Listening Woman

Leaphorn & Chee #3

by Tony Hillerman

Curl up with this cozy mystery perfect for autumn
Don’t miss the TV series, Dark Winds , based on the Leaphorn, Chee, & Manuelito novels, now on AMC and AMC+! “Hillerman’s mysteries are special . . . Listening Woman is among the best.”— Washington Post The third novel in New York Times bestselling author Tony Hillerman’s highly acclaimed Leaphorn and Chee series. The blind shaman called Listening Woman speaks of witches and restless spirits, of supernatural evil unleashed. But Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police is sure the monster who savagely slaughtered an old man and a teenage girl was human. Now the solution to a horrific crime is buried somewhere in a dead man’s secrets—and in the shocking events of a hundred years past. To ignore the warnings of a venerable seer, however, might be reckless foolishness when Leaphorn’s investigation leads him farther away from the comprehensible . . . and closer to the most brutally violent confrontation of his career.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Native American, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Westerns, Audiobook

304 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1978

About the author

Tony 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

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read the majority of the Tony Hillerman Navajo Mysteries (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee). I really enjoy reading about the 4 corners area and learning more about the Navajos, their history, and their culture.

Listening Woman is a very compelling read. Many Hillerman fans think that it is one of his best novels in an 18 book series. I liked it, too.

Hillerman combines some really good elements including murder, kidnapping, theft, religious superstitions, a vicious dog, a Navajo Catholic priest, a violent Navajo militant group, boy scouts, the FBI, a man with gold glasses, a helicopter, fire, a massive explosion, and Joe Leaphorn the detective who gets to the bottom of the case while surviving some very harrowing experiences.

If you like the great American Southwest (NM, AZ, UT, CO), American Indian culture and history, compelling characters and intriguing mystery, then Hillerman provides plenty of good reading material.

[Julie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the reason I read LISTENING WOMAN:



Let me explain.

My sister mentioned that she thought I’d like “Dark Winds” on Netflix, so I watched the first season and noticed, on the credits, that the story was “based on Tony Hillerman’s LISTENING WOMAN.”

I’m a stickler for “read the book first,” but, hey, I didn’t know, and, actually this was a rare case where I was glad I watched the visual production first.

In my opinion, the show is better than the original novel, but I was excited to read the book and compare the two.

Isn’t it fascinating when someone comes along and takes an original story in a better or a different, but good direction? This hasn’t happened too many times for me; in fact, I could name the times it has happened, right off the top of my head: JAWS, FORREST GUMP, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, MARY POPPINS.

I can probably come up with a few more, but, let’s face it: it’s rare.

Okay, so I found the series to be better than the novel, but this is a book review, so I’d like to contribute what I liked about the book: the fabulous, lengthy scene in the cave, and LIEUTENANT JOE LEAPHORN.

The photo above is of Zahn McClarnon, who was brilliantly cast as Lieutenant Leaphorn, and, man, does he bring the dude to life!

I love the almost all Native cast of the show, the celebration of Navajo/Diné culture, and the depiction of the 1970s, based on the original publication date of the book.

I truly appreciated Hillerman’s original creation of a Navajo cop, circa 1978, who is neither stereotyped, nor dull.

My biggest complaint is the ending of the novel. Wow, is it bad. It felt, to me, as though Tony Hillerman got low blood sugar at the end of writing this manuscript, and looked up at his wife and said, “I’m hungry, so I’ll wrap this up.” I hope he got a really good lunch out of the deal, because the ending sucked.

But, what a great scene in the cave! I don’t get too many entries for my “caves” shelf, but this one is right up there with Dorothy Allison’s CAVEDWELLER.

The floor here was as dead level as a ballroom. From it ragged rows of stalagmites rose like a patchwork of volcanic islands from the surface of a still, white sea.

And, oh yeah, here’s my shout-out to Lieutenant Leaphorn: Can I braid your hair? (Or, can you braid mine?)

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Leaphorn is tackling several cases that have grown cool over the last few months. At the forefront is the case of the double murder or an old man and a teenage girl who were murdered near the man’s hogan. The only witness is the teenager’s aunt, a listening woman, who is blind. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have much she can add to the case, but Joe follows the few pieces she has given him. Will that be enough for him to figure out what really happened?

