The Ghostway

After much time spent in New Mexico and the southwest I find the characters most authentic and believable. In addition, the wonderful descriptions of the area as the author carries you through the scenery and all its natural beauty are incredible.

"The Ghostway" is the sixth book in Tony Hillerman's delightful Navajo mystery series. I have read over half of them, but I recently decided to start over "at the beginning" with Hillerman's entire Navajo mystery series. This one features our Navajo Tribal policeman young Jim Chee working to solve the crime. As before, the Navajo cultural descriptions are simply fascinating, as is Hillerman's description of Southwestern America. This book and series is set in the Four Corner area of New Mexico. If you enjoy a good mystery, I do strongly recommend this series to you. One does not have to begin with book #1, but I do recommend it so you can watch characters grow and evolve.

"The Ghostway's" plot moved rapidly while introducing new twists and turns, leaving the reader with that feeling of wanting to read "just one more chapter" before putting the book mark into a page. Regardless, Hillerman's description of the local color is that of an artist with a palate of sensory words; thus, his description of the setting and action leaves the reader with vivid images and impressions. As always, his characterization is deft and intriguing; it is interesting watching the character of our young protagonist evolve and grow from story to story. The main plot deals with murder and mysterious strangers. It begins with two strangers having a shootout in the street near the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat. Seeming unrelated events begin to entangle as mysterious knot after knot is placed before the reader.

A continuing sub-plot in this book is Chee's struggle between the Navajo and white cultures; specifically, his struggle with his love of Mary Landon and whether he really wants to join the FBI and leave Navajo country (as she wishes) or remain on Navajo land and learn "the way." Thus, our main character is conflicted, and very realistically human. Six novels down and number seven to go: "Skinwalkers." I will look forward to starting it soon. I do recommend that you give the book or series a chance, and you too will soon be turning the pages enjoyably immersed in the novel.

Another excellent yarn from Tony Hillerman. "The Ghostway" features Jim Chee on the case looking for a lost granddaughter, and a witness who is in the witness protection program. Things start off with a bang with a shooting outside of a laundry mat. With one man down and another hit, the investigation is on. Chee to his chagrin ends up having to go to Los Angeles to track the girl. Shortly there Chee ends up in the hospital with a concussion thanks to one of the gangsters in Los Angeles. It's in the hospital where Chee realizes he really does love Mary Landon, and wants to marry her. Hillerman's unusual characters are a blast to read about. Jim Chee is a character that's impossible not to root for as he gets abused in every book. Chee is much smarter, and clever than those he must deal with even though the other characters do not realize it. Hillerman's outstanding visuals from along the Arizona/ Utah borders, and parts of New Mexico paint a gorgeous view of this country. Certainly I'd highly recommend this 5 star classic. Written in 1984 this one will live forever. Tony Hillerman's are an important part of Americana that must be enjoyed by all. Pick them up and jump right on in.

A shooting at the Laundromat at the Navajo Nations leaves one man dead, one wounded. When SGT Jim Chee is sent to investigate a missing girl and a stolen horse, he finds the man who was wounded, dead, buried in Navajo tradition on the mountain. But not quite... Being a shaman in training himself, he spots the discrepancy in the body preparation which no true traditional would have made. He finds another puzzle. Why would a traditional Navajo like Ashey Begay, make this kind of mistake in burying his kin? And where was he? This puzzle takes Chee off the reservation to Los Angeles in pursuit of the missing girl, and the old man. He crosses paths twice with an assassin who is assigned to kill the girl and all the other witnesses in a crime committed in the big city of LA. In all of his searching, Chee struggles with the entanglement with a white school teacher who is bent on marrying him and making a white man out of him.

