daughter, Denorah, with whom he has a somewhat distant relationship. Denorah is primarily raised by her mother and stepfather. Denorah is about 12 years old, but she already shows exceptional talent at basketball.

One day, a Blackfeet man named Victor hires Gabe and Cassidy to build a makeshift sweat lodge. Victor wants Gabe and Cassidy to guide Victor’s son Nathan through a sweat lodge ritual. Victor hopes that the ritual will help Nathan feel more connected to his Native heritage. Gabe, Cassidy, and Nathan all participate in the ritual, while Victor waits outside. Victor is suddenly attacked by the elk spirit. By the end of the ritual, the three participants feel invigorated, but they are confused when they do not see Victor. The elk spirit then manipulates Gabe and Cassidy into fighting each other. Gabe kills Cassidy and then himself.

Denorah arrives at the sweat lodge site the next day and is confused to find no one. She sees only a woman who introduces herself as Shaney. Shaney and Denorah play a game of one-on-one basketball. Eventually, Shaney reveals her true self and chases Denorah. Nathan, who is still alive, goes to get help. Eventually, Denorah’s stepfather appears and shoots the elk creature. As the creature dies, Denorah exchanges expressions of compassion with it, thereby ending the cycle of violence and vengeance.