Product Description
A corpse whose palms and soles have been "scalped" is only the first in a series of disturbing clues: an airplane's mysterious crash in the nighttime desert, a bizarre attack on a windmill, a vanishing shipment of cocaine. Sgt. Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police is trapped in the deadly web of a cunningly spun plot driven by Navajo sorcery and white man's greed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

The Dark Wind
Tony Hillerman is my favorite author, I have nearly every book he wrote and all are great reading.

I recommend this seller
Great care was taken in packaging and shipping this book.I received the book in a very short time.I feel the seller cares about the books and his clients.

Loved It!!!
This was a great book and which I received from a really fast supplier.Would definitely do business with this seller again.I give an A+++++

Good Book
I had to read this book for my college english class.I never would have picked up this book originally but I'm glad I read it.The story is entertaining and keeps your attention.If you like Tony Hillerman or mystery novels you'll like this book too.

Forward energy, logic, landscape, weather and mood
The land is a character. So is the weather. The coming of darkness, lightening and rain are seen and felt. This novel is a place as much as a character and a story. It has no mis-steps, but moves forward with a steady energy to its resolution. Read it on a dark and stormy night. ... Read more

Product Description

A dying man is murdered. A rich man's wife agrees to pay three thousand dollars for the return of a stolen box of rocks. A series of odd, inexplicable events is haunting Sergeant Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police and drawing him alone into the Bad Country of the merciless Southwest, where nothing good can survive . . . including Chee. Because an assassin waits for him there, protecting a thirty-year-old vision that greed has sired and blood has nourished. And only one man will walk away.

Customer Reviews (22)

People of Darkness Tony Hillerman
Another great book by Tony Hillerman.I am anxious to move forward with the rest of the books and re-read what I did before as well as discover new story lines.This is s facinating look at the Navaho culture as it is in modern times.They use old skills taught by their elders and new skills to match the modern era.Informative and fun reading.

Gift
I started buying these for my mother. She LOVES them. I haven't read them, so this is a pointless review - I love it because my mother loves receiving it from me.

"The mole, his hunting place is darkness."
"The mole, his hunting song is silence."

Sgt Jim Chee of the Navaho tribal police is asked by the wife of Benjamin J. Vines to retrieve a mysterious box stolen from her husband's safe while he was away. When mister vines returns he tells Chee that it was all a mistake and hands Chee a check. We all know Chee can not let this lay still so the mystery leads him to people that use a mole for their talisman "The people of Darkness" and it appears that something (or someone) is killing them all off.

The mystery is fair and Tony Hillerman does not hide clues or surprise suspects to the last minute so it is not too hard to guess most of the plot or who the good guys and bad guys are. We are introduced to the Navaho concept of witches and Mary Landon who will play parts (if she survives) in future novels. In the process we get a vivid description of the four corners region of the U.S. and other areas near by. In "People of Darkness" he picks up a Lota Burger and I have eaten a few of them my self. In future books we will be introduced to the Navaho Taco. For the anthropologist in us he describes many sings and ways.

The Boy Who Made Dragonfly

"The mole, his hunting place is darkness."
"The mole, his hunting song is silence."

Sgt Jim Chee of the Navaho tribal police is asked by the wife of Benjamin J. Vines to retrieve a mysterious box stolen from her husband's safe while he was away. When mister vines returns he tells Chee that it was all a mistake and hands Chee a check. We all know Chee can not let this lay still so the mystery leads him to people that use a mole for their talisman "The people of Darkness" and it appears that something (or someone) is killing them all off.

The mystery is fair and Tony Hillerman does not hide clues or surprise suspects to the last minute so it is not too hard to guess most of the plot or who the good guys and bad guys are. We are introduced to the Navaho concept of witches and Mary Landon who will play parts (if she survives) in future novels. In the process we get a vivid description of the four corners region of the U.S. and other areas near by. In "People of Darkness" he picks up a Lota Burger and I have eaten a few of them my self. In future books we will be introduced to the Navaho Taco. For the anthropologist in us he describes many sings and ways.

The Boy Who Made Dragonfly

Nailbiter
Even though I realized when I got it I had read it before, it was worth a second read. ... Read more

Product Description

Officer Bernadette Manuelito found the dead man slumped over in the cab of a blue pickup abandoned in a dry gulch off a dirt road, with a rich ex-con's phone number in his pocket . . . and a tobacco tin nearby filled with tracer gold. It's her initial mishandling of the scene that spells trouble for her supervisor, Sergeant Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police, but it's the echoes of a long-ago crime that call the legendary former Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn out of retirement. Years earlier, Leaphorn followed the trail of a beautiful, young, and missing wife to a dead end, and his failure has haunted him ever since. But ghosts never sleep in these high, lonely Southwestern hills. And the twisted threads of craven murders past and current may finally be coming together, thanks to secrets once moaned in torment on the desert wind.

Many writers have tried to follow Hillerman's trail, setting murder mysteries in Native American cultural landscapes. Many do a fine job. But, as The Wailing Wind beautifully demonstrates, there's only one Tony Hillerman. In this book he's at the top of his game. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (99)

Wailing Woman
THE SETUP
5-years previously Wiley Denton killed Marvin MacKay, allegedly a swindler, trying to sell Denton the location of the lost Golden Calf Mine.The same night, Denton's wife, Linda disappeared, never to be heard from or of, again.Denton served is manslaughter sentence and was released.

In the present, Navajo Tribal Policewoman Bernadette Manueletto is sent to investigated an abandoned vehicle and finds a dead man (Thomas Dougherty) inside--apparently dead of natural causes.Although he his later found to have been murdered, Bernie does not adequately preserve the crime scene, and takes an old tobacco can with her which may be evidence.Her boss (and boyfriend to be) Jim Chee calls on "the legendary lieutenant" (retired) Joe Leaphorn for advice.It appears that Dougherty may be running the same scam as MacKay.Trying to vindicate herself, Bernie is nearly shot--it turns out, by a Navajo shaman.Leaphorn is hired by Denton to find his missing wife.Thats the setup.

COMMENTS ON THE WAILING WIND
Compared to some earlier novels in the series, there is much less said about Native American religion.Continuing sidestories continue, but with little new development."The Wailing Wind" is more of a traditional mystery novel--and a darn good one.Out of hundreds of mysteries I've read, I rate this one among the best.

COMMENTS ON THE SERIES
In his Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee novels, Tony Hillerman, creates an almost "alternate reality", a world alien to most readers, but vividly filled with fascinating individuals and intriguing mysteries.The major "good guys", are very believable, likeable and admirable individuals (despite normal human flaws), who are easy for the reader to become emotionally attached to.

VERDICT
The Wailing Wind is one of the best in a series of masterpieces.

Very good
I have been reading Tony Hillerman novels since his two characters were separate, each being featured in his own book. Later, of course, Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn crossed paths, and now both are in all of his books. Hillerman recently passed away, so we won't be getting any more of these wonderful books.

In this installment, Chee's young female colleage, Bernardette Manuelito, stumbles on a dead body, thinks the death natural, and goofs up the crime scene. When the death is later discovered to be a homicide, Chee and Leaphorn have to first repair her mistake, and then discover who killed the victim. The death is tied into a killing some years before, which was already solved. The killer has recently been released from prison, and he's seeking his wife, who disappeared at the same time he committed the killing for which he went to jail. He hires Leaphorn to look for her, but soon of course the "Legendary Lieutenant" is off on his own tangent, working the case from his own angle.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. There's a lost gold mine involved, a love triangle (or maybe not?) gone horribly wrong, and of course the question of whether the original conviction was correct. The characters have definitely been developed pretty thoroughly in other books, so this might not be the best one to start with, but it's definitely a good book and a good mystery.

Loved It!!!
This was a great book and which I received from a really fast supplier.Would definitely do business with this seller again.I give an A+++++

HILLERMAN AND THE NTP


I'm a little late in posting a review, one which with 92 others present, will probably be mostly overlooked.Oh, well, that doesn't undermine the reading enjoyment this late story from Mr. Hillerman offers.

Tony Hillerman's story concerns lost mines, placer gold, and the people who kill or commit crimes when involved with them.This one concerns a murder, one the killer has already served time for, but as the plot rolls on we find more have also taken place.

Sgt. Jim Chee and retired Lt. Joe Leephorn are exceptional characters with cultural information of both the Navajo and Navajo Tribal Police most interesting.Too bad Tony Hillerman is deceased, yet he has left us real reading gems such as this one.This is one fine book.

Semper Fi.

GREAT LISTENING--UNABRIDGED.


Don't listen to many audio books, preferring instead to read them in print, but this 6 disc set is a real pleasure in its listening.The narrator, Geroge Guidall, has done not only an excellent job, but in my opinion is the best of any audio book to which I have listened.

Tony Hillerman's story concerns lost mines, placer gold, and the people who kill or commit crime when involved with them.This one concerns a murder, one the killer has already done time for, but as the plot rolls on possibly he is culpable for others more recent.And somewhere along the way you just know how Linda is going to end up.

Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn are exceptional characters with the cultural information of the Navajo and the Navajo Tribal Police most interesting. Too bad Tony is deceased but he left us many excellent books to enjoy.

Semper Fi. ... Read more

Product Description

Three men raid the gambling casino run by the Ute nation and then disappear into the maze of canyons on the Utah-Arizona border. When the FBI, with its helicopters and high-tech equipment, focuses on a wounded deputy sheriff as a possible suspect, Navajo Tribal Police Sergeant Jim Chee and his longtime colleague, retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, launch an investigation of their own. Chee sees a dangerous flaw in the federal theory; Leaphorn sees intriguing connections to the exploits of a legendary Ute bandit-hero. And together, they find themselves caught up in the most perplexing—and deadly—criminal manhunt of their lives.

In a world teeming with "sense of place" mysteries--set in Seattle, Alaska, the Arizona desert, or Chicago--it can be a shock to return to Hillerman, who started it all, and realize just how superior he is to the rest of the pack. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (102)

good story, damaged tape
Great story, well read but tape had some damage.Tape was sold as in very good condition but it was not.
Most of it was fine but it was distorted in several places.I gave the tape to friends and told them to expect some distortion - they will be happy but I did not represent it as better than it is.

Hunting the Badger
SETUP
While, Navajo Tribal Police dectective Jim Chee has been on vacation in Alaska, the Ute Casino was robbed, by three men who apparently stole an airplane from Roy Gershwin after their stolen truck broke down.The attitude of the local police is "good riddance" since the crime was the jurisdiction of the FBI which only misused and abused local police.The FBI's only suspect is off-duty policeman, Teddy Bye, who was working as private security for the casino.However, policewoman Benadette Manualetto (who has a mutual attraction to Chee) is convinced that Bye is not guilty, and convinces Chee to look into the matter while he is still technically on vacation.In the meantime, Gershwin approaches retired "legendary lieutenant" Joe Leaphorn with a list of the alleged perpetrators--all local "militia"-types, but swears Leaphorn not to reveal where the list came from.One of these is Everett Jory, whom Leaphorn later finds dead in his home, seemingly a suicide, having left behind a suicide note on his computer naming George "Badger" Ironhand, and Alexander "Buddy" Baker as the remaining perpetrators and suggesting their hideout.That's the setup.

COMMENTS ON THE SERIES
In his Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee novels, Tony Hillerman, creates an almost "alternate reality", a world alien to most readers, but vividly filled with fascinating individuals and intriguing mysteries.The major "good guys", are very believable, likeable and admirable individuals (despite normal human flaws), who are easy for the reader to become emotionally attached to.

COMMENTS ON HUNTING BADGER
Earlier Tony Hillerman novels have been very "economical".That is Hillerman used the minimum words to present a simple straightforward story.In Hunting Badger, I have the feeling that filler (in the form of clever twists) were added after the novel was essentially complete, and the result broke up the flow of the novel.This is the first Hillerman novel in which I felt that some passages were tiresome.

VERDICT
A very good novel in a series of masterpieces.

Very Happy
Bought the book to replace a library book my dog destroyed.It was exactly as ordered and came in good time.

How would the locals handle it?
In an Author's Note at the beginning of the book we see the reason for why this book was written. A story from the late 90's that involved a horribly mismanaged search for some cop killers in the Navajo area is the inspiration for this story. To summarize that event - and by extension, this book - a police officer attempting to stop a stolen truck is shot and killed. In the chase that followed, one of the criminals is shot and killed while the other two disappear after they've wounded a few more cops. The FBI (Federal Bureau of Ineptitude - as it is called in this book) takes over charge of the search in the area and after involving 20 different agencies, manages to bungle the investigation and tracking of the criminals so badly that they are never caught. As Hillerman relates, those people who know the local terrain were told to man checkpoints on the main roads rather than use their local knowledge.

