First published in 1978, "Listening Woman" is Tony Hillerman in his prime, regaling the reader with Navajo customs while telling a suspenseful tale of murder and terrorism. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is immersed in a puzzling case and finds himself struggling for survival in the beautiful but harsh Navajo land of northeastern Arizona. Although his stamina during his adventure may stretch credibility at times, the narrative moves along at a rapid-fire pace that was Hillerman's trademark in his earlier novels. Sit down for an enjoyable, quick read and try to figure out the mystery with Leaphorn.
The state police and FBI are baffled when an old man and a teenage girl are brutally murdered. The blind Navajo Listening Woman speaks of ghosts and of witches. But Lieutenant Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police knows his people as well as he knows cold-blooded killers. His incredible investigation carries him from a dead man's secret to a kidnap scheme, to a conspiracy that stretches back more than one hundred years. Leaphorn arrives at the threshold of a solution--and is greeted with the most violent confrontation of his career.
