Rating: 
Summary: Strong Fiction, Thin on Mystery Plot (spoilers)
Review:
There are times when reading Hillerman's Southwestern Mysteries that I wish he wasn't constrained by the rules of mainstream crime fiction. You'd think that given the unconventional setting and unconventional characters, you'd be reading an unconventional story. Almost, but not quite. It wraps up neatly as always--bad guys get theirs, justice is done. As in his other books, the author forces his resolution when, quite frankly, the plot is the weakest part of his writing. Or, more to the point, I couldn't care less about the Crime. It's the main characters and their world I find fascinating. Maybe that's the weak point in most of his plots--the bad guys just aren't very well-developed, especially in comparison to the "good guys."As short novels about the Southwest, this series always succeeds. You'll learn about the world of illegal Anasazi Pot Hunters along with some interesting (although now out of date) facts about the Anasazi themselves. Despite the continuing myth, the Anasazi did not "disappear," they simply moved for a variety of reasons; not least of which was the collapse of the Chaco Phenomenon, due to the sharp drop in demand for turquoise from Toltec Mexico then (1200s) experiencing a long series of wars between petty empires. Read Hillerman for his Southwestern flavor and you'll never be disappointed. Read him for plot and mystery, and you'll feel a bit short-changed. The ending, as always, will seem contrived and faintly ridiculous, but you'll enjoy the journey. Leaphorn and Chee are both legendary characters now, and this book played no small part in establishing them as such. RstJ
Rating:
Summary: Strong Fiction, Thin on Mystery Plot (spoilers)
Review:
There are times when reading Hillerman's Southwestern Mysteries that I wish he wasn't constrained by the rules of mainstream crime fiction. You'd think that given the unconventional setting and unconventional characters, you'd be reading an unconventional story. Almost, but not quite. It wraps up neatly as always--bad guys get theirs, justice is done. As in his other books, the author forces his resolution when, quite frankly, the plot is the weakest part of his writing. Or, more to the point, I couldn't care less about the Crime. It's the main characters and their world I find fascinating. Maybe that's the weak point in most of his plots--the bad guys just aren't very well-developed, especially in comparison to the "good guys." As short novels about the Southwest, this series always succeeds. You'll learn about the world of illegal Anasazi Pot Hunters along with some interesting (although now out of date) facts about the Anasazi themselves. Despite the continuing myth, the Anasazi did not "disappear," they simply moved for a variety of reasons; not least of which was the collapse of the Chaco Phenomenon, due to the sharp drop in demand for turquoise from Toltec Mexico then (1200s) experiencing a long series of wars between petty empires. Read Hillerman for his Southwestern flavor and you'll never be disappointed. Read him for plot and mystery, and you'll feel a bit short-changed. The ending, as always, will seem contrived and faintly ridiculous, but you'll enjoy the journey. Leaphorn and Chee are both legendary characters now, and this book played no small part in establishing them as such. RstJ
Rating: 
Summary: Last of the best
Review: After adding *Sacred Clowns* to his "Navajo mysteries" series, Hillerman stepped out of the milieu to write a novel best forgotten, *Finding Moon*, about the fall of Saigon. Sadly, when he returned to the series, something was lost, and the books since have felt almost as if they were being ghost-written for him. *Sacred Clowns* is the last of the best of these books. Set at the fictional "Hano" Pueblo, it explores history, religion, and antiquities, weaving together environmental issues, intertribal rivalries, and a good, solid story with interesting characters. Chee and Leaphorn are dealing with their respective personal problems, and both stories move forward in promising ways. This is not the best of the series. That honor goes to *A Thief of Time*, because Hillerman got it all right and it dazzles. It's not the most representative. That would be *Skinwalkers*, I think, and hence its selection for the first Hillerman Mystery Theatre production this fall. And it's not my favorite; that would be *Coyote Waits*, with its surprise ending that brings home the potential for tragedy on the reservation better than any mainstream novel I've read. But it is a good, solid book, entertaining, educational, densely plotted and well written. Of the books added to the series since, the lastest, *The Wailing Wind*, finally suggests that Hillerman is getting back on track, but if you are new to this remarkable and exciting set of novels, begin with one of the three I've recommended above, then, if you like that, go back to the first or second novel and read your way forward. By the time you jump the gully of *Finding Moon*, you will be prepared to forgive some tiredness in the stories that come after. Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee will be gone eventually, like Thomas Perry's wonderful Jane Whitefield. I will miss them. For a complete discussion of the "Indian mystery" genre, check my web site.
