The Wailing Wind
A lost gold mine, a corpse in an abandoned pickup truck, and an eerie  wailing heard on Halloween are among the delicious plot elements Tony Hillerman  cooks up in his 15th novel featuring Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. The two Navajo  cops, one old and one young--who originally debuted in separate series but have  been collaborating for many books now--are among the most engaging, fully human  characters in crime fiction. As usual, Hillerman puts them to work in a  suspenseful, satisfying tale that integrates a wealth of Navajo lore plus  breathtaking evocations of the American Southwest, all delivered in prose as  clear, clean, and easy-flowing as a mountain stream. Longtime readers will be  delighted by several developments, including a prominent role for the appealing  Officer Bernadette Manuelito and a glimpse at the phlegmatic Leaphorn's testy  side. But Hillerman welcomes new arrivals as well, with enough exposition to get  you oriented.Many writers have tried to follow Hillerman's trail, setting murder mysteries in  Native American cultural landscapes. Many do a fine job. But, asThe Wailing  Windbeautifully demonstrates, there's only one Tony Hillerman. In this book  he's at the top of his game.--Nicholas H. Allison--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.