Spider Woman's Daughter

July 15, 2013
In her first novel, reporter Hillerman successfully revives Navajo policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, last seen in The Shape Shifter (2006), the final book from her father, MWA Grand Master Tony Hillerman (1925–2008). Officer Bernadette Manuelito, who married Chee in 2004’s Skeleton Man, sees a gunman shoot Leaphorn in a restaurant parking lot, but isn’t close enough to stop the shooter from driving off. With Leaphorn comatose, Chee is named head investigator, while Manuelito is officially removed from the case because she’s a witness. Leaphorn’s current job evaluating a collection that the American Indian Resource Center is acquiring may provide a clue to his attacker. The much used getaway car and the odd disappearance of Leaphorn’s anthropologist lady friend, Louisa Bourebonette, may offer other clues. Chee may lead, but Manuelito forcefully injects herself into the case as a desperate killer threatens to strike again. Like her father, Hillerman has a gift for combining history and mystery. Agent: Elizabeth Trupin-Pulli, JET Literary Associates.

Christina Delaine adopts a lilting accent for the Navajo characters in this first book by Tony Hillerman's daughter, which continues his popular series with detectives Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. This aural demarcation between Navajo and non-Native characters may be of particular assistance to newcomers to the series. Navajo Nation police officer Bernadette Manualito witnesses the shooting of someone she greatly admires. While being a witness removes her from the official investigation, she finds ways to stay involved with the case. Delaine's narration is imbued with respect for the culture and a sense of fondness for the characters. She depicts Bernie as a sensitive young woman but, at the same time, a polished professional. Delaine is equally adept at reflecting the age of the elders. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine