Rating: 
Summary: Leaphorn and Chee wear well
Review: In a Hillerman novel the Navajo embody a serene kind of patience where people never interrupt, hear everything that is said and wait as long as it takes for the whole story to be told. They accept as proven facts religious teachings and traditions that outsiders might consider frivolous superstitions. Add in a Tribal Police Force that combines dedication, logic and training with these deep rooted principles, and you get a group of investigators who always get to the bottom of things, usually making task oriented modern counterparts like the FBI look pompous and ineffective along the way. Officer Bernadette Manuelito discovers a body in an abandoned pickup truck, and there's probably a connection to a five-year-old homicide and the search for a lost gold mine. Sgt. Jim Chee, whom Bernie sees as friend, potential boyfriend and arrogant boss all at the same time, wants to shield her from embarrassment when she mishandles a piece of evidence at the crime scene. Chee's old boss, the "legendary" retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn who's always hanging around when something happens, solves that problem and begins his own investigation of the interlocking mysteries. Hillerman's characters grow naturally from story to story. Watch the relationship between Bernie and Chee evolve and see how Leaphorn faces the realities of retirement but is still sharp enough to earn most of the respect he formerly commanded. As always Hillerman maintains a consistent pace throughout. His craftsmanship and George Guidall's expert reading of the audiobook comfortably bring the audience in sync with the tempo and direction of the Navajo investigators. When the puzzle finally is solved, we realize that all the pieces were on the table from the beginning. The picture that emerges, however, like the characters that put it together, incorporates subtleties we didn't expect to see. A more logical response to a wailing wind five years earlier, for example, would have prevented a tragic and unnecessary death, and we never will know what the old shaman James Peshlakai said, did or did not do. This is my fourth Hillerman novel. While I've enjoyed them all, I would call "The Wailing Wind" the most satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Another great Hillerman mystery!
Review: If you have enjoyed any of Tony Hillerman's previous novels set in the "Four Corners", you will surely enjoy reading "The Wailing Wind". As before, Mr. Hillerman brings together the legendary Joe Leaphorn with younger Sergeant Jim Chee. Together they work to solve a recent murder as well as reopen an old homicide investigation that seemed to everyone to be an open and shut case, to everyone but "Lieutenant" Leaphorn. With the addition of Officer Bernie Manuelito and Leaphorn's lady Professor (introduced in 'Coyote Waits'), the new foursome make an odd, but compelling quartet. As always, there are fascinating bits of Navajo mythology expertly weaved into the tale.
My thanks to Mr. Hillerman for another fine mystery that keeps you interested until the final chapter, and hungry for the next book!
Rating: 
Summary: Almost inspirational...
Review: Possible spoilers in this review of Tony Hillerman's "The Wailing Wind". Rating: six out of ten. This is a difficult review by a former New Mexican. If you haven't read any Hillerman novels, please start from the first novel. The content of the novel is Leaphorn/Chee formulaic, but very promising. Hillerman has wonderful aspects here, i.e., Bernie's description of a ceremony in her childhood, the sacred places and the beautiful legends, a likeable antagonist, the Navajo culture and landscape, etc. His ending is almost inspirational, but some people will take offence. It's, however, a novel where the pacing is almost at the mark, yet there are obvious inconsistencies as pointed out in other reviews; the most glaring is on p. 96. I personally never want to see "wry" or "grin" or "oh" in his novels again either; a thesaurus would do nicely here. His editor has let him down by not asking for a revamp in places. What are those Harper Collins folks doing? The novel might have been better served if we got to know Marvin and Linda more in the first chapter. I love his enigmatic first chapters the best; hardly any mystery writer has Hillerman's impact. This is a better book than "Hunting Badger", but not like "The Blessing Way" to "Sacred Clowns", his best period. I look forward to the Mystery presentation on PBS this fall of "Skinwalkers", the first American mystery program of their twenty-two year history. Perhaps that program will capture the magic and gifts of Hillerman's storytelling. Just a few grains and flakes of gold here, not a nugget in sight. And only a slight, disenchanted wind.
