Like many of Tony Hillerman's books, The Wailing Wind is set in the American Southwest. The main themes are gold, human greed for gold, and the result of greed towards others. It brings together Hillerman's trademark heroes, Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Sergeant Jim Chee of the Navajo tribal police force.
This novel also features lost gold mines, wailing ghosts, Navajo sacred places, and infidelity. Jim Chee has a new love life in the novel with Officer Bernadette Manuelito.
Chee and Leaphorn are investigating a disappearance and the murder of a wealthy man's wife. Eventually, they find out both cases are related to the legendary Golden Calf Mine.
Hillerman puts in his trademark ethnic insights and hilarious interplay between the two characters. The twists and turns of the plot make you want to continue reading. Some say that other Hillerman novels need to be read before this one to get the whole picture. Either way, this book brings laughter, tears, and a lot of suspense and mystery.
Hillerman has a great way of presenting his characters through their actions and dialogue. The Wailing Wind deals with existential themes like modern society vs traditional culture and the sacred vs the secular. This is a source of contention between Chee, a traditionalist, and Leaphorn, who is more of a modernist.
The Wailing Wind was met with disappointment by some fans. They claimed that the characters and language are too simple, and it is not up to the same standard as other Hillerman novels. But that is only one opinion. The only way to find out is to read it for yourself.
