The Wailing Wind

Tony Hillerman's "The Wailing Wind" is adequate, but it's lacking in most of the things that make the earlier works in the series sparkle. First, the ending: unlike the earlier works where everyone gets what's coming to them, it's ambiguous whether or not the bad guys have gotten what they deserve. We've got the main bad guy who might be guilty of more evil than he's officially charged with, or he might be properly charged but saddled with another terrible tragedy in his life. And, we've got a secondary guy who might be guilty of what he's been charged with, or he might be just a patsy. Then there's the lack of a "Navajo" feel to the book. Sadly, this has been an ongoing trend. In the early books, the story was really about the Navajo and exploring how Leaphorn and Chee worked with the conflicting ethos of Navajo/bilagaana. Except for one light, ambiguous conversation with one person, this book barely touches that conflict. And, finally (and another ongoing trend), this is practically a generic murder mystery and police story. The events of the story could have occurred practically anywhere in the world, and much of it consists of the jurisdictional turf wars between police agencies. This is not why I read Hillerman. There are three books remaining in this series (which I've already bought), and, because of the lack of that old Hillerman "charm," I'm considering not even reading them. If this book had reversed the downward trend of the previous books, I wouldn't be wondering that. But, it didn't. I'm rating it at an OK 3 stars out of 5.

Hillerman's "Leaphorn & Chee" novels are:

1. The Blessing Way
2. Dance Hall of the Dead
3. Listening Woman
4. People of Darkness
5. The Dark Wind
6. The Ghostway (Jim Chee Novels)
7. Skinwalkers
8. A Thief of Time
9. Talking God
10. Coyote Waits
11. Sacred Clowns: Novel, A
12. The Fallen Man
13. The First Eagle
14. Hunting Badger
15. The Wailing Wind
16. The Sinister Pig
17. Skeleton Man
18. The Shape Shifter

Rookie Navaho police officer Bernadette Manuelito is making her round when she spots what looks to be an abandoned truck. Upon closer inspection she finds what appears to be a drunk sleeping it off in the seat. Yep you guessed it when she touched him he was cold, dead cold.

All of our old palls from previous novels converge on the seen that turn out to be a homicide as the individual was shot in the back.

As the story progresses we get the thing that makes Hillerman, Hillerman; there are graphic descriptions of the landscape and weather. We also get a small indoctrination into the Navaho way as a shaman and an old man are interrogated. Yes and the is also a love interest or two as scene mostly through the eves of Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, and suspect Wiley Denton of who seems to have misplaced his wife..

I suggest that just before you read this or while you are reading this that you also have a copy of the book "Hillerman Country: A Journey Through the Southwest with Tony Hillerman" It is a book filled with the pictures of the areas mentioned in this book (Including the torques mountain.)

You can tell that this book was written later on the series because the characters refer back to earlier times and other misters. The references are casual enough that if you had not read the other books you would not notice them.

As with most Hillerman novels the answer to the main riddle is usually immediately or soon figured out so we have fun finding out how long it will take the characters to catch up. Many a time different characters have clues and do not compare in time to act.

Rookie Navaho police officer Bernadette Manuelito is making her round when she spots what looks to be an abandoned truck. Upon closer inspection she finds what appears to be a drunk sleeping it off in the seat. Yep you guessed it when she touched him he was cold, dead cold.

All of our old palls from previous novels converge on the seen that turn out to be a homicide as the individual was shot in the back.

As the story progresses we get the thing that makes Hillerman, Hillerman; there are graphic descriptions of the landscape and weather. We also get a small indoctrination into the Navaho way as a shaman and an old man are interrogated. Yes and the is also a love interest or two as scene mostly through the eves of Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, and suspect Wiley Denton of who seems to have misplaced his wife..

I suggest that just before you read this or while you are reading this that you also have a copy of the book "Hillerman Country: A Journey Through the Southwest with Tony Hillerman" It is a book filled with the pictures of the areas mentioned in this book (Including the torques mountain.)

You can tell that this book was written later on the series because the characters refer back to earlier times and other misters. The references are casual enough that if you had not read the other books you would not notice them.

As with most Hillerman novels the answer to the main riddle is usually immediately or soon figured out so we have fun finding out how long it will take the characters to catch up. Many a time different characters have clues and do not compare in time to act.

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. That's 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.

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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.

Bernie is no longer feeling like the greenest rookie of the Navajo Tribal Police. She is finding Jim Chee hard to understand. She runs into an unconscious or dead man in a truck and calls it in. An ambulance is to arrive in less than an hour. It seems that the dead man is the nephew of a sheriff and that he had been killed by rifle shot.

Jim Chee feels incompetent around his former boss, Joe Leaphorn. Chee is not popular with the FBI. The FBI has been called into the investigation. The FBI is finding a problem with the crime scene conduct of Bernie Manuelito. She did not ascertain the cause of death. Cultural factors mitigated against her touching and moving the body. Bernie finds stickers and seed pods on the pants legs of the victim and seeks the advice of her uncle who is a sort of amateur ethnobiologist.