I wasn’t surprised when the various cases Joe was investigating played into this case, but I did feel like things were a little unfocused early on. Still, everything came together well, and the last third is a page turning thriller. While I like Joe, we still know very little about him or his personal life. Likewise, the rest of the cast isn’t fully developed, but they are real enough given the page time they have. I do appreciate how Joe balances the Navajo myths versus the reality of police work. It’s easy to see why these books are so well loved, and I’m glad I’ve picked them up.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't have much to say about this book. I don't even have an opening quote to start with.

This is the third Navajo novel by Hillerman. It was an entertaining and quick read, but nothing special. Nothing really stood out for me.

It seems as if MC Joe Leaphorn is going to turn out to be a good man. I like this. However, he didn't do anything particularly noteworthy in this novel.

A perfectly decent if uninspiring mystery.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been watching and enjoying the TV series Dark Winds on AMC. When I found out that the first season of the series is based on Hillerman's LISTENING WOMAN, I ordered the book from a trading site online and I have really enjoyed reading it. This is the third novel in the Leaphorn & Chee series, however, Chee does not appear in this one. The story involves some cold cases that Leaphorn has been assigned to look into. One is the murder of an old man and a teenage girl who were being seen by a blind Navajo "listening woman" who talks about ghosts and witches. Then there is a robbery of an armored truck in Santa Fe with the loot being transported by helicopter deep into the vast Navajo reservation in Northern Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern Utah. The helicopter disappeared possibly within the reservation. So is this tied to the murder of the old man and the teenage girl? The old man's grandson arrives on the reservation after he received a letter from his grandfather but the timeframe does not seem to make it possible that the letter actually came from him. The grandson is a priest but could he also be involved in the armored truck heist? The FBI has tied the heist to a militant Indian group called the Buffalo Society. So what else are they planning?

This is actually the first Leaphorn novel that I have read although I have owned a few others that I got rid of before one of my moves. I did really enjoy this. I especially liked the descriptions of the Navajo life and the landscapes of the sandstone and canyons of the reservation. I grew up in Utah and have visited Southern Utah and Arizona and the vistas are very breathtaking.

The novel does have some of the same plot points as the Dark Winds TV series but the series did change and modify a lot of the story. There is still one episode left in the season which I am looking forward to watching and I hear it has been renewed for a second season. I will be watching it and I will definitely be reading more of the Leaphorn and Chee novels!

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had it not been for some unfortunate connotations that I had with Hillerman (he was the author of choice for a particularly Wicked Stepmother), I would have most likely read his whole oeuvre by now. When he died earlier this year, I decided to make like a good Southwesterner and rectify this omission in my reading list. The problem was I didn't really know where to start. (I was told by an enthusiastic library volunteer in Oro Valley, AZ that I should just start at the beginning and work my way through, but that seemed a little more time consuming than I was ultimately prepared for.) In the end, a discount book rack in Portland, Maine made my decision for me. I started with Listening Woman because I was able to buy it for a dollar.

This ended up being a good introduction, I think, even if it was pretty arbitrary. A little further research and I now know that this is one of the few Hillerman mysteries featuring just Joe Leaphorn; his counterpart (and subordinate) Sgt. Jim Chee is introduced relatively early on in the series. It's also not one of the more high profile (read: multi-awarded, movie-versioned) novels. This combined leads me to believe that I had a rather organic introduction to the Leaphorn series.

Listening Woman had a number of things to recommend it--good characterization, evocative descriptions of the harsh and beautiful landscape of the Navajo Reservation where the book takes place, and snappy pacing. On the flip-side, the plot was, from the get-go, unnecessarily complicated--involving three separate cold-cases that come together to form one master crime scenario, the ending (though exciting) drug out far too long, and descriptions of action (dynamite exploding and killing people, notably) was rendered in such a way to make it unclear to the reader where people were and what exactly was going on.

In the end, though, two things about this novel stuck out to me. Firstly, there's the empathetic descriptions of Navajo culture and traditions (especially when contrasted/dramatized against the background of 'White' culture). About mid-way through the novel, Leaphorn visits a Navajo clan during a Kinaalda--a sacred coming of age ceremony for a Navajo woman. The description of the ceremony itself is rather moving, but it was Leaphorn's reaction to it that really struck me:

"Leaphorn found himself, as he had since childhood, caught up in the hypnotic repetition of pattern which blended meaning, rhythm, and sound in something more than the total of all of them...A girl becoming a woman, and her people celebrating this addition to the Dinee with joy and reverence. Leaphorn found himself singing, too. The anger he had brought--despite all the taboos--to this ceremonial had been overcome. Leaphorn felt restored in harmony.

