Rating: 
Summary: Listening Woman
Review: One of his best! I'm a great Hillerman fan, and this one kept me up on a weeknight to finish.
Rating:
Summary: Read the early ones like this!
Review: Read the early ones like this! Truly a journey to another place. I agree with all the other reviewers. Much much better than his recent books.
Rating:
Summary: Read the early ones like this!
Review: Read the early ones like this! Truly a journey to another place. I agree with all the other reviewers. Much much better than his recent books.
Rating: 
Summary: Leaphorn thinks he's Dirk Pitt
Review: The first half of Listening Woman, the third in the Joe Leaphorn series, is vintage Hillerman. There's lots of desert scenery and insights into Native American life. Unlike other books, this book is focused entirely within the Navajoes but even then we learn that there are 58 clans, 57 who keep Navajo time and then this clan that's slow even by Navajo standards. Of course, much of the mystery takes place on their turf. Joe is investigating a variety of backburner cases as an excuse to be in an area where a motorist had nearly hit him. As he digs deeper, a missing helicopter and an FBI investigation seem to be involved in whatever is going on. Enter the Dirk Pitt side of Joe's personality. I won't spoil the surprise but suffice it to say that Joe endures flame, flood and a host of other harrowing experiences as he solves the crime and saves the day. Bottom line: Less religion and culture, more action than the other Hillerman's I've read. Still, a fun, entertaining read.
Rating:
Summary: Leaphorn thinks he's Dirk Pitt
Review: The first half of Listening Woman, the third in the Joe Leaphorn series, is vintage Hillerman. There's lots of desert scenery and insights into Native American life. Unlike other books, this book is focused entirely within the Navajoes but even then we learn that there are 58 clans, 57 who keep Navajo time and then this clan that's slow even by Navajo standards. Of course, much of the mystery takes place on their turf. Joe is investigating a variety of backburner cases as an excuse to be in an area where a motorist had nearly hit him. As he digs deeper, a missing helicopter and an FBI investigation seem to be involved in whatever is going on. Enter the Dirk Pitt side of Joe's personality. I won't spoil the surprise but suffice it to say that Joe endures flame, flood and a host of other harrowing experiences as he solves the crime and saves the day. Bottom line: Less religion and culture, more action than the other Hillerman's I've read. Still, a fun, entertaining read.
Rating:
Summary: Very solid work
Review: There are few things as satisfying in the modern mystery novel as looking into the methodical mind of Detective Joe Leaphorn. While many people read Tony Hillerman for his insights into Navajo culture, I most enjoy his depiction of the always thoughtful Leaphorn. In Listening Woman, Leaphorn faces his usual intertangled mess of events: being nearly run over by a maniac, the theft of a helicopter, and two unsolved deaths in a remote corner of the reservation. The joy of this book is its window into Leaphorn's mind as he tries to make sense of seemingly random events. Hillerman's myteries are enjoyable because he keeps the details in front of the reader. His detectives express bafflement, hold erroneous assumptions, and are very much prone to mistaken judgement. As such, they are real and believable. Listening Woman features a remarkable and intense closing sequence, which I have no intention of ruining. This is one of Hillerman's best novels and I heartily recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Very solid work
Review: There are few things as satisfying in the modern mystery novel as looking into the methodical mind of Detective Joe Leaphorn. While many people read Tony Hillerman for his insights into Navajo culture, I most enjoy his depiction of the always thoughtful Leaphorn. In Listening Woman, Leaphorn faces his usual intertangled mess of events: being nearly run over by a maniac, the theft of a helicopter, and two unsolved deaths in a remote corner of the reservation. The joy of this book is its window into Leaphorn's mind as he tries to make sense of seemingly random events. Hillerman's myteries are enjoyable because he keeps the details in front of the reader. His detectives express bafflement, hold erroneous assumptions, and are very much prone to mistaken judgement. As such, they are real and believable. Listening Woman features a remarkable and intense closing sequence, which I have no intention of ruining. This is one of Hillerman's best novels and I heartily recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: One of his best, but ...
Review: This is generally a wonderful book, with a memorable opening scene, an intriguing set of characters, and a magnificent (and beautifully described) setting. The plot is well thought out and full of surprises, especially the explosive (literally and figuratively) climax. However, Joe Leaphorn is a little too Man of Steel for me near the end: he hikes a dozen miles across the desert, gets bitten by a dog, falls down a cliff, etc., etc., and still has the energy left to perform a heroic rescue ... GIVE me a break!! In general, though, this is a great story, and I'd put it among the top four or five of Hillerman's mysteries.
Rating:
Summary: My first Hillerman Novel
Review: This, as my review title says, was the first Hillerman novel I ever read. Obviously it made me want to return again and again. Well, I really want to ask a question, but since I owe you all a review, presumably a focussing on the unique qualities of this book, this is it: If you are new to Hillerman but like mysteries, read Listening Woman for that intense, life-or-death adventure on U.S. soil that you can count on from T.H. If you are a Hillerman reader but haven't read this one, prepare for some terrifying suspense. If you read it already but just want to see what others say, well, all the excellent, elegant writing is here in this one too. My question is: Can anyone tell me the name of the artist who did the paperback covers for the early (1970's) Joe Leaphorn novels? The same artist did boot advertisements with the southwetern backgrounds.
Rating:
Summary: My first Hillerman Novel
Review: This, as my review title says, was the first Hillerman novel I ever read. Obviously it made me want to return again and again. Well, I really want to ask a question, but since I owe you all a review, presumably a focussing on the unique qualities of this book, this is it: If you are new to Hillerman but like mysteries, read Listening Woman for that intense, life-or-death adventure on U.S. soil that you can count on from T.H. If you are a Hillerman reader but haven't read this one, prepare for some terrifying suspense. If you read it already but just want to see what others say, well, all the excellent, elegant writing is here in this one too. My question is: Can anyone tell me the name of the artist who did the paperback covers for the early (1970's) Joe Leaphorn novels? The same artist did boot advertisements with the southwetern backgrounds.
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