The First Eagle is a crime novel written by author Tony Hillerman in 1998. Hillerman dedicated this book to all the Navajo policemen that have died in the line of duty since 1970. The book takes place on and off a reservation in the southwest. The Indian culture and the white culture have to work together to solve the crime.
The two main characters of the book are both tribal policemen. One is lieutenant Jim Chee and the other is officially retired lieutenant Joe Leaphorn. Both of these men are fighting internal battles as well as solving their own cases. Jim Chee is assigned to the case of a fellow Navajo policeman who has been murdered. Joe Leaphorn is assigned to solve the case of a dead biologist who was working on the bubonic plague. Leaphorn is trying to recover from the death of his wife. He can not give up the police work even though he is officially retired. Chee is up for a promotion that could force him to leave the reservation.
Tony Hillerman has written 18 books about Chee and Leaphorn. He is very passionate about the people and the areas he writes about, mainly the Navajo. All of the Chee and Leaphorn books take place in the Four corners area of New Mexico and Arizona. He has written other non-fiction books as well. The Chee and Leaphorn books are far more popular though. Unfortunately, he passed away just recently in October of 2008. His writing will be missed by many people.