Hunting Badger is Hillerman's musings on how such an event should have been handled had the local cops been allowed to use their unique knowledge. The twists in the plot are that instead of a stolen water truck, Hillerman has the criminals come in and rob a casino and then disappear. Using his unique vantage point of being able to combine Indian lore with modern drama, Hillerman posits that one of the criminals is a Paiute Indian who is the direct descendant of an Indian that bedeviled the Navajos by leading war parties against them some decades before whom the Navajos believed to be a witch - due to his ability to move from the top to the bottom of a canyon with no visible means of climbing the sides of the canyons.

Hillerman weaves in the story the ways in which both Leaphorn and Chee go about investigating the ancient story as well as the modern crime. As background, we see the impact of the Federal Bureau of Ineptitude in their self-important but utterly useless posturing. I was particularly amused by the reports of how the criminal's truck is discovered by an Indian policeman but then the FBI swoops in on helicopters to guard it, and the wind generated by the landing helicopters wipes out the tracks around the truck. Of course, then, the FBI assigns the Indian who discovered the truck the responsibility for guarding it while they swoosh off to fly over the area!

No Hillerman story would be complete without the movement forward of the social life of his two heroes. And in this respect, Hillerman does not disappoint. Leaphorn is now retired and his relationship with Louisa is slowly advancing. Leaphorn is not feeling as much guilt about his relationship with Louisa given the past death of his wife Emma. In fact, Leaphorn is becoming less taciturn and more talkative and explains much more to Chee and even Manuelitto of what is going on - giving us a new look at how his mind works and why it works so well in resolving the crimes.

Chee is moving beyond his relationship with Janet Pete. She appears in the book only as a cameo. Instead, he now has a new interest in the person of Bernie - a fellow cop who is interested in him enough that she nurses him back to health and Chee starts comparing her to Pete and finds her to be a better fit for him. So, I expect this relationship will be moving forward in future books. Chee's relationship with Leaphorn has also evolved and he is better at reacting to Leaphorn as a person and not so much in awe of "the Legendary Lieutenant".

Like all Hillerman stories, the actual culprits and their motives are hidden initially, but get revealed as you read through the book. There are references to different kinds of militias that are prevalent in the southwest and the problems that they may cause, but in the end, the way the book ends is highly satisfying as the local police force figures out what happened and conclude the investigation.

Clearly local knowledge trumps the big budget and importance of the outsiders who come flying in. What else did you expect?

Another Great Hillerman Novel
As always, I enjoy reading Tony Hillerman's novels. I read and re-read them (both in print and as audio books). I was glad to see in this book that Jim Chee is getting over Janet Pete and starting to take notice of Officer Bernadette Manuelito. Chee and the retired Leaphorn solve the mystery long before the FBI guys which, of course, is pleasing. And then at the end of the book one of the robbers gets away. Now I need to be sure and read the next book in the series. This book is a good combination of Navajo culture, interesting characters, and suspense. ... Read more

Product Description

Retirement has never sat well with former Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn. Now the ghosts of a still-unsolved case are returning to haunt him, reawakened by a photograph in a magazine spread of a one-of-a-kind Navajo rug, a priceless work of woven art that was supposedly destroyed in a suspicious fire many years earlier. The rug, commemorating one of the darkest and most terrible chapters in American history, was always said to be cursed, and now the friend who brought it to Leaphorn's attention has mysteriously gone missing.

Customer Reviews (131)

Enjoyable, Despite Holes in the Plot
I bought The Shape Shifter just because I ran across it cheap and had always heard great things about Hillerman. I thought I'd give it a shot.

And as it turns out, I'm actually quite glad that The Shape Shifter was the first Hillerman that I read. I will admit that not everything about the plot coheres with reality. It's a little difficult to believe that the villain would be motivated to commit the crime that he committed. And it was especially unlikely to me that a man as sensible as Leaphorn would make some of the stupid decisions that he makes in the novel. I think, though, that I was largely willing to forgive Hillerman for the flaws that detract from the novel because it was my first Hillerman book (and I wasn't used to the high standard of his other mysteries) and just because I enjoyed the novel anyway.

I enjoyed many of the things that everyone loves about his novels. The atmosphere of the southwest and the reverence with which Hillerman treats Navajo culture are powerfully woven into the story. The details about Navajo weaving are especially rich in The Shape Shifter. And the character of Leaphorn himself, who even on the first reading feels like an old friend, simply carries the story. I could enjoy any novel featuring Joe Leaphorn, even one with a worse plot that this.

I have moved on to reading other Hillerman novels, and those have so far been better than this one. But I still remember The Shape Shifter fondly, as a novel with plenty enough of Hillerman's charm to be satisfying.

Sad
While this was not Tony Hillerman's best work, I am glad that he wrote it and gave me one last trip with Lt Leaphorn and Jim Chee. I will miss them all, and sadly, when Mr. Hillerman died, so did the characters. I recommend reading of his last novel for that last trip around the Navajo country side.

The Plot Mangler
THE SETUP
Joe Leaphorn's old friend, Mel Bork, sends Leaphorn a magazine photo which shows an famous old Navaho rug, believed to have been lost in a fire.After Bork has been missing several days, Leaphorn investigates the rug.

PREMISE--contains spoilers
A CIA agent (Perkins) working in Vietnam in the late-1960s syphons off a fortune intended for bribes, and then "retires" to San Francisco.He takes a young Hmong boy (Tommy Vang) with him, whom he essentially enslaves.After several years he apparently becomes bored, and begins a series of petty scams around the country, which involve murders.One of these was of a trading post in the Four Corners area, where he (as Roy Shonack) betrays several accomplices. Unbelievably, about the time they are getting out of prison, (even though still maintaining a home in San Francisco) he (as Todder) opens another trading post in the area (the Four Corners area), which he is forced to burn when recognized, and disappear again.Several years later, for the third time, he (as Jason Delos) moves back to the area, and allows a famous Navajo rug which was allegedly burnt in the trading post fire to be photographed and published in a magazine.The plot could be greatly improved by cutting out one generation of trading-posts, but it still wouldn't be plausible.

CAVEATS
The story begins with a flash ahead, and then steps back and fourth through three earlier time periods.The presentation is confusing.

"Shape Shifter" contains so many serious implausibilities, that if I were to list a dozen or so, readers of this review would object to why I failed to mention a different dozen.It all starts in the beginning when Leaphorn couldn't care less about his missing "friend", but is obsessed with the silly rug.This particular Leaphorn novel is apparently set in an alternate universe where Joe has been retired "for a few months".In the main series, at the time of Jim Chee's honeymoon, Leaphorn would have been retired for 3 or 4 years.

CUDOS
The story of the rug is fascinating, and echos the earlier and best novels in the series.Many elements of the overt storyline reflect the story of the rug.E.g., Billy's enslavement somewhat refects the imprisonment of the Navajos.The concept is bold, and potentially terrific, albeit not fully realized.

THE VERDICT
As a Tony Hillerman fan, it comes as a great disappointment to me to say that "Shape Shifter" is the first Tony Hillerman novel that I cannot recommend.

The Shape Shifter
I have read all of Tony Hillermans books about Leaphorn and Chee and looked forward to the Shape Shifter. I have to say that Shape Shifter is not Mr. Hillerman's best work, but I enjoyed reading it all the same. I was saddened by Tony Hillerman's passing and I will miss waiting for his next book. I hate to think that there will never be another book with Lt. Leaphorn, Chee and Bernie in the future for me to enjoy. Sitting on a shelf above my head in my office are all of the Leaphorn books that I will read once again. If you have never read a Tony Hillerman novel, then I suggest you buy one and read it.

Hillerman Creates Myth in His Last Mystery
Hillerman once said he turned to fiction, rather than journalism, in order to find a sense of meaning not present in dry facts.

This is the most mythological of his books, using the language of myth to talk about about purpose, about the uses of culture art and historical memory, about facing death, about how to live well in a system that tells us all the wrong things.This is a book about ultimate priorities:in police work, in retirement, in living.Which is more important -- a petty theft from an old woman or the death of a man on the FBI's Most Wanted list?Is police work the creation of justice or the futile and unending attempt to stamp out drunk driving on the res?Is tribal art valuable as trade goods for tourists and collectors, or as the perserver of heritage, or does it sometimes wrongly perpetuate memories of past evils?Is a career, any career, the way to create wealth and earn a long idleness, or is neither money or purposeless time all that important?

(The long mythological chapter some readers object to is an attempt to reach the moral sense of a young man raised in isolation by a sociopath:the book depends on how well he understands this conversation.)

This is a good end to the series and leaves all the characters in a satisfying place -- read this book last if you are interested in Hillerman's mysteries.(_The Sinister Pig_ has some parallels to this book:it also features an utterly evil villain motivated by greed and selfishness and a potentially sympathetic henchman ... and it also asks questions about the value and purpose of police work.)

Here Leaphorn is both moral and immoral; this is a book about metaphors and larger truths rather than a by-the-book application of the law (and police proceedure) to catch a run-of-the-mill bad guy.

(I listened to the audiobook.)
... Read more

Product Description

In 1956, an airplane crash left the remains of 172 passengers scattered among the majestic cliffs of the Grand Canyon—including an arm attached to a briefcase containing a fortune in gems. Half a century later, one of the missing diamonds has reappeared . . . and the wolves are on the scent.

Hillerman is a name-brand writer with a huge and well deserved following. His evocation of the landscape of the Southwest is as compelling as it ever was, and many familiar characters from the other 18 novels in this prize-winning series appear here, notably Sergeant Jim Chee and border patrol officer Bernie Manuelito, the woman Chee hopes to marry. Joe Leaphorn remains his most fully-realized protagonist; his perspective on life, destiny, and the sometimes uneasy truce between Native Americans and whites gives this series a unique place in the genre. But as evidenced by his latest, Hillerman's hero needs more than a retired duffer's memories to keep him vital and alive, even for his most dedicated fans.--Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (88)

Bait & Switch
Seems like this seller isn't interested in making good on her sales.Never received book I thought I was buying.Got something different entirely and no effort made to exchange or make things right.

Wonderful listen
I loved this story of Chee and Bernie, with a bit thrown in by Leaphorn. Hillerman weaves a wonderful story with mystery and excitement. I especially enjoyed the loving interaction between Chee and Bernie who will be married soon.The reader was great too giving that sense of being there. I recommend this CD to everyone who is a Hillerman fan and loves stories set in the Southwest.

Tony Hillerman still has it.
In this book, many of our old friends wrap up their story.We meet a few new friends.In addition, if I did not know any better I would say Tony was wrapping up his writing career.

Many reviewers and readers would like tell Tony how to write his stories; I would also.However, the path that Tony chooses is what makes his writing unique.I did notice that the good guys and the bad guys were black and white hats.Hillerman relied very heavily on us reading of his previous books before this latest story.We get a tad of Hopi and Navajo religion, a dabble of what the region looked like, and a short history of what happened to old friends are no longer take part in the story; I've often wondered what happened to the cat.

A generation ago two airplanes crash over the Grand Canyon.One plane carries a man with a case of diamonds attached to his arm.Someone is after the diamonds.Someone is after the arm.Moreover, everyone is looking for a mysterious stranger down in the Grand Canyon.We along with their old friends Jim Chee, and Joe Leaphorn, let's not forget the demure and cunning Bernie Manuelito, get to search together for this mysterious stranger would ever-lurking bad guys just around the corner waiting to do us in.

So sit back and enjoy this quick but intense story.If you get a chance, you will also want to purchase the recorded version by George Guidall. I heard both Guidall and Hillerman and they sound a lot alike.

The Wailing Wind

Leaphorn and Chee Together Again
Navaho and Hopi rituals are part of the background for this story. Retired Lt. Leaphorn and Sgt Chee team up to solve a cold/hot case involving a big stake. Bernie Manuelito is the love interest for Sgt. Chee and is a asset in solving the case.Chee's friend, Cowboy Dashee is obliged to help a relative who has been arrested. Lt. Leaphorn's professor friend provides some help in providing information. Readers of the Leaphorn/Chee mysteries will meet other characters from past books. Tony Hillerman took a good story and filled it with well rounded characters.

