The Wailing Wind CD

Amazon.com Review A lost gold mine, a corpse in an abandoned pickup truck, and an eerie wailing heard on Halloween are among the delicious plot elements Tony Hillerman cooks up in his 15th novel featuring Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. The two Navajo cops, one old and one young--who originally debuted in separate series but have been collaborating for many books now--are among the most engaging, fully human characters in crime fiction. As usual, Hillerman puts them to work in a suspenseful, satisfying tale that integrates a wealth of Navajo lore plus breathtaking evocations of the American Southwest, all delivered in prose as clear, clean, and easy-flowing as a mountain stream. Longtime readers will be delighted by several developments, including a prominent role for the appealing Officer Bernadette Manuelito and a glimpse at the phlegmatic Leaphorn's testy side. But Hillerman welcomes new arrivals as well, with enough exposition to get you oriented. Many writers have tried to follow Hillerman's trail, setting murder mysteries in Native American cultural landscapes. Many do a fine job. But, as The Wailing Wind beautifully demonstrates, there's only one Tony Hillerman. In this book he's at the top of his game. --Nicholas H. Allison From Publishers Weekly The 15th Chee/Leaphorn mystery (after 1999's relatively weak Hunting Badger) finds MWA Grand Master Hillerman back at the top of his form as his two Navajo peace officers look into both a past and present mystery. Religious fervency and single-minded greed become strange but necessary bedfellows in a plot filled, as always, with insights into the lives and beliefs of the "Dineh." When an abandoned pickup truck turns out to contain one very dead white man, Sgt. Jim Chee's instincts lead him to bring retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn into the case. Leaphorn's trademark curiosity sends him in search of possible links between this homicide and another two years earlier. The first murder occurred on Halloween day when Wiley Denton supposedly shot Marvin McKay in self-defense after McKay tried to sell him bogus information about an old gold mine. That same day Denton's wife, Linda, disappeared; she has never been heard from again. Leaphorn's recollection of what had been shrugged off as a Halloween prank out at old Fort Wingate now becomes the itch he has to scratch. It seems a group of teens shortcutting across the area had endured a close call with La Llorana, a mythical wailing woman. The information he gathers adds yet another piece to the puzzle of the missing Linda. Chee is up to his elbows in not only the investigation but also in sorting through his growing emotional confusion about the beautiful Bernadette Manuelito. The seemingly insignificant turns critical and the loose ends tie up in one tidy conclusion as Hillerman repeatedly shines in this masterfully complex new novel. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

officer Bernadette Manuelito Found The Dead Man Slumped Over In The Cab Of A Blue Pickup Abandoned In A Dry Gulch Off A Dirt Road, With A Rich Ex-con's Phone Number In His Pocket . . . And A Tobacco Tin Nearby Filled With Tracer Gold. It's Her Initial Mishandling Of The Scene That Spells Trouble For Her Supervisor, Sergeant Jim Chee Of The Navajo Tribal Police, But It's The Echoes Of A Long-ago Crime That Call The Legendary Former Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn Out Of Retirement. Years Earlier, Leaphorn Followed The Trail Of A Beautiful, Young, And Missing Wife To A Dead End, And His Failure Has Haunted Him Ever Since. But Ghosts Never Sleep In These High, Lonely Southwestern Hills. And The Twisted Threads Of Craven Murders Past And Current May Finally Be Coming Together, Thanks To Secrets Once Moaned In Torment On The Desert Wind.

