The Fallen Man (A Leaphorn and Chee Novel)

Tony Hillerman's 12 th book in series of Navajo mysteries, "The Fallen Man" again features Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee teaming up to solve a cold case. 11 years prior, inexperienced climber Harold Breedlove disappeared leaving his wife & brother in law to run his ranch. Amazingly one morning after 11 years a skeleton still dressed in climbing gear is found on rock ledge. The question of the exact date is of vital importance. Harold had to live to age 30 to receive his inheritance- Harold was 29, almost 30 when he vanished 11 years prior. Leaphorn now retired is working as a PI for the Breedlove family. Did Harold's wife, and brother do something funny to ensure they'd get inheritance ? Jim Chee now engaged to lawyer Janet Pete is having his own miseries. Chee must continually struggle with rookie officer Bernadette Manuelito. It's obvious to everyone but Chee that Bernadette has major crush on Jim. Another excellent read from Tony Hillerman that's enjoyable from first page to conclusion. Hellerman's colorful and unique characters continue to amaze with each passing page. It's really easy to root for Leaphorn and Chee even though they really don't get along too well. Another 5 stars out of 5 stars for "The Fallen Man", from Tony Hillerman. A true classic not to be missed.

This is a murder mystery set on the Navajo reservation in Arizona. Hillerman has constructed an authentic narrative with action and dialogue that represents the cultural flavor of the characters and the situation.

This was my introduction to Hillerman's novels. Discovering Tony Hillerman in November 2009, I was captured by the Southwestern setting and the Native American lore involved in Hillerman's murder mystery The Fallen Man.

Gil Silverbird performs the reading and voices admirably. His masterful vocal interpretation catches the nuances of Native American speech with consistent distinctions of enunciation style and voice quality between the various white and Indian characters.

I came across this accidentally, as a complimentary audiobook edition in the guest library of the Embassy Suites in Tempe, Arizona, while there on a business trip. It was my first story of the Jim Chee novels, but it actually comes late in the sequence of the 19-book series.

When a cross-country road trip came up in our schedule a few months later, I decided to look in my city library for more Hillerman novel audiobooks. These made the trip too short!

In time-sequence, one of that set comes first, The Ghostway.

I later picked up a print copy of another of Hillerman's culture-study mystery novels while on another trip.

This one is especially good. For once, Hillerman leaves the "is this Navajo witchcraft?" theme (a theme which can be tiresome a dozen books into a series) and just has a clever mystery. By now, Hillerman has finally fully developed his characters, although it's clear the romantic side plots are supposed to make the reader sympathize with poor, picked-on Jim Chee because women want to change him, when it's clear to any female reader that Chee (and most likely Hillerman) is also trying to change all the women in his life to fit his own idea of what they should be. However, Leaphorn is far less sexist than Chee, so it's still an OK read for a woman. :)

Once again we encounter Navajo cops Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee in a plot that is cleverly pieced together; Hillerman gives us seemingly odd pieces of a puzzle: a skeleton found on an unattainable ledge, a old guide shot by a sniper hundreds of miles away for no apparent reason, frustrated romances, the questionable lawyers, and, of course to make the "western" yarn almost stereotypically complete, cattle rustling! However, in true Hillerman style, there are enough twists and turns to keep any mystery fan involved in the action. Although retired, Navajo policeman Leaphorn makes a connection between the discovered bones of a man and a missing person (Breedlove) eleven years earlier, and he makes note of the coincidence that a climbing guide for Breedlove was recently shot. Leaphorn brings his thoughts to the attention of a younger Navajo policeman Chee. As with many fans of Hillerman's novels, one of the primary reasons to read this book is his marvelous depiction and characterization of the retired Navajo cop and mentor Joe Leaphorn along with Jim Chee, his young protégée. Interestingly, however, is that this book is heavily focused on Leaphorm. For those of you who are readers of Hillerman, Navajo officer Bernadette Manuelito is fully introduced and developed in this book (#12 in the series) and becomes a full-fledged character in the series. Hillerman's knowledge of Navajo culture and his depiction and detail of the setting of the southwest adds a strong degree of realism to the story.

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!!!

Looks like a skeleton of a climber was found on a ledge on Ship Rock. Could this solve the mystery of a person missing for many years? Retired Joe Leaphorn is given a retainer to find out the circumstances. He enlists the help of Jim Chee.

