The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman

[NancyJ]

This is the first in a mystery series about Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn by Tony Hillerman. I read a recent book in this long series (which is written by his daughter Anne Hillerman), and I really liked Joe Leaphorn (who was mostly retired by that time). I wanted to see how the series started.

A murdered body is found high in a desolate area. Leaphorn consults with a professor of Ethnology to learn more about ancient lore (about a Wolf-witch) that might be related to the case. The professor is a major character in this book. The mystery itself wasn't all that exciting, but I really enjoyed hearing about the Navajo culture, its mystical stories, and the geography of the area. (The name "Many Ruins Canyon" creates a picture all by itself.)