Cave of Bones: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel: 4 - Softcover

Hillerman, Anne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0062391933 ISBN 13: 9780062391933

Publisher: Harper, 2019

Synopsis

A New York Times Bestseller

Anne Hillerman brings together modern mystery, Navajo traditions, and the evocative landscape of the desert Southwest in this intriguing entry in the Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito series.

When Tribal Police Officer Bernadette Manuelito arrives to speak at an outdoor character-building program for at-risk teens, she discovers chaos. Annie, a young participant on a solo experience due back hours before, has just returned and is traumatized. Gently questioning the girl, Bernie learns that Annie stumbled upon a human skeleton on her trek. While everyone is relieved that Annie is back, they’re concerned about a beloved instructor who went out into the wilds of the rugged lava wilderness bordering Ramah Navajo Reservation to find the missing girl. The instructor vanished somewhere in the volcanic landscape known as El Malpais. In Navajo lore, the lava caves and tubes are believed to be the solidified blood of a terrible monster killed by superhuman twin warriors.

Solving the twin mysteries will expose Bernie to the chilling face of human evil. The instructor’s disappearance mirrors a long-ago search that may be connected to a case in which the legendary Joe Leaphorn played a crucial role. But before Bernie can find the truth, an unexpected blizzard, a suspicious accidental drowning, and the arrival of a new FBI agent complicate the investigation.

While Bernie searches for answers in her case, her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee juggles trouble closer to home. A vengeful man he sent to prison for domestic violence is back—and involved with Bernie’s sister Darleen. Their relationship creates a dilemma that puts Chee in uncomfortable emotional territory that challenges him as family man, a police officer, and as a one-time medicine man in training.

Anne Hillerman takes us deep into the heart of the deserts, mountains, and forests of New Mexico and once again explores the lore and rituals of Navajo culture in this gripping entry in her atmospheric crime series.

About this title

Review:

“As Hillerman continues her father’s legacy through his beloved characters, she’s gradually and gratifyingly finding her own voice.” (Kirkus)

“Hillerman seamlessly blends tribal lore and custom into a well-directed plot, continuing in the spirit of her late father, Tony, by keeping his characters (like Chee) in the mix, but still establishing Manuelito as the main player in what has become a fine legacy series.” (Booklist)

“Anne’s voice is exceptional, the tool of a natural storyteller.” (NewsOK)

“Cave of Bones is simply a pleasure to read...Hillerman’s best novel yet.” (Comic Book Bin)

“This fictional universe now belongs firmly in the hands of Anne Hillerman” (New York Journal of Books)

From the Back Cover:

When Tribal Police Officer Bernadette Manuelito arrives to speak at an outdoor character-building program for at-risk teens, she discovers Annie, a camper, has just returned from a solo experience traumatized. Annie stumbled upon something unspeakable while she was lost. And the beloved instructor who hiked in search of her is still missing.

The instructor’s disappearance mirrors a long-ago search in which Joe Leaphorn played a crucial role. Meanwhile, Jim Chee tackles what should have been an easy assignment—get an update on a Navajo man married to a Tesuque Pueblo woman and neglecting his mother. But instead, deadly confusion abounds. Before they discover the truth, an unexpected blizzard, possible misuse of tribal funds, an angry Shiprock councilor, and the arrival of a new FBI agent complicate the investigation.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 0062391933
• ISBN 13: 9780062391933
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 416