Chee has his plate pretty full trying to juggle his love life, being acting LT., dealing with an over zealous assistant. On top of that he has to compete with a boring snob of an authority in tracking down cattle rustler(s).

As usual all the clues are laid out in the open and if one works at it they may be able to peace the puzzle together before Joe or Jim. It is fun watching how it is reviled to them. We also have plenty of what makes Hillerman famous and that is descriptions of the Four Corners area and the Navaho way. I appreciate this as I have spent many a summer watching Ship Rock from Mesa Verde.

Looks like a skeleton of a climber was found on a ledge on Ship Rock. Could this solve the mystery of a person missing for many years? Retired Joe Leaphorn is given a retainer to find out the circumstances. He enlists the help of Jim Chee.

Chee has his plate pretty full trying to juggle his love life, being acting LT., dealing with an over zealous assistant. On top of that he has to compete with a boring snob of an authority in tracking down cattle rustler(s).

As usual all the clues are laid out in the open and if one works at it they may be able to peace the puzzle together before Joe or Jim. It is fun watching how it is reviled to them. We also have plenty of what makes Hillerman famous and that is descriptions of the Four Corners area and the Navaho way. I appreciate this as I have spent many a summer watching Ship Rock from Mesa Verde.

Jim Chee is a Navaho tribal policeman. But he is as far from the Hollywood stereotypical Indian as it is possible to be. He is articulate, intelligent, Arizona State University educated, and FBI-Academy trained. Chee is not the brawling Spenser of Robert Parker nor the intellectual Alec Delaware of Jonathon Kellerman. He is more the calmly logical Lucas Davenport of John Sandford's "Prey" series. Loyal Hillerman readers, of course, need no such introduction, as this is the 15th novel in a series. "Well, that other cop . . . doesn't he have a lot of this figured out?" Leaphorn chuckled. "Chee is a genuine Navaho. He isn't interested in revenge. He wants harmony."
In The fallen Man we see a routine reopening of an eleven-year-old routine disappearance. Enter Chee, newly promoted lieutenant, and Joe Leaphorn, newly
retired tribal police chief.

As the plot unfolds, we get typical Hillerman. He paints superb descriptions of the Southwest's breathtaking beauty. His vivid snowstorms leave the reader shivering in the comfort of the living room lamplight. He writes of Navaho culture, traditions, and life on the reservation with respect and dignity. (Protocol requires that Chee remain in his car a few minutes after driving into the yard of a Navaho in order to give the residents time to prepare for visitors. An upside down old boot on a fence post tells a visitor no one is home.) His protagonists are not heroic, nor even unusual--just quietly efficient, even while following false leads in majestic mountains amid views that "stretch away forever."

Perhaps not the bone-chilling terror of the King/Koontz genre, but still exciting and suspenseful .

Chuck Lang, Sun City, Arizona

This only the second book by Tony Hillerman that I have read. I will read more books by him. I like the information on the southwest Indians and the descriptions of the region. The writing is excellent and easy to read. Hillerman skillfully weaves the story together.
The Fallen Man is a skeleton found on the Sarced Ship Rock. Jim Chee discovers that the skeleton was Hal Breedlove who has been missing for 11 years. Joe Leaphorn, retired is hired by Breedlove Family to what happened. Ordered by his Captian to find out who is stealing cattle he works with a rookie. Chew romantic problems not helping with his job. Chew and Leaphorn need to find the Andes before more persons are shot.

Although this is the first Hillerman book I have read, I was very shocked by the way the book began thoughout its development to the way it ended. The story its self is excellent with a ouitstanding plot. What could be more interesting then two Navajo Tribal Police (one an active policeman and one retired) try to solve a missing person case that is eleven years old. The plot was well developed but often two choppy to follow. I mean the Hillerman went from one extreme to the other. I really enjoyed the development of Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, both were realy ture to their characters. Chee the younger of the two is caught up with his people and his girlfriend (Janet Pete) and Leaphorn is the older one with the experience and smarts. Although I found the book to be a little confusing, I really couldn't put it down once I began to read. I was to excited to find out the answer to the case. The book was really good to the ending when I really counldn't figure out who the culprit was. Once again, this is the first Hillerman book I ever read so I can't compare to other books of his but I would recommend this book to others. Overall I enjoyed The Fallen Man and I will continue to read Tony Hillerman.

"The Fallen Man" by Tony Hillerman, Harper Audio, 1996.