He had a loud, clear voice and he used it...The big man glanced at hime, a friendly look. Across the hogan, Leaphorn noticed, two of the women were smiling at him. He was a stranger, a policeman who arrested one of them, a man from another clan, perhaps even a witch, but he was accepted with the natural hospitality of the Dinee. He felt a fierce pride in his people, and in this celebration of womanhood."

It's a short passage, but so much is conveyed in it--not only about Navajo customs that many would be unfamiliar with, but about Leaphorn as well.

The other thing that stuck with me about this book is that contrary to my usual preferences, the amazing amount of coincidence and eventual connectivity of various, seemingly unrelated plot elements didn't bother me at all. In part, this is due to Leaphorn's own ethos: "Leaphorn didn't believe in [coincidence:]. He believed that nothing happened without cause. Everything intermeshed, from the mood of a man, to the flight of a corn beetle, to the music of the wind. It was the Navajo philosophy, his concept of interwoven harmony, and it was bred into Joe Leaphorn's bones." This alone might not have satisfied me, however--it's all well and good for Leaphorn to believe in "interwoven harmony," but in fiction, such connectivity generally strikes me as heavy-handed and simplistic. But Hillerman makes a practical point early on that though obvious, perhaps, wouldn't have occurred to me otherwise: "If two white strangers appeared at about the same time in this out-of-the-way corner, one headed for the Tso hogan and the other aimed in that direction, logic insisted that more than coincidence was involved."

Definitely a promising start for me. I think I'll try Skinwalkers next, but if anyone has other recommendations, let me know.

[Heather Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very exciting, fast action. Enjoyed it enough I'm starting the next book in the series.

Note: some profanity

[Ms.pegasus · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a lieutenant in the Navajo Tribal Police, Joe Leaphorn works his cases from a unique viewpoint. This is clear from the contrast between the FBI interrogator's “just the facts” approach and Leaphorn's etiquette-conscious, conversational style. Leaphorn is interested in context.

The crime here is the seemingly motiveless murder of an old man named Hosteen Tso and a young woman acting as a guide to her aunt, a well-known blind healer called “Listening Woman.” Listening Woman is the sole witness although she saw nothing and was meditating near a cave when the murders occurred. Tso had no valuables. He lived alone in an isolated hogan. Tso had asked Listening Woman to perform a healing song. However, he was not troubled by a mere physical illness. Tso was troubled by a secret. He would only provide vague hints to Listening Woman: a hidden cave, the ghost of his great grandfather, desecration of sacred sand paintings, a mixture unrelated Navajo mythic creatures, and something he needed to tell his grandson before he died. None of this held meaning for the FBI. Leaphorn, however, noted a couple of anomalies. Since Navajo genealogy is matriarchal, Tso's urgent need to speak to his grandson was unusual. Second, the myths Tso alluded to were extremely obscure: “Leaphorn could conceive of no incident which would have included both Gila Monster and Water Monster in its action. Water Monster had figured only once in the mythology of the Dinee – causing the flood that destroyed the Third World after his babies had been stolen by Coyote. Neither Gila Monster not Talking God had a role in that episode.” (Location 527)

With this knowledge Leaphorn seizes on the clues to a much larger and more complex series of crimes. “Everything intermeshed from the mood of a man, to the flight of the corn beetle, to the music of the wind. It was the Navajo philosophy, this concept of interwoven harmony, and it was bred into Joe Leaphorn's bones.” (Location 1703)

Hillerman excels in capturing the rhythms of speech and silences in Leaphorn's interrogations. That is displayed again when Leaphorn seeks out John McGinnis, owner of a remote trading post. McGinnis has 40 years of gossip, family relationships, local idiosyncrasies, and ceremonial events stored in his brain. Leaphorn quietly probes McGuiness who obviously enjoys the company and won't be rushed while he takes leisurely sips of bourbon.

Although he neglects to develop most of the characters in this book, Hillerman does deliver a complex plot with some interesting historical asides. He excels at bringing the landscape to life, conducting the reader on a vicarious hike through a rugged terrain of sandstone outcroppings sculpted by thousands of years of wind, rain, ice and flash floods. This book is more of a thriller than a mystery, and Leaphorn's knowledge of how water, wind, and earth connect will be crucial to his survival.

