This novel by Tony Hillerman is one of his best. He gives the readers information on how the Navajo Indians lived in the states of New Mexico and Arizona. You will learn about their culture as the story evolves.
The story centers on Jim Cheem who is a Navajo Indian reservation police officer. While he is out in the desert he witnesses a plane crash and goes to investigate it. Everyone on board the plane is dead and the plane is carrying a great amount of drugs.
Jim Chee has to investigate the murders, a vandalism case, and a multi million dollar drug case all at the same time. He wonders if all three cases are part of the same pattern. Somehow Jim Chee gets the blame for the deaths and has to solve the mysteries to clear himself of all the charges.
The plot includes suspense to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. It is also a story of greed and how good wins over evil. Jim Chee’s superior would like him to stop investigating the mysteries but Jim continues on with his own investigation.
He is faced with violence throughout the book and somehow always overcomes it. He is intelligent and the story tells you how he solves the questions that go through his mind. He makes you think as he does and eventually solves some of the things that puzzles him.
In this novel Jim Chee is learning to be yataalii. This would be called a shaman in the white people’s language. By trusting in his faith this helps him to solve the mysteries and also help his people.
The romance in the story centers on a white woman that he makes friends with.
