Part of Leaphorn & Chee, book 23
First published 2019
Joe Leaphorn thought retirement from the Tribal Police meant quiet days, but a missing biil pulls him back into detective work. Someone has stolen the traditional Navajo dress from a donation meant for the Navajo Nation. Leaphorn begins tracking the artifact, a piece tied to painful chapters in tribal history. The case turns deadly when his prime suspect dies under suspicious circumstances. Anonymous messages warn Leaphorn that witchcraft threatens anyone who continues the search. Meanwhile, his former partners Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito investigate a string of burglaries across the reservation. Bernie discovers a body along a running trail, transforming their property crimes into a murder case. The FBI claims jurisdiction, creating tension with the Tribal Police. As Leaphorn digs deeper into the missing dress and Chee and Bernie pursue their killer, the separate investigations start connecting in unexpected ways. The convergence of these cases will change Bernie's future forever.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, native-american
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, convergence-of-cases
Setting: Navajo Nation, Reservation
Period: Contemporary
302 pages · Hardcover · Harper