It seems that the victim had read records on ethnology and gold prospecting. An earlier murder may have been related to gold prospecting. Joe Leaphorn, now retired, believes that the earlier murder had not been solved properly. Bernie locates the site of the gold panning. Next she is shot at by a rifleman. Shooting at a cop is felony. Bernie calls Jim Chee to give him the probable location of the murder. She finds out that she has not been suspended from the force as she had believed.

Chee is rattled and forgets to apologize to Bernie for being so abrupt. Joe Leaphorn is contacted by Denton, the alleged murderer in the first incident, who asks him to find his missing wife. Denton asserts that his young and beautiful wife did love him. In gambling it is called looking for tells, signs, given off by the other players. In the oil lease business, and Denton was successful in it, a person has to have scepticism. In the adventure Jim Chee is falling in love with Bernadette Manuelito. In the end Bernie wants to get another job where she is not arresting people, but helping them.

Tony Hillerman is back in form with The Wailing Wind. As with most Hillerman mysteries, this book follows the same formula. First, a crime has occurred on Native American lands due to the exploitation of Native American resources. Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn again work together to solve a crime, although they seem to be less adversarial with each book. Both characters have budding romantic interests, although things are still unresolved at the end. Ineffective FBI agents still try to wrestle control of criminal investigations from the Tribal Police. And the Tribal Police still try to do their jobs within the parameters of their Indian (mostly Navajo) beliefs. Hillerman's mysteries are fascinating in that they educate the reader about Native American cultures, lands, life on the reservation, religious beliefs and a host of other topics. However, I would recommend that a reader new to Hillerman skip this book for now, and start with his earliest mysteries which give more background into Native American beliefs and vocabulary. It will also be helpful in that the personal lives of his characters continue to develop in each novel. Still, The Wailing Wind is an entertaining mystery for Hillerman fans and I found it much better than his last effort.

The latest from Tony Hillerman is like a visit with old and dear friends. You know you will have a pleasant afternoon, talking over shared memories and good times. In the same way, Hillerman's characters, especially Leaphorn and Chee, are people you know and care about. Some of their actions can be expected, even predicted, because we "know" them and how they are likely to react.
Joe Leaphorn has always wanted to solve all the puzzles surrounding an old mystery. For instance, what happened to the beautiful, younger wife of a grizzled millionaire who was found guilty of the shooting of a swindler and sent to prison a few years before the Lieutenant retired from the force? That case had to do with the search for the legendary lost "Golden Calf" gold mine. And for Leaphorn, it is those little things that just keep tickling his mind, even after a lot of years. For on the day of the shooting, Linda Denton disappeared -- not to be seen by anyone in the area again!
When Jim Chee brings a departmental problem to Leaphorn and asks for his advice on how to help Officer Bernie Manuelito stay out of career-ending trouble because of a new murder on reservation land, some troubling signs point to a connection with the old case of the missing wife and the Golden Calf mine location. Leaphorn's instincts say that to solve the new murder will require digging into the old one as well.
With Tony Hillerman's books, the Southwestern locations are ever present. You can almost feel the sun on your neck, smell the sage wafting on the breeze, shade your eyes to see Turquoise Mountain way off in the distance. Mr. Hillerman's affection for this region and it's inhabitants is a big part of my pleasure in reading each new book.
The Wailing Wind is a tightly crafted story that will keep you wondering along with Joe Leaphorn right up to the end.

At one point in "The Wailing Wind", Joe Leaphorn muses on a Raymond Chandler story he once read. That's rather appropriate as this book is certainly one of Hillerman's more hard-boiled books. Much like Chandler, it meditates on the human condition, finding more dark than light, and offering at best, a few shreds of hope for all those participants who make it to the end.
Of all of Hillerman's books, this is his darkest. This is not to say that his previous ones are Agatha Christie drawing room cozies. They all had their share of grimey street-level detective work, and some have left the protaganists with dim world-views. But let's face it, the Navajo reservation setting, the cultural trappings, and the very genial and lovable protagonists in the form of Chee and Leaphorn are the real attraction to these books, and why they stand out among mystery writers, not their dark atomosphere and cynicism.
But with "The Wailing Wind", Hillerman has incorporated darker elements. Perhaps Leaphorn should have thought of Ross MacDonald, as this book has much in common with MacDonald's work. Here, a murder, which Leaphorn investigated long ago, continues to reach out and damage lives in the present, as Chee and Leaphorn desperately try to keep things from falling apart, and inevitably failing. The titular wailing wind is the key to many a downfall, leaving all parties (including the reader)afloat in a sort of moral morass, like the best of Chandler, Hammet, and MacDonald.
Hillerman has touched on deeper elements before in his work (the ambigous ending of "Dancehall of the Dead" springs to mind), but never with so much sharpness. This is definitely a book to remember, and a reminder why I enjoy Hillerman so much. Eagerly awaiting the next one.