Skeletal Novel
THE SETUP
In 1956, an airliner crashed in the Grand Canyon.One of the passengers was John Clark who was returning home with a case full of diamonds chained to his wrist, with plans to marry his pregnant girlfriend.According to Clark's father's will, if he had no direct descendant, the Clark fortune would go to a foundation.The pregnant girlfriend was unable to prove that her child, Joanna Craig was Clark's only descendant.

Many years later, shortly following the robbery/homicide of a jewelry store, (Hopi) Jimmy Tuvey attempts to pawn a diamond, and is arrested for the murder.That diamond was apparently one of those lost in the crash.That a diamond was found implies that it may be possible to find the arm the diamond case was chained to, and prove that Joanna Craig is is John Clark's descendent by DNA analysis.Joanna offers a $100,000 reward for the arm.

Of course, Dan Plymail, the CEO of the foundation which is looting the Clark estate, does not want the DNA found, and hires skip-tracer Bradford Chandler to prevent that eventuality.

Navajo tribal police officer Jim Chee, his fiancee Bernadette Manualetto, and "the legendary lieutenant" Joe Leaphorn are implausibly drawn into the mystery to prove Jimmy, a cousin of Cowboy Dashee, innocent.

COMMENTS
Earlier novels in the series were very "economical", with a few well developed characters, and straightforward filler-free stories.Beginning with "Wailing Wind", several novels back, Hillerman is (unfortunately?) entering the mainstream of police mystery novels, with dozens of named characters, most throw-away (i.e., that appear on one or two pages, never to be heard from or of again, who have little significance to the novel); and complex plots.The stories are no longer about Native Americans, but rather are about "white people" who coincidentally interact somehow with Jim Chee, et al.The Skeleton Man contains a little Hopi mythology, like some earlier novels.Fortunately, Hillerman is sufficiently talented to keep up with mainstream mystery writers.But I, for one, miss the earlier character-centric and Native-centric novels.

CAVEATS
The setup/premise has numerous weak spots, which are exacerbated by John Clark and father sharing the same name, and Joanna Craig and mother sharing the same name--it is often unclear which generation is being referred to.Readers may be confused by which of several different diamonds is being discussed at any one time.Readers may be confused over which robbery is being referred to (a recent one, or one several years earlier at the Short Mountain Trading Post).It seems implausible that Jimmy is charged for a robbery (since the diamond he has is apparently distinct and unique, and should have been recognized immediately and reported).I've read the first section three times, taking notes, and been unable to fully resolve these issues to my satisfaction.By the end, these issues are more-or-less clear, or at least irrelevant, but they still distract from enjoyment of the early chapters.

The theft from the Short Mountain Trading Post is apparently only an excuse to get Joe Leaphorn and John "Shorty" McGuinness minimally involved in the story.The flash flood at the end is a bit of a "machina ex deus"--a rather hackneyed device that Hillerman has re-used from an earlier novel. There is no adequate explanation of why Jimmy disappeared in the Canyon.

One also wonders why John Clark senior (clearly stated to have been alive after his son's death), apparently so hostile toward Joanna (senior) did not specifically change his will to exclude her and her daughter.

THE VERDICT
A good read in a great series, but unnecessarily confusing.It appears that Hillerman wrote a nice simple story, and padded it with convolutions, to the detriment of the story.

Note: I listened to the audioversion, so some spellings of names may be incorrect
... Read more

Product Description

A photographic journey through the landscape immortalized in bestselling author Tony Hillerman' s beloved mystery series featuring the legendary Navajo police officers Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Sergeant Jim Chee

Customer Reviews (13)

Hillerman's Landscape
This is a beautiful complement to my collection of Tony Hillerman books.It is marvelous to be able to see the landscapes via the camera's eye, other than via my mind's eye.Every Hillerman fan should own this book.

A Fitting Memorial
TONY HILLERMAN'S DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW COMPLETED A BOOK THAT SHARES SO MUCH OF WHAT HILLERMAN WAS ABOUT.TRULY AWESOME SCENERY, NATIVE AMERICAN LIVES AND LORE TREATED WITH RESPECT, AND TIDBITS FROM HILLERMAN'S LIFE THAT MAKE ME WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT HIM.IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE LEAPHORN AND CHEE MYSTERIES READ THIS, THIS BOOK WILL LEAD YOU ON INTO THE FULL STORIES WITH THEIR TWISTS AND TURNS AND WONDERS.

Tribute to a Great Author
I have read all of Tony Hillerman's books both fiction and nonfiction.I have never read one that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.I especially enjoyed the Chee & Leaphorn books. This book authored by Mr. Hillerman's daughter with photographs by his son-in-law brought most of the places described by Mr. Hillerman in his books to life and is a great tribute to a great author.I will miss Chee and Leaphorn and Tony Hillerman

Tony Hillerman's Landscape is a must for any fan of Hillerman
Even if you weren't brought to tears upon hearing about Tony Hillerman's death, this book is a worthy companion to his novels. His daughter's writing and her husband's photography really bring to life the world that made up the background for Hillerman's stories. It also touches upon how his life unfolded to give us Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn.

My only complaint is that the printing really has a strong smell, but that goes away over time if left out to air. I still would have purchased this book even if I had been able to smell it first! For us, it's a good tribute to Tony's life and work and makes our heartache over his loss more bearable.

A Pleasant Journey
As a devoted fan of the Leaphorn/Chee works of Tony Hillerman,I was pleasantly surprised with this work.The photography was excellent and one could almost feel the presence of the "Legendary" Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee pervading the book.I suppose the only thing better than this would be someone discovering a hidden stash of Leaphorn/Chee work crammed in a footlocker. ... Read more

Product Description

The car fire didn't kill Navajo Tribal Policeman Delbert Nez—a bullet did. And the old man in possession of the murder weapon is a whiskey-soaked shaman named Ashie Pinto. Officer Jim Chee is devastated by the slaying of his good friend Del, and confounded by the prime suspect's refusal to utter a single word of confession or denial.

Customer Reviews (30)

Coyote is always waiting
In many Native American traditions, Coyote is both a mischievous trickster and a mythic figure embodying Chaos, waiting in darkness to swallow the best efforts of humanity.In this superb mystery, Tony Hillerman extends the metaphor to show his Navajo policemen, Leaphorn and Chee, each unknowingly working the same case from opposite ends, each trying to piece together the pattern underlying seemingly random events.

Chee's the arresting officer. His friend and fellow officer was laughing over the radio at finally finding the mysterious graffiti artist who was spraying white paint on the black basalt rock formation.Chee delayed going in for backup and when he got there, his friend was dead in his burning patrol car.He found shaman Ashie Pinto with a bottle of expensive whiskey and a gun stuck in his waistband.It looked like an open and shut case.

But then Joe Leaphorn gets involved.Pinto's sort of family, a distant clan relative.How did he get to the murder scene when he hasn't driven for years?Why did he take the sacred tools of his shaman's trade?And who gave him the whiskey?

One reads this first for the mystery--which is so gripping one can scarcely put the book down.One reads it again because the characters are so likable and engaging and because the setting is beautifully evoked.Years later, I picked it up to refresh my memory and found myself hooked again by the story.This time I realized the power of the title and how Hillerman wove this tale within the metaphor of Coyote, master of chaos, waiting hungrily in the dark to undo the good of mankind.Hillerman wrote with the same vividness one sees in the famous Navajo rugs and makes the mythology of Navajo culture come alive.

Tony Hillerman died on October 26, 2008--an American original.This review posted by a grateful fan.

"They teach us that everything has two forms."
Jim Chee sits drinking coffee while partner Tribal Policeman Delbert Nez meets his demise. Chee catches the obvious perpetrator. A Navaho shaman, with a bottle in one hand and THE gun in his belt.Case closed.

Because of his guilt at not backing up his partner and at the insistence of Chee's on again and off again relationship with the defending attorney, Janet Pete, Chee must find out for him self what happened and if he may have made a mistake.
Because of a relationship through is dead wife with Ashie Pinto's (the defendant) clan and also being pushed by Dr. Bourbonette (anthropologist), who insists that Ashie is being railroaded, Joe Leaphorn but also investigate from a different angle. He is constantly thinking about what his dead wife Emma would say in the situation.

Both men are pushed into what looks like an endless amount of overlapping mysteries of which the murder of Delbert Nez is just one. They - and we - must deal with the history of the CIA and that of witches.

Sacred Clowns

a prominent novel in the series
Coyote waits is Tony Hillerman's tenth novel set on the Navajo reservation in New Mexico.Hillerman's two characters, Jim Chee and Lt. Joe Leaphorn, reappear, this time working together to solve the case of the murder of Chee's friend and fellow officer Delbert Nez.The premise is solid and the characters, as usual, are a joy.

I'm working my way through these Hillerman novels in order and I've found this one to be a particular pleasurable.With each new novel, Hillerman's characters are growing more mature in terms of their depth and complexity.Although Hillerman can't seem to resist the temptation to introduce romantic complexities, he doesn't let the dalliance interfere with the quality of the mystery.

Coyote Waits also exhibits a complexity of plot that may be a high point of Hillerman's progress so far.As usual his characterization of the Navajo reservation and its denizens is a pleasure.He brings the outsider is detachment, but always with a sensitive touch.

This is a fine installment in the series and recommended to any fan of Hillerman's fiction.

Very good
This book has been recommended to me many times since it was released and I just now got around to reading it.Extraordinary characters populate a beautiful landscape, playing off one another to tell a compelling yet sad tale about an old man, greedy academics, alcoholism, Navajo mysticism, and murder.

I look forward to reading more of Mr. Hillerman's novels.

Coyote Waits
I enjoy the Leaphorn, Chee mysteries because they are about Native Indian characters. Being Cherokee myself its wonderful to read books about fellow Native Indians. It is refreshing. ... Read more

Product Description

The blind shaman called Listening Woman speaks of witches and restless spirits, of supernatural evil unleashed. But Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police is sure the monster who savagely slaughtered an old man and a teenage girl was human. The solution to a horrific crime is buried somewhere in a dead man's secrets and in the shocking events of a hundred years past. To ignore the warnings of a venerable seer, however, might be reckless foolishness when Leaphorn's investigation leads him farther away from the comprehensible . . . and closer to the most brutally violent confrontation of his career.

Customer Reviews (34)

Enjoyable Detective, Exciting Plot
I'm fairly new to Tony Hillerman, but I'm pretty certain that I'll eventually be working my way through all of his books. This was a fantastic novel, one of the most enjoyable mysteries that I've ever read.

I guess everyone who's heard of Hillerman knows about and is drawn to the cultural perspective that he offers in his books. And that element is certainly prominent and beautiful in Listening Woman, especially whenever Lt. Leaphorn participates in a Changing Woman sing. And also, the southwestern landscape that Hillerman depicts is always appealing, and this element (particularly at the end of Listening Woman) plays an enormous role in the story.

But in Listening Woman, I was especially attracted to two things. First, this novel does have a particularly strong plot. Several seemingly disparate plot threads are gradually woven in the novel into a tight and exciting story. The novel produces a sensible--and very thrilling--climax. Secondly, I think that Joe Leaphorn is one of my favorite detectives in the world of mysteries. His detective tools are humility, good humor, kindness, the ability to listen to people, devotion, and a deep and wide-ranging intelligence. I think that even if a novel featuring Leaphorn had an utterly failed plot (which I can't imagine Hillerman producing) I would still thoroughly enjoy it.

Listening Woman Tony Hillerman Paperback
As with all of Hillermans Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn books this one is also excellent.It has been interesting going back to the beginning and re-reading them all.Great entertainment.
Great seller book was new as advertised.

One of Hillermans best
Great series. Plots are ok but not more and the characters perhaps a bit underdeveloped. However, the atmosphere from the Navajo land is great and what sets this apart is the beautiful, sparse language of the dialogues. And, the simplicity of the plots makes the stories more believable, which is usually way preferable. All in all, this is great stuff. And the way they are read? I sometimes cringe hearing how the reader portraits the female voices (makes them feel a little more silly than I think they were meant) - apart from that - great. Puts the weight and pauses in the right spots. This is one series where I prefer the audiobooks to reading the books themselves.

