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Leaphorn & Chee #23
The Tale Teller
Legendary Navajo policeman Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn takes center stage in this riveting atmospheric mystery from New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman that combines crime, superstition, and tradition and brings the desert Southwest vividly alive.
Joe Leaphorn may have retired from the Tribal Police, but he finds himself knee-deep in a perplexing case involving a priceless artifact—a reminder of a dark time in Navajo history. Joe’s been hired to find a missing biil, a traditional dress that had been donated to the Navajo Nation. His investigation takes a sinister turn when the leading suspect dies under mysterious circumstances and Leaphorn himself receives anonymous warnings to beware—witchcraft is afoot.
While the veteran detective is busy working to untangle his strange case, his former colleague Jim Chee and Officer Bernie Manuelito are collecting evidence they hope will lead to a cunning criminal behind a rash of burglaries. Their case takes a complicated turn when Bernie finds a body near a popular running trail. The situation grows more complicated when the death is ruled a homicide, and the Tribal cops are thrust into a turf battle because the murder involves the FBI.
As Leaphorn, Chee, and Bernie draw closer to solving these crimes, their parallel investigations begin to merge . . . and offer an unexpected opportunity that opens a new chapter in Bernie’s life.
Joe Leaphorn may have retired from the Tribal Police, but he finds himself knee-deep in a perplexing case involving a priceless artifact—a reminder of a dark time in Navajo history. Joe’s been hired to find a missing biil, a traditional dress that had been donated to the Navajo Nation. His investigation takes a sinister turn when the leading suspect dies under mysterious circumstances and Leaphorn himself receives anonymous warnings to beware—witchcraft is afoot.
While the veteran detective is busy working to untangle his strange case, his former colleague Jim Chee and Officer Bernie Manuelito are collecting evidence they hope will lead to a cunning criminal behind a rash of burglaries. Their case takes a complicated turn when Bernie finds a body near a popular running trail. The situation grows more complicated when the death is ruled a homicide, and the Tribal cops are thrust into a turf battle because the murder involves the FBI.
As Leaphorn, Chee, and Bernie draw closer to solving these crimes, their parallel investigations begin to merge . . . and offer an unexpected opportunity that opens a new chapter in Bernie’s life.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2019
2838 people are currently reading
3842 people want to read
About the author
Anne Hillerman
25 books1,675 followersAnne Hillerman writes the best-selling Leaphorn, Chee, Manuelito mysteries set on the Navajo Nation using characters her father Tony Hillerman made popular and her own creative twists. Her newest novel, "Shadow of the Solstice", is set for release in 2025. The Hillerman stories are the basis for the "Dark Winds" television series.
Her non-fiction books include "Tony Hillerman's Landscape: On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn," with photos of the country Ton Hillerman visited in his novels. Anne's other non-fiction books include "Gardens of Santa Fe," "Done in the Sun," and "Children's Guide to Santa Fe." When she's not writing, Anne enjoys cooking, walking with her dogs, gardening and travel to the Navajo Nation.
Her non-fiction books include "Tony Hillerman's Landscape: On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn," with photos of the country Ton Hillerman visited in his novels. Anne's other non-fiction books include "Gardens of Santa Fe," "Done in the Sun," and "Children's Guide to Santa Fe." When she's not writing, Anne enjoys cooking, walking with her dogs, gardening and travel to the Navajo Nation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 909 reviews
July 9, 2019
Anne Hillerman threads the needle of the past into the uneven substance of the present in The Tale Teller. If you've ever read one of her books or those of her famous father, Tony Hillerman, you know that there will be the grounding of authenticity.
Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the tribal police has been called in by Daisy Pinto of the local museum/library. Joe still exists on the perimeters of limited speech capacity since he was shot in the head a few years back. But Joe is like no other with his analytical mind and his knowledge of all things Navajo. Hillerman shines with her showcasing of Leaphorn who seems to represent a true element of hope in a world that dimly shades those with disabilities.
Daisy explains that she is on the verge of retiring and needs to set all museum records straight. It seems that the museum had received a box from an unknown donor. Inside were Navajo artifacts of great value. Tiffany, the museum clerk, created an inventory list, but now an artisan bracelet and traditional dress have gone missing. It's up to Joe to track the items down. Is there a thief in the museum itself or is this a faulty list? No word from Tiffany. She ends up dead.
We'll also come in contact again with Officer Bernie Manuelito and her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee after Bernie comes upon a dead body during her morning run. It seems that the FBI officer who arrives on the scene came across a familiar face on this corpse. She's not divulging much at present and Bernie is one officer who wants answers immediately if not sooner.
Anne Hillerman weaves an event from the past with a connection to The Long Walk of 1864 in which the Navajo of northeastern Arizona and New Mexico were victims of a forced removal from their native lands. They ended up in a desolate camp along the Pecos River. Hillerman's missing artifact, mentioned earlier, was a traditional tribal dress of Juanita, wife of the famous Manuelito. Both individuals are still revered by the Navajo.
Hillerman delivers a solid mystery of events along with a reverence for all things Navajo. As readers, we will delve into traditions, stories, and customs that add such enrichment to this tale. And Anne Hillerman, herself, follows in the footsteps of her highly talented father with such deep respect for the Navajo ways.
Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the tribal police has been called in by Daisy Pinto of the local museum/library. Joe still exists on the perimeters of limited speech capacity since he was shot in the head a few years back. But Joe is like no other with his analytical mind and his knowledge of all things Navajo. Hillerman shines with her showcasing of Leaphorn who seems to represent a true element of hope in a world that dimly shades those with disabilities.
Daisy explains that she is on the verge of retiring and needs to set all museum records straight. It seems that the museum had received a box from an unknown donor. Inside were Navajo artifacts of great value. Tiffany, the museum clerk, created an inventory list, but now an artisan bracelet and traditional dress have gone missing. It's up to Joe to track the items down. Is there a thief in the museum itself or is this a faulty list? No word from Tiffany. She ends up dead.
We'll also come in contact again with Officer Bernie Manuelito and her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee after Bernie comes upon a dead body during her morning run. It seems that the FBI officer who arrives on the scene came across a familiar face on this corpse. She's not divulging much at present and Bernie is one officer who wants answers immediately if not sooner.
Anne Hillerman weaves an event from the past with a connection to The Long Walk of 1864 in which the Navajo of northeastern Arizona and New Mexico were victims of a forced removal from their native lands. They ended up in a desolate camp along the Pecos River. Hillerman's missing artifact, mentioned earlier, was a traditional tribal dress of Juanita, wife of the famous Manuelito. Both individuals are still revered by the Navajo.
Hillerman delivers a solid mystery of events along with a reverence for all things Navajo. As readers, we will delve into traditions, stories, and customs that add such enrichment to this tale. And Anne Hillerman, herself, follows in the footsteps of her highly talented father with such deep respect for the Navajo ways.
February 9, 2024
This mystery set in New Mexico and Arizona moves at a fast pace. We enjoy the same characters who work with the Navajo police force in Hillerman’s other books, their relationships with one another and with family, and are completely drawn into the difficult and dangerous cases they are given to bring to resolution.
As always with these stories the reader learns about Navajo history and spirituality, in this case the focus is on The Long Walk of the Navajo which reminds me of The Trail of Tears of the Cherokee.
“The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo, was the 1864 deportation and ethnic cleansing of the Navajo people by the United States federal government. Navajos were forced to walk from their land in western New Mexico Territory to Bosque Redondo in eastern New Mexico.” [Wikipedia]
A stolen artifact is at the center of a plot seething with violence, deceit and murder. The lost artifact is a priceless dress worn during The Long Walk which is meant to be at the heart of a museum display honoring the Navajo nation. The denouement of the mystery made me feel I was listening to a Navajo version of King Lear and his treacherous daughters - treacherous but for one.
As always with these stories the reader learns about Navajo history and spirituality, in this case the focus is on The Long Walk of the Navajo which reminds me of The Trail of Tears of the Cherokee.
“The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo, was the 1864 deportation and ethnic cleansing of the Navajo people by the United States federal government. Navajos were forced to walk from their land in western New Mexico Territory to Bosque Redondo in eastern New Mexico.” [Wikipedia]
A stolen artifact is at the center of a plot seething with violence, deceit and murder. The lost artifact is a priceless dress worn during The Long Walk which is meant to be at the heart of a museum display honoring the Navajo nation. The denouement of the mystery made me feel I was listening to a Navajo version of King Lear and his treacherous daughters - treacherous but for one.
June 18, 2019
The Tale Teller
That daughter Anne has taken up the quest to continue and expand upon Tony Hillerman’s Navajo world is a treat for all of us. I was devastated when I heard he’d passed, as Joe Leaphorn and Lt. Chee are in my hero box along with Perry Mason, Insp. Gamache, Bosch, Maigret, Poirot and Philip Marlowe. I enjoyed this tale, and Leaphorn back in action (kinda) after his last almost end adventure.
I also enjoy the weave of the Navajo and indigenous peoples’ cultural and linguistic threads that are generously included in both Hillermans’ books without an abundance of punitive slaps that could (and often are, in other tomes) be awarded a reader who might not share that same DNA. The author is resists easy marks, yet is honest and educates the ignorant without shaming. I especially appreciate the spiritual and belief system explanations that come alive in the telling of their stories. Relationships are built and bridge believably across the books, and so are very satisfying. 4 stars for me!
That daughter Anne has taken up the quest to continue and expand upon Tony Hillerman’s Navajo world is a treat for all of us. I was devastated when I heard he’d passed, as Joe Leaphorn and Lt. Chee are in my hero box along with Perry Mason, Insp. Gamache, Bosch, Maigret, Poirot and Philip Marlowe. I enjoyed this tale, and Leaphorn back in action (kinda) after his last almost end adventure.
I also enjoy the weave of the Navajo and indigenous peoples’ cultural and linguistic threads that are generously included in both Hillermans’ books without an abundance of punitive slaps that could (and often are, in other tomes) be awarded a reader who might not share that same DNA. The author is resists easy marks, yet is honest and educates the ignorant without shaming. I especially appreciate the spiritual and belief system explanations that come alive in the telling of their stories. Relationships are built and bridge believably across the books, and so are very satisfying. 4 stars for me!