[Ubik 2.0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tecniche di investigazione navajo

Molto tempo fa avevo letto e apprezzato un paio di romanzi di Tony Hillerman (“Il vento oscuro” e “La fame del coyote”), poi ne avevo perso le tracce finchè mi sono imbattuto in “Donna che ascolta” ritrovando le peculiarità di un autore sui generis, poco noto e poco pubblicato in Italia, relegato nel settore del poliziesco, collocazione riduttiva e fuorviante per uno scrittore che agisce in un ambito narrativo ed etno-geografico particolare, con un approccio che può rammentare James Lee Burke e la sua Louisiana.

Questo libro mi pare il perfetto esempio dell’atipicità di Hillerman perché tanto la trama “gialla” (che pure sostiene il racconto e l’indagine su un duplice omicidio) appare fragile e lineare, quanto il romanzo si colora di aspetti che spostano continuamente il centro della narrazione dalla risoluzione del caso a dimensioni che esulano dai topoi e dalle cadenze del poliziesco.

A partire dall’ambientazione, che prende il via da una riserva indiana al confine Utah/Arizona per finire fra i canyon, i picchi e le grotte che caratterizzano un paesaggio unico al mondo (si rammentino le suggestive immagini del film di Boyle “127 ore”, che proprio da queste parti fu interamente girato) e a proseguire con un protagonista, il tenente navajo Leaphorn, sorretto da una profonda conoscenza del territorio dei suoi antenati che, oltre a permettergli risorse di sopravvivenza non comuni, ispira inedite tecniche di indagine.

Sta qui, a mio parere, il maggior pregio e l’originalità del romanzo di Hillerman perché il suo detective, che pediniamo con curiosità durante tutto il racconto, alimenta ma più spesso sostituisce i moderni metodi di indagine con le conoscenze e le pratiche della tradizione navajo: non solo la prevedibile abilità nel decifrare le tracce sul terreno e i segnali dell’ambiente naturale circostante, ma l’attitudine di annusare o addirittura assaggiare gli elementi di prova, oppure le ore trascorse su una roccia in assoluta meditazione per individuare conclusioni coerenti con l’essenza e lo spirito degli eventi accaduti poiché “…ogni cosa è interconnessa, dall’umore di un uomo al volo dello scarabeo del mais, alla musica del vento. Era la filosofia navajo quel concetto di armonia intrecciata…”

Poco importa se ben presto si conoscono o intuiscono le identità dei colpevoli e se la lunga e un po’ caotica resa dei conti conclusiva occupa un buon terzo del romanzo nel buio delle grotte naturali e si risolve in una soluzione finale piuttosto affrettata.

“Donna che ascolta” resta un’opera comunque interessante e originale, soprattutto per il misticismo e il senso panico della natura che ne pervadono la parte centrale, ingredienti tutt’altro che abituali in un romanzo “di genere”: inevitabile che un lettore con alle spalle centinaia di gialli e polizieschi, nell’attuale carenza di trame davvero sorprendenti, aspiri quanto meno a personaggi ed elementi fuori dall’ordinario.

[Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Update: 2022 AMC+ created and aired a tv series loosely based on this novel, starring favorite actor Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn. We loved it and hope for more seasons!

This was just what the doctor ordered during this time when I'm having a hard time focusing. I enjoy all of these books, if to varying degrees. In Listening Woman, I felt like I was taking a class on geology! Caves, caverns, arroyos, shale, sandstone, mesas, etc. etc. figured prominently. In this installment of the Navajo mysteries, Joe Leaphorn is following up on the murder of an old Navajo man and a young woman apprentice to the blind Listening Woman who was trying to learn what was making the man sick. They were killed when she had gone off a ways to listen to the spirits as to what was wrong with the old man.

Leaphorn's search sets off a chain of events where he is chased by desperate men, one possibly the killer, into cracks and crevices in the earth, which eventually leads him to a horrible hostage situation. During the chase, his escape route is set on fire, he is shot and has to stay awake for 3 days before getting out alive! So much in this book stretched credulity, but it was still an interesting lesson in the geology of Four Corners, the ways of the Navajo, and a chance to see Leaphorn's (superhuman) tracking and sleuthing skills.

Not my favorite Tony Hillerman, but glad I read it.