Rating:
Summary: One of the biggest highlights in an outstanding series.
Review: Against his editor's counsel, Tony Hillerman switched from nonfiction to fiction writing over 30 years ago, with a story ultimately entitled "The Blessing Way;" introducing an (at the time) new type of hero and a new setting to the realm of the mystery novel - a Navajo policeman named Joe Leaphorn and the world of the Diné, i.e. [Navajo] "people," living on the rugged plains, deserts and mountain ridges of the southwestern Four Corners Country. From the first book on, Hillerman's novels drew in equal parts on the author's natural gift as a storyteller, his upbringing within and hence, intimate knowledge of the world he describes, and his training as a writer; all of these elements blending into fascinating storylines and vivid and accurate portrayals of the land and its people. Based on the success of his Leaphorn series, Tony Hillerman then created a new hero and (initially: a second) series set in Dinetah (Navajo country): tribal policeman Jim Chee. But while Joe Leaphorn was married and methodical and seemed, over the course of the years, to have found a way to harmonize Navajo traditions and 20th century American life, the younger Chee, unmarried, initially trained to be a shaman and deeply traditional, yet at the same time drawn to women living in the white man's world, was struggling to find that same sense of balance. Whether or not Hillerman's unequal heroes were always meant to meet, they eventually did so in "Skinwalkers" and have been solving crimes together ever since, and their disparate tempers and approaches to police work add another level of tension to the stories, in addition to the cultural differences between the Navajo and the world(s) surrounding them, and the tribal policemen's perpetual clashes with the federal authorities. In more than one novel, Hillerman transcends the world of the Navajo, bringing in and contrasting to it the views and traditions of other tribes of the Southwest, not all of them historically on friendly terms with the Navajo (e.g. the Hopi in "The Dark Wind," the Ute in "Hunting Badger" and the Zuni in "Dance Hall of the Dead"). In "Sacred Clowns," Chee and Leaphorn (who has long since gained a reputation as the "Legendary Lieutenant") must delve into the society of Tano Pueblo to solve the murder of a teacher at a Navajo school, which seems to be connected to a death in the pueblo. As they dig through layers and layers of secrets, they again face the skepticism of a society that has had its "issues" with the Diné in the past. Yet, they slowly unravel the mystery surrounding the Kachina dancers ("sacred clowns") at the heart of the story and finally come to an, as always, surprising conclusion. If you have never read a book by Hillerman and it's important to you to get to know the main characters of a series as they develop over the course of time, you'll have no choice but to go all the way back to "The Blessing Way" and read your way through to this particular book (which in a way makes sense, of course and, given the caliber of these stories and their author, should be a lot of fun, too). But like every good writer, Hillerman provides enough background for Leaphorn and Chee for even a first-time reader to be able to understand and appreciate his heroes and the things that drive them from the context of any of their stories - and I'll almost guarantee that this won't remain your only Hillerman book for a long time anyway: you'll be hooked midway through the tale at the very latest and will want to know more about the Legendary Lieutenant, Sergeant Chee and their people as soon as possible and before long, will find yourself swallowing every other book about them, too. Oh, by the way ... they are still at work together, never mind that Joe Leaphorn retired from the police a couple of years ago; so you should probably also be prepared for new installments. Yet, while I have no doubt that those will all be good reads (so far, there isn't one weak book in the series), "Sacred Clowns" will forever remain one of my favorite stories about Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Sergeant Jim Chee.
Rating: 
Summary: Cultural portrait more compelling than the mystery...