June 20, 2021
The Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee mystery novels are iconic in the annals of the native Southwest. Tony Hillerman was a non-Native American author who took pains to create legitimate stories of life on and off the reservations.
Anne Hillerman is a careful successor to her father, Tony, who died circa 2008. Stories about Native American culture, primarily Navajo, but including Hopi, Zuni, and others at times gave me an appreciation that history books could not.
Time has seen Anne Hillerman’s writing improve and her plot thoroughly integrates the "beauty" of the Navajo way of life. There are several crimes that involve Leaphorn and Chee and also Chee’s wife, another member of the Tribal Police. The exchange of information is key to solving all the mysteries. But, much of the pleasure comes from the human side of struggles and cultural beliefs. 3.5*
Anne Hillerman is a careful successor to her father, Tony, who died circa 2008. Stories about Native American culture, primarily Navajo, but including Hopi, Zuni, and others at times gave me an appreciation that history books could not.
Time has seen Anne Hillerman’s writing improve and her plot thoroughly integrates the "beauty" of the Navajo way of life. There are several crimes that involve Leaphorn and Chee and also Chee’s wife, another member of the Tribal Police. The exchange of information is key to solving all the mysteries. But, much of the pleasure comes from the human side of struggles and cultural beliefs. 3.5*
June 12, 2022
Disappointed. I have loved the series and after her father’s death, Anne has continued writing of the Navajo police in New Mexico. Unfortunately, her father’s skills are unmatched in his progeny.
A stolen bolo, a body off of a trail, a Navajo Long Walk biil dress missing from a museum donation, burglaries, and an arrogant and misogynist rookie surely are ingredients for a good mystery. Especially, with the appearances of retired Navajo Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, who now works as a police consultant and as a private investigator, Officer Bernie Manuelito, and her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee. Joe struggles with speaking English due to a gunshot injury to his head, but his housemate and friend, Louisa willingly assists him.
Joe has become incommunicative, unemotional, and irritating. While I thought Louisa overreacted in one scene, and taking into consideration Joe’s injury, Joe failed to recognize and address that there were problems. I began disliking this favorite and legendary personality.
There were far too many details and explanations. Who cared about a meticulous disclosure of everything playing on the radio, constant descriptions of the passing scenery, and evident reasons why actions were taken. Did it progress the story, add clarity, become essential to my comprehension, establish a needed nuance, enhance my focus, connect me to the images and experiences, make more believable, and empathize with the characters? No. Were the editors taking a nap? I found conversations stilted, subtlety lost to the obvious, and the ending was too contrived and unbelievable. I was ready to stop reading with only 50 pages to go, but plowed ahead becoming more dismayed and frustrated. Will I continue reading the series? Probably, I will give Anne one more chance to prove that she has the talent to make this mystery series a worthwhile read still.
A stolen bolo, a body off of a trail, a Navajo Long Walk biil dress missing from a museum donation, burglaries, and an arrogant and misogynist rookie surely are ingredients for a good mystery. Especially, with the appearances of retired Navajo Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, who now works as a police consultant and as a private investigator, Officer Bernie Manuelito, and her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee. Joe struggles with speaking English due to a gunshot injury to his head, but his housemate and friend, Louisa willingly assists him.
Joe has become incommunicative, unemotional, and irritating. While I thought Louisa overreacted in one scene, and taking into consideration Joe’s injury, Joe failed to recognize and address that there were problems. I began disliking this favorite and legendary personality.
There were far too many details and explanations. Who cared about a meticulous disclosure of everything playing on the radio, constant descriptions of the passing scenery, and evident reasons why actions were taken. Did it progress the story, add clarity, become essential to my comprehension, establish a needed nuance, enhance my focus, connect me to the images and experiences, make more believable, and empathize with the characters? No. Were the editors taking a nap? I found conversations stilted, subtlety lost to the obvious, and the ending was too contrived and unbelievable. I was ready to stop reading with only 50 pages to go, but plowed ahead becoming more dismayed and frustrated. Will I continue reading the series? Probably, I will give Anne one more chance to prove that she has the talent to make this mystery series a worthwhile read still.
April 25, 2019
Ms. Hillerman continues to improve her writing skills and in the understanding of the main characters. If she keeps this up she will be almost as good as her father. I say almost, because in my opinion, no one can equal Tony Hillerman. I am glad Anne is making the effort because I really enjoy these characters. Recommended to all Leaphorn fans.
November 18, 2018
I've read all of Tony Hillerman's books, and was glad that his daughter Anne kept writing about the same Navajo characters. She's as good a writer as her father was, and I like that female characters play an important role in her novels. Bernie and her husband Jim are investigating both a string of burglaries and a murder, and Leaphorn is looking into a theft of items ostensibly donated to a Navajo museum. The cases dovetail in a surprising way in this suspenseful thriller, and even though the characters are familiar to those who have read previous books, someone new to Hillerman's work could read this as a stand-alone with no problem.
April 17, 2019
A good effort, and I’ll keep reading her books, but she’s not Tony...