Reading Tony Hillerman's latest Leaphorn/Chee mystery is like sitting around a campfire with old friends. It's wonderful to catch up on each other's lives, share a few chuckes, and recall why you enjoy being together. But it's not the best way to meet new people.
Hillerman's books have always been more about Navajo lore and the vanishing-point vistas of a lightly populated land than about solving crimes. In the process, we've come to really care about Leaphorn and Chee, and the people and places that define their lives. This book has the feel of being the penultimate in the series--not quite the end, but close to it. The real question isn't who killed the gold miner whose body is discovered in the opening chapter; it's whether Chee will ever be truly happy, and whether Leaphorn will settle gracefully into retirement. Nor does Hillerman really have anything new to say about the Navajos; he's said it beautifully in more than a dozen prior books.
If you already love Leaphorn and Chee and the Southwest, you don't need my urging to read this book. If you're new to Hillerman, start with an earlier book in the series. Then come back for a nice campfire chat with your new, old friends.

Tony Hillerman finds his stride again after the stumbling in <i>Hunting Badger</i>. A mystery that entangles lost gold mines, wailing ghosts, Navajo sacred places, infidelity and confidence games, <i>The Wailing WInd</i> brings Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee together again. Leaphorn is retired but insatiably curious about a murder and disappearance that seem to be linked to a new killing. Chee and his new (and let us hope permanent) love interest, Officer Bernadette Manuelito, sift through the clues to find a killer and, incidentally, a basis for their own relationship.
The novel is fast and fun. Hillerman includes his tradmark ethnic insights, such as the hilarious scene when Jim and Bernie stumble into an interview between a Navajo singer and the FBI agent in charge. Chee weaves his own simultaneous interview of the medicine man into the fabric of the "technical assistance" he is providing to the FBI's inept translator.
If the last few pages get a bit blurry about motivations and character, that is a quibble no more germane than complaining about the meandering pace of a sweet old uncle who is a great storyteller. The twists and turns of the plot are a pleasure, anticipated or not.
Non-fans may not enjoy this one. If you haven't read any of the Chee or Leaphorn books, read <I>Skinwalkers</I> and <I>A Thief of Time</I>, to get a sense of the context and power of the series. (And do not miss the PBS Mystery Theatre dramatization of <I>Skinwalkers</I> this fall.)
Hillerman fans will cheer for Bernie Manuelito, chuckle over Joe's discreet intimacy with his "friend" Louise Bourbonette, and enjoy this new visit to a place--imaginary or not--where Anglo and Indian co-exist in harmony if not without conflict, the best of both races operating with mutual respect, and a crowd of people, men and women, we have learned to admire, respect, and love.

This has all the traditional elements that draw me to Hillerman's novels: traditional Navaho, Anglo stereotypes, and Hillerman's own tradition of excellence in plotting, characterization, and believable human developments (witness Jim Chee's successive love entanglements). This is mostly a Joe Leaphorn, retired Navaho policman, story, dredging up an old unsolved case of his that involves a contested lost gold mine. Sgt. Chee helps out with his knowledge of Navaho shamanism (which, sadly, he is no longer studying). Navaho seem very "cool" characters, deliberate, kinda laid back, and reasoning within their logical framework of Harmony (with its frightening tales of divine sanction). I had a chilling moment when I realized what the wailing wind would turn out to be. The realization came a bit early I thought, but then maybe Tony wanted to reward us for paying attention. As ever the atmosphere is lovingly authentic and the clues dovetail so neatly despite being scattered across a century of Southwestern history. In McGarrity's New Mexico stories the police produce the clues through hard work, in Hillerman's they are strewn across the landscape and have to be recognized.

As a reader of many of Hillerman's mysteries, though none within the past several years, I was glad to read once more of Joe Leaphorn, now retired, Jim Chee, and Officer Manuelito. The novel begins simply with Officer Manuelito dispatched to an abandoned car in a remote location where she finds a murder victim. From there the plot evolves into the search for a lost gold mine, an old murder case, a wife who has disappeared a number of years ago, and, of course, various references and ties into ancient Navajo and Zuni cultural practices.
The book is short and I missed the detail into the New Mexican environment--of storms, of wind, and other descriptive lore that evokes the area--that Hillerman usually brings to his novels. Also, here and there the novel seemed a bit jumpy and not the smoothest plotting, as if Hillerman, now well into his 70s, is writing more from instinct, on autopilot, rather than from any great creative rush. Even so, a so-so Hillerman book is more satisfying than many of his contemporaries, and it is a relief to get away from the violence, nastiness, and loveless sex scenes all too often featured in other mysteries.

I am kind of working my way back through Hillerman's books as there have been many that I have not read, and I forgot how much I enjoy his writing. Chee's newest deputy (and female interest) finds an overturned truck in the desert, and makes the wrong assumption that the dead person in the truck is just another drunken Indian who died in an alcohol-related traffic accident or from exposure due to drinking. Even members of our own 'communities' tend to be guilty of accepting the stereotypes given to us by society at large...and Bernie makes an erroneous assumption that could cost her her job.

Chee and Leaphorn become involved when this death is found to be tied in with a cold case that was never solved. A man is killed and his killer confesses to the crime. The killer's wife may or may not have been involved (this is never determined) but she is never seen again through all of Leaphorn's long career as a chief of the Navajo Tribal Police. When the connection between the dead man in the truck and the missing woman resurfaces, the killer is finally free after serving his lengthy sentence. And he wants Leaphorn to find his long lost wife. Leaphorn isn't sure whether this man is being truthful about his wife's disappearance, or whether he is merely trying to coverup another murder he has not been responsible for.

