A New York Times BestsellerAnne Hillerman brings together modern mystery, Navajo traditions, and the evocative landscape of the desert Southwest in this intriguing entry in the Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito series.When Tribal Police Officer Bernadette Manuelito arrives to speak at an outdoor character-building program for at-risk teens, she discovers chaos. Annie, a young participant on a solo … she discovers chaos. Annie, a young participant on a solo experience due back hours before, has just returned and is traumatized. Gently questioning the girl, Bernie learns that Annie stumbled upon a human skeleton on her trek. While everyone is relieved that Annie is back, they’re concerned about a beloved instructor who went out into the wilds of the rugged lava wilderness bordering Ramah Navajo Reservation to find the missing girl. The instructor vanished somewhere in the volcanic landscape known as El Malpais. In Navajo lore, the lava caves and tubes are believed to be the solidified blood of a terrible monster killed by superhuman twin warriors.
Solving the twin mysteries will expose Bernie to the chilling face of human evil. The instructor’s disappearance mirrors a long-ago search that may be connected to a case in which the legendary Joe Leaphorn played a crucial role. But before Bernie can find the truth, an unexpected blizzard, a suspicious accidental drowning, and the arrival of a new FBI agent complicate the investigation.
While Bernie searches for answers in her case, her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee juggles trouble closer to home. A vengeful man he sent to prison for domestic violence is back—and involved with Bernie’s sister Darleen. Their relationship creates a dilemma that puts Chee in uncomfortable emotional territory that challenges him as family man, a police officer, and as a one-time medicine man in training.
Anne Hillerman takes us deep into the heart of the deserts, mountains, and forests of New Mexico and once again explores the lore and rituals of Navajo culture in this gripping entry in her atmospheric crime series.
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I believe Cave Of Bones is the latest Leaphorn, Chee, Manuelito novel by Anne Hillerman. Ms Hillerman is the daughter of Tony Hillerman who was the creator of the series. I was a fan of Mr Hillerman’s series and I have enjoyed Ms Hillerman’s additions. Her writing is similar in some ways to her father’s. Her father created the series with Leaphorn as the “legendary” Navajo Lieutenant. Chee was introduced later and served as Leaphorn’s assistant or “Dr Watson”. Manuelito was introduced towards the end of the original series. Ms Hillerman’s stories center around Manuelito which I think is a good thing. Manuelito is the character least developed by her father. This makes the inevitable differences in storytelling style a little more natural. Cave of Bones seemed much more interested in its characters than the mystery. As a mystery novel the story was more about the slow gradual accumulation of facts than twisty, sneaky plots. The mystery or mysteries this story revolves around did not seem particularly mysterious to me. The villains seemed villainous pretty much from the moment they were introduced. What makes this book a pleasure is seeing the world through Manuelito’s and Chee’s eyes. They are cops, married to each other and both searching for a balance between the modern world and the Navajo Way. Their approach to police work is refreshingly humane. I look forward to the next book.
I like the cultural and spiritual depiction of the Navajo.
I love the Leaphorn, Chee and Manualito characters when Tony Hillerman wrote about them, and his daughter Anne, is continuing the fine tradition. A very good read.
I enjoy revisiting the characters that were created by her Father and she writes in much the same style. Informative also by relating the beliefs and history of native Americans in a style that is neither overly optimistic nor derogatory in any way.
Excellent book. The Hillerman legacy lives on. If you like reading this series, you will like this book as well. Couldnt put it down.
great like all the Hillerman books
Tony’s world lives on, …….just a bit more verbose.
Great Author!
I enjoyed this book even though I found the dialogue, in parts, stiff and the flow unnatural. I read all of her father’s books, but this was the first by Anne. I’ll be reading others because I enjoy reading about Native American culture and traditions.
Anne Hillerman does it again, with this fantastic book! Wish she could write books faster!
I follow all of Anne and Tony Hillerman books
good characters and local information in the fascinating southwestern setting
Not a challenging read but a decent story of a female sheriff, wish there had been a bit more meat to fear story.
Another winner in the Hillerman family’s Native American themed series.
I am glad she is following in he fathers footsteps. Lived in the southwest and can appreciate the background for these books
An enjoyable read, fiction with a scattering of fact. Always entertaining like all the Hellerman writings.
Loved it.
Ann Hillerman does a fine job continuing the stories of Tony Hillerman’s Chee, Manuelito, and Leaphorn. I’ve always enjoyed Tony Hillerman’s Southwest setting as the background for the crime solving by Chee and Leaphorn and continue to enjoy the addition of Manuelito’s character as a strong female as Anne Hillerman continues to develop her in CAVE OF BONES.
I eagerly await future books by this author. She has kept some beloved characters, who were created by her father, alive and busily engaged in their adventures.
I appreciate the way she adopted her father’s characters as her support staff. It was a smooth transition from one generation to the next.