June 5, 2019
There are two separate storylines in this book. One of them is boring and the other isn't told very well. The dialogue between characters is awful. Is everyone in the Four Corners region that rude and annoying??
May 14, 2019
Disappointed
Very, very little consideration of character development. Overall, a weak story line and plot structure; it honestly reads like a high school- level creative writing assignment.
Very, very little consideration of character development. Overall, a weak story line and plot structure; it honestly reads like a high school- level creative writing assignment.
December 19, 2018
The fifth book we find that Joe Leaphorn has been hired to find the donor of an anonymous gift to the Navajo Nation. Unfortunately, the most costly item, bill, a dress worn on the long walk of 1864 is not in the box. One of the employees of the museum dies a strange death. Jim Chee is working on a string of burglaries in Chinle and Bernie Manuelito finds a dead body on a popular running trail. This event brings the FBI into the area causing problems. The separate themes are brought together nicely to form the story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES
Disclosure: Many thanks to Edelweiss and Harper/Collins for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Edelweiss and Harper/Collins for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
July 1, 2019
poor writing confusing way too much fluff and not much story line. confusing 2 plots with nothing connecting them. gave up on page 256. have read all of tony's books. last one of Anne I will waste my time on. go on to something else anne. this is worse than the last one.
April 6, 2023
The Tale Teller refers to a type of silver bracelet beloved by the Navahos that goes missing, along with an ancient textile. However, this novel, the 23rd in the series begun by the late Tony Hillerman and the fifth penned by his daughter, begins to seem stale.
As has happened over and over, Officer Bernie Manuelito and her husband Sergeant Jim Chee investigate separate cases. Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn solves an additional case, the most interesting by far, but the formula is becoming pretty rote. I still enjoyed the novel, but I’m hoping that Anne Hillerman will learn some new tricks.
As has happened over and over, Officer Bernie Manuelito and her husband Sergeant Jim Chee investigate separate cases. Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn solves an additional case, the most interesting by far, but the formula is becoming pretty rote. I still enjoyed the novel, but I’m hoping that Anne Hillerman will learn some new tricks.
April 25, 2019
Excellent addition to the series. It is always good to revisit the Navajo lands in the company of Navajo police officers Bernie Manuelito and her husband Jim Chee. The best development, however, has Joe Leaphorn, the retired 'legendary lieutenant', recovered enough from being shot in the head* to resume his consulting detective work.
Joe's case appears to be a simple one--find the items missing from a recent donation to a local museum. Were they ever in the box (as the packing slip indicated) or did the donor change his mind and forget to remove the items from the paperwork? But it quickly becomes complicated, of course.
In the meantime, Bernie finds a dead man while she's out for a jog and Jim is tasked with investigating a string of burglaries targeting the elderly citizens of Chinle, Ariz.
It was fun watching the author keep the various plot threads from becoming hopelessly tangled. I had managed to figure out who the dead guy was and how he tied several different cases together.
But the best part was spending time with Bernie and Jim and their friends and extended families. And worrying about Joe, of course--is he trying to do too soon? Is his relationship with Louisa at a breaking point?
I am so glad that Ms Hillerman was willing to keep this series going after her father's death. Though her style is a bit different from Tony Hillerman's, her heart is in the same place. Her love of the people and land shines through.
* see Spider Woman's Daughter
Joe's case appears to be a simple one--find the items missing from a recent donation to a local museum. Were they ever in the box (as the packing slip indicated) or did the donor change his mind and forget to remove the items from the paperwork? But it quickly becomes complicated, of course.
In the meantime, Bernie finds a dead man while she's out for a jog and Jim is tasked with investigating a string of burglaries targeting the elderly citizens of Chinle, Ariz.
It was fun watching the author keep the various plot threads from becoming hopelessly tangled. I had managed to figure out who the dead guy was and how he tied several different cases together.
But the best part was spending time with Bernie and Jim and their friends and extended families. And worrying about Joe, of course--is he trying to do too soon? Is his relationship with Louisa at a breaking point?
I am so glad that Ms Hillerman was willing to keep this series going after her father's death. Though her style is a bit different from Tony Hillerman's, her heart is in the same place. Her love of the people and land shines through.
* see Spider Woman's Daughter
August 3, 2020
I was very glad to see Joe Leaphorn back, taking a more involved role in this addition to this series. Joe is investigating some missing ancient Navajo artifacts when his case turns into a possible murder investigation. And Bernie finds a man's body alongside her jogging path, which keeps she and Chee both busy. Louisa is out of town, which is probably better since Joe is so busy with this investigation, but he still has time to pause and realize how much he misses her. This continues to be one of my favorite series.
July 25, 2025
Hwéeldi relics and burglaries
The Tale Teller centers Joe Leaphorn more than any other novel since Anne Hillerman took over the Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito series. His recovery from the brain injury he received in Spider Woman's Daughter is proceeding apace. He is now close to fully functional, although he has difficulty speaking English. His business as a private investigator continues, and it is in that capacity that he acts in this novel. He is hired by a museum to track down an item that is apparently missing from a package of anonymous donations. It is a relic from Hwéeldi, the Long Walk of the Navajo.