The legends and stories of the Indians in the Four Corners Area of the U.S. are numerous and intertwined, and they make for good reading. I've always been a fan of legends and myths. I think I read all the Greek, Roman, and Norse/Celtic myths by the time I was 16. So finding a writer like Hillerman who can weave in those myths and legends with current happenings and mysteries really fills the time I allot myself for enjoyable reading (versus reading done to do a paper or for classwork, or for bioethical work).

This is a deeply sad story...one that leaves all parties marked with sadness. It leaves the old killer with the recognition that his own selfishness and greediness, robbed him of the only thing worth anything in his life...and Leaphorn realizes this. Chee is forced to rethink his feelings towards his deputy, Bernie Manuelito...whether to treat her as his deputy or as a person, and what he needs to do to free himself of the predicament he finds himself in when he discovers he has feelings towards this young woman. Actually, the young woman is taught a means to fix the predicament for both of them by Lieutenant Leaphorn.

As usual, Hillermans paints the beauty of the area well, and his characterization is right on target. A truely enjoyable series of mysteries. I intend to go through every single on of his books this time!

Karen Sadler

When Officer Bernadette Manuelito of the Navajo police finds a truck with a body in it, she suspects natural causes--and ends up in big trouble with the FBI. Her boss Sergeant Jim Chee and his friend retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn decide to investigate, especially since the case seems related to an old 'closed' case that never felt right to Leaphorn. In a powerful mixture of native American culture and modern police work, all three track down evidence of an old gold mine, a wailing woman, and confidence man tricks.
Author Tony Hillerman is at his best when writing about Leaphorn and Chee. Both men are memorable characters, trying to find balance in their lives, dealing with difficult relatives, difficult FBI agents, and the difficult blend of cultures that represents the culture that they live in and love.
As always, the bleak desert landscapes of the southwestern Navajo Indian Reservation forms both a backdrop and a virtual character in this story. Without an understanding of the country, nature, and man's relationship with nature, Chee, Bernadette, and Leaphorn cannot hope to solve the mystery--but with them, they run the risk of being dismissed by the FBI or falling into a trap set by a ruthless killer.
This may not be the best Tony Hillerman book out (my personal favorite was COYOTE WAITS) but even pretty good Hillerman is excellent.

Tony Hillerman takes the startling beauty of the Southwest and combines it with the Navajo culture and uses this as his canvas as he paints a mysterious picture of lost gold mines, dead entrepreneurs, a missing wife, and a puzzle with many missing pieces and too many "detectives" in all the wrong places. Jim Chee, Bernadette Manuelito, Joe Leaphorn and Louisa Boubonette return in this novel that begins with Bernadette, a young Navajo Tribal Police Oficer, discovering a dead man in a pick-up truck. Suddenly what seems to be a simple death is found to be murder and is linked to a previous series of events involving gold, money, love and betrayal. Joe Leaphorn, retired investigator, is pulled into the picture to help discover the location of a missing wife and then things appear to spiral out of control.
The Navajo traditions are an intricate part of the novel, adding an element to the story that keeps you focused on a perfect delicate balance Hillerman achieves in his story telling.
The story is full of life and emotion and the mystery is well developed, concealing itself until the very end.

Hillerman has three great virtues:

He understands the rhythm and concerns of the Navajo and Hopi people in the southwest;

He tells very good stories about people you rapidly come to care about;

His "mysteries" are genuinely mysterious.

These capacities make Hillerman one of the most consistently interesting and enjoyable detective writers of our time.

Wailing Wind is another example of excellence in story telling. The humanity of the characters (including a retired policeman from earlier novels who was a young man when Hillerman started writing, a young police man and woman who are falling for each other, and the people involved in the murder and the tragedy of their lives) is well expressed. The result is a world and cast that you genuinely come to care about.

The simplicity and the tragedy of the story as it finally unfolds will remind you that doing evil often has side effects and consequences unimaginable when the act is first contemplated.

This is a fine novel.

In a Hillerman novel the Navajo embody a serene kind of patience where people never interrupt, hear everything that is said and wait as long as it takes for the whole story to be told. They accept as proven facts religious teachings and traditions that outsiders might consider frivolous superstitions. Add in a Tribal Police Force that combines dedication, logic and training with these deep rooted principles, and you get a group of investigators who always get to the bottom of things, usually making task oriented modern counterparts like the FBI look pompous and ineffective along the way.
Officer Bernadette Manuelito discovers a body in an abandoned pickup truck, and there's probably a connection to a five-year-old homicide and the search for a lost gold mine. Sgt. Jim Chee, whom Bernie sees as friend, potential boyfriend and arrogant boss all at the same time, wants to shield her from embarrassment when she mishandles a piece of evidence at the crime scene. Chee's old boss, the "legendary" retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn who's always hanging around when something happens, solves that problem and begins his own investigation of the interlocking mysteries.
Hillerman's characters grow naturally from story to story. Watch the relationship between Bernie and Chee evolve and see how Leaphorn faces the realities of retirement but is still sharp enough to earn most of the respect he formerly commanded. As always Hillerman maintains a consistent pace throughout. His craftsmanship and George Guidall's expert reading of the audiobook comfortably bring the audience in sync with the tempo and direction of the Navajo investigators.
When the puzzle finally is solved, we realize that all the pieces were on the table from the beginning. The picture that emerges, however, like the characters that put it together, incorporates subtleties we didn't expect to see. A more logical response to a wailing wind five years earlier, for example, would have prevented a tragic and unnecessary death, and we never will know what the old shaman James Peshlakai said, did or did not do.
This is my fourth Hillerman novel. While I've enjoyed them all, I would call "The Wailing Wind" the most satisfying.