Review: I'm not really a mystery buff, so when my book discussion group chose this title to read, I was a little wary. But someone who had read several Hillerman titles recommended his works as much for the cultural portraits they provide as for the mystery element. With SACRED CLOWNS the cultural component is strong indeed: in fact, you could say that the murder mystery is mainly a pretext to explore Navajo and Pueblo life more deeply. Cultural lore comes first, and wrapped up in the text of a pulpy detective novel, it may seem easier to take than, say, a anthropological tome or a socio-political screed. I found the murder story sketchy and confusing. Perhaps regular readers of the genre would disagree. What I did find compelling were the principal characters, tribal police officers Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, their inner conflicts and their attempts to make sense out of the cultural conflicts they experience. They, and some of the secondary characters as well, are well developed characters, whom you come to care about. What makes the mystery storyline a little less resonant, I suspect, is that we never really get to know much about the victim or ultimately, the murderers themselves. The ending is a bit of a surprise, but primarily because it involves characters we scarcely got to know at all. Still, I wouldn't rule out reading more Hillerman. As a more or less painless way of acquainting oneself with American Indian culture, this novel can't be beat. Well worth checking out--if not at the cash register, or via email, at least consider borrowing it from the local libary.
Rating:
Summary: Hillerman doesn't 'clown' around in this thriller!
Review: Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, Tony Hillerman's crack Navajo investigators, know treachery, deceit, corruption, wickedness, and tribal politics of their fellow Navajos very well. In "Sacred Clowns," Hillerman is in top form, spinning his web of intrigue, murder, and, indeed, mayhem in the Southwest. In addition to a taut plot line, in which Leaphorn and Chee are at their best, Hillerman's penchant for presenting the character of these two is superb. Both are incredibly complex men, yet so vastly different too. A teacher at a local Navajo school is murdered; shortly afterward another murder, this time at the Tano Indian pueblo. With the adroit skill of which his readers have become accustomed, Hillerman unfolds his story with the dexterity of a surgeon. The sacred kachina scenario is one of his finest, as Hillerman evokes the landscape and atmosphere so well. Hillerman seems to have done more for the preservation of the Navajo culture than just about anyone, yet his story line does not suffer. As the kachinas (sacred clowns) are not what they seem, neither are the murders. This book is refreshing--and compelling--to read!
Rating: 
Summary: Lackluster at best...
Review: Let me preface this by saying I was required to read this book for a college course that focused on Native Americans in the Southwest. Also, I've never written a review for Amazon.com, although I've been a patron for years. However, after reading this book and seeing the average rating of 4.5 stars, I felt compelled to write this. Finally, if it was possible, I would have given this story 1.5 stars. This is why: 1. Vocabulary/Word Choice. Maybe it's just my background in English that makes me take major notice of this. The book would be an extremely quick read if acutally reading it wasn't such a painful experience. The low-level vocabulary, while ensuring that this novel could appeal to a wide audience, actually made me feel like Hillerman was "talking-down" to me. 2. Character Development. The characters seemed extremely static and shallow. Granted, I haven't read other books in this series (and before visiting this page, didn't even know there was a series), so I don't know if the characters are expanded in other volumes. However, as a stand-alone book, this story provides no insight (except for SURFACE insight) into the characters. As such, I felt no closeness to the characters at all and could not identify with them (as they did not feel like they could be real people). The love interest, Janet Pete, is nothing more than a name on the page. The reader knows she is an attorney, but she doesn't have much dialogue, and none of it is profound or note-worthy. When we peer into the main character Chee's thoughts on Janet, most of the time we are only suffered to read immature and mildly sexual commentary on her appearance. 3. The quality of the "mystery" itself. This has been mentioned before, but it is one of the main reasons I would not recommend this book. I can honestly say the "mystery" was not intriguing at all. Heck, it's a double homicide, but it's dull and doesn't seem to be well thought-out. The case is constantly put on the back-burner for equally uninteresting side stories. In this way, a rather short book spread itself very thin. If you're looking for a decent mystery, look elsewhere. So, those are really the things I look for in a mystery book (in addition to keeping an eye out for figurative language... needless to say there wasn't any in this book that I noticed), and I didn't find any of them in appreciable amounts in this story. Reading this book did not make me want to read any other books in the series. After all that negativity, I must say that the book does serve to introduce some concepts of Native American culture that are factual. But if you want to get that information, I think a book devoted to the subject would be of much more use. And if you want a mystery, curl up with Sherlock Holmes. This combination leaves no satisfaction.
