Born: May 25, 1925 Died: October 26, 2008
Series: Leaphorn & Chee
Main Characters: Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, Bernie Manuelito
Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee series was one of the first mystery series I started to read on a regular basis. In fact the first two books I read The Ghostway and The Dark Wind are listed in my first Book Lover’s Journal without any comments!
The first book I formerly listed with a date read and comments was A Thief in Time. By the time it was released in 1988, I was on track to continue to read the books, as they were released.
I read the series regularly until 2002. After that I didn’t read another seeies book until 2018, when I when read The Sinister Pig. Just recently, I found a copy of The Wailing Wind on my library’s free shelves. I can’t wait to read it!
Why the Leaphorn and Chee Series Sticks with Me
While the storylines in the series are always good and most times involve Navajo culture, it’s Jim Chee’s fight to balance his native heritage and his professional responsbilities as a police detective that stands out for me.
Hillerman not only wrote about Navajo culture, he also wrote about other tribes including Zuni and Hopi, Hillerman explains his reasoning as follows:
“It’s always troubled me that the American people are so ignorant of these rich Indian cultures. I think it’s important to show that aspects of ancient Indian ways are still very much alive and are highly germane even to our ways.”
The Passing of the Torch
Since Tony Hillerman passed, his daughter has kept the Leaphorn and Chee series alive. She has added nine books to the series bringing the total number of books to 27.
I must confess, like Robert Ludlum books and the Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series, whose series that were continued by different authors, I haven’t read any books authored by Anne Hillerman. I do have several of those bookson my TBR shelves. Now may be the time to return to the series!
Awards Tony Hillerman Received
- Edgar Award: Awarded by the Mystery Writers of America.
- Grand Master Award: Awarded by the Mystery Writers of America.
- Center for the American Indian Ambassador Award: A significant honor from the Center for the American Indian.
- Spur Award (for Best Western Novel): Awarded by Western Writers of America.
- Navajo Tribal Council Special Friend of the Dineh Award: An award for his contributions to the Navajo people.
- Agatha Award (for Seldom Disappointed): An award for his memoir, Seldom Disappointed: A Memoir.
- Macavity Award (for A Thief of Time): A literary award for mystery novels.
- Macavity Award (for Talking Mysteries): Awarded for his non-fiction work.
- Oklahoma Hall of Fame: He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1997.
- Parris Award: Awarded in 1995 by the Southwest Writer’s Workshop for his service to other writers.
- Agatha Malice Domestic Award for Lifetime Achievement: Given for lifetime achievement in mystery writing.
Leaphorn and Chee Novels
| Title | Series/No. | Date Published | Date Read | Notes |
| The Shape Shifter | (leaphorn & Chee #18) | 2006 | not read | |
| Skeleton Man | (Leaphorn & Chee #17) | 2006 | not read | |
| The Sinister Pig | (Leaphorn & Chee, #16) | 2003 | 2018 | |
| The Wailing Wind | (Leaphorn&Chee #15) | 2002 | not read | |
| Hunting Badger | (Leaphorn & Chee, #14) | 1999 | 2000 | |
| The First Eagle | (Leaphorn & Chee, #13) | 1998 | 1999 | |
| The Fallen Man | (Leaphorn & Chee, #12) | 1996 | 1997 | |
| Sacred Clowns | (Leaphorn & Chi, #11) | 1993 | 1994 | |
| Coyote Waits | (Leaphorn & Chee, #10) | 1990 | 1990 | |
| Talking God | (Leaphorn & Chee, #9) | 1989 | 1989 | |
| A Thief of Time | (Leaphorn & Chee, #8) | 1988 | 1988 | |
| Skinwalkers | (Leaphorn & Chee, #7) | 1986 | 1987 | |
| The Ghostway | (Leaphorn & Chee, #6) | 1985 | 1987 | |
| The Dark Wind | (Leaphorn & Chee, #5) | 1983 | 1987 | |
| People of Darkness | (Leaphorn & Chee #4) | 1982 | ? | |
| Listening Woman | (Leaphorn & Chee, #3) | 1979 | 1989 | |
| Dance Hall of the Dead | (Leaphorn & Chee, #2) | 1982 | ? | |
| The Blessing Way | (Leaphorn & Chee, #1) | 1978 | 1987 |
Anne Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee Novels
| Book Number | Date Published | Title | Notes |
| 19 | 2013 | Spider Woman’s Daughter | |
| 20 | 2015 | Rock With Wings | |
| 21 | 2017 | Cave of Bones | |
| 22 | 2018 | Cave of Bones | |
| 23 | 2019 | The Tale Teller | |
| 24 | 2021 | Stargazer | |
| 25 | 2022 | The Sacred Bridge | |
| 26 | 2023 | The Way of the Bear | |
| 27 | 2024 | Lost Birds | |
…