Why I'm reading this: As we are sheltering in place because of the coronavirus and all the libraries are closed, I'm looking to my bookshelves. Also having a hard time concentrating - these are pretty easy and quick reads.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have now read several of his books now and feel this one is the best one I have read. Joe given some cold cases to solve so he will not be babysitting a bunch of boy scouts meetimg on Navajo land. Included are a missing helicopter, take of am important individual, deaths of 2 Navajos and the man that tried to run over Joe. It takes place entirely on Navajo reservation so a lot of the Navajo way of life is explain. Joe's priority is the man. He finds the car and the driver and large dog are missing. He stops at McGinnis's store and learns about AIM some years ago. The problems are woven together nicely. On the way there are some twists and turns.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man and young lady are brutally murdered, and the only witness is a blind woman, who was telling the man what to sing to remove a curse. The investigation leads them to a long ago historical event, and some 1970's style terrorists, who were already past their sell by date.

It's interesting. I think Hillerman was going in a slightly different direction here.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listening Woman might just be my favorite of Tony Hillerman’s Navajo Tribal Police mysteries so far. From the very beginning, it had me leaning forward, anxious to see how Joe Leaphorn would think his way out of the dangerous situations he kept stumbling into. The tension builds naturally, with Hillerman’s steady pacing making those moments of suspense all the more gripping.

One of the qualities I admire most in Hillerman’s work is the way he weaves Navajo tradition and legend into the fabric of his mysteries, never as window dressing but as essential threads of the story. In Listening Woman, that interplay between cultural lore and modern crime investigation feels especially strong, grounding the narrative in a deep sense of place and history. It gives the novel a richness beyond its already compelling plot.

What struck me as well in this installment is how Hillerman continues to flesh out Leaphorn’s personal life, particularly through glimpses of his wife Emma’s backstory. These quieter, more intimate moments provide a balance to the high-stakes action, reminding the reader that Leaphorn isn’t just a detective but a man carrying his own burdens and losses. That human dimension makes the series feel more layered and authentic.

Overall, Listening Woman combines suspense, cultural depth, and character development in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish. If you’ve enjoyed earlier entries in the series, this one raises the bar even higher.

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I like about these early Leaphorn books is that they're bite-sized little mysteries, and they subtly blend Navajo mysticism with old fashioned crime solving. There's no magical realism, but Hillerman isn't afraid to delve a bit into Native American history and culture.

[Craig Monson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tony Hillerman’s third mystery (1978) still features the Navajo Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn on his own: no Jim Chee, no wife Emma, certainly no Bernie Manuelito. Possibly Hillerman was trying out a new writing strategy. There is the usual slice of Dinee lifeways (e.g., “Listening Woman’s” diagnostic practices used to determine the appropriate “sing” to cure an illness; the use of Kinaaldá, a girl’s puberty ceremony, as the backdrop for some serious sleuthing), but the author seems also to be trying his hand at a high action thriller, which takes over the narrative for the final third. Writing in the aftermath of the Wounded Knee Standoff of 1973, Hillerman makes his Buffalo Society an offshoot of the American Indian Movement, but more akin, perhaps, to ISIS or the Taliban. The Lieutenant gets himself into a very tight spot and things get very dark: this is about as close as Leaphorn ever comes to Dwayne Johnson, still relying on brains and ingenuity, but also on more than the usual brawn. Tension mounts to a noisier and shakier conclusion than normal, requiring some of the suspension of disbelief that high action dramas often demand. The controversial Ward Churchill, incidentally, heaped particular scorn on Listening Woman in his indictment of Anglo’s literary and cinematic treatment of Native Americans, Fantasies of the Master Race: Literature, Cinema & the Colonization of American Indians.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony Hillerman, RIP Sir, and thank you for your military service and your wonderful stories. I am quite sure I read this one eons ago, as it sounded familiar, however, I enjoyed it very much. I love the characters of Joe Leephorn and Jim Chee and the stories are always brilliant.

This was first published around 1978. Story: an old man and young girl have been murdered, Listening Woman was there, but she is blind, and unable to tell the police anything. Lt. Leaphorn is about to figure it all out, but not without long rides, and attending a Kinnaalda, where more information is revealed. He also has other cases, a old case re monies and a helicopter, and some one has to keep an eye out on the Boy Scouts, however, he passes that case on. He is soon to find out, all the three, become one.

