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mnboyer's review
4.0
A super fun read that takes place on the Navajo Reservation and involves Detective Leaphorn and Officer Chee--a great read if you are interested in American Indian Detective novels, and I highly recommend the series.
The story begins with anthropologist Eleanor Friedman-Bernal going missing. She is known for her work with Anasazi pottery, and it is might suspicious that she just up and disappears. Bring in a depressed Leaphorn, who is grieving and is nearing retirement, but nonetheless finds himself wanting to uncover the mystery surrounding Eleanor's disappearance. Meanwhile, Officer Chee is chasing down his own thief he's calling the Backhoe Bandit. As you can imagine, these two different cases overlap and both men become involved with finding Eleanor.
A lot of the story revolves around the Anasazi, and there is some interesting information and theorization that the anthropologists in the novel are attempting to uncover. This leads to discussions of digging up pottery (and Anasazi remains) that is quite interesting as well. There is a hint of magical realism because there is a hidden figure up in the hills that may be an ancient flute player--or it may just be another character in the story.
All in all, I read this overnight in a quick sitting. There are a few areas where you might guess some of the twists and turns if you read a lot of detective novels, or if you're familiar with Hillerman's style. That being said, it was a great read--super fun and it kept my interest till the end. An enjoyable ending, as well, that ties up most of your questions as a reader.
The story begins with anthropologist Eleanor Friedman-Bernal going missing. She is known for her work with Anasazi pottery, and it is might suspicious that she just up and disappears. Bring in a depressed Leaphorn, who is grieving and is nearing retirement, but nonetheless finds himself wanting to uncover the mystery surrounding Eleanor's disappearance. Meanwhile, Officer Chee is chasing down his own thief he's calling the Backhoe Bandit. As you can imagine, these two different cases overlap and both men become involved with finding Eleanor.
A lot of the story revolves around the Anasazi, and there is some interesting information and theorization that the anthropologists in the novel are attempting to uncover. This leads to discussions of digging up pottery (and Anasazi remains) that is quite interesting as well. There is a hint of magical realism because there is a hidden figure up in the hills that may be an ancient flute player--or it may just be another character in the story.
All in all, I read this overnight in a quick sitting. There are a few areas where you might guess some of the twists and turns if you read a lot of detective novels, or if you're familiar with Hillerman's style. That being said, it was a great read--super fun and it kept my interest till the end. An enjoyable ending, as well, that ties up most of your questions as a reader.
mpetruce's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
amberdebo's review
5.0
Chaco. How could I not love a book about the first national park I ever worked in? Being a Park Ranger at Chaco Culture NHP changed my entire life and set me on a lifelong career in the National Park Service. Of course I loved this book.
bizzerg's review
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
acarman1's review
5.0
A thief of time is a person who steals historical artifacts. This detective novel delves into the crossover between what those thieves and the respectable archaeological community. When an archaeologist goes missing on the quest for ancient Anasazi relics, Lieutenant Leaphorn joins the hunt, if only to distract him from his great grief over the recent loss of his wife. Meanwhile, Jim Chee pursues a thief of time who has also stolen Navajo digging equipment. When the thief's body turns up surrounded by ancient Anasazi skeletons and relics, Chee's case and Leaphorn's case collide. Set against the rich tapestry of the Southwest and involving a deep dive into the underbelly of academia and a brush with a Mormon serial killer, the novel also accomplishes the great personal rapprochement between our heroes as Leaphorn makes peace with Chee's double life as a cop and medicine man and Chee recognizes for the first time how much he wants Leaphorn's respect.
coreysehr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
mquater's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
roshk99's review
3.0
An excellent mystery with insights into the Navajo culture and the relations between the Navajo people and the Westerners in the area.