Excellent Book
This was received in the most expeditious and timely manner and was in the exact condition it was advertised to be...I would definitely order from this person again...A++++

Images in the Sand
THE SETUP
The setup is complex, and defies description in a few sentences:An armored truck in Santa Fe is robbed.The thieves escape in a helicopter which disappears in the area of Lake Powell.Months later while consulting Margarete Cigarette (aka "Listening Woman", a seer who can diagnose, but not treat, illnesses),Hostein ("grandfather") Tzo and Margarete's assistant are murdered, while blind Margarete is a short distance away seeking a vision.A few weeks later, Navajo policeman Joe Leaphorn stops a speeding Mercedes, which then runs Joedown, but not killing him."Gold Rims" (Joe's provisional name for the driver) abandons the Mercedes and strikes overland, roughly in the direction of Hostein Tzo's hogan (house).When Joe visits a trading post in the area, Theodora Adams (from Washington, D.C. whose Corvette has been damaged on the rough roads) hides in the back of Joe's truck to catch a ride to the Tzo hogan.Theodora is chasing Benjamin Tzo (grandson of Hostein Tzo) who had been summoned to his grandfather's place, and who is on a personal "retreat" immediately prior to taking his vows as a priest in the Catholic Church.Returning, Joe finds that Theodora and Benjamin have disappeard.That's the extended setup.

COMMENTS
Detestable conniving women seem to be a continuing theme, in this case Theodora Adams.

The principal continuing character in the series is Joe Leaphorn---one of the most interesting and convincing fictional analytical detectives ever created.Other characters have little depth, but this is an action novel in which Leaphorn does all the action.The novel also features many fascinating insights into Navajho and customs and mythology, not to mention Leaphorn's commentary on "White" culture.The landscape of the "Four Corners" region is particularly vividly described.

VERDICT
"Listening Woman" is one of the best in a series of masterpieces.Indeed, it is my favorite.This is one of those novels to buy in hardcover, because it will be getting plenty of use over the next several decades.
... Read more

Product Description

Two Native-American boys have vanished into thin air, leaving a pool of blood behind them. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police has no choice but to suspect the very worst, since the blood that stains the parched New Mexican ground once flowed through the veins of one of the missing, a young ZuÑi. But his investigation into a terrible crime is being complicated by an important archaeological dig . . . and a steel hypodermic needle. And the unique laws and sacred religious rites of the ZuÑi people are throwing impassable roadblocks in Leaphorn's already twisted path, enabling a craven murderer to elude justice or, worse still, to kill again.

Customer Reviews (31)

never lets you down
I have read several of the leaphorn series, they never disappoint me. Wild Evolution, book I of the Wild Series

No dust jacket
This hardcover book comes as depicted in the photo - a plain looking book with no dust jacket.

Dance Away
THE SETUP
Ernesto Cata (a Zuni boy running to keep in condition for his place in an upcoming Zuni ceremony) and George Bowlegs (a Navajo boy, wantabee Zuni) are confronted by a Katchina.Subsequently, Ernesto is found dead and George disappears.A week earlier they had been chased from an anthropological dig by (poor starving graduate student) Ted Isaacs, and his mentor professor Chester Reynolds.Nearby is a commune called "Jason's Fleece", which the boys frequently visited--particularly a young woman named Susanne who is in love with Ted Isaacs.Navajo police detective Joe Leaphorn is assigned to find George.

COMMENTS
"Dancehall of the Dead" is filled with rich compelling characters.Among these, the principal continuing character in the series is Joe Leaphorn---one of the most interesting and convincing fictional analytical detectives ever created.The novel also features many fascinating insights into Navajho and Zuni customs and mythology, not to mention Leaphorn's commentary on "White" culture.The landscape of the "Four Corners" region is vividly described.

Some aspects of the "mystery" are predictable---but I do not consider that to be a flaw (as do some reviewers).In a well-structured mystery the reader should have the satisfaction of being a little ahead of the protagonist on some issues, but still surprised by twists.In "Dancehall of the Dead", the reader is likely to narrow down the possible solutions to several at an early point, but not beyond that.In my opinion, this is a masterfully structured mystery.

VERDICT
"Dancehall of the Dead" is one of the best in a series of masterpieces.

1974 Edgar Award Winning Mystery - a chilling suspense thriller!
"Dance Hall of the Dead"is the second book in Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee mystery series. Out of the eighteen novels which make up the series, this is one of my favorites. The book, (published in 1973), was awarded a 1974 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Novel. Both protagonists, Leaphorn and Chee, work for the Navajo tribal police and both are members of the Navajo Tribe.

Just before the major festival of the Zuni year to honor the kachinas, benevolent fertility spirits, Ernesto Cata, a twelve year-old Zuni boy, prepares for his part in the ceremonies. He has been chosen to enact the role of "Shulawitsi," the "Little Fire God." The kachinas are impersonated by elaborately costumed masked male members of the tribe. In a variety of ceremonies, they dance, sing, and bring gifts to the children. Although not worshiped, kachinas are greatly revered, and one of their main purposes is to bring rain for the spring crops. While out on the mesa practicing, Cata suddenly disappears. Shortly after he vanishes, his best friend, George Bowlegs, a Navajo boy, also disappears. There are indications that Cata has been stabbed to death. His suspected murder falls under Zuni jurisdiction. Because of the Navajo boy's involvement, Lt. Leaphorn is called in to join other authorities who are working the case. His mission is to find Bowlegs.

When Cata's body is discovered, rumors abound, mixing fact with supernatural legend. People are saying that a kachina is involved in the violent death. Leaphorn's search for the missing Bowlegs heats up. There is a brutal murderer on the loose and the Lieutenant wants to find the boy before the killer does. He has his work cut out for him. A winter storm is approaching, which could turn out to be extremely harsh in the desolate desert climate of the Four Corners region, home of the great reservations. Four Corners is located where the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado abut one another. Further complicating the case is a controversial archeological dig, George Bowlegs' dysfunctional family, and potential drug smuggling which may be connected to a nearby hippie commune.

Leaphorn is skeptical of traditional values, culture, and the supernatural, although he takes reports of witchcraft, and other related phenomena, seriously. He may not be a believer, but "he still treasures the old ways of his people." However, the Zuni are not his people and their laws and religious practices are difficult for him to understand, especially since this is a "crash course" in a new culture. Usually the Navajo and Zuni tribes do not mingle.

Apart from the chilling, suspenseful mystery and fascinating subplots, Tony Hillerman's descriptions of Navajo and Zuni cultures reflect his love of the Native American peoples and the wonders of the American Southwest. Joe Leaphorn was educated in boarding schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Because of his "non-Indian" education, Leaphorn is not as familiar with Navajo tradition as the younger officer Jim Chee. Oddly, this younger man is much more of a traditionalist and is studying to become a healer, a "shaman," while working for the Tribal Police. Leaphorn's outsider perspective on traditional Navajo and Zuni values makes for an interesting read.

Again, "Dance Hall of the Dead," is one of my favorite books in this series. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Jana Perskie

Listening Woman (Joe Leaphorn Novels)
Skinwalkers (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels)
Tony Hillerman's Navajoland: Hideouts, Haunts, and Havens in the Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee Mysteries

vintage Hillerman
As always, Tony Hillerman is at the top of his form. The resolution was a surprise, just like a good mystery should be. Recommended. ... Read more

Product Description

For acting Lieutenant Jim Chee, the murder of a Navajo Tribal Police officer seems like an open-and-shut case when he discovers a Hopi poacher huddled over the victim's butchered corpse. However, Chee's newly retired predecessor, Joe Leaphorn, believes otherwise.

Hillerman has written an engaging novel that once again evokes the land andpeople of the Southwest while also confronting the cultural separateness ofthe region from the power centers of the East. Already honored for hisprevious work (Dance Hall ofthe Dead received the Edgar), The First Eagle is a welcomeaddition to the beloved Chee-Leaphorn series that began in 1971 with The BlessingWay. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

You can see the Hillerman pattern
Because this is my first access to Tony Hillerman I can tell you of the worth of this story without having to compare to earlier works. This was a recording Preformed by George Guidall.

I was going for the story. That is why I buy book. However I understand that many people buy Hillerman for the ambiance. I found enough supporting information to make this story stand alone with out having to have a broad background from earlier books. I found the mystery well designed and the characters well rounded.

I have traveled in the locations mentioned in the book. However I only recognize a few of the place names. Probably if I was more familiar with the people of that regain I would have picked up on other things implied and described. I did however recognize the San Francisco Mountains and Shiprock. The big recognition shocker was the reference to the Navaho Taco. Last time I was at Mesa Verde they were five dollars.

In the audio edition the story is narrated by George Guidall. George almost sounds like Tony himself and adds a hand-me down story telling dimension to the novel.

This book stands alone and if you have not already makes you want to start the series.

Another Fine Leaphorn and Chee Mystery
Tony Hillerman has once again created a fresh and involving entry in his fine series about the Navajo Tribal Police. A retired Leaphorn is at loose ends after the death of his beloved wife, Emma. Chee is the acting Lieutenant, but has reservations over the possibility it might become permanent. There is a little less of the Navajo mysticism in this entry, but the vast territory covered by the Navajo Tribal Police is given its due as always.

Hillerman dedicated First Eagle to the six officers who had given their lives in defense of their people from the time he wrote his first book until this one. It is only fitting that while keeping true to the Navajo atmosphere always present in the series, good police work and the very real dangers involved for the Tribal Police are brought to the forefront.

Leaphorn is asked to look for the missing Catherine Pollard and that unofficial inquiry will intersect with Chee's investigation into an officer's death. Chee's case is seemingly all wrapped up, but may be more complex than it first appeared. He is chagrined to discover he is still a little intimidated by Leaphorn, but as the two cases cross paths they will once again peel back a little more of the veneer and move closer to understanding each other.

This one has everything from poaching eagles to the possibility of the bubonic plague being spread all across the Navajo landscape. Why a pack of prairie dogs are unaffected, and an old Navajo woman who claims to have seen a skinwalker will figure greatly into the exciting conclusion to this one. The ending is also heartfelt for Chee, as his relationship with the pretty lawyer Janet begins to flame out, for she may be Navajo in name only after her time in Washington.

I highly recommend this entry in the series, though a bit different than some others. A fine read.

The First and Second Eagle
SETUP
Jim Chee has become the temporary commander of the Tuba City unit of the Navajo Tribal Police.One of his deputies is killed investigating the poaching of eagles by a young Hopi man.Nearby, Dr. Woody, an epidemiologist, is studying populations of prairie dogs, etc. which serve as reservoirs for various deceases.Suddenly, Woody's assistant dies of the black plaque. In "The First Eagle", "legendary lieutenant" Joe Leaphorn has retired, but is hired, essentially as a private detective, to look for Catherine Pollard, a biologist working for the Indian Health Service as a "vector control specialist, trapping rodents looking for the source of a recent outbreak of bubonic plague, who disappeared.

SIDESTORIES
I don't normally mention sidestories in reviews, but they are important in "The First Eagle" and a few other novels in the series.In these, the mystery (and associated plot) is almost secondary, almost just a vehicle, for the poignant and insightful "sidestories".

In addition to being younger and more impetuous (or hotheaded and impatient, in Leaphorn's view), Jim Chee differs from Joe Leaphorn in being a more traditional Navajo.Indeed, he has trained to be a "singer", that is, a shaman or healer.Chee's fiancee (half-Navaho, lawyer) Janet Pete is returning from work in Washington D.C., and is the public defender for the Hopi accused of killing the deputy.One of Chee's policewomen, (full-blood Navajo) Berndadette Manueletto has a crush on him.Although a widower for a year, Joe Leaphorn is developing a relationship with ("white") anthropologist, Louisa Bourbonette.It is an important element of the series that while Leaphorn is drifting "white", Chee is drifting "red".It is also significant or symbolic that the very traditional Emma died of a narsicomial infection.

COMMENTS ON THE SERIES
In his Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee novels, Tony Hillerman, creates an almost "alternate reality", a world alien to most readers, but vividly filled with fascinating individuals and intriguing mysteries.The major "good guys", are very believable, likeable and admirable individuals (despite normal human flaws), who are easy for the reader to become emotionally attached to.

I suspect that many readers, like myself, privately wish that Hillermans novels were more lengthy.The ending always comes too soon.But that's a key to good writing--to leave the reader wanting more.Hillerman is a very "economical" writer.His novels are almost "long short stories" in which every word in the novel has a purpose.There is no filler.This is particularly important to mystery lovers--virtually every detail is a real clue--there are no "red herrings", per se.Although I would more than tolerate some filler, I still venerate Hillerman's sytle as that of a master--and superbly appropriate to his subject matter.

VERDICT
One of the best in a series of masterpieces.

just as expected
Hillerman is one of the best mystery writers in the world, and The First Eagle proves this once again.