Mr. Hillerman can take you into the story, you are there on the mountain tops, walking along canyons and crawling in the caves. Tony Hillerman books are always a "good read", and this too will be passed on for someone else to enjoy.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hillerman has crafted another intriguing mystery steeped in Indian folklore and beliefs. An old man and a teenage girl are brutally murdered during a Navajo ritual. A blind shaman blames evil spirits and witches. Joe Leaphorn, Tribal Policeman, is sure that the monster is entirely human. His investigation leads him to a century old Native American prophecy, buried secrets and shocking modern day violence.

[Talyseon Talyseon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most books succeed in a single purpose; Tony Hillerman managed to write gripping whodunits that snuck a minicourse in anthropology in when you weren't looking. That makes them among my favorites. Check my full review: Listening Woman

[David Putnam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved all Hillerman books with Leaphorn and Chee.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book three in the Joe Leaphorn mystery series begins with Listening Woman trying to perform a cleansing / healing ritual for Hosteen Tso, an old man who refuses to divulge all he knows. The blind healer leaves Tso’s side for a few moments, during which time he is murdered. About six months later, Joe Leaphorn is nearly run off the road by a mystery man with a large dog in his car, there are reports of missing Boy Scouts, and people have reported seeing a helicopter (or helicopters) in the area.

I like Leaphorn; he’s smart, determined, physically and mentally strong, quick to respond to a threat but also deliberate and cautious. It took me quite a while to get into the rhythm of this mystery. The convoluted plot didn’t help much, and my attention wandered. Once Leaphorn got caught up in the chase, however, I was fully engaged and fairly flew through the second half of the book.

[Kevin Findley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is early in Joe Leaphorn's career, so he is far more active than what most people today are accustomed to having read the later novels first. Just remember all this takes place around 1978. There were Indian movements that ranged from requesting skeletons stolen from sacred ground be returned, to splinter groups robbing banks and/or making life extremely difficult for ranchers and farmers near reservations.

This is the world of the double homicide Leaphorn investigates. As often with many of Hillerman's books, the current case ties into an older incident (in this case a bank robbery), and it is our hero's understanding of his culture and the white culture that makes solving the crime possible.

One of the things I enjoy about the author's books, is that he leaves few words written without consequence later in the mystery and its resolution. It is (IMHO) a way to reinforce his love of the Navajo culture without feeling the need to beat the reader about the head and shoulder with it. The skill is not a common one, but any author wishing to present two or more cultures equally should read Hillerman's novels.

Of course, Leaphorn solves the mystery, rescues the hostages, and even picks up enough information on the older bank robbery to (probably) help the FBI close the case. I'll leave the details for you to read for yourself. That's where the real spoiler lay.

Find it! Buy it! Read it!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second in the series and I am now going to go back to number 1 which I couldn't check out electronically when I started. The AMC+ series introduced me to them and the two so far have been very good. I enjoy the author's knowledge of American indians and then merging that with crime mysteries. This one was good and an interesting plot although some of the story line became a bit unbelievable. That didn't take away from the story as I mainly read scifi and fantasy so I get loads of "unbelievable." The part in the caves did seem to drag a little and the ending seemed a bit abrupt and not developed too logically. But it was definitely worth four stars and I am looking forward to more reads in the series. Considering most of my books are easily 300+ pages or much more, think a Song of Fire and Ice, and having a fun quick read is a nice change.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tony Hillerman's third Navajo thriller written in 1978, "Listening Woman" is a true classic. Lt. Joe Leaphorn is on the case and must battle danger at every turn. Hillerman has such wonderful characters to read. His characters come alive off the pages full of life and depth. Even Hillerman's bad guys are finely crafted . ""Listening Woman, at a very quick 289 pages was an incredible thriller. With each page it's seems to transport the reader to Canyon de Chelly, or along the Arizona/ Utah border. At times it's feels like the story is being read within a hogan from the mouth of a Navajo. This classic read is a real 5 star out of 5 stars must read. If you haven't read any of tony Hillerman's books as of yet, why not ?