Tony Hillerman's book are often marketed as quick paperback reads. Sure they are mysteries at heart but they are more than mysteries. Hillerman asks the reader to think.
In this book, Hillerman is pondering heavy questions. The first underlying theme is whether Chee should leave the reservation for a job with the FBI. Since Chee does lots of driving in the book, we share many hours of internal debate on the issue. The second and more subtle theme involves aging and wisdom. While the core of the mystery involves middle-aged folks, many of the most valuable witnesses are very elderly. They are the people many investigators would ignore. I found the Chee's interviews with the seniors to be top flight writing.
The actual plot is ok. Chee has to spend more time in Los Angeles that I enjoyed. Still, city life for Native Americans is a reality. There were a couple of annoying redundancies as certain plot points were revisited. The survivalist bad guy was pretty over the top and his excesses were quite unnecessary.
Bottom-line: Not my favorite Hillerman but not a waste of time by any definition. For those who like to read their books in order, this is number six in the greater Chee/Leaphorn series.

The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman.

This is a mystery among the Navajo people with Sergeant Jim Chee , their lawman. There's a shootout at the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat. Old Joseph Joe is shown a picture of a man by the victim before he dies. That's the only lead Jim Chee has to begin his search into the who did it and why.

This was my first Tony Hillerman book and I didn't know what to expect. I listened to it on CD narrated by George Guidell who did another terrific job of bringing life to the characters.

The author was creative as well as knowledgeable and kept me interested.

This is the sixth of Hillerman's "Navajo Detective" series and the third in which Jim Chee is the main character. In "Ghostway" Hillerman explores the conflict of a Navajo drawn to the White world. Jim Chee is in love with a White school teacher, Mary Landon, and he contemplates marrying her and leaving the reservation to take a job as an FBI agent. But he is also pulled in the opposite direction to become a "singer" and preserve the Navajo ceremonies that are being forgotten as the old timers die off. Chee's preoccupation with the personal choices he must make are always near the surface of this mystery novel.
Hillerman, as always, celebrates the magnificience of the Navajo land and the Navajo's sensitivity to their natural surroundings. And, as always, the knowledge of their land and people give Hillerman's detectives the insight they need to solve the mystery.
"Ghostway" begins with a shootout in the parking lot of a laundromat in Shiprock, New Mexico that leaves two men dead. The story is not one of Hillerman's best or most credible but the character of Margaret Sosi, an entrancing, 15-year old girl wearing a black pea coat makes up for plot deficiencies. We want this girl to live -- but Hillerman readers know he has cruelly killed off children in other novels in the series.
Hillerman novels contain no sex whatsoever, but "Ghostway" comes closer than about any other to intimating that Jim Chee and Mary Landon might have engaged in something more than romantic conversation.

Sgt. Chee of Navajo Police, a solitary, reflective man, investigates a deadly gunbattle between two crooks. Hampered by the FBI, Chee goes to Los Angelos to find the keys to the puzzling burial of one of the crooks, and the disappearance of an old Navajo and his granddaughter. In the meantime, he ponders the difficulties of a relationship with a white woman.
Lyrical, steady and reflective, with colorful, plausible characters and solid details of the Southwest and the Navajo culture, this mystery encourages the reader to accept its pace. Chee is a likable protagonist, full of reflection but not angst.
The plot development is a bit slow at times, but the resolution is very satisfactory. For the beautiful job of world-building, solid characters and spare, apt style, this book is recommended.

Tony Hillerman THE GHOSTWAY is a vivid exposition of the clash between the modern world and the inherent culture of the Navajos. Jim Chee is caught in the war for his soul as all of his instincts draw him to become a "singer" and his heart has fallen for a white school teacher.
The third of the Jim Chee series contains a classic example of the use of backstory to tell the new story and move the character forward in growth.
The story is a simple murder mystery, but the undercurrents are a strong narrative of a people at the crossroads.
An excellent read.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS.

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.

The Hillerman Navajo cop books have simple plots and a fallible hero that is often saved by a woman. You keep reading because of the landscape he paints and the cultural aspects he identifies. This is one of the better ones.

I prefer hearing unabridged versions of Mr. Hillerman's stories. This abridgment of The Ghostway was particularly awkward because it was transitioning between LA and the Four Corners and it did not work well. What in the heck was Jim Chee doing in LA anyhow?