Hillerman country
I read every Hillerman novel during a trip to Arizona and Canyon de Chelly.It was a good way to discover Navaho history and culture, past and present.It was perfect reading for the trip and greatly enhanced my experience.I have kept all the books for when I want to relive that trip. ... Read more

Product Description

Homicide is always an abomination, but there is something exceptionally disturbing about the victim discovered in a high lonely place, a corpse with a mouth full of sand, abandoned at a crime scene seemingly devoid of tracks or useful clues. Though it goes against his better judgment, Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn cannot help but suspect the hand of a supernatural killer. There is palpable evil in the air, and Leaphorn's pursuit of a Wolf-Witch is leading him where even the bravest men fear, on a chilling trail that winds perilously between mysticism and murder.

Customer Reviews (31)

CD. Tony Hillerman, Blessing way
Good service, but sent as a gift and have not heard that there is any problem.

A Blessing of a Novel
THE SETUP
Several individuals converge in an isolated portion of the Navajo Reservation, which happens to be an area test missiles from the Tonapah Proving Grounds frequently overfly.Luis Horseman is hiding from the law.After Luis is killed, his younger brother Billy Nez searches for his killer.Jimmy Hall is doing some sort of electronic research.Billy's girlfriend Ellen Leon is looking for him.Anthropologist Jeremy Canfield is studying Anastasi remains (avoided by Navajos).Canfield's colleague, ethnologist Bergen McKee, is following-up reports of "Navajo wolves", that is, witches.Before his death, Luis had seen a "Navajo wolf", and the sheep of local Navajo Charlie Sossi were killed, alledgedly by a "Navajo wolf".Navajo Tribal Policemen Joe Leaphorn is first trying to find Luis, and later his killer.

CAVEATS
I find stupid deceitful women annoying, and Ellen Leon was particularly annoying.

COMMENTS
"The Blessing Way" is filled with rich compelling characters.Among these, the principal continuing character in the series is Joe Leaphorn---one of the most interesting and convincing fictional analytical detectives ever created.The novel also features many fascinating insights into Navajho customs and mythology, not to mention Leaphorn's commentary on "White" culture.The landscape of the "Four Corners" region is vividly described.

Some aspects of the "mystery" are predictable---but I do not consider that to be a flaw (as do some reviewers).In a well-structured mystery the reader should allow the reader he satisfaction of getting a little ahead of the protagonist on some issues, but still surprised by twists.In "The Blessing Way", the reader is likely to narrow down the possible solutions at an early point, but be still a bit surprised by the ending.Besides, this is one of those novels you re-read every 2-3 years---I think this is my fifth reading---so, the "mystery" is still very enjoyable, even knowing the overall plot.In my opinion, this is a masterfully structured mystery.

VERDICT
The Blessing Way" is one of the best in a series of masterpieces.This is one of those novels to buy in hardcover, because it will be getting plenty of use over the next several decades.

If you need to kill a few hours...
This is the book for you.First off, the point of view was with two different characters from two different cultures.Hey, that's great.Lt. Joe Leaphorn seems like a good cop and Bergen McKee seems like a smart teacher. But you need more pages if you plan to really dig in and give me their characters - their fears, hopes, merits, flaws, dreams, pains, problems, so on.Also, the book kind of gives away the who but not the why or what or how and does not give it away till the last chapter.I didn't have a chance in figuring out the mystery.There was no thrills because one of the main characters kind of runs into the Bad Guys and, after that, how can there be suspense?
And when we do find out what is going on we can't help but feel that the clues just kind of dropped into the lap of the good guys.They were stuck and it is only luck that they figured out what was going on.Hack, they were not even close to stuck - they had no where to even start and they got lucky.Most of it bad luck but still just luck.Too much luck.
I'm sorry but this book is good for reading on a train or a jet or a car but don't waste a rainy day on it.

A terrific introduction to a unique mystery series.
I have read almost all of Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee Navaho mystery series, and these books are, without exception, extraordinary. Perhaps not every one of Hillerman's eighteen novels measures up to the 5 star, or even 4 star, excellence standard, (whose would?), but his character development and the cultural details he provides for the people he writes about: Hopi, Zuni, "Anglos/whites," federal agents, and the Navaho Tribal Police are outstanding. The reader learns so much while being entertained. And the author's appreciation of the natural wonders of the American Southwest and its people are what makes his books so singular.

"The Blessing Way" is the first mystery in the series. Protagonists Joe Leaphorn, the "Legendary Lieutenant," and Jim Chee work for the Navajo tribal police and both are members of the Navajo Tribe. Leaphorn is skeptical of traditional values, native culture, and the supernatural, although he takes reports of witchcraft, and other related, phenomena, seriously. He may not be a believer, but "he still treasures the old ways of his people." Navajo cultural practices, (for good or ill), are very similar when lumped together under the category "witchcraft." The rituals practiced on the "good side" of Navajo tradition are the ceremonials or "sings." The difference, however, is that while the good sings are meant to heal or bring luck, the bad ones are intended to hurt and curse. Many kinds of witches are associated with transgression of taboos and societal standards, especially those relating to family and the dead. Jim Chee is a staunch believer in traditional Navajo culture and he is studying to be a healer, or shaman, while he works as a police officer.

Luis Horseman believes he murdered someone in a drunken brawl and is in hiding, holed-up near Many Ruins Canyon. For the first time in a while he feels safe. Lt. Leaphorn goes in search of Luis, tracking him through the Four Corners region of New Mexico and Arizona, when he makes a macabre discovery. He finds Luis' corpse on a desolate mesa with a mouth full of sand. Every Navajo knows that no human being kills like that. The body, abandoned at the crime scene, yields no useful clues nor are there any tracks to follow.

Rumors of witchcraft, a Wolf-Witch, abound on the reservation. Leaphorn had heard of Wolf-Witch sightings long before the murder. Anthropologist Bergen McKee, for reasons academic, had accompanied the Lieutenant on previous searches for this "creature." McKee is a professor studying Navajo spirits and myths and a friend of Leaphorn's. They know something is going on in the upper uninhabited areas of Navajo country and must discover what it is before more people are killed. Unfortunately, while investigating the case, additional corpses turn up and Leaphorn's and McKee's lives are in serious jeopardy.

Although not the best book in the series, the mystery is a good one and "The Blessing Way" provides excellent background material for those who want to continue reading about Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and life in Four Corners. I predict that after reading one book, your will not be satisfied until you begin another.
Jana Perskie

Listening Woman (Joe Leaphorn Novels)
Skinwalkers (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels)
The Shape Shifter
Tony Hillerman's Navajoland: Hideouts, Haunts, and Havens in the Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee Mysteries

Talk of Witchcraft on the Reservation
Professor McKee, anthropologist, is inclined to discount the gossip about witchcraft on the Navajo reservation.It's usually family troubles seeking a scapegoat, in his opinion.Joe Leaphorn, Navajo policeman, isn't so sure.He's not a traditional Navajo but talk about witches means that there's trouble brewing.

Who killed perennial troublemaker Luis Horseman?Why did the tall Navajo have to buy a new hat although he still had the silver decorations from the old one?What was the thing that killed five prize sheep behind Ben Yazzie's hogan?Like heat waves off the desert, this mystery shimmers with tension.

This is the first appearance of that extraordinary detective, Joe Leaphorn, published in 1970.Describing a landscape of desolate but evocative beauty and giving the reader a solid glimpse into traditional Navajo culture, customs and superstitions, this book launched a series that became an American original. As good as it was, there was better to follow. This review is posted by a grateful fan who enjoyed all of his fine mysteries. Like many other readers, I was inspired to tour the Navajo Reservation and learn more about the people there.

Tony Hillerman died Oct 26, 2008 at the age of 83. ... Read more

Product Description
Tony Hillerman's bestselling Navajo mysteries have thrilled millions of readers with their taut, intricate plotting, sensitive, subtle characterizations and lyrical evocations of landscapes and cultures. Now he departs his trademark terrain and applies his talents to a story he has wanted to tell for decades about an ordinary man thrust into total chaos.

Until the telephone call came for him on April 12, 1975, the world of Moon Mathias had settled into a predictable routine. He knew who he was. He was the disappointing son of Victoria Mathias, the brother of the brilliant, recently dead Ricky Mathias and a man who could be counted on to solve small problems. But the telephone caller was an airport security officer, and the news he delivered handed Moon a problem as large as Southeast Asia.

His mother, who should be in her Florida apartment, is fighting for her life in a Los Angeles hospital -- stricken while en route to the Philippines to bring home a grandchild they hadn't known existed. The papers in her purse send Moon into a world totally strange to him. They lure him down the back streets of Manila, to a rural cockfight, into the odd Filipino prison on Palawan Island and finally across the South China Sea to where Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge is turning Cambodia into killing fields and Communist rockets are beginning to fall on the outskirts of Saigon.

Finding Moon is many things: a latter-day adventure epic, a deftly orchestrated romance, an arresting portrait of an exotic realm engulfed in turmoil, and a neatly turned tale of suspense. Most of all, it is a singular story of how a plain, uncertain man finds his best self. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

No life
Two stars for a very clever premise, but the writing is flat pedestrian, the people uni-dimensional, the pace plodding, no tension, no character development.It reads like a second draft that brings the plot together, and now is ready for color and life.But the color and life are never added, and despite the interesting basic idea the book never takes off.We learn nothing about any of the people that we didn't know at first meeting them, Moon gains nothing of value to his character, and it's just a very sadly dull book that should and could have been a good one.

Finding Moom
Not my favorite from this author, I much prefer reading about officers Chee and company.However, a nice quick read

Hillerman out of his element
Malcolm Thomas Mathias (Moon) finds out that his brother who died in a plane crash left behind a child in the Cambodia- Vietnam region toward the end of the war. The story is about the struggle in the retrieval of the child.

This book has all the Hillerman attributes with the exception of location and culture. There is probably a different reader target that can relate to this book. Once again George Guidall makes a good reader. The problem comes with expectations more than content. The characters are different and the environment is different. The writing style is the same familiar style.

The Fallen Man (Joe Leaphorn Novels)

A Nice Change of Pace for a Talented Author
I knew immediately from the paperback blurb that this would not be a typical Chee/Leaphorn novel and was prepared to see what Hillerman would do with a new setting and a new group of characters.I found Moon very entertaining, a busy man who is very reluctantly drawn into locating the child of his deceased brother.The news headline chapter headings drew me back to the chaotic days at the end of the US involvement in Vietnam and the psychological changes in Moon's perspective as he is drawn deeper and deeper into his search were very believable.Of course, some of the action-sequences are pretty hard to believe, but don't we all enjoy Indiana Jones??It's a pretty fast read, well-written, and I think you'll enjoy the change in pace from Hillerman's usual ouevre.

Extremely Disappointing Compared to Hillerman's SW Series
I thought this would be a well-written mystery, like Hillerman's Southwest stories, but I found the story line in this book ridiculous. It's as if he got started on a story about the recovery of the daughter of Moon's dead brother from a disintegrating Vietnam, and just had to force the story along no matter what. The cadence is wrong, and there are dozens of pages which go no where and add nothing to the story. And, who needs the high-moralizing? The final part, where Moon incredibly drives an abandoned armored vehicle from Vietnam into Cambodia during the child recovery operation defies even suspended belief. Good luck finishing this! ... Read more

Product Description

Reunited by a grave robber and a corpse, Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is trying to determine the identity of a murder victim, while Officer Jim Chee is arresting Smithsonian conservator Henry Highhawk for ransacking the sacred bones of his ancestors.

Customer Reviews (28)

Leaphorn and Chee together again, maybe.
Once again, Tony Hillerman weaves a great story with many threads intertwining. We get to revisit old friends from previous stories and some new ones. Therefore, the story assumes you have already read some earlier Hillerman's. It mainly takes place in Washington DC. However, we are treated to the "The Night Chant" ceremony, which introduces us to talking God Yeibichai.

This time our story carries us to the Smithsonian Institute. Joe Leaphorn with only a few days left until his retirement is intrigued when they find a body of a man with no teeth off the side of an Amtrak line. Jim Chee is tasked with arresting a grave robber at the ceremony. When everyone else gives up Joe Leaphorn goes that extra step to uncover the mystery of the men beside the tracks. Jim Chee goes that extra step to discover the person who is the grave robber and now hiring Jim Chee's ex-girlfriend as his attorney. Will Jim and Joe cross each other's paths? Moreover, is there a link between these two stories?

You will be introduced to some other Navaho ways and gods. At first, it will seem the story is going on forever but then you may be disappointed because it ends too soon. Either way this makes a great reading experience.