Tony Hillerman has another great mystery novel, with the obligatory dead man being discovered on the mountain known to Whites as Ship Rock. The author traces back eleven years to when the accident occurred, and then develops the reasons why the death could have been premeditated murder. While he is dealing with this murder mystery, Hillerman also develops the characters, so that you feel the sorrow of the widower, the retired Leaphorn, and then understand the anxiety of Acting Lt. Jim Chee as he deals with hard choices of his once and future fiancé (who wants a citified life while Jim wants a Navajo life). I think that Mr. Hillerman develops the Navajo characters better than the white characters, who, really, are just bit-players in the drama being presented. Interestingly, I think that the author truly has presented a romance novel on three levels: the lost love of the widower, Leaphorn; the mixed-up choices of Lt. Chee and the love story of Hal Breedlove and his wife (who remains true to him as a widow for eleven years).

I found this book to be well written and to contain a wealth of information on the Four Corners regions of the United States. All the distance mistakes, etc., that the other reviewers alluded to are hard to discover if you are listening to the book on tape and can not easily refer back to different pages. This book helped me in the traffic, on the trip back and forth, from Plymouth, Massachusetts to Quincy, Massachusetts.

Tony Hillerman began writing his Navajo mysteries way back in 1970 (The Blessing Way) when he first introduced readers to the Legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn. Ten years later Hillerman introduced Navajo Tribal Police Officer Jim Chee (People of Darkness (Jim Chee Novels)). In 1986, Hillerman brought Leaphorn and Chee together in his bestselling book Skinwalkers that won that year's Western Writers of America Spur Award.

Hillerman's familiar recipe keeps bringing us back again and again: usually a death in the Navajo Four Corners country, Leaphorn and Chee working independently to gather clues, the hauntingly beautiful scenery of the American Southwest, the often brutal weather of that land, and always, always, the Navajo culture often in conflict with white culture.

Hillerman has now written eighteen Navajo mysteries and while they all contain those compelling elements, he has been guilty of some sloppy efforts or been the victim of poor editing or both at times (Hunting Badger (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels)). `The Fallen Man', however, is one of his gems.

Hillerman seamlessly develops two separate mysteries, one involving cattle heists and the other involving the discovery of a body of man who died some 11 years ago. The exact timing of that death is critical to the lives of several characters and the future of a beautiful valley near Cortez - will it be mined? Hillerman also furthers the larger story by developing the deteriorating relationship of Chee and part-Navajo attorney Janet Pete and by introducing officer Bernie Manuelito - she's all Navajo and works for Chee.

The Fallen Man will delight old Hillerman fans and should make new fans too. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery, Navajo culture, or the American Southwest .

Like all the other Hillerman books, this is well plotted and full of the landscapes, details and character development that he is known for. But - why in the world is there no Kindle edition for this book? All the rest have Kindle, and at least one review says that it's for the Kindle edition. But none is listed. the store (or publisher), please respond...

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 engagement 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 developed 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 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.

> Click on “Stoney” just below the product title to see my other reviews, or leave a comment to ask a question.

I look forward to the next Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn novel like a five-year old looks forward to Christmas. Jim Chee is studying to be a shaman, and in the early novels, LISTENING WOMAN, THE SKINWALKERS, we get to look over his shoulders and learn about the various Navajo rituals, the most interesting of which is the skinwalker ceremony. You see, the Navajo believe in ghosts. They believe that the living can be inhabited by the spirit of the dead. Many of the old timers go so far as to burn down their hogans when there's a death. Logically then, according to a Navajo, anyone who, say, commits a murder or molests a child must have been inhabited by this evil spirit, hence the name skinwalkers.
Almost as interesting as the rituals is the vast scope of the reservation. In THE FALLEN MAN a man has been murdered on sacred Ship Rock, seventeen hundred feet above the desert floor. To make matters worse, he isn't found for another eleven years.
Joe Leaphorn, newly retired and at a loss for something to occupy his time, connects the skeletal bones to another murder, that of an old canyon guide, shot down by a sniper. Jim Chee, an acting lieutenant in this one, has a father/son relationship with Leaphorn. Chee wants to look good in Leaphorn's eyes, but he always seems to mess up somehow. Leaphorn is Charlie Chan to Chee's Number One Son. Leaphorn is taciturn, Chee more volatile. Leaphorn mourns his dead wife; Chee has more woman trouble than a gynecologist.
I know Tony Hillerman is getting older (he's in his seventies now, I guess), but I wish he'd find a little bit more time to write. I've been reduced to reading some of the Hillerman clones and they just don't measure up.

