Song of the Lion: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel

Anne Hillerman

Apr 2017 · A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel Book 3 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

Don’t miss the TV series, Dark Winds, based on the Leaphorn, Chee, & Manuelito novels, now on AMC and AMC+!  

New York Times Bestseller

“Fans of Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito, characters created by the author’s father, Tony Hillerman, will savor this multilayered story of suspense, with its background of contemporary environmental vs. development issues.” — Library Journal

A deadly bombing takes Navajo Tribal cops Bernadette Manuelito, Jim Chee, and their mentor, the legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, back into the past to find a vengeful killer in this riveting Southwestern mystery from the bestselling author of Spider Woman’s Daughter and Rock with Wings.

When a car bomb kills a young man in the Shiprock High School parking lot, Officer Bernadette Manuelito discovers that the intended victim was a mediator for a multi-million-dollar development planned at the Grand Canyon.

But what seems like an act of ecoterrorism turns out to be something far more nefarious. Piecing together the clues, Bernadette and her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee, uncover a scheme to disrupt the negotiations and inflame tensions between the Hopi and Dine tribes.

Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn has seen just about everything in his long career. As the tribal police’s investigation unfolds, he begins to suspect that the bombing may be linked to a cold case he handled years ago. As he, Bernadette, and Chee carefully pull away the layers behind the crime, they make a disturbing discovery: a meticulous and very patient killer with a long-simmering plan of revenge.

Writing with a clarity and grace that is all her own, Anne Hillerman depicts the beauty and mystery of Navajo Country and the rituals, myths, and customs of its people in a mystery that builds on and complements the beloved, bestselling mysteries of her acclaimed father, Tony Hillerman.

Ratings and reviews

I wanted so badly to like this book, but it really isn't very good. I think many of the positive reviews must come loyalty to her father, but it would be more helpful to the franchise for her to receive constructive criticism so that his legacy reaches its fullest potential. First, the plotting was disjointed. The interactions between Leaphorn, Chee , and Manuelito felt forced and simple sharing of information about key relationships didn't take place so there was redundancy in their various investigations. Ms Hillerman also doesn't write dialogue very well. During the scenes around the Grand Canyon hearings it felt very flat and was a wasted opportunity to give diverse characters a voice. The adversaries were very one dimensional. Compared to her father's ability to bring the landscape to life and make it an integral character, it didn't happen in this book. She just didn't effectively evoke the wonder and majesty of the Canyon, which is a shame.

Love a new author that can take what came before and make it their own and enhance it all!

Wonderful writing, just like her Father.

About the author

Anne Hillerman is the bestselling author of the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito mysteries. The series was created by her father, Tony Hillerman. She is also an executive producer of the Dark Winds television series on AMC. When Anne’s not working, she loves to walk with her dogs, read, cook, travel and enjoy the night sky. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Tucson, Arizona.