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Leaphorn & Chee #8
A Thief Of Time
Chilling discoveries unearthed at a dig for Navajo clay pots bring Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee to the site and put them on the trail of stolen artifacts, a disappearing woman, and bizarre and mystifying murders
209 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1988
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3429 people want to read
About the author
Tony Hillerman
220 books1,850 followersTony Hillerman, who was born in Sacred Heart, Oklahoma, was a decorated combat veteran from World War II, serving as a mortarman in the 103rd Infantry Division and earning the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. Later, he worked as a journalist from 1948 to 1962. Then he earned a Masters degree and taught journalism from 1966 to 1987 at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where he resided with his wife until his death in 2008. Hillerman, a consistently bestselling author, was ranked as New Mexico's 25th wealthiest man in 1996. - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 780 reviews
July 24, 2017
Visiting Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee in the pages of a Hillerman mystery is the next best thing to sleeping under the stars in Navajo country, wondering if there is magic in the sky above.
A Thief of Time has atmosphere to spare, and a complex plot. Leaphorn and Chee are also fleshed out more than usual in this terrific entry. Both men are dealing with personal issues as this mystery begins. Chee hasn't quite figured out how he feels about Mary leaving him because he could not leave his Navajo way of life behind, and move to the city with her. He is smitten with a pretty Navajo attorney named Janet, but she's with someone else. Leaphorn, meanwhile, is on terminal leave and retiring after an unexpected death which has hit home.
Neither man can explain Leaphorn's obsession with finding a missing pot hunter named Eleanor Friedman-Bernal. Perhaps Leaphorn is simply distracting himself from the pain. All that is clear is that a Navajo would not be involved; because according to Navajo tradition, stealing pots would make one a Thief of Time.
Chee's allowing a rather large backhoe get stolen right under his nose will have ties to Leaphorn's investigation. Once more the young policeman with an appreciation for the old ways of the Navajo will be investigating with Leaphorn all across the Navajo territory. This one stretches all the way up into Utah, and then down the San Juan River. Leaphorn's recollection of another death will tie-in with Eleanor's disappearance, who was collecting pots made by the mysterious Anasazi. Was something she discovered worth killing for?
Leaphorn and Chee will be hundreds of miles apart when they reach the same conclusion in this quite complex and multi-layered mystery. One will have to race to the other as things turn ugly, and two very different men will find common ground when Leaphorn asks the unexpected of young Chee.
This one is a real gem in this fine series. Hillerman's description of the thousand foot cliffs along the San Juan River at night, and a starry sky filled with Navajo mystery create an unforgettable portrait of the America's Southwest. A terrific read!
A Thief of Time has atmosphere to spare, and a complex plot. Leaphorn and Chee are also fleshed out more than usual in this terrific entry. Both men are dealing with personal issues as this mystery begins. Chee hasn't quite figured out how he feels about Mary leaving him because he could not leave his Navajo way of life behind, and move to the city with her. He is smitten with a pretty Navajo attorney named Janet, but she's with someone else. Leaphorn, meanwhile, is on terminal leave and retiring after an unexpected death which has hit home.
Neither man can explain Leaphorn's obsession with finding a missing pot hunter named Eleanor Friedman-Bernal. Perhaps Leaphorn is simply distracting himself from the pain. All that is clear is that a Navajo would not be involved; because according to Navajo tradition, stealing pots would make one a Thief of Time.
Chee's allowing a rather large backhoe get stolen right under his nose will have ties to Leaphorn's investigation. Once more the young policeman with an appreciation for the old ways of the Navajo will be investigating with Leaphorn all across the Navajo territory. This one stretches all the way up into Utah, and then down the San Juan River. Leaphorn's recollection of another death will tie-in with Eleanor's disappearance, who was collecting pots made by the mysterious Anasazi. Was something she discovered worth killing for?
Leaphorn and Chee will be hundreds of miles apart when they reach the same conclusion in this quite complex and multi-layered mystery. One will have to race to the other as things turn ugly, and two very different men will find common ground when Leaphorn asks the unexpected of young Chee.
This one is a real gem in this fine series. Hillerman's description of the thousand foot cliffs along the San Juan River at night, and a starry sky filled with Navajo mystery create an unforgettable portrait of the America's Southwest. A terrific read!
November 5, 2015
It wasn't the sort of friendship that needed answers.
This was a great Hillerman novel, I really enjoyed it.
This is the second book where Leaphorn and Chee are teaming up to solve a mystery. Both are going through some problems.
Leaphorn is struggling to deal with This has left him a heartbroken, miserable shell of a man. He's even decided to quit the force, now just working out his last two weeks before it's all over for good.
Since then, nothing had interested him. Someday, he would come alive again. Or perhaps he would. So far he hadn't.
Therefore, Leaphorn is really surprised when something awakens his "cop interest" - a prominent archaeologist has gone missing a month ago. Where is she? What happened to her? Is there ANY possibility that she could still be alive?
