The Leaphorn & Chee Novels

That's how the character of Joe Leaphorn characterized his, and Jim Chee's efforts to unravel the drama which had swept up Ashie Pinto, from the PBS adaptation Mystery! Coyote Waits from the novel with the same title. As it's the concluding novel of this triple book, I'm interested to comment that I appreciate what a service was done by Robert Redford, in adapting these three novels into PBS films for American Mystery. These same efforts are probably the only reason for releasing these three books together in one binding.I don't mean this as a criticism. Of the 19 Tony Hillerman novels I've accumulated recently, these now total 15 of them I've enjoyed reading yet. As I was introduced to these by the PBS series, I'd like to share some (what seem to me) rather striking differences. Beginning with the character of Emma, Joe Leaphorn's wife. She died in the first of these novels, Skinwalker. What's odd, from a reader's perspective, is that all the rest of the Joe Leaphorn novels include Joe's flashbacks of life with his now departed wife. So, what comes as a sort of deja-vue is how Emma of the PBS movies is a reconstructed character, also adopting some later roles of a new side-kick who befriends Joe Leaphorn for his later adventures. She's an ASU professor named Louisa Bourbonette.If you should embark on reading Hillerman's novels with some sense of chronology, take this publisher's footnote from the title page into consideration. "Skinwalker, A Thief of Time, and Coyote Waits were originally published in 1986, 1988, and 1990 respectively by HarperCollins Publishers Inc."I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Skinwalker and Coyote Waits are not exactly the same story I watched on TV. I won't spoil anything here for those who enjoy a good read, except to note that I thought the character of Joe McGinnis, Trading Post owner is a lot more sleazy in the film than Hillerman wrote him. In the books he's an actual ally, and not at all sleazy. Perhaps a bit miserly, but good hearted.The crisis of the Skinwalker Novel is a different plot line from the movie, and as is expedient for filming, the screenwriters have inducted an acting-out of distinctive character features from the books. Hillerman is skillful at developing and maintaining the suspense to keep the reader involved. His characters are believable, enjoyable and entertaining even when you want to just hate the villains.Living in the desert, being also surrounded by the printed media of Arizona Highways, and New Mexico magazines most of my life, I'm biased in favor of these stories. The details of these books greatly enhanced my appreciation for the intricacies of plot and culture which the movies sometimes could only allude to.

What's not to like about Tony Hillerman and his Navajo mysteries? His books are so well plotted and written, his characters so genuine, that each book is a pleasure to read--and I've read a lot of them. I lost all of his books that I had, and I'm trying to build my library back up. This was an excellent start, had one of my favorites, "A Thief of Time"

Enjoy 3 of the approximately 12 stories in Tony Hillerman's saga of a modern cop keeping the peace in an ancient land.Before his passing a few years back, Tony Hillerman made an indelable mark on America's body of great literature with his stories of the southwest. All the stories in this epic deal with how our indiginous people must deal (for better or worse) with a modern world and what we can learn from each other. Each great story stands alone, but to get the full affect it is best to read all of the (approximately 12) books in this series in order. In that manner you enjoy the back story as all of the characters develop as human beings, as average Americans who's cultural background is an integral part of the overall fabric of culture that is genuinely American.

I have read most of the "Leaphorn & Chee" mysteries. Actually, most of Hillman's books. Having them on audio allows me to enjoy them in a different way. Leaphorn & Chee are contrasting characters. Leaphorn was raised pre-60s, when Indians were expected to forget their culture and act like Anglos. Chee, as Hillerman says,is a modern man added to an ethnic Indian. I have never been to the Navaho reservation, but I feel like I have when I read Hillerman's books and even more the audios. His decriptions of the landscape and weather add so much to the narrative. His characters come alive. They think, they act, they are!! If you haven't read Hillerman, you must.

Author Tony Hillerman transports the reader to one of the most beautiful areas of America: the land of the Navajo. There we follow the twists and turns of some darn good mystery stories while spending time among some of the best people, the Navajo, who Hillerman understood and loved even as they loved him. Tony Hillerman died recently, and we who have enjoyed his work should memorialize him with a gift to the Catholic missions on "the res", for he took note of their efforts to help the poor among the Navajo, and there are many poor especially among the elderly and the children. Help take care of Tony's friends.

Yes. The reviews I read seem accurate. Tony is not a great reader, the music is annoying, but these stories are terrific and the price is right. Tony's reading is much too fast and too mono-toned. It takes getting used to, but for the price, it's definitely worth the effort.

You have to pay attention as Tony H. builds his stories little bits at a time, in the wonderfully evocative deserts of the Navajo Indian Reservation areas of the American Southwest. You can hear the silence and see the emptiness of the backcountry in which his stories develop. As quiet speaking, Lt. Joe Leaphorn, and upandcoming young policeman, Jim Chee wind their thoughtful way thru their crime solving adventures, Hillerman shares his knowledge of Native American history, tradition and culture.It is a great vacation in the Southwest experience with murder and mayhem here and there as well as amazing sunsets, desert lore and quirky characters...

Enjoy learning about the natural history of the Southwest while reading a murder mystery. Wish PBS would bring back the series.