Any of Tony Hillerman's books are well worth the read. This is the one that introduces Bernie as Jim Chee's love interest, except being male, it takes a while to get into his thick skull. I have all of Mr Hillerman's books and they are good for third and fourth read.

I started reading this book by Hillerman, and since it seemed familiar I had to check to make sure I hadn't read it before (by checking if I had written a review on it somewhere). I oculdn't find the review, so I finished the book.

I've stated again and again why I love Hillerman's books. The only problem with them is they do tend to become so like one another to raise the feelings of deja vu in the reader. this was the one I felt that way with most. Otherwise, it was a good read.

In this book we see Chee breaking away from Janet as their differences become too much to overcome. We learn more about Bernie, a young officer under Chee, who bugs the daylight out of him in many ways. And once again, Chee and Leapheart are forced together to solve a very 'cold' case that was considered a suicide and not a homicide. And they need to work together to see that justice is done, not only for the family of the man, but for his wife and for the community in which he chose to live.

Karen Sadler

I like these guys. I wish the library had more of the series in ebook. Guess I'll have to read a real book, . Lol. It is interesting to read about the Navajo culture, and surround it with a mystery.

The "Fallen Man" has the recently retired LT Leaphorn and Acting LT Jim Chee working together on an old case that was never solved. The NTP find an old skeleton on a ledge and Leaphorn wonders if it is the old missing person case from long ago. Leaphorn is now a consultant for a Washington D.C. firm and hired by the missing man's family to find out what happened. Chee is struggling with his on again-off again romance with Janet Pete, the half-Navajo lawyer who wants to put a rope on Chee and make a white man out of him. We see the entrance of a new NTP cop, over-enthusiastic Officer Bernadette Manuelito. She's a traditional Navajo, smart and pretty, and she likes Chee. I "read" this as an audiobook, and Gil Silverbird does the voices very well. Chee is trying to solve why there is an increase in cattle russling, and at the same time having this skeleton show up to worry about. The whodunit details are laid out before Leaphorn and Chee, in the cultural backdrop and beautiful but rugged land. The cultural differences between the Navajo and white man's worlds are highlighted here. I won't ruin the ending. Great Read!

Tony Hillerman's THE FALLEN MAN brings the return of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Chee (deep in paperwork) is not particularly interested in the discovery of some eleven-year-old bones until he discovers that Benni Manuelito is more interested than he thinks she should be.
Ship Rock Mountain is sacred to the Navajos. Why would the unidentified man climb this mountain? Was it murder or an accident?
Joe Leaphorn connects the skeleton to he was never able to solve.
THE FALLEN MAN has man twists and turns as the former partners unite against a killer. An excellent western read.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS.

Beginning around page 201 (describing the action when Chee is shot) Chee is in his pickup truck, then it's his police car, truck, police car. Very aggravating! Then in the same pages Hillerman makes the classic error for a crime writer (and a western writer)-- he confuses a revolver with an automatic. There's also an obvious logic problem with the man left to die up on Shiprock -- a shout can be heard a long way in quiet country, and Shiprock isn't that isolated. Also, Hillerman has a recurring problem with his exaggerated distances -- it's only about 100 miles at most from Canyon de Chelly to Shiprock, not 300. Still, if you need some good southwest escapism on the subway, Fallen Man will get you there.

This was the first Tony Hillerman story I ever read and years later, the beautiful imagery remains fresh in my mind.
If you appreciate understated prose that lets a few choice words build an entire vista in your imagination, then Hillerman's books
about the Navajo country and America's spellbinding southwest are for you. The themes of The Fallen Man don't stray too much from
what we are used to from Hillerman -- Joe Leaphorn, now retired, patiently collecting clues; Jim Chee, moving towards the same eventual direction
as Leaphorn, but frustrated along the way by supporting characters, his unrequited ardor for Janet, and his own inner self; and the non-Indian characters
who fulfill the role they often do in a Tony Hillerman novel. For anyone who has come to like Leaphorn, Chee and the Four Corners, you'll enjoy The Fallen Man as much as the rest of the series.

