Part of Leaphorn & Chee, book 7
First published 1990
Officer Jim Chee faces a deadly puzzle when someone tries to kill him. Three separate murders have stumped the Navajo Tribal Police. The killings happened 120 miles apart with no obvious connections. Chee teams up with Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn to find answers. Their investigation pulls them deep into the mystical realm of Navajo witchcraft beliefs. Each clue they uncover seems to point in different directions. The officers must determine whether these deaths are random violence or part of a larger pattern. As they dig deeper, the evidence begins pointing toward a single suspect. Chee and Leaphorn must navigate between modern police work and ancient Navajo traditions. The case tests both their detective skills and their understanding of their own culture.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, native-american
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Navajo Tribal Police
282 pages · Mass Market Paperback · HarperPaperbacks