At the same time, Bernie and Chee investigate a series of burglaries and a murder that appears to be connected. So we see quite a lot of them, too, and they have a interesting mystery to solve.
It's a good, complicated mystery, with deep roots in Navajo history and personal relationships. I enjoyed it. I had some minor issues with the story, which I will describe in a spoiler tag.
Blog review.
The Tale Teller centers Joe Leaphorn more than any other novel since Anne Hillerman took over the Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito series. His recovery from the brain injury he received in Spider Woman's Daughter is proceeding apace. He is now close to fully functional, although he has difficulty speaking English. His business as a private investigator continues, and it is in that capacity that he acts in this novel. He is hired by a museum to track down an item that is apparently missing from a package of anonymous donations. It is a relic from Hwéeldi, the Long Walk of the Navajo.
At the same time, Bernie and Chee investigate a series of burglaries and a murder that appears to be connected. So we see quite a lot of them, too, and they have a interesting mystery to solve.
It's a good, complicated mystery, with deep roots in Navajo history and personal relationships. I enjoyed it. I had some minor issues with the story, which I will describe in a spoiler tag.
Blog review.
June 18, 2020
Such a pleasure to be back in Navajo Country, back with Navajo detectives Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito. I love the descriptions of the landscapes and the history. Two mysteries to solve in this book: retired detective Leaphorn's private case of the missing woven dress that may have belonged to Juanita, wife of the "Long Walk" chief & Navajo hero Manuelito and then a string of robberies and a murder for the Navajo police.
The mystery puzzles aren't the strongest parts of the book -- it is the characters and their long interactions with each other (we are on book #23, after all). Leaphorn is gradually recovering from the brain injury of several books ago; speech is no problem for him so long as he is speaking in Navajo but he struggles with English now. And how painful that is for proud man! The character of his professor friend, Louise, gets more time in this book and I enjoyed that, too. So glad that Anne Hillerman picked up this series from her father, Tony Hillerman, and her centering it around the female detective, Bernie, works very well to give it her own voice.
The mystery puzzles aren't the strongest parts of the book -- it is the characters and their long interactions with each other (we are on book #23, after all). Leaphorn is gradually recovering from the brain injury of several books ago; speech is no problem for him so long as he is speaking in Navajo but he struggles with English now. And how painful that is for proud man! The character of his professor friend, Louise, gets more time in this book and I enjoyed that, too. So glad that Anne Hillerman picked up this series from her father, Tony Hillerman, and her centering it around the female detective, Bernie, works very well to give it her own voice.
April 5, 2019
Originally published at Reading Reality
I found the original Leaphorn and Chee series sometime in the 1990s, when I had a horrifically long commute in the Chicago suburbs and audiobooks saved my sanity if not my life. Audiobook publishing was nowhere near as robust as it is today, and there weren’t a lot of options for someone who spent 3 hours in their car, 5 days a week, for most of 9 years.
I listened to a lot of books, and The Blessing Way (the first book in the series) and all of the following books that were available, during those long drives. The stories, told in the inimitable voice of George Guidall, swept me away, kept me awake, and left me enthralled every time.
When the original author, Tony Hillerman, died in 2008, the series seemingly ended. At least until his daughter Anne picked it back up again in 2013 with the marvelous Spider Woman’s Daughter, adding Navajo Tribal Police Officer Bernie Manuelito’s name to the series as well as her perspective to the continuing series.
The Tale Teller is the fifth book in that continuation, and it swept me away from the very first page – as all of the books in this series have done.
One of the things that has made the return of the series so marvelous has been its addition of Bernie to the mix. Bernie is a Navajo Tribal Police Officer, as is her husband Jim Chee, and their mentor, the legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn.
They each bring a different perspective to their work, to their culture, and to life in the Four Corners. Leaphorn is older, semi-retired, and does not believe in many of the traditions while still revering the history. Chee, although younger, has much more belief in the traditions of their people, and once studied to be a healer. Bernie Manuelito is a woman caught between the demands of her career and the need to still fulfill as many of the traditional roles of oldest daughter to her aging mother as she can manage – including the role of attempting to keep her wayward younger sister on the straight and narrow.
While the “torch” directly passed from Leaphorn to Chee and Manuelito at the beginning of Spider Woman’s Daughter, Leaphorn has remained a presence in the series as he recovered from a near fatal gunshot wound but continued to provide information and support in whatever capacity he happened to be capable of at the time.
In The Tale Teller, while Leaphorn is not quite back to fighting form, he has healed to the point where he can manage to pick up his work as a private investigator, part-time consultant to the Tribal Police and frequent mentor and sounding board for Chee and Manuelito.
This is the first story in the continuing series where Leaphorn has been fully capable of performing his own investigations and providing a full third point of view on events.
And what fascinating events they are!
At first there seem to be three separate cases here, but as so often happens in mysteries, in the end that are only two. This is one of the rare mysteries where everything does not tie up neatly in a single bow. Instead, we have two bows, one reasonably neat and one a bloody mess.
