A deadly bombing takes Navajo Tribal cops Bernadette Manuelito, Jim Chee, and their mentor, the legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, back into the past to find a vengeful killer in this riveting Southwestern mystery from the bestselling author of Spider Woman’s Daughter and Rock with Wings.
When a car bomb kills a young man in the Shiprock High School parking lot, Officer Bernadette Manuelito discovers that the intended victim was a mediator for a multi-million-dollar development planned at the Grand Canyon.
But what seems like an act of ecoterrorism turns out to be something far more nefarious and complex. Piecing together the clues, Bernadette and her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee, uncover a scheme to disrupt the negotiations and inflame tensions between the Hopi and Dine tribes.
Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn has seen just about everything in his long career. As the tribal police’s investigation unfolds, he begins to suspect that the bombing may be linked to a cold case he handled years ago. As he, Bernadette, and Chee carefully pull away the layers behind the crime, they make a disturbing discovery: a meticulous and very patient killer with a long-simmering plan of revenge.
Writing with a clarity and grace that is all her own, Anne Hillerman depicts the beauty and mystery of Navajo Country and the rituals, myths, and customs of its people in a mystery that builds on and complements the beloved, bestselling mysteries of her acclaimed father, Tony Hillerman.
Her writing takes after her father’s books. Great reading. I thinkI have read them all including hr dad so.
The Southwest is a place I have not experienced. This book was very entertaining and informing.
I love this series.
Anne Hillerman continues to follow in Tony Hillerman’s foot steps and make his world and characters her own. Good story, good writing.
Hillerman strikes out on her own in the fashion of her father. We have the same old friends as in other Hillerman novels but are moved along at a lightening gallop straight for the edge of mystery!
Tony Hillerman was always a delight and this is very much in the tradition of his Navajo detective stories, not quite so masterful but a good read
Yes, as good a writer as Tony Hillerman!
Another of Anne Hillerman’s Navajo tribe novels. Always a good read.
Anne Hillerman does her father proud in her continuation of her father’s Navajo dectectives series.
Absolutely LOVED her dad’s writing of a detective stories set in the Navajo Nation. The outstanding characters are still there, and she carries it off beautifully with nary a hitch. Good read for sure!!
I enjoyed all the books by Tony Hillerman and am enjoying that his daughter took over from his lead on these stories.
Loved all of her father’s books and his characters can live on thru Bernie Manuleto. These books have a woman as the main character, but still have Joe and Jim.
Another Hillerman winner. The author was in complete control and made reader get emotionally involved. I recommend this book for a great week-end read. The characters are realistic and interesting.
Highly recommend it . If you like Tony Hillerman’s work you will love his daughter’s writing. It is wonderful.
Tony Hillerman’s characters live on!
Very wordy with a terrible ending. It was like the author got tired of writing and just settled for a summary.
May be same characters, but not as suspenseful or interesting as previous books.
Glad to see the daughter of my favorite author taking up where he left off.
CANNOT GO WRONG WITH HILLERMAN
Anne Hillerman continues to do a wonderful job of expanding the characters and places that her father created while giving us expanded background and development for Officer Manuelito. In Song of the Lion a car bomb explodes in Shiprock during a basketball game. One person is killed, but are they connected to the explosion, or was it meant to scare the owner of the car, Aza Palmer? Palmer is the mediator for a planned development near the Grand Canyon that has stirred up passions from the different tribes, developers, environmentalists, and everybody in between. Chee is given the unenviable task of guarding Palmer at the meeting, while Bernie enlists the assistance of Lt. Leaphorn to help untangle the mystery around the bombing. Tribal politics, environmental activists, and secrets from the past all coalesce to create a chaotic mess that may leave more bodies in its wake.
Song of the Lion is another great performance by Anne. I have really enjoyed the character development for Bernadette Manuelito, and the expanding depth of her character. Anne’s knowledge and love for the Four Corners region, and the Navajo Nation continue to come through in vivid descriptions of the landscape and the people. In terms of plot, while starting strong with the car bomb, the story hits a bit of a plateau as the action moves from Shiprock to Tuba City. You can almost feel the same boredom that Chee feels as he’s having to watch over Aza Palmer. But Anne continues to drop little clues and bits of info enough to keep you reading and wanting to know more.
Anne’s job to continue writing about her father’s beloved characters is a tough one, and I think she continues to deliver compelling stories that expands and moves the characters along.