...
Chee is working the same case from a different angle - someone has stolen a backhoe and is using it to illegally dig up priceless artifacts. When Leaphorn finds out Chee is on the same basic trail as he is, they team up to solve the mystery and arrest the bad guys.
...
Chee is going through some shit, too, although not nearly as heavy as Leaphorn's problems.
His relationship with Mary is ending (Saints be praised!) and it's really tearing him up because he loved her (heaven knows why!!!!! I hate her).
"But you know, I've decided. I'm giving up. You can't go on forever." As he heard himself say that, he was amazed. When did he decide that? He hadn't realized it. He felt a surge of relief. And of loss. Why can't men cry? he wondered. Why is that not allowed?
He's taken a bit of interest in lawyer Janet Pete. He likes her legs and he doesn't want to disappoint her or make her sad. And he relishes their little conversations.
As she described it, the lawyer in Janet Pete fell away. The girl emerged through the delight and enthusiasm, and Janet Pete became absolutely beautiful herself.
But Janet and Chee - both Navajo - are having a hard-time getting over their respective shit-for-brains white lovers, and it might be a long time before we see actual kissing between these two.
...
The book also has a little bit of humor in it, which is surprising - I don't usually get that from Hillerman. But the beginning of the novel when Chee has taken Janet's car out for a test drive and uses it to chase down bad guys... it was pretty funny.
Leaphorn's intense cynical grumpiness can be smile-inducing as well.
When circumstances allowed, he would talk to a man whose very existence annoyed him.
Leaphorn may be grumpy as hell, even before but the first three books of the series have shown us that he's also a proto-mensch. Even though he's not very mensch-like in this book, I still have hope that the kickass man in Dance Hall of the Dead is going to reappear sometime. Am I asking for too much? Jeez, I hope not. These books are never going to get above a three star rating for me if Leaphorn (and possibly Chee, although I don't have as much hope for him) doesn't start acting like a mensch, and soon.
...
I did NOT see the twist or the ending of this one coming! Loved that - loved being surprised and not being able to put all the pieces together. Hillerman genuinely surprised me this time. Good job on him.
...
And you can FINALLY see in this book that Leaphorn and Chee are going to be friends. The book ends with a very telling sentence that makes you realize that these two men are going to be walking together on the road of friendship now. FINALLY. Jeez. I feel like I've been waiting forever! Leaphorn is such a stubborn man, always thinking Chee is too religious and too idealistic - not grumpy and cynical as is proper for a cop. But I feel like finally the men are seeing eye-to-eye on some things, and even Leaphorn has to grudgingly admit that Chee is smart as a whip. Progress.
Now if only we could get Leaphorn to express his mensch tendencies again, this would be a stellar series.
...
Tl;dr - In the hunt to find a missing archaeologist, Leaphorn and Chee are finally starting to warm up to each other. Bonuses in this novel include a bit of humor and a surprising and satisfying conclusion to the mystery.
This was a great Hillerman novel, I really enjoyed it.
This is the second book where Leaphorn and Chee are teaming up to solve a mystery. Both are going through some problems.
Leaphorn is struggling to deal with This has left him a heartbroken, miserable shell of a man. He's even decided to quit the force, now just working out his last two weeks before it's all over for good.
Since then, nothing had interested him. Someday, he would come alive again. Or perhaps he would. So far he hadn't.
Therefore, Leaphorn is really surprised when something awakens his "cop interest" - a prominent archaeologist has gone missing a month ago. Where is she? What happened to her? Is there ANY possibility that she could still be alive?
...
Chee is working the same case from a different angle - someone has stolen a backhoe and is using it to illegally dig up priceless artifacts. When Leaphorn finds out Chee is on the same basic trail as he is, they team up to solve the mystery and arrest the bad guys.
...
Chee is going through some shit, too, although not nearly as heavy as Leaphorn's problems.
His relationship with Mary is ending (Saints be praised!) and it's really tearing him up because he loved her (heaven knows why!!!!! I hate her).
"But you know, I've decided. I'm giving up. You can't go on forever." As he heard himself say that, he was amazed. When did he decide that? He hadn't realized it. He felt a surge of relief. And of loss. Why can't men cry? he wondered. Why is that not allowed?
He's taken a bit of interest in lawyer Janet Pete. He likes her legs and he doesn't want to disappoint her or make her sad. And he relishes their little conversations.
As she described it, the lawyer in Janet Pete fell away. The girl emerged through the delight and enthusiasm, and Janet Pete became absolutely beautiful herself.
But Janet and Chee - both Navajo - are having a hard-time getting over their respective shit-for-brains white lovers, and it might be a long time before we see actual kissing between these two.
...
The book also has a little bit of humor in it, which is surprising - I don't usually get that from Hillerman. But the beginning of the novel when Chee has taken Janet's car out for a test drive and uses it to chase down bad guys... it was pretty funny.
