Von Biela, Lisa - Skinshift

Please, just think shape shift and you’re halfway there.
Small time thieves leave their new recruit for dead in the Mojave.
Yes, they beat him up, but did not kill him, thinking the desert would kill him off.
Story switches back and forth between the petty losers and Grade-D sunburn, wanting revenge.
40 pages in, a magical coyote appears. Our villain drinks enchanted water, does a thing with the coyote, and moves plans for vengeance into high gear.
Late in the novella, new characters are introduced, and I knew exactly what their purpose would be,
Fast moving action, characters sketched enough to get a handle on them.
Nevertheless, this is awfully predictable.
Change of pace from many Delirium / Dark Fuse grief soaked releases.