I was incredibly excited to see this book was out and started reading right in the middle of the work day. By that evening I was finished. So obviously Mr. Hillerman has lost none of his magic in drawing the reader in and engaging them. Unfortunately, the astute reader will guess the broad outlines of what is going on pretty early in the story. This was unusual for me, but seems increasingly common in Mr. Hillerman's later works. The mystery isn't the focus, the interaction of the characters is. For me this works pretty well, but past Hillerman works had a compelling mystery intertwined with the character interactions. That said, the usual evocation of the desert Southwest's austere beauty is present from the first page. And even a relatively short, obvious Hillerman mystery is better than 90% of what is out there. If you are a Hillerman fan, you will want it and enjoy it (but probably be ever so mildly let down by length and obviousness of the story). If you are not yet a Hillerman fan, I would start with an earlier novel such as A Thief of Time.

�The Wailing Wind� by Tony Hillerman, Copyright 2002, Harper Audio Books, 4 Cassettes, read by George Guidall.
Tony Hillerman has reached a new pinnacle in his writing, as he deals with three distinct protagonists in this murder mystery. There is the �old hand�, the legendary Lieutant Leaphorn (sort of retired), the up and coming middle manager in Jim Chee and the �rookie� in Officer Bernadette Manuelito. Each of them plays a significant part in the solving of the mystery of the missing wife, Linda Denton.
The central mystery, however, is the missing �Golden Calf� mine, sought for years by the gruff and somewhat eccentric millionaire, Wiley Denton. The book opens with Officer Manuelito discovering a dead body in the cab of a pick-up truck. It is obvious that the murder did not occur at the truck�s location, and Officer Bernadette is in trouble with the FBI (it is a new agent this time) for disturbing the crime scene. Manuelito is �suspended� and she spends that time tracking down the place where the crime actually took place ... which is probably the location of the �Golden Calf�.
Tony Hillerman has all three characters contributing to the solution of the murder, the �Golden Calf� and to the discovery of the missing wife, Linda Denton. Early on, you get an inkling of what happened to Mrs. Denton, and as you progress through the book, your worst fears are confirmed. But, even as you go along, you say �Oh no! Hillerman would never write that! It is too horrible.�
Again, George Guidall displays excellent characterization, with his voice rising and falling as required by the wide range of characters. This book helped immensely as I commuted on I-495, the ring road around Boston.

This book features Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito as they worked the same cases from different aspects.. As usual these are blessed together to make one story. Joe is asked to locate a woman who has been missing for a number of years. Jim is "helping" FBI with MURDER on the reservation that Bernie didn't handle correctly and the FBI is making her the "scapegoat". Jim Chee is determined to prevent this happening. Bernie to correct her error uses the plant seed on the victim clothes to locate the area where he was shot. The ending will surprise you.

The Wailing Wind is a very good continuation of the Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee/Bernie Manuelito series within the now 15 volume Navajo mystery series by Tony Hillerman. In The Wailing Wind, a current murder case being investigated by Bernie Manuelito, Jim Chee, and the FBI becomes entangled with a loose end left over from an allegedly solved case from Joe Leaphorn's past. As we've come to expect from a good Hillerman novel, the characters have to navigate through the complicated cultural landscape and the rugged physical landscape found in the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. I thoroughly enjoyed the unraveling of the mysteries in The Wailing Wind. To those folks who wished this novel [and The First Eagle] were more Navajo, I challenge you to take a trip into the Four Corners region and then reread the book. As always, Hillerman has accurately portrayed the region and its people as they are. A trip to the southwest would reveal this. To all readers, if you can't take a trip to the southwest in person, then take the trip from the comfort of your living room with Tony Hillerman's The Wailing Wind.

With Hillerman, you know what you are going to get. He has the ability to entertain and educate without resorting to mindless violence or gratuitous sex. His brilliance lies in his descriptions of character and place. Chee and Leaphorn are old friends that take us through the Navajo lands and offer glimpses into their culture.
Although this is not one of Hillerman's best, it still is a comfortable read and it is nice to be reacquainted with Leaphorn and Chee. With Hillerman, the mystery is a bonus. When he is on his game, there is nobody better. When his story slips a little, he is still fun to read because we know these characters and enjoy these landscapes.
I fear the day that Hillerman stops writing these mysteries. Although there are quite a few writers that have copied his style and subject matter ( a tribute to Hillerman's brilliance), none are nearly as good.