Leaphorn's intense cynical grumpiness can be smile-inducing as well.
When circumstances allowed, he would talk to a man whose very existence annoyed him.
Leaphorn may be grumpy as hell, even before but the first three books of the series have shown us that he's also a proto-mensch. Even though he's not very mensch-like in this book, I still have hope that the kickass man in Dance Hall of the Dead is going to reappear sometime. Am I asking for too much? Jeez, I hope not. These books are never going to get above a three star rating for me if Leaphorn (and possibly Chee, although I don't have as much hope for him) doesn't start acting like a mensch, and soon.
...
I did NOT see the twist or the ending of this one coming! Loved that - loved being surprised and not being able to put all the pieces together. Hillerman genuinely surprised me this time. Good job on him.
...
And you can FINALLY see in this book that Leaphorn and Chee are going to be friends. The book ends with a very telling sentence that makes you realize that these two men are going to be walking together on the road of friendship now. FINALLY. Jeez. I feel like I've been waiting forever! Leaphorn is such a stubborn man, always thinking Chee is too religious and too idealistic - not grumpy and cynical as is proper for a cop. But I feel like finally the men are seeing eye-to-eye on some things, and even Leaphorn has to grudgingly admit that Chee is smart as a whip. Progress.
Now if only we could get Leaphorn to express his mensch tendencies again, this would be a stellar series.
...
Tl;dr - In the hunt to find a missing archaeologist, Leaphorn and Chee are finally starting to warm up to each other. Bonuses in this novel include a bit of humor and a surprising and satisfying conclusion to the mystery.
October 13, 2024
🏜️ I was so intrigued by the archaeological and anthropological themes in the story I pretty much lost track of the murder mystery aspects until the very end and then I was like - “Hey. What? Ohhhh yeah.”
Others in the series I’ve read focused on religious or mythological components of Navajo or Zuni worldviews. This one was different in that respect though they do bring up Chee’s calling as a “singer” which ties into Navajo spirituality.
Sometimes I’m tempted to call this magical realism though for that to be true the magic has to happen and not just be something to speculate about. But some may argue it does happen.
🏜️It’s a delight to get lost in this world.
Others in the series I’ve read focused on religious or mythological components of Navajo or Zuni worldviews. This one was different in that respect though they do bring up Chee’s calling as a “singer” which ties into Navajo spirituality.
Sometimes I’m tempted to call this magical realism though for that to be true the magic has to happen and not just be something to speculate about. But some may argue it does happen.
🏜️It’s a delight to get lost in this world.
November 7, 2017
Tony Hillerman's mystery series set in the Navajo Nation includes 18 books written by him over 4 decades. I used to read these with my Mom who was born in New Mexico and raised in the Southwest U.S. so they have special interest for us. It's many, many years since I've read one of these old-school mysteries and I loved returning to them in A Thief of Time. A Thief of Time is someone who steals bones and artifacts from Native American ruins, of which there are thousands in the Four Corners area of the U.S.
I was immediately drawn into this story of two seemingly unconnected crimes, one the theft of a flat-bed trailer and the other of a missing anthropologist who specializes in pots, especially focused on those of the Anasazi culture which abruptly disappeared almost a thousand years ago. Navajo Tribal Policemen, Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn are working these cases separately, but as Chee finds out more about the missing trailer and Leaphorn explores the anthropologist's very specialized work and history, they see that the crimes are intertwined. Bodies pile up and hundreds of miles are traveled in their efforts to prevent more murders and solve the crimes.
I love Hillerman's writing. He not only spins a good story, but he is a master of describing the landscape and educating us in the Navajo culture. Chee and Leaphorn are like yin and yang and the tension between them plus the individual emotional struggles they face in this book add layers of interest. I put these in the classic mystery genre, which I appreciate as a change of pace from the more gritty, violent mysteries I read today. I plan to revisit more of Hillerman's books in the near future!
I was immediately drawn into this story of two seemingly unconnected crimes, one the theft of a flat-bed trailer and the other of a missing anthropologist who specializes in pots, especially focused on those of the Anasazi culture which abruptly disappeared almost a thousand years ago. Navajo Tribal Policemen, Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn are working these cases separately, but as Chee finds out more about the missing trailer and Leaphorn explores the anthropologist's very specialized work and history, they see that the crimes are intertwined. Bodies pile up and hundreds of miles are traveled in their efforts to prevent more murders and solve the crimes.
I love Hillerman's writing. He not only spins a good story, but he is a master of describing the landscape and educating us in the Navajo culture. Chee and Leaphorn are like yin and yang and the tension between them plus the individual emotional struggles they face in this book add layers of interest. I put these in the classic mystery genre, which I appreciate as a change of pace from the more gritty, violent mysteries I read today. I plan to revisit more of Hillerman's books in the near future!