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For Kindle readers this is text-to-speech enable so you have the added plus of hearing it being read as you read along. This also keeps you from the nasty habit of skimming and missing the crucial words.

Also on the Kindle version is a description of how Tony Hillerman created the story. Then there is a small synopsis of many of his other novels.

I give it a solid 3, it is not riveting
While I like the Navajo characters Chee and Leaphorn,I think the author needs to stretch a bit.His action is after the fact, most of the time, and too much takes place in conversation.While his dialog is commendable there is too much of that and too little immediate action.When I buy Hillerman's books I don't want to read about Washington DC, I don't.I want to read about Arizona and New Mexico and I think his work could be meatier in terms of landscape and culture. I know I am going against the tide but I am not prompted to purchase more of his work.I liked Thief of Time (3.5 stars)a bit more, however, but both books left me wanting more background, more culture, and far more vivid descriptions of the landscape than dry swirling snow (again, still, whatever) and/or dismal drizzles (again, still, whatever).I wanted vivid descriptions about those desert areas, I wanted to smell the desert dust, feel the blaring sun, visualize the land formations and know the quiet patience of the culture.I want to be able to see what I read. Hillerman is capable, Chee and Leaphorn manage to be ordinary guys you love, trust, believe who have more feelings than they ever express but so does the desert and the scenery out there.With Hillerman's niche so certainly linked to a particular land and culture, both of which are dramatic and beautiful, I felt the work was lacking, formula driven, yawnable.I think landscape should be as important as plot and character for these books.Three stars.A good read, yes, but not great.

Kindle version lacking
I had missed this title in my reading of Tony Hillerman's works.While different, I found it intriguing to follow Chee and Leaphorn to DC.However, the kindle version had so many typos and errors that I found myself distracted trying to read it.Read another version.

Different setting
Seeing Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn a bit out of their element in Washington DC made this book a bit off from Hillerman's usual fare.The city just didn't come alive the way the Navajo reservation does in other entries in the series.

The mystery was quite interesting.International intrigue, Navajo religion, and the back drop of the National Museum of Natural History make for a great read.

Twists, turns, suspense, miles ahead of most contemporary mysteries and one of Hillerman's best.
This review is written in response to others which seem to want to keep this great writer in a familiar box.
I've read nearly every Hillerman book. Talking God appeals to me most because here, Tony Hillerman has added a level of conflict and interest not found in his other books. Variety is the spice of life and "Talking God" reflects the talent and versatility of this great writer. It's a captivating work, miles ahead of most contemporary mysteries because Hillerman's characters resolve conflict with a fresh view life from a Native American perspective.Read it for yourself. ... Read more

Product Description

John Cotton was a simple man with one desire: to write the greatest story of his life and have enough life left to read all about it.

Reporter John Cotton knows what to do when he finds a great story, but he is a little afraid when a big story begins to find him.  It starts when a fellow reporter is murdered and his notebook, filled with information about a tax scam, ends up in John's hands.  Not long afterwards, a body is discovered in John's car.  Then John's car ends up in the river, a bomb is found in his apartment, and his girlfriend drops out of sight.  It's up to John to unravel the mystery of the notebook and why anyone would kill for the information it contains.

Customer Reviews (13)

Boring Book
This was just a very boring story. On top of that the author was the reader on the tape and he is just monotone.No change of inflextion, pitch or anything to make it more pleasurable to listen to.I thought it was too full of details about numbers and lacked a lot for a mystery.

Not so great
This is NOT one of Hillerman's Chee and Leaphorn books. That series is great and the characters shine through, and most of the books are wonderful and fun reads. This book is not any of those. I guess there are two main problems with this book. First, it was written early on in Hillerman's career and his writing style was still developing; and, second, it is clearly an antiquated story and one dimensional.

The book's hero is John Cotton - a reporte who covers politics for one of the local newspapers in an unnamed state capital some where in the northern midwest of the United States. The time is the early 70's. One of Cotton's colleagues - albeit someone who works for a competing newspaper - has a big story developed but he is either pushed to his death or commits suicide before it is published. Cotton decides to follow up on the lead and starts developing the story himself. This gets one of his friends killed, so Cotton knows he is on the right track.

Trying to get away from it, Cotton takes a fishing vacation in the Southwest and there we see the Hillerman spark! The place descriptions, the pace of the story, they all start shining and show us Hillerman fans why we like his writing so much! Unfortunately, after this brief interlude, the story goes back to its base location, and the pacing slows way down again.

Eventually, Cotton figures out what is going on and a thriller like climax takes us to a logical conclusion to the book. However, did I like it? Well, no. it wasn't so much that the book was unoriginal or boring, it was that the book was a drudge to get through for some reason. The whole scandal that the reporters are tryign to figure out has to do with the question of what should reporters do? Are they really disinterested and objective observers? Or, should they participate in their stories and adjust their writing to accommodate their personal viewpoints? Cotton is of the opinion that he needs to publish the story regardless of the cost to his favorite cause or politician. Many others in the book disagree with that premise.

A kind of morbid fascination for me was reading about the technological tools of the time and realizing how much has changed in the intervening years. Cotton writes his stories on a typerwriter using carbon paper to have copies and then a teletype to get it to his offices; when he goes to search data for background, he leafs through paper files that are stored in big rooms with many file cabinets; etc. No cell phones, no computers, no internet!

The plotting and pace of this book is rather poor. Most of the book concerns itself with technical details of reporting that just do not make sense to some one outside of the trade. Also, the whole way in which the plot is uncovered seems to not come together until Cotton explains it even though I read through all his searching and information gathering. I do not like books where the explanation for what is going on is dependent on specific information that only the subject has. And in this book that seems to be the case. Also, there is a key romantic relationship which appears out of nowhere at the middle of the book - and another at the tail end - and neither of them appear to be connected to anything.

My summary is that I am glad to have read it as part of the overall Hillerman collection that I have. I am unhappy to have to say that if this was the very first Hillerman that I ever read, that it would likely have been the last.

Why didn't you write more of these, Mr. Hillerman?
The Fly on the Wallreads as wonderfully as any of his Indian series do.I was quite thrilled to read a political thriller--in this day and age of excitement on the political edge.I wish he had considered that when he wrote this book--it certainly fit in.Thanks for a really great read, Mr. Hillerman.

loved it!
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'm a fan of Hillerman's Jim Chee mysteries, but found this to be as good, if not better, than those. I almost gave up on the book at first -it was so technical it was almost funny- but it was worth sticking with it, because the plot turned out to be one of his most interesting. Unlike some of the Jim Chee stories, whose endings can be somewhat anti-climactic, Fly on the Wall was riveting through the final pages. I imagine this book might not appeal to all of Hillerman's fans, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Not as good as others but good nevertheless
I did finish the book staying up until 1 pm. If you are a fan of Hillerman, then you do want to read this book. The two "chased by the bad guy" scenes in the book, one in Santa Fe and the other in the Capitol, are worth the price of admission. They are pulse quickening and vivid.

... Read more

Product Description

During a kachina ceremony at the Tano Pueblo, the antics of a dancing koshare fill the air with tension. Moments later, the clown is found bludgeoned to death, in the same manner a reservation schoolteacher was killed only days before.

Customer Reviews (28)

Navajo Justice
Sacred Clowns is truly Tony Hillerman at his best. Both Leaphorn and Chee are at a personal crossroad in their lives while attempting to solve two crimes which may or may not be related. A complex mystery is interwoven with the care befitting a sacred blanket as we learn more than ever about the Navajo and their beliefs. The depth of understanding for each man's loneliness and efforts to end it are poignantly portrayed by Hillerman in a mystery as good as any he has penned. Those who relish the way he educates the reader about Native American beliefs while entertaining us in grand fashion will not be disappointed. Perhaps more than any of his novels, Sacred Clowns gives us a better understanding of why the Navajo have survived, while so many other great tribes have all but disappeared.

Chee's new assignment working directly for Leaphorn gets off to a shaky start when the former allows a missing boy to escape during a Tano ceremony soon after locating him. It is the boy's elusive nature and a murder during the ceremony that kick off one of the most satisfying mysteries in this fabulous series. Leaphorn is still trying to move on after Emma's death, and Chee is worried Janet may have a tie to his clan somewhere which would prevent him from romance. A second murder makes this a complex puzzle which has them going in different directions. Chee's carelessness at one point will result in Leaphorn's suspension. Leaphorn's feelings regarding young Chee's conflictingspirit, torn between Navajo tradition and his career as a Navajo Tribal Policeman, are laid to bare here as well.

A cane commissioned by Abraham Lincoln will hold the key to a mystery unsolved until the final page. Chee will weigh Navajo justice against the secular law he is sworn to uphold, and come to a startling decision. There is need and loneliness here for both men, Chee trying to begin, and Leaphorn attempting to start over. There is a depth and understanding mingling effortlessly in Sacred Clowns, a mystery engrossing enough to be of merit on its own. We've come to expect this of Hillerman, which is why he has so many fans. That blend of good mystery, Native American beliefs, and depth of character are trademarks of this excellent series. You will come away from this one with a greater understanding of the Navajo, and humanity in general.

If you happened to miss this one when it was first printed, it is certainly worth picking up a copy. In fact, I would consider this one essential for fans. A must read.

Sacrad Clown
I liked the book. Of course anything Tony Hillerman wrote is good especially about native americans. To bad we lost him, he was an excellent writer.

All about the characters
The main mystery in this book is often dull and convoluted, which takes away from the overall flow of the book.However, that's not the reason why this one should be read.Sacred Clowns is a rich read about the interactions of the characters.Leaphorn is finally starting to get over Emma.Jim and Janet are allowing their relationship to evolve.It's well worth reading this entry in the series just for the experiences in the characters' personal lives.

Navahos and more
This time we confront a different Pueblo People the Hopi. In the Hopi there are sect or Koshari societies; they do not practice curing; they are concerned with fertility and growth. Their religion is more personal than public and clans are most important.

Along With a new people we are treated to a piece of history; The Spanish had a tradition of The Canes of Office here. Governors and lieutenant governors and the like were issued a cane as a symbol of office. Ten years after the Gadsden purchase. The Indians stayed neutral curing the Civil War. So President Abraham Lincoln has some canes made of black ebony and crowned with silver inscribed with his signature, "A. Lincoln." These where given the nineteen different pueblos, each cane had the

In Praise of Valuable Men
In this gripping mystery, Joe Leaphorn and his younger colleague Jim Chee team up to investigate two murders miles apart.At first glance, the victims have little in common. Eric Dorsey taught shop to Navajo high school students and drove a water truck on weekends to bring water to elderly Navajo living in the remoter regions of the Big Rez.Francis Sayesva was an accountant, a Hopi who lived in the city but who had returned to his native pueblo to participate in a traditional festival.

Jim Chee is particularly upset by the Sayesva death--the man was bludgeoned to death not forty yards from where Jim was sitting, observing the Hopi festival.Jim had made the mistake of forgetting that he was attending the ceremony on police business, rather than for sightseeing. Even though this crime is the province of the feds, Chee can't let it rest.

In the Eric Dorsey case, Leaphorn isn't satisfied by the charges against a friend of Eric's.The man may have been drunk, but he seemed just as surprised by the silver goods that turned up under his trailer as anyone.Leaphorn has learned to mistrust the all-too-convenient "anonymous call".The more he investigates, the greater the tragedy seems to him.Both the murdered men were quiet pillars of the community, giving time, effort and some of their own money towards doing the right thing.The Hopi term for such people is "Valuable Men".In addition, both brought laughter to the people.Eric Dorsey was a bad ventriloquist, but his puppetry brought smiles to children and old people alike. Francis Sayesva clowned for a purpose; in black and white stripes he enacted the part of a koshare, a sacred clown whose antics at Hopi religious festivals are to remind people of their foibles, failings and imperfections.So who took offense at Sayesva's last performance?One person connects these two men, Eric's student and Francis's nephew.But where has the boy disappeared to?

This riveting mystery is one of Hillerman's best.Setting, character and plot are impeccable and in addition, the reader learns something about the native American cultures in the Four Corners region.Hillerman died in October of 2008.This review is one of a series being posted by a grateful fan who found much pleasure not only in reading his works but in visiting the landscape he wrote about. Tony Hillerman is a valuable man in American literature, especially in the mystery genre.This book is one I highly recommend to people who would like to sample his talent. ... Read more

Product Description

Sergeant Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police is troubled by the nameless corpse discovered just inside his jurisdiction, at the edge of the Jicarilla Apache natural gas field. More troubling still is the FBI's insistence that the Bureau take over the case, calling the unidentifiedvictim's death a "hunting accident."