publishers Weekly

the 15th Chee/leaphorn Mystery (after 1999's Relatively Weak hunting Badger) Finds Mwa Grand Master Hillerman Back At The Top Of His Form As His Two Navajo Peace Officers Look Into Both A Past And Present Mystery. Religious Fervency And Single-minded Greed Become Strange But Necessary Bedfellows In A Plot Filled, As Always, With Insights Into The Lives And Beliefs Of The Dineh. When An Abandoned Pickup Truck Turns Out To Contain One Very Dead White Man, Sgt. Jim Chee's Instincts Lead Him To Bring Retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn Into The Case. Leaphorn's Trademark Curiosity Sends Him In Search Of Possible Links Between This Homicide And Another Two Years Earlier. The First Murder Occurred On Halloween Day When Wiley Denton Supposedly Shot Marvin Mckay In Self-defense After Mckay Tried To Sell Him Bogus Information About An Old Gold Mine. That Same Day Denton's Wife, Linda, Disappeared; She Has Never Been Heard From Again. Leaphorn's Recollection Of What Had Been Shrugged Off As A Halloween Prank Out At Old Fort Wingate Now Becomes The Itch He Has To Scratch. It Seems A Group Of Teens Shortcutting Across The Area Had Endured A Close Call With La Llorana, A Mythical Wailing Woman. The Information He Gathers Adds Yet Another Piece To The Puzzle Of The Missing Linda. Chee Is Up To His Elbows In Not Only The Investigation But Also In Sorting Through His Growing Emotional Confusion About The Beautiful Bernadette Manuelito. The Seemingly Insignificant Turns Critical And The Loose Ends Tie Up In One Tidy Conclusion As Hillerman Repeatedly Shines In This Masterfully Complex New Novel. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Loaded with e-book extras (not available in the print edition), including Tony Hillerman's running commentary on his work, his series heroes Leaphorn and Chee, and a special profile of the Navajo nation.To Officer Bernadette Manuelito, the man curled up on the truck seat was just another drunk -- which got Bernie in trouble for mishandling a crime scene -- which got Sergeant Jim Chee in trouble with the FBI -- which drew Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn out of retirement and back into the old "Golden Calf" homicide, a case he had hoped to forget.Nothing had seemed complicated about that earlier one. A con game had gone sour. A swindler had tried to sell wealthy old Wiley Denton the location of one of the West's multitude of legendary lost gold mines. Denton had shot the swindler, called the police, confessed the homicide, and done his short prison time. No mystery there.Except why did the rich man's bride vanish? The cynics said she was part of the swindle plot. She'd fled when it failed. But, alas, old Joe Leaphorn was a romantic. He believed in love, and thus the Golden Calf case still troubled him. Now, papers found in this new homicide case connect the victim to Denton and to the mythical Golden Calf Mine. The first Golden Calf victim had been there just hours before Denton killed him. And while Denton was killing him, four children trespassing among the rows of empty bunkers in the long-abandoned Wingate Ordnance Depot called in an odd report to the police. They had heard, in the wind wailing around the old buildings, what sounded like music and the cries of a woman Legendary detectives Leaphorn and Chee are pulled into mysteries old and new in this haunting tale of obsessive greed, lost love, and murder from the “national literary and cultural sensation” (Los Angeles Times)—New York Times bestselling author Tony Hillerman.“Tony Hillerman’s novels are like no others. His insightful portrayal of the vast Navajo Reservation, the spirit-haunted people who inhabit it and the clash between ancient traditions and modern civilization that has shaped its present and will determine its future has produced a body of work unique in mystery fiction.”—San Diego Union-TribuneTo Officer Bernie Manuelito the man curled on the truck seat was just another drunk—which got Bernie in trouble for mishandling a murder scene—which got Sgt. Jim Chee in trouble with the FBI—which drew ex-Lieutenent Joe Leaphorn out of retirement into an old crime he longed to forget. Legends of the area’s lost gold mines join the mountains and canyons of the Navajo Reservation as elements of Hillerman’s plot, but this tale turns on an obsessive love and memories of a missing woman’s voice wailing in the darkness. Nothing had seemed complicated about the old "Golden Calf" case. A con game had gone sour. Wealthy old Wiley Denton had shot the swindler, called the police, confessed, and done his short prison time. No mystery there, except why did the rich man's bride vanish? And now, papers found by Sergeant Jim Chee and Officer Bernie Manuelito in a new homicide case connect the victim to Denton and to the mythical Golden Calf Mine Officer Bernie Manuelito investigates an abandoned pickup truck and finds a corpse inside. She gets in trouble for disturbing a crime scene, Jim Chee gets in trouble with the FBI, and Joe Leaphorn comes out of retirement when it appears the matter of the corpse is related to an old case involving a lost mine. Investigations of the recent homicide reveals there was more to the old case than previously thought The mishandling of a murder scene places Navajo Tribal Police sergeant Jim Chee on the bad side of the FBI and brings ex-lieutenant Joe Leaphorn out of retirement into an old crime he hoped to forget OFFICER BERNADETTE MANUELITO had been having the busy day, enjoying most of it, and no longer feeling like the greenest rookie of the Navajo Tribal Police.