November 6, 2016
As a New Yorker born and bred, a city girl through and through, the only Native American settlements that have ever appealed to me are these:
"Nice location," I always think. "Sunny in winter, shaded in summer, this spacious apt has great views. Exclusive gated development convenient to community gardens, grocery stores, schools, houses of worship, craft shops. High-floor unit boasts magnificent original murals and fine adobe detailing. Must see to appreciate."
"Sold!"
Who were the people who made the cliff dwellings of Chaco Valley? Scholars call them the Anasazi. The river valleys of the Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado border country are filled with tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of these high-rise communities where runoff irrigation helped agriculture flourish even in the arid high desert.
The many villages were linked by complex land and water routes for trading pottery and other artifacts. Many of the bowls and other ceramics carried from one canyon to another were true works of art with sophisticated glazes and firing techniques. The most beautiful might be the work of just a few individual crafts people making their wares in specialized centers. Here are examples of the late style St. John Polychrome ceramics that figure in Hillerman's eight Leaphorn-Chee mystery.
Here is a close-up showing the high-glazed version of St John Polychrome.
The Anasazi also left behind extensive petroglyphs, wall murals depicting gods and ceremonies. Here is one depicting the nearly ubiquitous kokopelli figures--who also turn up in the Hillerman story.
Did the Anasazi really vanish some 500 years ago? Why? Can a few shards of St. John polychrome lead to an undiscovered Anasazi site? And could it be that here was the workshop of a single artisan with a fine, distinctive style? These questions seem to link a missing anthropologist, a damaged archeological site and a series of unsolved murders Eventually the questions bring Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee together in one of Hillerman's most satisfying outings.
I can never resist historical and cultural stuff like this, especially when it comes packaged with a terrific mystery, vivid characters and a very clever denouement. Five stars.
Content rating G: a clean read.
"Nice location," I always think. "Sunny in winter, shaded in summer, this spacious apt has great views. Exclusive gated development convenient to community gardens, grocery stores, schools, houses of worship, craft shops. High-floor unit boasts magnificent original murals and fine adobe detailing. Must see to appreciate."
"Sold!"
Who were the people who made the cliff dwellings of Chaco Valley? Scholars call them the Anasazi. The river valleys of the Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado border country are filled with tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of these high-rise communities where runoff irrigation helped agriculture flourish even in the arid high desert.
The many villages were linked by complex land and water routes for trading pottery and other artifacts. Many of the bowls and other ceramics carried from one canyon to another were true works of art with sophisticated glazes and firing techniques. The most beautiful might be the work of just a few individual crafts people making their wares in specialized centers. Here are examples of the late style St. John Polychrome ceramics that figure in Hillerman's eight Leaphorn-Chee mystery.
Here is a close-up showing the high-glazed version of St John Polychrome.
The Anasazi also left behind extensive petroglyphs, wall murals depicting gods and ceremonies. Here is one depicting the nearly ubiquitous kokopelli figures--who also turn up in the Hillerman story.
Did the Anasazi really vanish some 500 years ago? Why? Can a few shards of St. John polychrome lead to an undiscovered Anasazi site? And could it be that here was the workshop of a single artisan with a fine, distinctive style? These questions seem to link a missing anthropologist, a damaged archeological site and a series of unsolved murders Eventually the questions bring Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee together in one of Hillerman's most satisfying outings.
I can never resist historical and cultural stuff like this, especially when it comes packaged with a terrific mystery, vivid characters and a very clever denouement. Five stars.
Content rating G: a clean read.
February 20, 2017
Quite simply, I loved it. Tony Hillerman moves me with his ability to write authentic characters that I can connect with and to transport me to a cultural landscape that expands my experience.
August 28, 2023
Another very good entry in the Leaphorn and Chee series by Hillerman. I have only read a few of these but I really enjoy the series and started reading them after watching and enjoying the TV series Dark Winds on AMC. Dark Winds is now in its second season and I have have been avidly watching as Leaphorn and Chee fight against an unknown assassin. The second season is based on PEOPLE OF DARKNESS which I'm hoping to read soonish.
I happened to have a copy of A THIEF OF TIME lying unread on my TBR stacks so decided to read it instead. I was not disappointed. This one has Leaphorn about to resign from the Navajo Tribal Police force after the death of his wife Emma. But he is drawn into the case of a missing anthropologist who may have been illegally obtaining and digging for Anasazi pottery. Meanwhile, Chee is put on the case of a stolen backhoe that turns out to be used to also dig for illegal pottery. Are the two cases connected? Along the way some murders take place that are also connected to the illegal pot digging. So who committed the murders and why? And what happened to the missing anthropologist? Will Leaphorn quit the police force? Well, all of this is answered but not until some good twists occur in the storyline.
I really enjoy Hillerman's writing. His knowledge of the Navajo was quite astounding and his descriptions of the desert landscape really stand out. I grew up in Utah and have visited the four corners area where these novels take place many times. Hillerman really was masterful in telling these stories. Looking forward to reading more.
