American Native detective novel
Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police are working together again on seemingly unrelated murders. Jim Chee narrowly escapes death while Leaphorn worries about his wife Emma's declining health. I love these Leaphorn and Chee books. The character development is just as interesting as the story line and the tidbits on Navajo life are enlightening. I found myself staying up until 2 am to finish the book because I HAD to know what Emma Leaphorn was suffering from, never mind who was doing all the killing. This is the 8th Leaphorn/Chee book chronologically, but they are not both featured in every book. This is the second time they worked together on a crime, so each is still trying to figure the other one out. These books have something for everyone, suspense, romance, history, local color, even weather reports.
One of Hillerman's best. So exciting near the ending I just couldn't put it down. I'm ready to start another of his books tonight.
This is one of Tony Hillerman's most famous novels. I enjoyed it, though I'm not as big of a Hillerman fan as I'd hoped to be.
Rachel R. (tangledgarlands) reviewed Skinwalkers (Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee) on + 28 more book reviews
not the best as far as mysteries go - i would expect alot more from an author who has such vast knowledge and experience. i love mysteries, but im REALLY bad at figuring out who did it, so if I can figure this one out, i would think it would be pretty damn obvious to more seasoned mystery buffs. i think what got me was the use of the worst mystery/horror cliche ever: the cimax takes place just as it starts to get dark and stormy. *sigh*. nevertheless, it was a fairly easy read. not TOO bad, but nothing notable about it either.
Shinwalkers brings Choe and Leaphorn, Hillerman's best selling detective team together for the first time.
Three shotgun blasts explode into the trailer of Officer Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police. But Chee survives to join partner Lt. Joe Leaphorn in a frightening investigation that takes them into a dark world of ritual, witchcraft, and blood-all tied to the elusive and evil "skinwalker". Brimming with Navajo lore and sizzling suspense, Skinwalkers brings Chee and Leaphorn, Hillerman's bestselling detective team, together for the first time.
Great book...
Great book...
classic hillerman mystery
One of Hillerman's best! Chee and Leaphorn together for the first time.
Everything Hillerman story, especially if it involved Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, gives you an insight into American Indian culture. I had learned (perhaps incorrectly) that the Navaho tribes were fierce warriors in the 1800s but Hillerman writes about the Navaho culture in present time - the reservation, the beliefs, their addiction to alcohol, their crimes, and their passions. You will be transformed. Like Hillerman. J.A Jance also writes of American indian culture in her stories about the people who live in Tuscon and surrounding communities in the Joanna Brady Series.
Officer Jim Chee must catch the elusive and evil "skinwalker".
Very good read!
Very good read!
Navajo police officer walks way from three shotgun blast into his trailer to join retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn in the investigation that takes them into the dark world of ritual, witchcraft, and blood....
The seventh book in the series, but the first book where Navajo police officers Sgt Leaphorn and Jim Chee meet up and work together. Leaphorn is spending a lot of time looking at three unsolved homicides on the reservation. Someone fires a shotgun into Chee's mobile home in the middle of the night, attempting to kill him. The incidents are connected and it once again has to do with persons suspected of witchcraft, aka skinwalkers. Hillerman has two great characters here - Leaphorn very methodical, very analytical, spending a lot of time thinking about how pieces fit into the puzzle. Chee spends more time talking to people, trying to shake something loose. Both of them using sudden flashes of insight to solve the crime. As always there is the vastness of the Navajo reservation, the aridity suddenly cut with violent storms. I loved how Chee's awareness of the stray cat told him what was happening around him. No need to have read any of the others to enjoy this one, but they all deserve to be read.
Beautiful Gift copy!
An unknown person tries to kill Navajo policemen Jim Chee and three apparently unrelated murders on the Navajo reservation puzzle Lt. Joe Leaphorn. The murders, it appears, all something to do with skinwalkers.
"Skinwalkers" is the seventh book in the Navajo Detective series by Tony Hillerman. He wrote three books featuring Joe Leaphorn, then three featuring Jim Chee, and now he brings the two policemen together in the same book. Also, in this book, Hillerman introduces Janet Pete, an aggressive Navajo lawyer, as a new love interest for Chee. Hillerman fans will be interested in this book to see how Leaphorn, methodical and reliable, and Chee, a bit flaky but brilliant, get along working together. The answer is: uneasily.
The mystery itself is incredible, and weaving the story in and around Navajo beliefs about skinwalkers is fascinating and, as always, Hillerman uses the backdrop of the violent weather and magnificent landscape of the Navajo reservation to frame his story. And as always Hillerman includes a goodly dose of instruction in Navajo etiquette and attitudes and demonstrates -- usually with good humor -- the ineptness of white policeman, especially the FBI, in the Navajo culture and environment. The Navajos really live in their own world. In you have visited their culture in Southern Utah or Northern Arizona, Northern New Mexico or Southern Colorado especially the reservations areas then you know this,
An unknown person tries to kill Navajo policemen Jim Chee and three apparently unrelated murders on the Navajo reservation puzzle Lt. Joe Leaphorn. The murders, it appears, all something to do with skinwalkers.
"Skinwalkers" is the seventh book in the Navajo Detective series by Tony Hillerman. He wrote three books featuring Joe Leaphorn, then three featuring Jim Chee, and now he brings the two policemen together in the same book. Also, in this book, Hillerman introduces Janet Pete, an aggressive Navajo lawyer, as a new love interest for Chee. Hillerman fans will be interested in this book to see how Leaphorn, methodical and reliable, and Chee, a bit flaky but brilliant, get along working together. The answer is: uneasily.
The mystery itself is incredible, and weaving the story in and around Navajo beliefs about skinwalkers is fascinating and, as always, Hillerman uses the backdrop of the violent weather and magnificent landscape of the Navajo reservation to frame his story. And as always Hillerman includes a goodly dose of instruction in Navajo etiquette and attitudes and demonstrates -- usually with good humor -- the ineptness of white policeman, especially the FBI, in the Navajo culture and environment. The Navajos really live in their own world. In you have visited their culture in Southern Utah or Northern Arizona, Northern New Mexico or Southern Colorado especially the reservations areas then you know this,
The car fire didn't kill Navajo Tribal Policeman Delbert Nez, a bullet did. Officer Jim Chee's good friend Del lies dead, and whiskey-soaked Navajo shaman is found with murder weapon. The old man is Ashie Pinto. He's quickly arrested for homicide and defended by a woman Chee could either love or loathe. But when Pinto won't utter a word of confession or denial, Lt. Joe Leaphorn begins an investigation. Soon, Leaphorn and Chee unravel a complex plot of death involving an historical find, a lost fortune...and the mythical Coyote, who is always waiting, and always hungry.