Officer Bernadette Manuelito has left the Navajo Tribal Police for the U.S. Customs Service, patrolling the barren borderlands of southern New Mexico. There, her curiosity and smarts land her in a growing peril that provides much of the book's suspense--and invokes the protective instincts of Sergeant Chee, who still hasn't quite been able to tell her how he feels about her. It's impossible not to care about Hillerman's exquisitely drawn repertory characters, nor to overlook the pleasures of his beautifully crafted and relaxed-seeming prose. In the midst of these virtues are a few warts: several sections are a little flat or awkward, and the villainous plutocrat behind it all is short on plausibility (though lots of fun to hate). But even a lesser Hillerman is still a richer, more satisfying read than most authors' top stuff. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (132)

Once again Jim Chee is on the Case
Jim Chee has a dead body on his hands, one with no ID, wearing expensive clothes and with empty pockets. If things weren't already complicated enough, the situation worsens when the FBI decides the Navajo Tribal Police aren't able deal with the situation and take over the case. Chee knows that something is rotten in Denmark, and he's not about to let the case go until he finds out who the dead man is and why he was killed.

What he doesn't know is that when alive, the body belonged to a CIA agent sent undercover to the New Mexico portion of the Four Corners to find out how the oil pipeline system is being used to bypass paying royalty money to the First Nations trust fund. The CIA agent suspected there was more to the job than he was told, but he took it job anyway, which turned out to be a bad idea, because it got him killed.

Mr. Hillerman has once delivered a wonderfully complex story that had me reading from cover to cover in one sitting. In this one we see several law enforcement agencies who don't trust each other, we see determined cops, corrupt politicians, men with questionable pasts and we get Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, always a favorite. Plus we get a bit of romance as Jim Chee and former colleague Bernadette Manuelito attempt to come to terms with their relationship in this book that I liked very much.

This little piggy went to market
Not quite the Hillerman formula but done well just the same. All our old friends are in this story and it looks like everything can be wrapped up if Hillerman decided would be his last. However, it looks like there is at least one more novel and probably two. In this novel, we get to be into the heads of the good guys and bad guys from the start as they banter around.

An ex-CIA spy with knowledge of the oil industry is sent to find out information on how oil companies bypass paying royalty money to the First Nations Trust Fund. He ends up committing suicide with a bullet in the back. Mean while way down south Bernie now with the U.S. Customs Service gets lost, goes off the map, and puts her foot in it.

Bernie's co-worker gets suspicious and tells Joe. Jim gets out some snaps; Joe gets out his maps; Bourbonette gets out the coffee and brains. They hold a committee to figure out what is happening.

Will Bernie smell what she stepped in, or just walk right in to her demise?
Will the cavalry arrive over the hill in time (does not look promising?)
Who or what is the "Sinister Pig?"

This little piggy went to market
Not quite the Hillerman formula but done well just the same. All our old friends are in this story and it looks like everything can be wrapped up if Hillerman decided would be his last. However, it looks like there is at least one more novel and probably two. In this novel, we get to be into the heads of the good guys and bad guys from the start as they banter around.

An ex-CIA spy with knowledge of the oil industry is sent to find out information on how oil companies bypass paying royalty money to the First Nations Trust Fund. He ends up committing suicide with a bullet in the back. Mean while way down south Bernie now with the U.S. Customs Service gets lost, goes off the map, and puts her foot in it.

Bernie's co-worker gets suspicious and tells Joe. Jim gets out some snaps; Joe gets out his maps; Bourbonette gets out the coffee and brains. They hold a committee to figure out what is happening.

Will Bernie smell what she stepped in, or just walk right in to her demise?
Will the cavalry arrive over the hill in time (does not look promising?)
Who or what is the "Sinister Pig?"

The Slimy Pig
THE SETUP
An apparently retired CIA agent (Gordon Stein, aka David Slate) is hired by a U.S. Senator to investigate how a natural gas pipeline system has been used to cheat Native Americans in the Southwest of $4 billion annually in royalties.He is murdered on Navajo land in the extreme northwestern corner of New Mexico.Navajo Tribal Policeman (Sargent) Jim Chee is assigned to assist the FBI in the investigation.In the meantime Bernadette Manualetto has resigned from the tribal police, because she is annoyed with Chee for not pursuing her, and has joined (implausibly) the Border Patrol, and thus is stationed in the extreme southwestern corner of New Mexico, along the Mexican border.She observes some odd "goings-on" on the large private Tuttle Ranch on the border.That's the setup.

COMMENTS
Earlier novels in the series were very "economical", with a few well developed characters, and straightforward filler-free stories.With the previous novel, "Wailing Wind", and even more-so with the "Sinister Pig". Hillerman is (unfortunately?) entering the mainstream of police mystery novels, with dozens of named characters, most throw-away (i.e., that appear on one or two pages, never to be heard from or of again, with no particular significance to the novel); and complex plots.The stories are no longer about Native Americans, but rather are about "white people" who coincidentally interact somehow with Jim Chee, et al.The fascinating expositions on Native religion and philosophy is over, except for thin references.Fortunately, Hillerman is sufficiently talented to keep up with mainstream mystery writers.But I, for one, miss the earlier character-centric and Native-centric novels.

CAVEATS
The novel is unnecessarily confused by two premises:1) The first is that pipelines were being used in the rip-off of Native American royalties.That simply makes no sense---the routing of petroleum in pipelines is irrelevant, just as irrelevant as the highways a petroleum tanker truck drives on.It is in the accounting that any rip-offs of Native American royalties could have taken place.2) The second premise is a cocaine importation scheme.It looks like these two storylines were intended to converge, but don't.

Other evidence of rushed, poorly-edited writing, are redundancies, such as the multiply repeated explaination of the functioning of pipeline pigs.

Readers are teased with the promise of a delicious expose of political corruption, then perhaps a scheme by Al Queda to smuggle nuclear weapons into the U.S., but are finally left with a few sleazy druggies.Certainly, when you start turning over rocks, the slimy creatures you find are not necessarily the ones you were looking for, but, in the final analysis there was no adequate reason for the murder of Slate/Stein.

Moreover, unless I misread the book, the illegal-alien family which Bernie rescued had immigrated on rumors that a copper smelter on the U.S. side of the border would be reopened.(The fictional smelter closely corresponds to the Hildalgo Smelter, which was closed in 1999.ironically the company town of Playas was purchased by the U.S. Government for an anti-terrorism training center).Then the closed smelter is described as being located in Mexico, and is the origin from which "pigs" are transported to the Tuttle Ranch on the U.S. side of the border.Huh?

THE VERDICT
A good read in a great series, but unnecessarily confusing.

One of my favorite Hillerman's
I have read quite a few of Tony Hillerman's novels and I rank this one on the top. I wanted to get to the conclusion as quickly as I could to see how they would get these bad guys. Also keeping me reading until the wee hours was how the relationship between the Tribal Policeman and his old flame, the pretty young lady that was now a Border Patrol agent turned out. This one had elements of conspiracy, politics, and good old mystery. These charactors are great to revisit with every one of his books, but even if this is the first time you are meeting them, you will find them fascinating ... Read more

Product Description

Old Joseph Joe sees it all. Two strangers spill blood at the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat. One dies. The other drives off into the dry lands of the Big Reservation, but not before he shows the old Navajo a photo of the man he seeks.

Customer Reviews (19)

Tony Hillerman Books
I have read most of his book but I have not started reading this last order of books.All the books I have read, I have enjoyed very much. I think everyone who knewof Tony Hillermans book read them. When I start reading one of his books, I cannot put it down until I finish it.

Shoot out at the Wash-O-Mat
A Shoot out at the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat leads to a puzzle that only Jim Chee with his knowledge of the Ghostway and of death rituals can try to peace together. Related is a disappearance of a school girl (Margaret Sosi) will lead Jim from the New Mexico landscape to the Los Angeles area. There with Hillerman's gift for description we also get a contrasting look of the different worlds. Will He find the girl and what does the puzzle spell out, or will it ever become clear?

This is a close continuation of "People of Darkness" so many of the descriptions and people were previously defined in that book. The reason people read Hillerman is mostly for the descriptions of the places and people his characters encounter. As seen in previous books, in the description of Margaret and other characters, he incorporates his real life experience with World War II and its aftermath.

Shoot out at the Wash-O-Mat
A Shoot out at the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat leads to a puzzle that only Jim Chee with his knowledge of the Ghostway and of death rituals can try to peace together. Related is a disappearance of a school girl (Margaret Sosi) will lead Jim from the New Mexico landscape to the Los Angeles area. There with Hillerman's gift for description we also get a contrasting look of the different worlds. Will He find the girl and what does the puzzle spell out, or will it ever become clear?

This is a close continuation of "People of Darkness" so many of the descriptions and people were previously defined in that book. The reason people read Hillerman is mostly for the descriptions of the places and people his characters encounter. As seen in previous books, in the description of Margaret and other characters, he incorporates his real life experience with World War II and its aftermath.

An excellent murder mystery, social commentary, and culture lesson!
Four and one half stars. I am trying to read the Hillerman Navajo series in order. It has been a while since my last one, but it was a joy to read "Ghostway". There is a lot to appreciate. Hillerman not only spins his tale in all directions, but gives me an education in the ways and life of the Navajo today. In this work we learn about death and burial. It is an excellent context for the mystery: a land and a people by and large mysterious to us. Jim Chee is no supernatural hero, but very human, and is working through human issues. He also is an observant man, and puts his skills to use. Some readers may see the plot as slow, and bogged down. Living in the southwest can be the same. The rush rush of L.A. is not to be found in Shiprock, N.M.

Very suspenseful! Hillerman is not predictable, he builds his plot his way, and it is exciting. His characters are real, even teen Margaret Billy Sosi. You find yourself wondering with Chee how to get out of this predicament.

I recommend the Hillerman series to anyone. Although I enjoyed "The Blessing Way" I enjoyed this one more.

Slow but OK, not his best
Hillerman's novels are most interesting when they are most filled with cultural and anthropological details. As a mystery writer - he's not strong. His plots are minimal and in his later books - unbelievable. Ghostway was published in 1992 - number 6 in the sequence of the 18 "Navajo" books.

This book spends too much time in Los Angeles and not enough time on the reservation, so cultural richness is lacking in this book compared to others. Also, the plot is slow moving, plodding even. ... Read more

Product Description

Human bones lie on a ledge under the peak of Ship Rock mountain, the remains of a murder victim undisturbed for more than a decade. Three hundred miles across the Navajo reservation, a harmless old canyon guide is felled by a sniper's bullet. Joe Leaphorn, recently retired from the Navajo Tribal Police, believes the shooter and the skeleton are somehow connected and recalls a chilling puzzle he was previously unable to solve. But Acting Lieutenant Jim Chee is too busy to take an interest in a dusty cold case . . . until the reborn violence of it hits much too close to home.

Nobody in the world could have written that paragraph but TonyHillerman. Two old men sit, surrounded by the natural beauty of Canyonde Chelly, talking about death. The fact that one of the men is JoeLeaphorn, (the Legendary Lieutenant, as his younger colleague Jim Cheeirreverently but accurately calls him behind his back) means thatsomething serious has happened--a crime in some way connected to theNavajo people. But Leaphorn has retired from the Navajo Tribal Police,and the only person dead so far is a rich Anglo named Hal Breedlove,who fell while trying to climb Ship Rock 11 years before. Chee is busyon another, more prosaic matter, but he can't resist helping histhorny mentor on Leaphorn's first case as a private detective. TheFallen Man is brisk, beautiful, funny, and poignant--as good aplace as any for first-timers to plunge into Hillerman Country. Thenthey can catch up on past triumphs with Three Joe Leaphorn Mysteries(The Blessing Way/Dance Hall of the Dead/Listening Woman) and Three Jim Chee Mysteries(People of Darkness/The Dark Wind/The Ghostway). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

a good read
This is a classic Tony Hillerman and a good one to read.The characters Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are old friends and it is good to read of them again.

The plot concerns the death of a person which apparently solves an old murder case, but naturally, things are not so simple.

The rest of the story is what keeps you reading.