Bernie finds a dead body on a hiking trail, guarded by the victim’s faithful dog. An old friend of her mother’s finds a valuable piece of jewelry that he previously reported stolen being sold at a flea market – leading into Chee’s investigation of a sudden string of home robberies. And Leaphorn takes on a case from the Tribal Museum. An important donation may have been stolen, either before it arrived, or after. Or it may not have been in the box at all. That the donor wishes to remain anonymous adds to the mystery. That one of the important pieces of the puzzle dies almost the instant that Leaphorn gets involved shifts the problem from seemingly minor to possibly deadly.
While not all of the cases end happily, following the trail of clues and bodies is a page-turner from beginning to end – and a delight.
Escape Rating A+: I read this in a single day. This was one I picked up pretty much everywhere, like at meals, in the bathroom, in the car (as long as someone else was driving), and pretty much every time I had a couple of spare minutes.
I sunk right back into this place with these people on the very first page, and didn’t come out until the end.
What I love about this series is the way that it combines its police procedural mystery with a perspective into a part of the U.S. that outsiders don’t often get to experience with an, if not insider’s perspective, at least a well-informed and reverential outsider’s point of view.
This would be a very different series if the investigator were one of the FBI agents who often intrude – as they do in this case. Instead, it is the point of view of people who are insiders in a world that most of us are not, while they still are outsiders within their own culture so that they can both see the “why” of things while not being emotionally involved with all of the “who”.
The cases in this particular story are complex, especially Leaphorn’s investigation into the possibly missing artifact. As readers, we learn a lot about both the history of the Navajo people and the treatment of precious artifacts. At the same time, the case has echoes in the past while it is motivated by events in the present. The resolution is heartbreaking but fits.
Chee and Manuelito’s cases turn out to have more tentacles than an octopus, ranging from burglaries to internet scams to witness protection to murder – but at least that case, which gets a bit too close to Bernie’s family, ends with a mostly happy resolution.
That the perpetrators were hiding in plain sight but not obvious until very near the end made both cases fascinating to read.
I’m grateful to those long ago long commutes, now that they are in the past, for the terrific series such as this one that they introduced me to. And I’m looking forward to returning to the Four Corners with Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito at the next opportunity!
I found the original Leaphorn and Chee series sometime in the 1990s, when I had a horrifically long commute in the Chicago suburbs and audiobooks saved my sanity if not my life. Audiobook publishing was nowhere near as robust as it is today, and there weren’t a lot of options for someone who spent 3 hours in their car, 5 days a week, for most of 9 years.
I listened to a lot of books, and The Blessing Way (the first book in the series) and all of the following books that were available, during those long drives. The stories, told in the inimitable voice of George Guidall, swept me away, kept me awake, and left me enthralled every time.
When the original author, Tony Hillerman, died in 2008, the series seemingly ended. At least until his daughter Anne picked it back up again in 2013 with the marvelous Spider Woman’s Daughter, adding Navajo Tribal Police Officer Bernie Manuelito’s name to the series as well as her perspective to the continuing series.
The Tale Teller is the fifth book in that continuation, and it swept me away from the very first page – as all of the books in this series have done.
One of the things that has made the return of the series so marvelous has been its addition of Bernie to the mix. Bernie is a Navajo Tribal Police Officer, as is her husband Jim Chee, and their mentor, the legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn.
They each bring a different perspective to their work, to their culture, and to life in the Four Corners. Leaphorn is older, semi-retired, and does not believe in many of the traditions while still revering the history. Chee, although younger, has much more belief in the traditions of their people, and once studied to be a healer. Bernie Manuelito is a woman caught between the demands of her career and the need to still fulfill as many of the traditional roles of oldest daughter to her aging mother as she can manage – including the role of attempting to keep her wayward younger sister on the straight and narrow.
While the “torch” directly passed from Leaphorn to Chee and Manuelito at the beginning of Spider Woman’s Daughter, Leaphorn has remained a presence in the series as he recovered from a near fatal gunshot wound but continued to provide information and support in whatever capacity he happened to be capable of at the time.
In The Tale Teller, while Leaphorn is not quite back to fighting form, he has healed to the point where he can manage to pick up his work as a private investigator, part-time consultant to the Tribal Police and frequent mentor and sounding board for Chee and Manuelito.
This is the first story in the continuing series where Leaphorn has been fully capable of performing his own investigations and providing a full third point of view on events.
And what fascinating events they are!
At first there seem to be three separate cases here, but as so often happens in mysteries, in the end that are only two. This is one of the rare mysteries where everything does not tie up neatly in a single bow. Instead, we have two bows, one reasonably neat and one a bloody mess.
Bernie finds a dead body on a hiking trail, guarded by the victim’s faithful dog. An old friend of her mother’s finds a valuable piece of jewelry that he previously reported stolen being sold at a flea market – leading into Chee’s investigation of a sudden string of home robberies. And Leaphorn takes on a case from the Tribal Museum. An important donation may have been stolen, either before it arrived, or after. Or it may not have been in the box at all. That the donor wishes to remain anonymous adds to the mystery. That one of the important pieces of the puzzle dies almost the instant that Leaphorn gets involved shifts the problem from seemingly minor to possibly deadly.