I happened to have a copy of A THIEF OF TIME lying unread on my TBR stacks so decided to read it instead. I was not disappointed. This one has Leaphorn about to resign from the Navajo Tribal Police force after the death of his wife Emma. But he is drawn into the case of a missing anthropologist who may have been illegally obtaining and digging for Anasazi pottery. Meanwhile, Chee is put on the case of a stolen backhoe that turns out to be used to also dig for illegal pottery. Are the two cases connected? Along the way some murders take place that are also connected to the illegal pot digging. So who committed the murders and why? And what happened to the missing anthropologist? Will Leaphorn quit the police force? Well, all of this is answered but not until some good twists occur in the storyline.
I really enjoy Hillerman's writing. His knowledge of the Navajo was quite astounding and his descriptions of the desert landscape really stand out. I grew up in Utah and have visited the four corners area where these novels take place many times. Hillerman really was masterful in telling these stories. Looking forward to reading more.
April 25, 2016
Navajo policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are working on two separate cases that merge in this excellent story. Leaphorn is looking for a missing woman and Chee is looking for a murderer. Hillerman does a very good job of explaining relevant Navajo traditions. This is a solid 4 out of 5 stars book.
August 16, 2019
Loved all Hillerman books with Leaphorn and Chee.
September 5, 2025
I began A Thief of Time as an audiobook, as I’ve done with nearly all of Hillerman’s novels in this series. George Guidall has consistently been a strong narrator for these stories, but something felt very off in this recording—his words were noticeably slurred, to the point where I eventually had to abandon the audio and switch to the Kindle version. A disappointing hiccup in an otherwise dependable listening experience.
The novel itself, however, quickly redeemed the situation. This is one of the rare stories that pairs Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn together in the heart of the Navajo Nation, with a series of murders and mysteries tied to the rugged landscapes along the Utah–Arizona–New Mexico border. Hillerman keeps the tension sharp, weaving in twists that catch you by surprise, especially as the book draws toward its conclusion. Chee, with his methodical and thoughtful approach, proves himself a worthy detective in his own right, even earning a measure of respect from the famously skeptical Leaphorn.
Beyond the mystery, what gives the novel real texture is its grounding in history and culture. Hillerman brings in the haunting presence of Anasazi ruins and the world of anthropological studies, adding both atmosphere and weight to the investigation. These details make the book resonate on a deeper level, enriching the plot with a sense of time and place that feels uniquely tied to the land.
By the end, Hillerman not only delivers a satisfying resolution to the case but also sets up an emotional crossroads for Leaphorn, one that lingers with the reader and leaves you eager for the next installment. While the audiobook faltered for me, the story itself stands tall—an engaging and thoughtful entry in the series that blends suspense, character, and cultural history in a way only Hillerman can.
The novel itself, however, quickly redeemed the situation. This is one of the rare stories that pairs Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn together in the heart of the Navajo Nation, with a series of murders and mysteries tied to the rugged landscapes along the Utah–Arizona–New Mexico border. Hillerman keeps the tension sharp, weaving in twists that catch you by surprise, especially as the book draws toward its conclusion. Chee, with his methodical and thoughtful approach, proves himself a worthy detective in his own right, even earning a measure of respect from the famously skeptical Leaphorn.
Beyond the mystery, what gives the novel real texture is its grounding in history and culture. Hillerman brings in the haunting presence of Anasazi ruins and the world of anthropological studies, adding both atmosphere and weight to the investigation. These details make the book resonate on a deeper level, enriching the plot with a sense of time and place that feels uniquely tied to the land.
By the end, Hillerman not only delivers a satisfying resolution to the case but also sets up an emotional crossroads for Leaphorn, one that lingers with the reader and leaves you eager for the next installment. While the audiobook faltered for me, the story itself stands tall—an engaging and thoughtful entry in the series that blends suspense, character, and cultural history in a way only Hillerman can.
June 6, 2023
An anthropologist studying Anasazi pottery disappears. Various pot hunters start turning up dead. Are they linked? How and why? Leaphorn and Chee are on the case and take the reader along with them as they delve into the mysterious culture of the ancient Anasazi in an attempt to solve this series of horrific murders.
Another great Navajo police novel from Hillerman. These seem to just get better and more interesting.
Another great Navajo police novel from Hillerman. These seem to just get better and more interesting.
March 7, 2022
An interesting mystery set in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. I liked the Native American characters, and the interwoven tidbits about their culture, as well as the information about looting Indian ruins. Sometimes it seems like only the Egyptians or the Mayans had artifacts worth looting. Although there were several murders, the plot was slower paced, moving with Leaphorn's slowly coming back to himself after his wife's death, and the growth of Chee as a worthy assistant. I will definitely be looking for more books in this series.