It was so nice to catch up with Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee again that the story was almost secondary. Joe has always been my favorite of the two, but Jim Chee's character really captivated me in this one. Every part of this book has something to recommend it. The mystery is intriguing. The process of solving the mystery is very interesting. And the resolution is perfect when considered in the light of the Navaho search for harmony and balance. All in all, a great read. Now, if Mr. Hillerman could just write them as fast as I read them, all would be well.

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'"

The value of Fallen Man for me is in the fact that it has once again revived a mental relationship between myself , Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. As a longtime reader of Tony Hillerman, the reunion of these characters to his fictional writings was a welcome event. I must admit I did'nt even read his previous book which left out the famous Navajo sleuths I so enjoy. To see his book Fallen Man featuring the tribal dynamic duo was a happy occasion. While some may find fault with it, in comparison to other Hillerman books, I found it did exactly what I desired. It transported me to that great Southwest, the Four Corners region and the read was filled with history, folklore and tribal "stuff" that I thrive on. May'be I bought the book for it's primary characters, but nobody can make these characters live like Hillerman. Nobody can make me want to go to Tuba City, or Gallup, or drive down State route 666 like Tony Hillerman. For about three hundred pages I'm transported out of the ordinary routine and placed into the beauty of the Southwest I love. I only wish he could write three a year. I will do exactly with Fallen Man what I have done with all of Hillerman's books on this topic, when my "Hillerman fix" can't be satisfied with a new book, I'll read it again. If you love the Southwest and have a "sixteenth" of Native American in you, like we all say we do, read one of these books and your are hooked forever.

Tony Hillerman has a magical gift for describing the beautiful Southwest while telling an intriguing story. Having visited this area many times I am taken back to those visits while I get to enjoy a great mystery and learn a little more of Navajo lore. Great fun

I have liked many of Hillerman's books, but in reading this book, I kept wondering, "Did anyone edit this one?" There was one scene where Hillerman seemed confused between two characters (Harold (Hal) Breedlove and John McDermott). Breedlove is the fallen man of the title and is dead. McDermott wants to hire Joe Leaphorn to look into the suspicious nature of Breedlove's death. In one sentence, when the writer is obviously referring to Breedlove, he calls him Hal McDermott. In another he states that Breedlove didn't respond to something Leaphorn said, when he obviously meant McDermott - Breedlove has been dead for ten years! I was thoroughly confused by this sequence, and this wasn't the only one. Time, place and characters seem to shift. Maybe Hillerman dashed this thing off without much thought, and his editor slept through the edit.

In Sacred Clowns, the plot was rather lame but the writing was still vintage Hillerman. In this novel, the plot is much better, but the adjective that came to my mind time and again was "perfunctory": from the completely interchangeable rock climbers in the prologue, to Jim Chee's love troubles with the latest culturally incorrect girlfriend. A disappointment overall; Hillerman is capable of much better, but his last few novels have been well below standard.

Gripping and exciting take of Navaho and Eastern moneyed cuture is set in romance of competing value systems. As always Tony Hillerman's
Navajo insights of cultures at odds. Well written beautiful Nature setting of American South West woven into exciting Detective Mystery.

I cannot get enough of Chee and Leaphorn.
Tony Hillerman cannot write fast enough for this reader.
I try to slowly read his books, but I read faster and faster as the climax builds, and then I am without a Hillerman book until another year!<BR

This is a detective novel, with a cultural twist that I found entertaining. The addition of insights into the Navajo culture clearly enhanced this book and made it into something significantly better than the simple "who done it" it would otherwise have been.

A FRIEND RECOMMENDED TONY HILLERMAN AS SHE KNEW I READ MANY MYSTERY BOOKS. I BECAME ADDICTED TO HIS WRITING AFTER THE FIRST BOOK. I NOW HAVE COPIES OF ALL HIS BOOKS PLUS A MAP OF THE TERRITORY IN WHICH THE STORIES TAKE PLACE. IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES WITH A SLIGHT TWIST AND A REASONABLE ENDING, YOU WILL ENJOY ANY OF THE HILLERMAN BOOKS.

Joe Leaphorn follows a convoluted trail from the top of Shiprock to a rocky hillside, following a killer through time. Leaphorn's methodical ways -- and sometimes fey reasoning -- provide a just resolution, oddly merciful, to a situation that had to end.

This book was immensly boring. I feel utterly stupid for having wasted my time reading this blithering mass of mindless jargon. This mystery did NOT keep me on the edge of my seat like it should have. The characters were poorly described and muh! What a waste! I'm just sorry that I couldn't choose to give negative stars.