The Tale Teller

I was a big fan of Tony Hillerman's mysteries set in the American Southwest with native American police officers as the detectives. When Tony died I was delighted that his daughter took over writing books featuring some of the same people but adding her own female police officer, Bernie Manuelito. Since we won't be travelling to New Mexico/Arizona anytime soon this is a great way to armchair travel.

Joe Leaphorn is retired as a police officer but he gets asked to investigate an anonymous museum donation that was missing a few items. When he goes to the museum to talk to the woman who wants to hire him they are interrupted by someone running into the building to report that a woman has collapsed in the parking lot. Upon investigating the show more incident they find that the museum director's assistant is the woman. She has been feeling poorly for some time; in fact, ever since the box with the donated articles came into the museum. Has she been sickened by something in the box? Or, as her father suspects, is she the victim of witchcraft? Leaphorn agrees to find out what he can about the donation. Meanwhile, Bernie Manuelito has discovered a dead body near a trail where she was running. The FBI is responsible for investigating deaths on Navajo land but Bernie is also needed for her knowledge of the area and the people who used the trail. Leaphorn's old partner, Jim Chee, is married to Manuelito and still works for the Navajo Tribal police as well. (I love how Bernie's mother and sister refer to him as Cheeseburger.) He is working on a series of thefts of valuable jewellery that ends up being tied in to the dead man that Bernie discovered.

One of the things I like about this series is the opportunity to learn more about the native American tribes of the Southwest. Without being didactic Hillerman weaves in information about the Long Walk when the Navajo people were taken under guard from their homeland to a concentration camp called Bosque Redondo or Hweeldi in the Navajo language. In 1868, thanks to Navajo leaders Manuelito and his wife Jaunita, a treaty was signed that allowed the Navajo to return to their sacred homeland. Fascinating stuff. show less

Really enjoyed this next installment of the long-standing series, particularly as I was traveling through the Navajo nation while reading it. I was surprised at how impatient Joe Leaphorn has become since his injury, and I suspect that his cantankerous behavior in this book will continue to be addressed in future. I like that it has already had an impact in this book, and that he is starting to heal and become aware of it even in this story.

Advanced Readers Copy provided by Edelweiss.

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 show more 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. show less

Anne Hillerman stepped into very big shoes, perhaps boots or moccasins when she chose to assume her very successful father's characters and storylines. She did very well but now with Manuelito in full bloom; she is master of her own world. The setting continues to be a source of wonderment to the characters which is communicated nicely to the reader. This book showcases some of the sad history and wondrous rebirth of "The People" as the plot addresses today's issues with peeks at the vivid past.

4.5 stars.

The Tale Teller by Anne Hillerman is a perplexing mystery with three distinct cases. Although this newest release is twenty-third installment in the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is a private investigator and consultant to the Tribal Police. At his live-in companion Louisa's request, Joe is working to find a few missing items from a recent donation. The bequest is anonymous so Joe is faced with the daunting task of trying to figure out what happened to a dress that is an extremely important part of Navajo history. A bracelet is also missing and Louisa is certain she knows who crafted the beautiful piece of jewelry. With her assistance, Joe begins the show more arduous task of tracking down who donated the items to the museum. Early in his investigation, Museum Director Daisy Pinto's assistant Tiffany Benally dies under very mysterious circumstances. Joe cannot help but wonder if her death is somehow related to the missing relics, but will he unearth the connection between the two cases?

Officer Bernie Manuelito is out for a jog when she discovers a dead body on a popular trail. Quickly realizing his death was not accidental, she preserves the scene while waiting for the FBI to arrive. Although she is not officially assigned to the case, Bernie is curious about the victim's identity and the motive for his murder. FBI Agent Sage Johnson is surprisingly pleasant during their conversations, and she does reveal a few interesting facts about the case to Bernie.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Jim Chee is working on a series of bewildering burglaries in which elderly people in the community have been targeted. The thefts are clearly the act of a pro since there is absolutely no evidence left the crime scenes. Chee finds it very intriguing that the thief zeroes in on where the items are hidden and does not damage the homes.

The Tale Teller is a riveting police-procedural that is fast-paced. The various investigations are interesting and through slow but steady investigations, Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito uncover the truth. As always, the desert and surrounding are vibrantly detailed which makes it very easy to visualize the different settings. With some unexpected twists and a few surprising turns, Anne Hillerman brings the the various investigations to satisfying conclusions. Old and new fans are sure to enjoy this outstanding addition to the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series. show less

I was so pleased to discover that Ms Hillerman was continuing the saga begun by her father that I sent her a note being for more. Each new book has added to the pleasure.
Certainly her approach has her own touch. She focuses on things a woman tends to notice more than a man. Still she brings her characters to life for the reader, and the plots are filled with clever twists and turns. For me there is no value in asking if her stories are as good as her father's are.
I enjoy them for many reasons and always wait impatiently for the next.
I hope she gets enough satisfaction from telling the stories to keep at it.

"LEGENDARY NAVAJO POLICE LIEUTENANT JOE LEAPHORN TAKES CENTER STAGE IN THIS RIVETING, ATMOSPHERIC MYSTERY FROM ANNE HILLERMAN THAT COMBINES CRIME, SUPERSTITION, AND TRADITION AND BRINGS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST VIVIDLY TO 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 weaving that had been donated to the Navajo Nation. His investigation takes a sinister turn when the lead suspect dies under mysterious circumstances and Leaphorn himself receives an anonymous warning.

"Meanwhile Officer Bernie Manuelito discovers a body near a popular running trail. show more The situation grows more complicated when the death is ruled a homicide, thrusting the tribal cops into a turf battle with the FBI. And Sergeant Jim Chee finds himself working a burglary case in another part of the Navajo Nation that morphs into something much more sinister.

"As Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito draw closer to solving each of these cri9mes, their merging investigations create an unexpected opportunity to may open a new chapter in Bernie's life."
~~front flap

This if the first book I've read by Tony Hillerman's daughter and I must say, it lives up to her father's legacy. Exciting, suspenseful, and with Leaphorn's usual perspicacity to bring the three investigations into one large, complicated conclusion. show less