So my review title isn't too captivating, but the same goes for picking up a mystery that is part of an ongoing series. No offense, but sometimes you feel that if you read one, you read them all. I have read 3-4 Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn mysteries and while I remember liking them, nothing stands out in memory other than a lot of American Indian cultural tidbits. If this is the first Hillerman book you ever pick up, don't be turned off by all the American Indian philosophy that is presented here. Luckily, there isn't as much in this story as previous Hillerman novels I have read and it's not as integral to the plot. What I really like about Leaphorn and Chee together is their relationship and how they are not the stereotypical drunks, down-on-his-luck PI or cop. Rather, they are polite and, well, rather soft as far as cops are concerned. Let's call it compassion. In fact, it's this compassion that awakens an unsolved mystery that drives retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn to find a killer. Hillerman uses a technique that keeps the pages turning: Chee and Leaphorn are working separately to solve the case, each working a different angle. Nothing is over-the-top and the end is satisfying. I highly recommend what may stand to be one of Hillerman's best.

Officer Bernadette Manuelito had become a full-fledged member of Tony Hillerman's cast of characters, allowing us to see events through her eyes as well as those of Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn and expanding the range of emotions and insights to be explored. The story of "The Wailing Woman" is not terribly complex -- a white man has been found shot to death on the Navajo reservation and circumstances tie the crime to an older unsolved mystery: why did the beautiful young wife of a wealthy local oil man disappear at the same time her husband killed a conman who was trying to cheat him over information about a long-lost fabled gold mine? It was a mystery which troubled Leaphorn even in retirement, and he cannot resist the opportunity to again try to find the answer.
This novel does not delve so deep into Indian religion and culture as some of Hillerman's books, but as usual his characters are complex and subtle. And, as has been the case with most of the novels in this series for several years, the personal stories of his characters evolve a little further.

Have you heard La Llorano crying for her children at night? The legend of the forlorn mother searching for her drowned children by waterways is prevalent in many cultures worldwide and particularly well-known in New Mexico’s Hispanic culture and apparently Navajo lore as well! This is just one piece of the puzzling mystery which Sergeant Jim Chee and Lieutenant Leaphorn are set to settle in Hillerman’s 15th book of his Navajo Detective series. I loved this book for its twists, turns, and realistic level of corruption that comes with gold!

This is the first Tony Kellerman novel I have read and this one I picked up at the local library. It is an interesting read with an easy to solve plot - but the real charm for me lay in the ordinary, pleasant characters!

The two couples - Joe Leaphorn, retired cop and Louise, his "friend" - and Jim Chee and the young female cop, Bernadette- are a refreshing change from the gung ho, violent, gorgeous characters which frequently appear in murder mysteries. The interwoven Navajo culture made the story very interesting for me, as an Australian.

I shall read more of this author when I can find him!

Time goes on and the protagonists Leaphorn and Chee are back for one more puzzling crime. Bernadette Manuelito has messed up a crime scene and Jim Chee is upset with her about it. Leaphorn is finding leads even though he is supposedly retired. The stories of Chee and Leaphorn weave together in a now predictable arc that has pretty much been used in every single Hillerman novel. But in the end, its nice to meet up with two interesting and engaging characters and its easy to overlook a tired plot device.

I have never understood why Hillerman didn't stretch his imagination a little more with these books. The strengths are 100% in the characters and the evocative interactions they have with one another. The mystery is just background noise after a while and takes a second seat to the Navaho country that unfolds throughout every book. I am allways reminded of 'Murder She Wrote' and how Angela Landsburry stumbels across one murder after another and how they are all wrapped up in similar regards. This is in my mind the only thing that holds Hillerman back from being a true master of his craft.

The Wailing Wind continues Hillerman's series with Joe Leaphorn (the wise old guy) and Jim Chee (the newcomer to the police force on the rez). They, of course, don't love the FBI, but now they're all tangled up together in the loose details from a previous case of Leaphorn's, supposedly solved and filed away. As usual, the scene is the sere and gorgeous country around the Four Corners area in the American Southwest. An abandoned pickup truck holds the body of a white man, which leads back in time to two previous murders, the disappearance of the wife of one of the dead men, an old gold mine, and an incident that had been dismissed as nothing more than a Halloween prank.
And then, naturally, there's a simmering and problematic love interest for Chee and the latest new lady in his life.

Hillerman's murder thriller involves a legendary wailing woman, a new murder, a lost gold mine and protection of sacred Navajo grounds. Bernie Manuelito is a new officer with the Navajo Tribal Police, under the supervision of Sergeant Jim Chee, and a personal attraction develops that flusters both of them.

As usual, the new case seems to have ties with an old case of retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, who teams up with Manuelito and Chee to solve a case for the FBI, who can't seem to get all the local details to come together.

Hillerman has a formula at work in his Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee mystery series, and. as time goes on, the smooth coating wears in places here and there and the fundamental structure shows through, a tad naked. THE WAILING WOMAN is one of those where you can see scattered holes unfilled by character development or cultural background information. It's not so much that there are inconsistencies in the plotting as there are some implausible motivations and non sequiturs. Hillerman's usual red herrings aren't running too strong in this stream. That said, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are good company, so if you like them, this won't disappoint. This volume does offer a wry tour of bureaucratic land rights issues and injustices that plague the Navajo nation.