October 8, 2024
This book ranks at the top and the eight books. I’ve read so far in this series. I like that Joe and Jim are working on cases that bring them together. The story was intriguing and kept me engaged from beginning to end. As usual, I chose the audio format and previously I enjoyed the narrator voice, but in this book, he sounded much older, and his voice was hard to understand at times. I looked ahead and the next book is with a different narrator and I think I will prefer it. But this is still a. 5 star read for me. This is a series. I always enjoy going back to.
June 14, 2019
An archaeologist goes missing, and Leaphorn looks for her. Chee looks for stolen county equipment. It all comes down to artifacts.
I didn't find this one as good as some of the others I've read in the series.
I didn't find this one as good as some of the others I've read in the series.
December 30, 2017
Thief of Time was the first Tony Hillerman novel I ever read and it remains one of the best. It starts with a wonderfully creepy scene in which a researcher into the Anasazi peoples discovers a couple of dozen little frogs who have been tethered by a string tied around their legs so they can’t hop away. Then she finds out she’s not exactly alone in the deserted ruins and well…I don’t want to give too much away. After the opening scene, it becomes a fairly typical detective story as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police each find themselves looking for the missing woman. To find her, they have to learn a decent amount about the illegal trade in Anasazi pots which I also found fascinating. The tension builds as Leaphorn gets closer and closer to discovering what happened to the woman. There are good surprises and a solid and exciting climax.
April 6, 2019
I am starting to enjoy this series more as Leaphorn and Chee are beginning to work together in a way I like.
July 25, 2024
If you have not read any of Tony Hillerman's mystery series, you are in for a real treat. A Thief In Time is one of his best!
September 20, 2010
The Thief of time is a beautifully written and observed piece. It is thriller, mystery, life, saga and page turner. Jim Chee is set on detecting just who has stolen the flat bed truck from the police depot - a theft that seems to be more about buck passing within the force rather than detection. While he is supposed to be watching a back hoe is stolen from the depot.
Meantime Joe Leaphorn, only days away from retirement after the death of his beloved, Emma, is put on to a case of Grave Robbing. A respected archaeologist, Eleanor Double-Barrelled-Surname, has been accused of stealing pots from Anasazi grave sites. Only when Leaphorn turns up at the accommodation it seems she is actually missing.
Leaphorn's second senses are aroused when it turns out the backhoe and flatbed truck appear to be related to whatever has happened to the missing woman too.
The ensuing novel is a wonderful crossing over of crimes, of lives intertwined, of coincidences which turn out to be significant later on, and nicely observed human foibles. Beneath all of this Leaphorn is mourning for his lost wife and trying to come to terms with his life without her. It is a nice intertwining of his life prior to meeting her and his life how, and reflected in the lives of the two archaeologists who are left at the site.
Jim Chee, meanwhile, the more traditional of the two policemen, is struggling with his own personal life - the teacher he loved has gone back to her life away from the reservation, and he is left wondering if the lawyer, Janet Pete, could be the one for him. Their personal lives are anything but straightforward. While the personal lives do not play at centre stage, as the reader, you are aware of what underlies the personal lives of the detectives.
The climax of the novel draws all the seeming loose strings in together beautifully. There is redemption where it is needed and loss is muted. Quite simply: I love Tony Hillerman. I am glad I still have a few more of his novels to read.
Meantime Joe Leaphorn, only days away from retirement after the death of his beloved, Emma, is put on to a case of Grave Robbing. A respected archaeologist, Eleanor Double-Barrelled-Surname, has been accused of stealing pots from Anasazi grave sites. Only when Leaphorn turns up at the accommodation it seems she is actually missing.
Leaphorn's second senses are aroused when it turns out the backhoe and flatbed truck appear to be related to whatever has happened to the missing woman too.
The ensuing novel is a wonderful crossing over of crimes, of lives intertwined, of coincidences which turn out to be significant later on, and nicely observed human foibles. Beneath all of this Leaphorn is mourning for his lost wife and trying to come to terms with his life without her. It is a nice intertwining of his life prior to meeting her and his life how, and reflected in the lives of the two archaeologists who are left at the site.
Jim Chee, meanwhile, the more traditional of the two policemen, is struggling with his own personal life - the teacher he loved has gone back to her life away from the reservation, and he is left wondering if the lawyer, Janet Pete, could be the one for him. Their personal lives are anything but straightforward. While the personal lives do not play at centre stage, as the reader, you are aware of what underlies the personal lives of the detectives.
The climax of the novel draws all the seeming loose strings in together beautifully. There is redemption where it is needed and loss is muted. Quite simply: I love Tony Hillerman. I am glad I still have a few more of his novels to read.
August 5, 2009
Just out of plain curiosity. I have read many of Hillermans books, but this one escaped me, so now, I am checking it out for many reasons.
Oh my goodness, how I have let Hillermans writings slip past me for so long I have no idea! I received a gift card to Barnes & Noble and yesterday went to the store and really stocked up on his books.