While not all of the cases end happily, following the trail of clues and bodies is a page-turner from beginning to end – and a delight.
Escape Rating A+: I read this in a single day. This was one I picked up pretty much everywhere, like at meals, in the bathroom, in the car (as long as someone else was driving), and pretty much every time I had a couple of spare minutes.
I sunk right back into this place with these people on the very first page, and didn’t come out until the end.
What I love about this series is the way that it combines its police procedural mystery with a perspective into a part of the U.S. that outsiders don’t often get to experience with an, if not insider’s perspective, at least a well-informed and reverential outsider’s point of view.
This would be a very different series if the investigator were one of the FBI agents who often intrude – as they do in this case. Instead, it is the point of view of people who are insiders in a world that most of us are not, while they still are outsiders within their own culture so that they can both see the “why” of things while not being emotionally involved with all of the “who”.
The cases in this particular story are complex, especially Leaphorn’s investigation into the possibly missing artifact. As readers, we learn a lot about both the history of the Navajo people and the treatment of precious artifacts. At the same time, the case has echoes in the past while it is motivated by events in the present. The resolution is heartbreaking but fits.
Chee and Manuelito’s cases turn out to have more tentacles than an octopus, ranging from burglaries to internet scams to witness protection to murder – but at least that case, which gets a bit too close to Bernie’s family, ends with a mostly happy resolution.
That the perpetrators were hiding in plain sight but not obvious until very near the end made both cases fascinating to read.
I’m grateful to those long ago long commutes, now that they are in the past, for the terrific series such as this one that they introduced me to. And I’m looking forward to returning to the Four Corners with Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito at the next opportunity!
June 28, 2023
Anne Hillerman continues her father's series focusing on the history and crime within the Navajo Reservation. As usual the story involves the characters of Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernadette Manuletio. The book details some additional history of the Navaho nation which is involved in the solving of one of the mysteries/crimes in this book. It is well written making it a fast read.
I recommend this book to fans of the Leaphorn - Chee novels.
I recommend this book to fans of the Leaphorn - Chee novels.
September 8, 2020
I grew up with Tony Hillerman and loved his books. I didn't think anyone could write about the Navajos. But I was wrong. Daughter Anne has picked up where the great Tony left off. This riveting story will not only keep you on the edge of your seat but also deepen your understanding of the Navajo people.
July 1, 2019
I'm delighted with this latest offering from the Four Corners. Anne has written her best book yet in this continuation of her father's series. The crimes include a death of a museum employee, shortly after a box of donated goods is found to be short of a tribal artefact that would be greatly missed. Also, a man is found dead near a jogging trail. Some elders have had items stolen from their homes. And a young woman has a boyfriend of the wrong sort.
All these need to be resolved by the Navajo Tribal Police, except the dead man which attracts the attention of the FBI.
Joe Leaphorn is suffering from slight brain damage due to a shooting incident; I like that he can communicate better by typing into a tablet than speaking English, but his memory of his native language is fine, although we see few young Navajo speak it much. This aspect is sensitively handled. Joe is still seen as a great resource.
I downloaded an e-ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.
All these need to be resolved by the Navajo Tribal Police, except the dead man which attracts the attention of the FBI.
Joe Leaphorn is suffering from slight brain damage due to a shooting incident; I like that he can communicate better by typing into a tablet than speaking English, but his memory of his native language is fine, although we see few young Navajo speak it much. This aspect is sensitively handled. Joe is still seen as a great resource.
I downloaded an e-ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.
January 30, 2020
This is one of those times when I wish I could split the rating into categories.
I'd give 2 stars (and that would be a gift) to the actual writing. There were too many characters, and unless you knew their relationships with each other from reading other books in this series, they all came off as flat. None of them jumped off the page (except for maybe Louisa, who I wanted to shake and say "Stop being a bi*ch").
I'd give the historical background 4 stars as I'm sure while many readers know about the Cherokee Trail of Tears, I wonder how many know about the Navajo Long Walk? So I learned something.
And I'd probably give 5 stars to the setting, but that's a truly personal preference as I love the Four Corners region. I can see the countryside in my mind's eye as Hillerman writes about it - not because her descriptions are so vivid, but because we've vacationed there several times.
So, the average comes out to a little over 3 stars, and this really isn't a 3.5 star book. 3 stars is generous.
I'd give 2 stars (and that would be a gift) to the actual writing. There were too many characters, and unless you knew their relationships with each other from reading other books in this series, they all came off as flat. None of them jumped off the page (except for maybe Louisa, who I wanted to shake and say "Stop being a bi*ch").
I'd give the historical background 4 stars as I'm sure while many readers know about the Cherokee Trail of Tears, I wonder how many know about the Navajo Long Walk? So I learned something.
And I'd probably give 5 stars to the setting, but that's a truly personal preference as I love the Four Corners region. I can see the countryside in my mind's eye as Hillerman writes about it - not because her descriptions are so vivid, but because we've vacationed there several times.
So, the average comes out to a little over 3 stars, and this really isn't a 3.5 star book. 3 stars is generous.