[Leif Quinlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Threw this in my bag for a quick trip back to New Mexico. I hadn't read any Hillerman since I was about 12 years old and Listening Woman did not disappoint. Leaphorn's authenticity shines throughout, the location and landscape are not only characters, but are utterly necessary, and lastly, the Native Americannes of it all was both compelling and deeply felt. I think I've got another 4+ Hillerman's lying around and I think I'll get to them sooner rather than later now

[Jaksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Five stars. I started this series by Mr. Hillerman some years ago and then I stopped! (I don't know why.) Then Dark Winds came along (TV series) and as I was watching I said: I remember this story! Slightly changed, but I read all this years ago...

And hence, since I own several copies (unread), I started up again. This one was very good. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police gets pulled into an investigation with several pieces to it. It starts with the murder of an elderly Navajo man and a young woman while another woman - an elder who sings songs, tells fortunes and understands the spiritual beliefs of the Navajo - is in a nearby cave. She's blind; she's spared.

But associated with this is a dramatic and daring bank robbery involving a helicopter which takes off over the mountains. This is a fairly short novel, but complex. I often marvel at the author's ability to bring so many threads together - in this one: two murders, the bank robbery, a missing girl, boy scouts at a nearby camp and a plot to take revenge for the murder/massacre of several native Americans years ago. Sometimes I read several books at the same time - but usually mention when a book holds my attention - and keeps me captivated so much I don't want to read anything else. This is one of them.

The descriptions in this series are outstanding, too. In a few lines about a sunset, the color of a distant cliff or mesa, or a trickle of water over a rock outcropping - Mr. Hillerman sets the scene. And so vividly, it takes very little imagination (of the reader!) to see it. I'm not a big fan of description, btw. Sometimes I find it overly distracting, but never with this writer. It perfectly sets the mood: the sense of the desert, the climate, the heat, the night cold, all of it. This is also one of those books, that if I'm reading and get interrupted - family member suddenly at my shoulder asking if I want a coffee - I jump! It's that kind of a book.

Five well-deserved stars.

[Ben Boulden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This early mystery by Tony Hillerman, featuring Joe Leaphorn, is a quality police procedural with a strong setting, and a climactic sequence that is as much adventure as it is mystery. The pacing of the book's first half meanders a bit as Leaphorn and the reader figure out how seemingly disparate events tie together, but once the narrative ties together, the tale blasts off.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In high school I was basically obsessed with Tony Hillerman books. Not really sure why, but I was. I tried to read all of his books in my school's library. The only thing I didn't like what I couldn't really figure out the order of the books, and so I read them out of order.
These books are great. They are from a point of view from a cop who is caught between two words: Navajo and white. He treads back and forth between those lines, trying to find a balance while solving murders.
Tony Hillerman is an excellent author. He is witty and engaging. He is a wonderful writer who comes up with the coolest story lines.

Do it! Read the book, because who knows what new world one might fall into? What interesting characters with interesting lives you might meet and fall in love with? You won't know if you like it unless you give it a try. You won't know if you love them unless you crack open the cover and say "Chapter One...." What's the worst that could happen? The universe could implode.... but that's very unlikely.
Honestly, what have you got to lose?

[Patrick Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are few things as satisfying as looking into the methodical mind of Detective Joe Leaphorn. While many people read Tony Hillerman for his insights into Navajo culture, I most enjoy his depiction of the always thoughtful Leaphorn.

In Listening Woman, Leaphorn faces his usual inter-tangled mess of events: being nearly run over by a maniac, the theft of a helicopter, and two unsolved deaths in a remote corner of the reservation. The joy of this book is its window into Leaphorn's mind as he tries to make sense of seemingly random events.

Hillerman's myteries are enjoyable because he keeps the details in front of the reader. His detectives express bafflement, hold erroneous assumptions, and are very much prone to mistaken judgement. As such, they are real and believable.

Listening Woman features a remarkable and intense closing sequence—one of Hillerman's best and I heartily recommend it.

[Harold Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tony Hillerman's experience as a newspaperman shows through in his work and the Listening Woman is no exception. Hillerman takes you not only into an interesting criminal investigation with lots of plot twists, dead ends and surprised, but he also takes you deep into Navajo culture and traditions which adds to the richness of the overall experience.
This book was third in the Navajo series, and I recommend you start with the first one and work you way through, as they build on one another. Listening Woman adds nicely to the first two in the series and takes it forward to another level.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always like Tony Hillerman. I live in Arizona and have been around Navajo people all of my life so that makes the storys even sweeter. By reading books by Tony Hillerman I have learned a little about the Navajo way of life. I have visted the resrevation and the people are delightful.