He is so talented in his writings, and so sorry he has now passed away and no longer will we be blessed with his works. But "A Thief of Time" is amazing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I found myself waking up on and off all night long, switching on my little reading light, and keeping my hubby awake, reading the book. I have started once again, "Skinwalkers" and already it is riveting in the first 20 pages.
Having lived in the South Eastern part of Utah for 20 years, I related so much in "A Thief of Time" of the area and the archeological sites found, not to mention probably thousands not yet found. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in this genre.
Oh my goodness, how I have let Hillermans writings slip past me for so long I have no idea! I received a gift card to Barnes & Noble and yesterday went to the store and really stocked up on his books.
He is so talented in his writings, and so sorry he has now passed away and no longer will we be blessed with his works. But "A Thief of Time" is amazing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I found myself waking up on and off all night long, switching on my little reading light, and keeping my hubby awake, reading the book. I have started once again, "Skinwalkers" and already it is riveting in the first 20 pages.
Having lived in the South Eastern part of Utah for 20 years, I related so much in "A Thief of Time" of the area and the archeological sites found, not to mention probably thousands not yet found. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in this genre.
August 2, 2015
A really good read. If you like your crime thrillers to be smart, suspenseful throughout, characters with some depth and dashing so of humor then this is the book for you. The book takes place on a Navajo reservation and is one of a series with a Navajo detective called Leaphorn. I had recently gone through a run of fictional heroes whose ability to bear pain crossed over from the heroic into these people are some serious perverts. So it was a great relief to be left in the hands of a smart man who was able to think his way through a plot that eschewed the ridiculous and chose the clever.
April 18, 2011
This is an early Hillerman Novel for me and it hooked me onto this type of writing. I live in New Mexico, so I know so much about what he is writing about and where. The Navajo culture seems to come alive and you see the fine line they live between their and our cultures. The mystery seems to come alive on the reservation and high desert of Arizonia. I'm always glad when Leaphorn and Chee work together. They are a good pairing.
April 4, 2017
Excellent series!
Great story. Series of cultural heritage mixed with mystery and investigation is ever appealing. This series is one I highly recommended.
Great story. Series of cultural heritage mixed with mystery and investigation is ever appealing. This series is one I highly recommended.
October 26, 2017
An anthropologist who's willing to cross legal lines in order to find the truth of the past has disappeared somewhere in the canyons of the Southwest. Was she stealing antiquities? Two police officers in the Navajo Tribal Police have to sort through a series of series of improbable events to find out the truth.
Some solidly enjoyable mystery reading. This one's not a hugely remarkable plot, as far as a puzzle goes, but is otherwise very well written. Where this shines is in the procedures, which is not something I'd ever thought I'd say, because I've disliked anything "procedural" in the past. I admired it here, though--it was a structure that provided very plausible background on the intuitive leaps. I might have to rethink this whole dislike of procedure thing. Maybe I just hadn't run into ones that had meaning for me.
At any rate, I loved the characters and voices and setting and found most of the non-puzzle plot to be moving. I'll read more of the author's work at some point, I'm sure.
Some solidly enjoyable mystery reading. This one's not a hugely remarkable plot, as far as a puzzle goes, but is otherwise very well written. Where this shines is in the procedures, which is not something I'd ever thought I'd say, because I've disliked anything "procedural" in the past. I admired it here, though--it was a structure that provided very plausible background on the intuitive leaps. I might have to rethink this whole dislike of procedure thing. Maybe I just hadn't run into ones that had meaning for me.
At any rate, I loved the characters and voices and setting and found most of the non-puzzle plot to be moving. I'll read more of the author's work at some point, I'm sure.
May 11, 2018
Ένα ήρεμο, τρυφερό ανάγνωσμα, που οδηγεί μέσα από τη τραχύτητα του τοπίου και των σχέσεων λευκών και Αμερινδών σε μια πολύ όμορφη κορύφωση. Η ανατροπή του τέλους κι η χρήση του Κοκοπέλι ήταν πραγματικά απολαυστικές. Για κάποιο λόγο όμως, δεν κατάφερε να με ενθουσιάσει όσο περίμενα, παρά που το θέμα του (ανασκαφές, ιστορίες, Αμερινδοί) είναι ένα από τα πιο αγαπημένα μου. Δεν σταμάτησα να το διαβάζω, αλλά δεν λαχταρούσα κιόλας να το τελειώσω.
May 25, 2023
3.75⭐️
It was a quick, interesting read. The author was extremely knowledgeable on Diné culture, and a fun addition to the book was looking up information on bits of culture mentioned casually. I'm also embarrassed that it took me a while to realize that this book was set in the 80's because it was written in the 80's.
The first half of the investigation was a but boring, the conclusion I had my suspicions about before it happened. However, how the pieces fell into place, and the big reveal at the end was satisfying anyway
It was a quick, interesting read. The author was extremely knowledgeable on Diné culture, and a fun addition to the book was looking up information on bits of culture mentioned casually. I'm also embarrassed that it took me a while to realize that this book was set in the 80's because it was written in the 80's.
