Those looking for a great mystery series who have yet to discover Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are in for a treat with Skinwalkers. Tony Hillerman created an entire genre with these novels, and though they've been copied, no one has ever quite found the blend of Native American beliefs and traditions and modern day mystery Hillerman perfected. Skinwalkers is one of Hillerman's finest pairings of young Navajo Tribal Police Officer, Jim Chee, and the legendary Lt. Joe Leaphorn. This one begins when a shotgun blast into Jim Chee's trailer brings he and Leaphorn together in an effort to figure out how the attempt on Chee's life ties together with two other murders in the sprawling Indian territory they have jurisdiction over.The seasoned Leaphorn begins to have respect for young Chee as they work on different ends to solve this mystery. Leaphorn has his own personal problems to deal with as well in this entry; his beloved wife may have the onset of Alzheimer's disease. It is a distraction he can't afford when things become more and more dangerous. Sprinkled throughout this complex and entertaining mystery novel are insights into the Navajo people, from the way they speak to their customs and broad family ties. But the thread that may tie everything together is something the older Leaphorn despises, and the younger Chee embraces. That aspect of the investigation is the complex mythology of Navajo witchcraft. You see, the killings may involve something very ancient in the Navajo culture, called a Skinwalker.This is simply a great read, full of the Four Corners landscape and interwoven with the traditions of the Navajo. The story itself begins with a languid pace but gradually takes on urgency as the body count starts to rise. The good police work of Leaphorn and Chee may not be enough to save either of them this time out.Chee's growing recognition among his people as a Hataalli (Medicine Man) who can perform The Blessing Way will play an integral part in this excellent entry in the Leaphorn/Chee canon. Skinwalkers is like an orange soda on a hot day in the New Mexico desert. It's refreshing, and hits the spot.
(3.5 of 5 stars)To be honest, the crime/mystery portion of this book was pretty weak - it was badly paced, and mostly our protagonists just spent a lot of time wandering around before the whole thing dissolved into a random shootout at the end.But, with that said, I'm really glad a friend talked me into trying Hillerman, because here's the thing: you don't actually read these books for the police procedurals - you read them because he is absolutely brilliant at describing the setting.Hillerman's mysteries are set in different locations in and around the Navajo nation, a massive chunk of land in the American Southwest that, for all its size, I think still remains somewhat mysterious even to non-tribal residents of those states. The magic of Hillerman's writing is that he strips away all romanticism and stereotypes, and simply presents life on the reservation as it is - both the good and the bad, nothing held back. The end result is a weird hybrid of anthropological study and slice-of-life, where the mystery framework is just an excuse to get a change of scenery and focus on a different cross-section of society.And it's ultimately his knack for description that carries the story - who needs urban fantasy and paranormal stories when there's such interesting "worldbuilding" happening in the real world, every day? Hillerman spent much of his lifetime learning about the Navajo, not only reading about them but living with them, making friends, trying to understand their society and ways of thinking. All of it is ultimately reflected back here, but gently, un-flashily: where a main character's reaction is somehow unusual due to cultural upbringing, he's always careful to bring it up, explain it quietly, and then let it play out so that you catruly get a feel for the character's mindset, and how culture truly has shaped his worldview.If you're solely looking for a good mystery, there are undoubtedly better options out there. But if you'd like to try something a little off the beaten path, and perhaps learn something new about Navajo culture while you're at it, this is an excellent place to start.
What do You think about Skinwalkers (1990)?
The reason I read Tony Hillerman mysteries is not so much for the mystery part, I read them because I want to be on the reservation and see what he is seeing and try to understand, through his eyes, what it is like and what the people are like. I love the way he describes the sky, the weather, the mountains and I always want to understand Navajo ways, what is good manners and what is not, how things are done. His settings seem to ring with truth. I haven't been there and am not part of that nation, but it seems very real.In this mystery we become involved in the Navajo belief in witches (skinwalkers). I found the subject somewhat unpleasant but I wanted to understand the lore and the beliefs. The mystery concerns a series of seemingly unrelated murders spread far across the reservations. But murder is rare (drunkenness and domestic violence are not) and a link develops with little carved bone beads found in connection with the murders. Jimmy Chee is a tribal policeman and our main character. Someone tries to kill him, but why? Jimmy is a pretty chill character and a nice guy, but someone doesn't think so. He needs to figure the mystery out before this person succeeds. The little bone bead found in his trailer among the scattered shot is certainly a clue.
—Chana
Among Tony Hillerman's many really good novels about life and crime in Navajoland, this is considered a breakthrough to a wider audience; it was the first best-seller. If you haven't read any Hillerman, this is a good place to start if you can't get hold of the very first one, The Blessing Way. It fills out the picture begun in the earlier novels of Joe Leaphorn, his wife Emma, of Jim Chee and his maybe sometime fiancee Janet Peete. I've read maybe ten Hillerman books, admire most of them, but have shelved only three or four in goodreads. See my reviews of Hunting Badger and The First Eagle.
—Stephen
"Skinwalkers" is the 7th novel in Tony Hillerman's "Leaphorn & Chee" series. It's also the first book featuring both Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee at the same time. Surprisingly, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. All the good Hillerman qualities are there. But, there were a few things that bothered me. First, Hillerman has gotten Leaphorn promoted up to mostly desk work. He does some field work, but a lot of his activity in the book is dedicated to management. It's not a bad thing, it's just that I like how he behaves in the field better. Second, I got a bit frustrated with the mystery. It seemed pretty self-evident who did it fairly early in the book. Yet, not only do our detectives not see it for quite some time, it takes Leaphorn a while to put it together even when he has all the pieces. And, finally, the book just wasn't as comfortable to read as the previous ones. I'm pretty sure it's because both Leaphorn and Chee have some less-than-pleasant things happening to them. I really don't like rating the book at just an OK 3 stars out of 5, but I can't justify giving it a full 4 stars either. Call it 3-1/2.Hillerman's "Leaphorn & Chee" novels are:1. The Blessing Way2. Dance Hall of the Dead3. Listening Woman4. People of Darkness5. The Dark Wind6. The Ghostway (Jim Chee Novels)7. Skinwalkers8. A Thief of Time9. Talking God10. Coyote Waits11. Sacred Clowns: Novel, A12. The Fallen Man13. The First Eagle14. Hunting Badger15. The Wailing Wind16. The Sinister Pig17. Skeleton Man18. The Shape Shifter
—David