May 2, 2019
Definitely the best of this series that are written by Anne Hillerman! Loved having Leaphorn as a major character again, his and Bernie's development as characters, all the evolving relationships, all the cultural and historical information being so key to the story, and the interwoven storylines.
Just still frustrated that Chee seems more like a cardboard cutout than a real character. I imagine he might be the hardest for this Hillerman to write after her father focused on him so much in his books, but it's still a disappointment. In this book, a few scenes fleshed him out much more than prior ones, particularly in his interactions with Leaphorn and while Chee considers how to serve as a mentor to another character, but most still failed to -- particularly in his interactions with Bernie. I keep hoping each book that he will seem more like a real, full person again. Maybe next time.
Just still frustrated that Chee seems more like a cardboard cutout than a real character. I imagine he might be the hardest for this Hillerman to write after her father focused on him so much in his books, but it's still a disappointment. In this book, a few scenes fleshed him out much more than prior ones, particularly in his interactions with Leaphorn and while Chee considers how to serve as a mentor to another character, but most still failed to -- particularly in his interactions with Bernie. I keep hoping each book that he will seem more like a real, full person again. Maybe next time.
April 17, 2019
I always liked Tony Hillerman's books and looked forward to reading the newest one. In keeping with tradition, I now enjoy Mr. Hillerman's daughter's books and look forward to the next one. Anne
Hillerman is quite good at continuing the stories of her father's characters, and the books are a joy to read. I do hope there is another one in the future (if not more).
The reason I gave it three stars instead of four was because of the ending. By the time you get most of the way through the book you should have figured out what has and what is going to happen. But for all of the anticipation, the story is summed up in matter of a few paragraphs - like BAM! - here is the ending right now: we don't have any more pages for you to write. You have used up all your words and this story is ended. But overall, I really did enjoy the book and look forward to the next one.
Hillerman is quite good at continuing the stories of her father's characters, and the books are a joy to read. I do hope there is another one in the future (if not more).
The reason I gave it three stars instead of four was because of the ending. By the time you get most of the way through the book you should have figured out what has and what is going to happen. But for all of the anticipation, the story is summed up in matter of a few paragraphs - like BAM! - here is the ending right now: we don't have any more pages for you to write. You have used up all your words and this story is ended. But overall, I really did enjoy the book and look forward to the next one.
August 18, 2019
I have been a fan of Tony Hillerman's writing for a very long time. I love his series of books which are about the Navajo Tribal Police. They give you a feel for what life on the Reservation is like out west and a feel for the people who live there. The Tale Teller by Anne Hillerman is a seamless continuation of this series. HIllerman's vivid depiction of Officer, now Sargent Jim Chee, Lt, Joe Leaphorn, and Captain Largo continue to solve crimes, help their neighbors and friends and and the addition of some newer character like Jim's ex partner now wife Officer Bernie Manuelito and Bigman's new baby. If you have read any Tony Hillerman books this one is a must read. Great job by Anne Hillerman keeping the flame.
September 25, 2021
Another absorbing tale from Anne who has certainly stepped out of her father's shadow and has made the characters he created her own. I continue to enjoy the care and craft that Anne has in developing Office Bernadette Manuelito into a well-rounded character. This time around she has also given Lt. Leaphorn a more important role in the story, allowing his story to continue to develop. And as usual, Anne is able to put the reader into the story so that you feel you are walking or driving through the vast expanse of the Navajo Reservation, from Window Rock, to Chinle, to Shiprock. Oh, and the story is also great, with many disparate and seemingly unrelated threads all coming together into a wonderfully complex story.
June 30, 2022
As a long time fan of Tony Hillerman, I've been pretty skeptical of the Anne Hillerman novels but thought I would give them a try. There was a lot to like here, I don't think this book as quite the same atmosphere and flavor of the old books but I did enjoy most of it. I skipped the previous Anne books, because this one was the highest rated available at my local library, so some of the character developments, particularly Leaphorn, was a bit jarring at first but I got used to the changes. My biggest issue was the ending. Without providing spoilers, I didn't think any of the three stories wrapped up well nor did it have the usual suspenseful climax I've come to expect from these stories. This was pretty good but idk if I'm going to go back for another Anne Hillerman novel.
April 19, 2019
I enjoy Anne's books and have been delighted to have her father's characters continue in such a familiar manner. She certainly has caught his spirit and his writing ability. That said, this was not my favorite. I got weary of the two strands of stories intermingled and both with crimes of theft. I thought they were too similar and kept thinking each was its own individual story cut up to fit into a longer book. The first half of the book seemed more smoothly than than the last half. The saving grace for me was the interaction of the main characters and the familiarity of their relationships.
December 14, 2019
I’ve read two books now from this author and been impressed with both of them. She’s continuing the legacy of her father Tony Hillerman, whose Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels take place in the Southwest. It’s enjoyable each time to encounter the main characters, detectives Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito as they solve crime in the vast reaches of the Four Corners.
July 14, 2019
Another good read from Anne Hillerman. She's taken over her dad's series and done an excellent job of it. Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito are still solving crimes across the Navajo nation. Good, modern day storyline with this one.
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