Tony Hillerman's latest novel, "The Wailing Wind", continues his 'winning streak', in my opinion. As always we have Hillerman's grand evocations of the American Southwest and his great knowledge and respect for the Navajo culture, as well as his easy, deft prose and nice plotting. Not quite up to his very best work (which in my opinion would be "The Fallen Man" and his just-previous novel, "Hunting Badger"), "The Wailing Wind" is still a very good book and a very satisfying read. My only real complaint is that it is TOO SHORT! I didn't want it to end! Hillerman is a master, and the fact that he is a fellow Okie only adds to his appeal to me. A grand writer.

Somebody at HarperCollins really screwed up: A working draft of Tony Hillerman's latest book was published instead of the finished work. How else to explain the threadbare plot, failure to develop anything engaging about either the characters or their motivations, the lack of any suspense or discernable climax, the lame conclusion, and so many more shortcomings? The writing is not up to anyone's professional standards, much less Hillerman's; it sounds more like a high school creative writing project. Does anyone ever speak without "grinning"? Does an experienced story teller and stylist complete a desciptive sentence with "etc." so frequently? Can't the numerous parenthetical expressions, used in such an amateurish style, be reworked into a more literary and compelling form? Not to mention the numerous continuity flaws: First the Gallup FBI office is on Coal Avenue (p. 170), then on Gold Avenue (p. 174). Leaphorn drives up in his pickup (p. 189), then stops and takes a box out of the "trunk of his own car" (p. 190). Puhleeeeze!
Maybe Hillerman just phoned this one in from the beach somewhere. At a scant 232 pages, it wouldn't have taken long to dictate. Or maybe I should just blame everything on the editors, ... If they'd been paying attention, this draft "The Wailing Wind" never would have seen the light of day. With another six months of work it might have been made into a decent book; as it stands it's not worth buying or reading. ... What a major disappointment.

This book is an easy read, but not particularly gripping. Our Navaho detective heroes (the "legendary" Leaphorn, Chee, etc) begin to unravel an old mystery after a dead body is found in the desert in the 4 corners region of northwest New Mexico. Related to the story is a strange Halloween tale of teenagers hearing a spooky sound out in an old Army depot a few years ago.

I tried to enjoy this book, but it never really grabbed my attention well. The scenery in New Mexico is good, but the crime story just didn't develop very well for me.

They're all good. Some better than others, perhaps. This book did the trick for me. I don't really know which is my favorite by H. or which one I'd start someone with. I wasn't really dissappointed with the previous books like some reviewers, but as I read this one, I seem to recall feeling like it was a pleasant surprise. I have some personal experiences that draw me to the land up there. I especially love the descriptions of the land as Bernie gazes out (looking southeast from the Chuskas into what some consider desolation, if I recall correctly). Good stuff.

This is only an average Hillerman effort, but Hillerman's average is better than most mystery writers' best. It is more sentimental in tone than his earlier books. Joe Leaphorn, the retired "legendary lieutenant" is back, helping Sgt. Chee and officer Bernadette Manuelito untangle an old and and new homicide -- as well as their personal relationship. The plot as it finally unfolds seems far-fetched to me, but Hillerman makes the trip enjoyable with his practiced depiction of his principal characters and Navajo life in general.

This book is an easy read, but not particularly gripping. Our Navaho detective heroes (the "legendary" Leaphorn, Chee, etc) begin to unravel an old mystery after a dead body is found in the desert in the 4 corners region of northwest New Mexico. Related to the story is a strange Halloween tale of teenagers hearing a spooky sound out in an old Army depot a few years ago.

I tried to enjoy this book, but it never really grabbed my attention well. The scenery in New Mexico is good, but the crime story just didn't develop very well for me.

They're all good. Some better than others, perhaps. This book did the trick for me. I don't really know which is my favorite by H. or which one I'd start someone with. I wasn't really dissappointed with the previous books like some reviewers, but as I read this one, I seem to recall feeling like it was a pleasant surprise. I have some personal experiences that draw me to the land up there. I especially love the descriptions of the land as Bernie gazes out (looking southeast from the Chuskas into what some consider desolation, if I recall correctly). Good stuff.

This is only an average Hillerman effort, but Hillerman's average is better than most mystery writers' best. It is more sentimental in tone than his earlier books. Joe Leaphorn, the retired "legendary lieutenant" is back, helping Sgt. Chee and officer Bernadette Manuelito untangle an old and and new homicide -- as well as their personal relationship. The plot as it finally unfolds seems far-fetched to me, but Hillerman makes the trip enjoyable with his practiced depiction of his principal characters and Navajo life in general.

As a member of [...], I wrote a newsletter about the author Tony Hillerman. I had never read one of his mystery novels, which the research for the newsletter inspired me to do. I am glad that I did. It's been a few years since I read a mystery novel and Tony Hillerman brought me back 'into the hunt' with this novel. I found it was an enjoyable novel with good characters a dandy plot. I wish the ending would have been a little stronger, but I believe that it always my opinion at the end of a good novel. I guess this is one those novels I just wanted to keep going.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery novels or who has a fond appreciation for the Native American cultures.