The first half of the investigation was a but boring, the conclusion I had my suspicions about before it happened. However, how the pieces fell into place, and the big reveal at the end was satisfying anyway
September 26, 2022
This book didn't resonate with me, which I found interesting because it's one of the more popular entries in the series.
A missing anthropologist kicks off the story as Leaphorn and Chee both struggled with the repeated (from book 7) theme of endurance. Both of them have had personal upsets in their lives become real and they are both still trying to find how to exist with the new realities.
The mystery is solved twice, once by Chee and once by Leaphorn. They both determine the actual murderer correctly but do so in completely different ways. They don't even really work together, so this is more like two stories about the same thing told simultaneously from different perspectives. Their methods and motives are totally different and so each thread felt fairly disconnected from the other, that is, perhaps, the basis of my lack of connection to the characters.
As has become common there are sections comparing the Navajo philosophy of life against the white Judeo/Christian perspectives. This still remains interesting and part of the draw of these books.
A missing anthropologist kicks off the story as Leaphorn and Chee both struggled with the repeated (from book 7) theme of endurance. Both of them have had personal upsets in their lives become real and they are both still trying to find how to exist with the new realities.
The mystery is solved twice, once by Chee and once by Leaphorn. They both determine the actual murderer correctly but do so in completely different ways. They don't even really work together, so this is more like two stories about the same thing told simultaneously from different perspectives. Their methods and motives are totally different and so each thread felt fairly disconnected from the other, that is, perhaps, the basis of my lack of connection to the characters.
As has become common there are sections comparing the Navajo philosophy of life against the white Judeo/Christian perspectives. This still remains interesting and part of the draw of these books.
June 2, 2011
Excellent addition to the Hillerman stories set in Navaho lands in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. Both Leaphorn and Chee are in this one which, to me, makes it a better story. I think the two complement each other and add some richness to the backstory as well as to the main story of murder.
Chee is brought into the story because someone steals a backhoe while he is patrolling a local business, it had complained about people breaking in and taking a truck. Leaphorn is searching for a missing anthropologist who is working on documenting the Anssazi Indian race, who seemingly just "vanished" sometime around 1300 BC. Ellie's emphasis is on pots, specifically those by a certain potter who developed a distinctive style that could be tracked and dated.
When the two story lines converge Leaphorn and Chee start working together to solve the crime.
I'm still really enjoying this series and will keep reading.
Chee is brought into the story because someone steals a backhoe while he is patrolling a local business, it had complained about people breaking in and taking a truck. Leaphorn is searching for a missing anthropologist who is working on documenting the Anssazi Indian race, who seemingly just "vanished" sometime around 1300 BC. Ellie's emphasis is on pots, specifically those by a certain potter who developed a distinctive style that could be tracked and dated.
When the two story lines converge Leaphorn and Chee start working together to solve the crime.
I'm still really enjoying this series and will keep reading.
September 3, 2015
I've heard it mentioned several times that this was author Tony Hillerman's own favorite of his Leaphorn/Chee series. It is now one of my favorites of the series, too. Once the arc of the story is established, there is a satisfying combination of action and character development. The introspection of the primary characters (and some of the minor characters as well) actually complements the plot and makes the action more believable.
The only thing that would have made it a more enjoyable read would have been finding a good unabridged audio version. I could not find any unabridged audio at all.
The only thing that would have made it a more enjoyable read would have been finding a good unabridged audio version. I could not find any unabridged audio at all.
January 3, 2020
Well crafted police procedural set on the Navajo reservation in Arizona/New Mexico. Not having read any of the series before, starting with book 8 left me with some questions about ongoing situations of the main characters which encourages me to read further in the series.
I loved the inclusion of the Navajo thought process and rational to solve the crimes. It is so different from British procedurals and it was quite refreshing. And I loved the description of the area, having spent some time exploring Southern Utah, I could identify with the landscape and canyons of the desert.
All in all, a tightly plotted and enjoyable read.
I loved the inclusion of the Navajo thought process and rational to solve the crimes. It is so different from British procedurals and it was quite refreshing. And I loved the description of the area, having spent some time exploring Southern Utah, I could identify with the landscape and canyons of the desert.
All in all, a tightly plotted and enjoyable read.
August 11, 2022
Just finished reading this one again for James Museum Book Club and, as is usually the case, I liked it even better the second time. What a gift Tony Hillerman gave us in his Navajo stories.
Academics and thieves both hunt for the pots the ancient Pueblo people left behind, but they don't always follow the rules. And of course there is murder. I liked all the information about the pots. Another good story although some aspects were just a bit too improbable for me to accept.
Academics and thieves both hunt for the pots the ancient Pueblo people left behind, but they don't always follow the rules. And of course there is murder. I liked all the information about the pots. Another good story although some aspects were just a bit too improbable for me to accept.
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