Rating:
Summary: Lackluster at best...
Review: Let me preface this by saying I was required to read this book for a college course that focused on Native Americans in the Southwest. Also, I've never written a review for Amazon.com, although I've been a patron for years. However, after reading this book and seeing the average rating of 4.5 stars, I felt compelled to write this. Finally, if it was possible, I would have given this story 1.5 stars. This is why: 1. Vocabulary/Word Choice. Maybe it's just my background in English that makes me take major notice of this. The book would be an extremely quick read if acutally reading it wasn't such a painful experience. The low-level vocabulary, while ensuring that this novel could appeal to a wide audience, actually made me feel like Hillerman was "talking-down" to me. 2. Character Development. The characters seemed extremely static and shallow. Granted, I haven't read other books in this series (and before visiting this page, didn't even know there was a series), so I don't know if the characters are expanded in other volumes. However, as a stand-alone book, this story provides no insight (except for SURFACE insight) into the characters. As such, I felt no closeness to the characters at all and could not identify with them (as they did not feel like they could be real people). The love interest, Janet Pete, is nothing more than a name on the page. The reader knows she is an attorney, but she doesn't have much dialogue, and none of it is profound or note-worthy. When we peer into the main character Chee's thoughts on Janet, most of the time we are only suffered to read immature and mildly sexual commentary on her appearance. 3. The quality of the "mystery" itself. This has been mentioned before, but it is one of the main reasons I would not recommend this book. I can honestly say the "mystery" was not intriguing at all. Heck, it's a double homicide, but it's dull and doesn't seem to be well thought-out. The case is constantly put on the back-burner for equally uninteresting side stories. In this way, a rather short book spread itself very thin. If you're looking for a decent mystery, look elsewhere. So, those are really the things I look for in a mystery book (in addition to keeping an eye out for figurative language... needless to say there wasn't any in this book that I noticed), and I didn't find any of them in appreciable amounts in this story. Reading this book did not make me want to read any other books in the series. After all that negativity, I must say that the book does serve to introduce some concepts of Native American culture that are factual. But if you want to get that information, I think a book devoted to the subject would be of much more use. And if you want a mystery, curl up with Sherlock Holmes. This combination leaves no satisfaction.
Rating:
Summary: Wisdom and patience of the Navaho solves this mystery
Review: Like other Tony Hillerman novels that I have read, Sacred Clowns is like a leisurely visit with some old friends, sharing fascinating and entertaining stories and feelings. Not only do you get to further explore the symbiotic but always tenuous relationship between officers Leaphorn and Chee, but you have the opportunity to learn about indian artifacts, Hopi and Navaho culture, beliefs and ceremonies. Sacred Clowns is another collaborative effort between Leaphorn and Chee, slowly but surely bringing this story together like solving a complex puzzle. Two seemingly unrelated murders, a valuable artifact and a Hopi ceremony provide the foundation for the intrigue. There is an interesting assortment of characters (a politician, school teacher, environmentalist, lawyers, just to name a few) whose associations and interactions provide the hints and clues upon which the puzzle slowly comes together. As always, you get to experience the imagery that Hillerman describes of the desert southwest, throughout the story. For me, the really compelling part of this novel, like the other Hillerman novels about the Navaho Tribal Police, is the interactions and personality clashes between Leaphorn and Chee - this provides a very interesting and entertaining way to learn about these characters. You get to know them like close acquaintances who let you know their thoughts about what is happening in the story, and how these events and circumstances touch their personal lives. Although the story ends a bit abruptly for me, I think that previous readers of Hillerman novels, as well as newcomers, will find this book a worthwhile endeavor.
Rating:
Summary: Not his best work
Review: Normally, I find the Leaphorn series books quite engrossing and usually finish them in a day. With this one however, the story failed to draw me in the way the others have. I felt this book especially was more of a character introduction for Jim Chee than an outright mystery. It does provide insight into Chee's thought patterns, but I felt it focused on this area a bit too much for one novel.
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