A book to read and enjoy.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'isms'"

TONY HILLERMAN IS AWESOME
I HAVE ALL HIS BOOKS.SOMEONE WALKED OFF WITH 3 OF THEM AND I REPLACED THEM.BORN AND RAISED IN THE SW I RELATE TO WHAT HE WRITES

Climbing Shiprock
THE TEASER
A teaser is a loathsome device intended to snag bookstore browsers with up-front action.However, teasers are most effective in confusing and misleading readers.In "The Fallen Man", three climbers on Ship Rock discover a body.Although never seen again (in the novel), the three climbers are named and characterized in some detail.It is easy for readers to confuse these men with the three male climbers which are important in the actual story, particular since the characters and events described are very similar.

THE SETUP
Although retired, Navajo policeman Joe Leaphorn makes a connection between the recently found body and a missing person (Harold Breedlove) eleven years earlier, and makes note of the coincidence that Amos Nez, who had been a climbing guide for Breedlove and his companions, was recently (non-fatally) shot.Breedlove's climbing companions were his wife Elisa, Elisa's brother Eldon, and George Shaw. Joe brings the situation to the attention of younger Navajo policeman Jim Chee, who is then assigned to investigate by his commander.In the meantime, Joe investigates the Nez shooting.At the time of his death, Harold had inherited a ranch, managed by Eldon and George Shaw (George's cousin and family lawyer) had delivered an offer on the ranch from a mining company.After Breedlove's death, the ranch is inherited by Elisa, and thus remains under Eldon's management.That's the setup.

In sidestories, Jim Chee is also assigned to investigate rustling of cattle and sheep, in concert with New Mexico Brand Inspector Dick Finch.Chee engagment to Janet Pete, who, although half-Navajo, wants Chee to pursue opportunities in the "white" world, deteriorates.Coincidentally, it was John McDermott's law firm which represented the Breedlove family.Janet had hooked up with Jim Chee on the rebound from McDermott.

COMMENTS
The principal continuing character in the series is Joe Leaphorn---one of the most interesting and convincing fictional analytical detectives ever created.Jim Chee and Bernadette Manueleto are also developedThe novel also features many fascinating insights into Navajho and customs and mythology, not to mention Leaphorn's commentary on "White" culture.The landscape of the "Four Corners" region is particularly vividly and lovingly described.

"The Fallen Man" is more thoroughly a mystery novel with obligatory twists than some earlier Hillerman novels.For first time readers and mystery fans, that is probably a plus.For folks like me, on my 3rd or 4th reading, it is less compelling than some other earlier Hillerman novels, because we're already "in" on the mystery.

I have the feeling that some characters like John McDermott and Tommy Castro were added in later drafts, for various reasons.However, these characters, and the characters in the teaser are unnecessary to the main storyline and potentially confuse the reader.

Hillerman's titles are a bit problematic.None are descriptive of the plots.Sometimes it seems that a specific title would be more appropriate for the next novel in the series.That is particularly the case in "The Fallen Man".Although some attempt is made to justify the title, it is clear that Breedlove was a victim, not deserving of the appellation.

VERDICT
"The Fallen Man" is an excellent mystery in a series of masterpieces.

Who is the real fallen man?
A skeleton is discovered halfway up a mountain that is sacred to the Navajos. the Navajo Tribal Police figure out very quickly that this skeleton resolves an eleven year old missing person case. However, Joe Leaphorn is not satisfied. There appears to be no reason for the man to have died, nor is there any evidence of a fall - so if he fell off the side of the mountain to his death, how come there are no broken bones?

Unfortunately, Joe is retired now and Jim Chee is the acting Lieutenant in charge of the Criminal Investigations unit. Jim has a good heart and a good head, but he is no Joe Leaphorn. Somehow the two of them manage to find a way to collaborate and unravel the mystery of this man's death. They also understand why the murder was committed and when. However, the long-ago murder does not end the story because as soon as the skeleton is found, people who knew the man eleven years before become targets of snipers - so what is really going on?

One of the interesting aspects of Tony Hillerman's writings has always been his sensitivity to describing Navajo customs and religion. In this book that is minimized, but Hillerman spends a lot of time tying the various crimes and threads to the worldview of the Navajo. He tries to prove that some people live in the Navajo way whether they are Navajo or not and the resolution of the main crime here, is a resolution that appeals to the Navajos. We are treated to both the full story, and also see how it is resolved in such a way as to not harm people who were only incidentally affected.

Ultimately we find out and the whole sordid story comes out. But, you know what? That story is actually incidental to the rest of the story in this book.

While Chee investigates various matters, his heart and soul is being tormented by his relationship with Janet Pete. He wants to marry her in a traditional Navajo ceremony but she was brought up by the White World and really has no interest in the Indian ways. There is a very telling passage when they talk and compare their upbringings and Chee tells Pete that what defines him as a Navajo is the culture - a culture that she admits she does not know and does not share. Then, she goes on to discuss her view of the future - a view the Chee cannot accept.

However, that is one of the climaxes of the story and you see the agony for both of them as they approach this climax. That is the real heart of this story, and the Fallen Man is more likely to be Chee than the skeleton found on the mountain.

There are other storylines in this book that are either continuations of lines that we saw in previous books and one new story line that I suspect will become major in the next books. A rookie cop is assigned to Chee and he is intrigued by her smarts as she resolves a thorny case. Watch out for this relationship! This rookie cop is a full-fledged Navajo woman!!!

Good, but not great Hillerman.
Good, but not great Hillerman. Jim Chee continues his exploration into cross-cultural dating (and difficulties). Officer Bernadette Manuelito becomes a full-fledged character in the series. In fact, this may be the best characterization of her in the series.

There are actually two mysteries in this one. One is a cattle-rustling caper. The other is the long-dead body of a climber that is found on Shiprock (Rock With Wings). If you ask, "What's a shiprock?" than you haven't been to the Four Corners area since this giant exposed interior of a volcano dominates its local landscape like some sort of gothic tower created in the imagination of Stephen King.

This is not Hillerman's best work, but it is enjoyable for any fans of Hillerman. This would not be a good one to start with if you have not read any of the series. ... Read more

Product Description
Three shotgun blasts explode into the trailer of Officer Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police. But Chee survives to join partner Lt. Joe Leaphorn in a frightening investigation that takes them into a dark world of ritual, witchcraft, and blood -- all tied to the elusive and evil "skinwalker." Brimming with Navajo lore and sizzling suspense, Skinwalkers brings Chee and Leaphorn, Hillerman's bestselling detective team, together for the first time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Indeed, with Hillerman, "You Are There!"
I have enjoyed the mystery works by Tony Hillerman. I have read them, from "Fly On the Wall" to "Skinwalkers", in (almost)chronological order. This particular story took a different form than "The Ghostway", where more was said in the plot about the "bad guys" working together. Here in this thriller we have Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee working together for the first time. There is realism in their first encounter, which is refreshing. Hillerman does nothing in a predictable way. The characters live, move and have their being in a very well-described Navajo world. In Hillerman's words one hears the thunder, sees the ominous cloud formations, feels the oppresive heat of a day in New Mexico, endures the rain during the rescue attempt, etc.

The story moves quickly, yet never comes apart. And again I am educated about some aspect of the Navajo culture. My only disappointment is that this story lacked the excitement of "Ghostway". I recommend it highly, nonetheless.

"Sun will be created - They say he has planned it all."
Skinwalkers are witches in the Navaho legends and can fly or turn themselves into a dog or wolf. This mystery involves the conflict between Skinwalkers and shamen and belegana medicine. Then again, it may be a straightforward set of independent murders. In any event, it looks as if some one is out to kill Navajo Tribal Police Officer Jim Chee and he does not have a clue as to why.

As with all of Tony Hillerman's stories, you have the feeling you are there. In fact if you have visited or live in the area (Four Corners canyons) that the mystery takes part in, you will be better able to identify with the people and landmarks. In addition, as with his other books there is an overt and covert story.

I have read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall on recordings adds a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words. I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.

I first saw the TV version of Skinwalkers with Robert Redford. He has a habit of redfordizing stories for his own agenda. This book was so strongly written that I thought Redford did not have a chance to modify it.I was wrong.

The book is much more in depth and the motive and additional characters made the mystery much more intriguing.

The Dark Wind (Jim Chee Novels)

Skinny Woman
SETUP
In Skinwalkers "legendary lieutenant" Joe Leaphorn and detective Jim Chee work in tandem for the first time to solve three seemingly disconnected murders in the area.Early in the investigation, Chee brings in Roosevelt Bisti.Bisti, who is dying of cancer, readily admits to one of the murders (a shooting), but the victim had died of stab wounds.A baby has been born in a clinic with anencephaly, a hopeless condition, but its desperate traditional parents believe that there is a cure.Chee himself barely escapes death when his house trailer is shot up, by someone who suspects Chee of being a "Navajo wolf", i.e., a witch (aka skinwalker).That's the setup.

SIDESTORIES
I don't normally mention sidestories in reviews, but they are important in "The First Eagle" and a few other novels in the series.In these, the mystery (and associated plot) is almost secondary, almost just a vehicle, for the poignant and insightful "sidestories".

Leaphorn's wife, Emma, is apparently succumbing to Alzheimer's.Chee's fiancee ("white" teacher) Mary Landon, writes him advising him of her decision to go to graduate school in Wisconsin, but Chee meets the no-nonsense "firecracker" public defender, (half-Navajo) Janet Pete who is defending Bisti.Chee is taking care of a semi-wild cat, which turns out to be pregnant.

COMMENTS ON SKINWALKERS
The proximate "mystery" in "Skinwalkers" is actually revealed at an early point (trust your sleuthing instincts), but the ultimate motivations remain a mystery until the end.

COMMENTS ON THE SERIES
In his Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee novels, Tony Hillerman, creates an almost "alternate reality", a world alien to most readers, but vividly filled with fascinating individuals and intriguing mysteries.The major "good guys", are very believable, likeable and admirable individuals (despite normal human flaws), who are easy for the reader to become emotionally attached to.

In addition to being younger and more impetuous (or hotheaded and impatient, in Leaphorn's view), Jim Chee differs from Joe Leaphorn in being a more traditional Navajo.Indeed, he has trained to be a "singer", that is, a shaman or healer.In "Skinwalkers" Chee is offered his first commission to perform a "sing" (other than a sorta "advertising" sing he did for a niece).

I suspect that many readers, like myself, privately wish that Hillermans novels were more lengthy.The ending always comes too soon.But that's a key to good writing--to leave the reader wanting more.Hillerman is a very "economical" writer.His novels are almost "long short stories" in which every word in the novel has a purpose.There is no filler.This is particularly important to mystery lovers--virtually every detail is a real clue--there are no "red herrings", per se.Although I would more than tolerate some filler, I still venerate Hillerman's sytle as that of a master--and superbly appropriate to his subject matter.


VERDICT
One of the best in a series of masterpieces.

"Sun will be created - They say he has planned it all."
Skinwalkers are witches in the Navaho legends and can fly or turn themselves into a dog or wolf. This mystery involves the conflict between Skinwalkers and shamen and belegana medicine. Then again, it may be a straightforward set of independent murders. In any event, it looks as if some one is out to kill Navajo Tribal Police Officer Jim Chee and he does not have a clue as to why.

As with all of Tony Hillerman's stories, you have the feeling you are there. In fact if you have visited or live in the area (Four Corners canyons) that the mystery takes part in, you will be better able to identify with the people and landmarks. In addition, as with his other books there is an overt and covert story.

I have read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall on recordings adds a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words. I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.

I first saw the TV version of Skinwalkers with Robert Redford. He has a habit of redfordizing stories for his own agenda. This book was so strongly written that I thought Redford did not have a chance to modify it.I was wrong.

The book is much more in depth and the motive and additional characters made the mystery much more intriguing.

The Dark Wind (Jim Chee Novels)

"Sun will be created - They say he has planned it all."
Skinwalkers are witches in the Navaho legends and can fly or turn themselves into a dog or wolf. This mystery involves the conflict between Skinwalkers and shamen and belegana medicine. Then again, it may be a straightforward set of independent murders. In any event, it looks as if some one is out to kill Navajo Tribal Police Officer Jim Chee and he does not have a clue as to why.

As with all of Tony Hillerman's stories, you have the feeling you are there. In fact if you have visited or live in the area (Four Corners canyons) that the mystery takes part in, you will be better able to identify with the people and landmarks. In addition, as with his other books there is an overt and covert story.

I have read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall on recordings adds a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words. I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.

I first saw the TV version of Skinwalkers with Robert Redford. He has a habit of redfordizing stories for his own agenda. This book was so strongly written that I thought Redford did not have a chance to modify it.I was wrong.

The book is much more in depth and the motive and additional characters made the mystery much more intriguing.

The Dark Wind (Jim Chee Novels)
... Read more