Great book!: This is one of the better books in Hillerman's series. We learn more about Jim Chee's life progress in the context of a murder mystery, which is neither too complex, nor too simplistic. Hillerman throws in the Navajo history, lore and lifestyle without preaching, or assuming knowledge on the part of the reader. In a neat touch, we learn an awful lot about Mary Landon without her actually appearing here as character: she's there in Jim's memory, in phone calls, and in a letter she sends Jim.Well worth reading!

Tony Hillerman never disappoints. Besides his usual good detective story, there's lots of interesting information about Navajo burial rites and beliefs associated with chindi, the spirits that may be left behind by the dead. ( )

I enjoyed the exploration of Chee's character as he is trying to decide whether to live in the white world or stay in the Navajo world. The mystery explores yet another aspect of the Navajo world - those who were relocated to L.A. and what happened to them. I like the way Chee kept working at the things he knew until he figured out how everything fit together. ( )