Skinwalkers, Navajo Wolves and Witches: In "People of Darkness", Navajo tribal police Sargent Jim Chee stumbles onto a mystery and unravels multiple crimes after being asked to find a keepsake box belonging to a wealthy man outside of Chee's jurisdiction. The wealthy man's second wife specifically requested Chee as investigator because Jim Chee is considered an authority on his Indian tribe's religion, studying to be a "yataalii" (a medicine man or "singer") and the suspects are thought to be The People of Darkness.

It is in this book that blue-eyed blonde, Mary Landon first makes her acquaintance with Chee. I found her to be an unlikable character with an aggressive, pushy, prodding, provocative, smart-mouth personality and arrogant attitude and was glad to know, from reading subsequent books of this particular series, Chee and she never married.

Alas, it is also in this book that Chee is on another mission - to learn more about white people and their culture. His yataalii uncle, who was to train him in the art along the path of balance and beauty, instructed Chee that he must first truly understand the value system of the white people, knowing everything it contains, before fully being able to embrace his decision of following the traditional Navajo walk.

Tony Hillerman packed this book full of relevant Navajo culture and lore, as always. Near the end of the story, Chee explains, "We don't have much violence, we Navajos. What there is is mostly associated with witchcraft. Changing Woman taught us how to cope with the Navajo Wolves. We turn the evil around so it works against the witch." The story ends with Chee's spirit in need of repair: "But he knew the cause and the cure. Changing Woman had taught them about it when she formed the first clans of the Dinee from her own skin. The strange ways of strange people hurt the spirit, turned the Navajo away from beauty. Returning to beauty required a cure." Hence the planning for a traditional Enemy Way ceremony to be held.

As with all of the Tony Hillerman books, I would give more than five stars if I could.

First book about Jim Chee. Leaphorn is no more than a one word reference. Unlike the first book about Leaphorn, Chee is a fully fleshed out character. He is complex, and there are details about him that have little to do with the mystery at hand. Already we know more about Chee's background and personal life than we do about Leaphorn even after three books. The mystery in this book is clever and the conclusion is satisfying. ( )

One of the odder murder weapons I've come across--extremely spooky hitman after Jim Chee and his girlfriend ( )

This is the type of book series where I keep getting the plots confused. I'd already read this one, but when I picked it up I wasn't sure which one of the books I'd already read this one would turn out to be.

Not bad. As usual, there's some good information about the Navajo.

But this one was published in 1980- this is One Long Mystery Series. ( )

I'm looking back in a journal from 2005, when I read this. All I wrote is: Very good, as usual. Sorry. I always enjoy Hillerman's works and I don't think anyone could go wrong reading any of them. ( )