Status Updates From Skinwalkers: A Leaphorn and...

Back to Leaphorn getting injured already, he can't catch a break even when he gets elderly.

I don't read much murder/mystery and it seems an average type of story but it has a lot of info about the Navajo way of life and customs that I think is true to life and I like that aspect of SKINWALKERS.

I really want to like this!

Leaphorn is pleased he established that Wilson Sam's killer wasn't from the area. I thought we already knew that. Chee saw a small silhouette shooting at him, then found a bone bead. Bistie also had a bead in his wallet, so Chee feels relieved and is letting his guard down, even though Bistie is too big and it makes no sense. A bead was also found in Endocheeney, but Chee still hasn't told Leaphorn that. Dumb.

40% and not that into it. Leaphorn back as worried husband and eccentric cop (for being competent mostly). Chee as the young jerk who can't do his job and cooperate even when it's to his own benefit. Long time since it felt like we got closer to answering anything. No reason not to still think my guess at the beginning was correct.

The nerfing of Jim Chee. We've had three books of Jim working through mysteries mostly on his own, and while his record of actually resolving them himself wasn't great, there was a sense that it was due to difficult circumstances more than incompetence. Now Leaphorn's back and described as a "hotshot," and Chee is the dumb and kind of petulant officer who doesn't share info that's finally a link between cases.

At last Leaphorn and Chee have met.

Don't know if this will prove to be a spoiler but at 15% in it looks like the ambitious doctor/spiritual diagnostician is using the influence of his position to weaponize the superstitions of his patients and send them after his enemies. He's put a hit-by-witchhunt on Chee.

Off to a scary start... both for the violence and the promised return of Mary.