Rating: 
Summary: Hillerman is in the hogan
Review: A fine evening's read. I left the window open just a little so I could hear the breeze squeeze past the pane and whisper its own small wail. One of the best things about detective fiction is the common problem, and the ongoing characters' reactions to the problem. Having read lots of these stories, it was just great to visit with Jim Chee and Lt. Leaphorn again. The setting is as bewitching and captivating as ever. It left that old "Hillerman-ian" glow with me after I put it down. OK...there were a couple of editorial glitches that prompted me to re-read a couple of pages, and I place the blame for that on the editorial process. Somebody didn't proof this very well. But this is a quibble. Its about atmosphere, character, effect. This book has all of that and more.
Rating:
Summary: A franchise mystery series that doesn't disappoint
Review: After some huge disappointments in some of the big-name mystery series' offerings this year I was concerned that Hillerman too would fall into this category. I needn't have worried. The book is a fine example of what we followers have come to expect in this series. The focus has always been more on the characters and the Navaho way than on the plot. It's fun to see Leaphorn dealing with retirement, his ladyfriend and his ever present maps. I only wish there had been more description of the lands and customs of the Navaho as there has been in earlier books.
Rating:
Summary: Chee and Leaphorn are still great characters!
Review: With Hillerman, you know what you are going to get. He has the ability to entertain and educate without resorting to mindless violence or gratuitous sex. His brilliance lies in his descriptions of character and place. Chee and Leaphorn are old friends that take us through the Navajo lands and offer glimpses into their culture. Although this is not one of Hillerman's best, it still is a comfortable read and it is nice to be reacquainted with Leaphorn and Chee. With Hillerman, the mystery is a bonus. When he is on his game, there is nobody better. When his story slips a little, he is still fun to read because we know these characters and enjoy these landscapes. I fear the day that Hillerman stops writing these mysteries. Although there are quite a few writers that have copied his style and subject matter ( a tribute to Hillerman's brilliance), none are nearly as good.
Rating:
Summary: A delight, but some disappointments.....
Review: I really loved this book. This is the story of Jim Chee, a Navaho tribal policeman, his mentor Joe Leaphorn and policewoman Bernadette Manuelito, as they struggle to solve the murder of a murdered local man. What I really liked about this book, is that they really spent more time with Bernie Manuelito. Its nice to have another strong female lead, especially one who is in Law Enforcement. What I was disappointed with, however, was how this character de-volved make one mistake after another... And the ending.... Well... I just sighed with disappointment.... Overall, a good book, but it reinforces some negative stereotypes about women's roles that I could've lived without.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Pleasure, Pure Hillerman
Review: I loved it. All the familiar characters present and accounted for here. Not only was the story great but as usual there was that wonderful added bonus of learning more of Navajo culture and history. I hated for it to end and am already looking forward to the next. Hope you have one started Mr Hillerman.
D.Cooper
Cocoa, Fl.
Rating: 
Summary: More like "Passing Wind"
Review: Somebody at HarperCollins really screwed up: A working draft of Tony Hillerman's latest book was published instead of the finished work. How else to explain the threadbare plot, failure to develop anything engaging about either the characters or their motivations, the lack of any suspense or discernable climax, the lame conclusion, and so many more shortcomings? The writing is not up to anyone's professional standards, much less Hillerman's; it sounds more like a high school creative writing project. Does anyone ever speak without "grinning"? Does an experienced story teller and stylist complete a desciptive sentence with "etc." so frequently? Can't the numerous parenthetical expressions, used in such an amateurish style, be reworked into a more literary and compelling form? Not to mention the numerous continuity flaws: First the Gallup FBI office is on Coal Avenue (p. 170), then on Gold Avenue (p. 174). Leaphorn drives up in his pickup (p. 189), then stops and takes a box out of the "trunk of his own car" (p. 190). Puhleeeeze! Maybe Hillerman just phoned this one in from the beach somewhere. At a scant 232 pages, it wouldn't have taken long to dictate. Or maybe I should just blame everything on the editors, ... If they'd been paying attention, this draft "The Wailing Wind" never would have seen the light of day. With another six months of work it might have been made into a decent book; as it stands it's not worth buying or reading. ... What a major disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Up to par
Review: This was classic Hillerman. I loved it. I love all of his books and this one was great. I hated for it to end and will try to be patient until the next "Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn" book comes out.
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