The Tale Teller

Starred review from April 1, 2019

Hillerman (Cave of Bones) presents the fifth in her series featuring retired Navajo policeman Joe Leaphorn and officers Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito. Each is investigating a crime within the Navajo Nation. As a favor to a friend, Leaphorn is looking into the disappearance of a priceless, sacred artifact, a traditional dress dating back to the Long Walk, when the Navajo were forcibly removed from their homeland. A series of robberies and a shooting are the focus for Chee. And Manuelito becomes entangled with the FBI when she discovers a body while on a running trail. Mysterious deaths, lies, and secrets plague the investigators. Nevertheless, their diligent efforts uncover clues that assist them in unraveling each of the cases, and all are guided by the history and culture of the Navajo. VERDICT Hillerman's writing becomes stronger with every new installment in the series, deepening the development of each character. Fans will be intrigued by the intertwining stories that keep them guessing. The picturesque Southwest, as well as the history of the Navajo, come through on each page.--Patricia Ann Owens, formerly at Illinois Eastern Community Coll., Mt. Carmel

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2019
Hillerman continues her Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito series (the first two characters drawn from her father, Tony's, celebrated series) with a fifth installment that sees retired detective Joe Leaphorn working privately to discover the fate of Navajo artifacts that never arrived at the museum to which they were donated. At the same time, Bernie Manuelito finds a body when she's out running, with both cases showcasing Hillerman's familiar themes: the strong kinship ties among the characters' Navajo community, the odd crimes that can happen there, and the lengths desperate people will go to for survival. The questions surrounding the artifacts are topical and bring to the fore Native customs surrounding treatment of ancestors' belongings and reluctance to revisit painful past treatment of those forebears. These features, along with the crime stories, will make the book a natural hit with Hillerman's many fans; it's also a good choice for readers who are interested in fiction touching on today's social issues?in this case, controversies surrounding museum artifacts of questionable provenance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)