Hillerman fans will enjoy this reunion of Joe leaphorn and Jim Chee as they work a case that has ties to an old unresolved mystery. Supurb and unbeatable are words that come to mind as you work through the pages of "The Wailing Wind." Hillerman's talent of creating word pictures of the southwest continues in this narrative as customs of the area always make you feel as if you walk beside him and see it all through his eyes. Another winner from this great author.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Possible spoilers in this review of Tony Hillerman's "The Wailing Wind". Rating: six out of ten.
This is a difficult review by a former New Mexican. If you haven't read any Hillerman novels, please start from the first novel.
The content of the novel is Leaphorn/Chee formulaic, but very promising. Hillerman has wonderful aspects here, i.e., Bernie's description of a ceremony in her childhood, the sacred places and the beautiful legends, a likeable antagonist, the Navajo culture and landscape, etc. His ending is almost inspirational, but some people will take offence.
It's, however, a novel where the pacing is almost at the mark, yet there are obvious inconsistencies as pointed out in other reviews; the most glaring is on p. 96. I personally never want to see "wry" or "grin" or "oh" in his novels again either; a thesaurus would do nicely here.
His editor has let him down by not asking for a revamp in places. What are those Harper Collins folks doing? The novel might have been better served if we got to know Marvin and Linda more in the first chapter. I love his enigmatic first chapters the best; hardly any mystery writer has Hillerman's impact.
This is a better book than "Hunting Badger", but not like "The Blessing Way" to "Sacred Clowns", his best period. I look forward to the Mystery presentation on PBS this fall of "Skinwalkers", the first American mystery program of their twenty-two year history. Perhaps that program will capture the magic and gifts of Hillerman's storytelling. Just a few grains and flakes of gold here, not a nugget in sight. And only a slight, disenchanted wind.

I think Tony Hillerman may be getting a little tired of his formula. Although I have always loved the Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee mysteries because of the characters and the insights into another culture, this one was way too easy to solve. For the first time, I was way ahead of Joe, and Jim didn't seem to be very involved in solving the mystery. Although I still like the characters, I think the formula was just being pushed through for this book.

I've read all of Hillerman's fictional books. Maybe I've become somewhat satiated, but the last couple have been disappointing as though Hillerman has run out of something to say. Being from New Mexico, the site of the Leaphorn/Chee stories, and being fairly knowledgable about Navaho lore, customs, etc., I have (past tense) been enthralled with much of what Hillerman has had to offer in his stories in terms of background on Navaho matters as they were part of his story line. The Wailing Wind has to have been written by someone other than Hillerman, with at best Hillerman occassionally looking over their shoulder and making a comment. No character development, no background, no Navaho lore, and very little editing of the book for continuity, grammar, etc. In the space of three pages, the FBI office in Gallup moved from Coal Avenue to Gold Avenue. Numerous sentences throughout the book seem out of context, incomplete or somehow incongruous.
I mourn the passing of a great writer with much to say about a beautiful part of the southwest and an extremely interesting culture, but the Tony Hillerman that I and lots of other people have grown to love over the space of many years and many books has apparently passed on.

I've read them all and either my expectations are too high or Tony Hillerman is getting tired. Wailing Wind just didn't rivet me the way previous books did.
I've thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Desert Southwest and the Navajo nation in particular, though, and likely will continue to pick up his novels, but I'll probably opt for the paperback edition in the future.

Sadly, (for I think Tony Hillerman is great), I must agree with reviews from "Top Gun", Terry Matthews, Tom Young and others who did not think this book was up to Mr. Hillerman's usual standards. I waited for it to come to my local bookstore like a child waits for Christmas Day! I even read it twice (which I've done with all of his books), thinking that I may have just been in a bad mood the first time...my opinion didn't change much.
I love his other books....as someone mentioned in a review, his characters feel absolutely real...like you may run into them at the local 7-11! They have also inspired me to learn alot more about the Navajo culture and the Southwest. I have visited New Mexico every Fall for the last 10 + years and absolutely love the "Land of Enchantment"...Mr. Hillerman's books only make me want to learn more about that area of the country.
Thanks, Mr. Hillerman, for many hours of reading enjoyment..keep writing, please.

If you have enjoyed any of Tony Hillerman's previous novels set in the "Four Corners", you will surely enjoy reading "The Wailing Wind". As before, Mr. Hillerman brings together the legendary Joe Leaphorn with younger Sergeant Jim Chee. Together they work to solve a recent murder as well as reopen an old homicide investigation that seemed to everyone to be an open and shut case, to everyone but "Lieutenant" Leaphorn. With the addition of Officer Bernie Manuelito and Leaphorn's lady Professor (introduced in 'Coyote Waits'), the new foursome make an odd, but compelling quartet. As always, there are fascinating bits of Navajo mythology expertly weaved into the tale.
My thanks to Mr. Hillerman for another fine mystery that keeps you interested until the final chapter, and hungry for the next book!