The Blessing Way

During a recent vacation to New Mexico, I saw Tony Hillerman's books at just about every single gift shop and anywhere selling books. After thoroughly enjoying all the wonderful sights of New Mexico, I thought I'd like to go there again from home.

Well, whoopsie doodles, I picked up the fourth book in Tony Hillman's detective series (“The People of Darkness”) because it was the oldest one available at the library. And I'd neglected my phone at home and couldn't look up the proper order. Or ask a librarian.

After thoroughly enjoying that book, in my typical completist/OCD fashion, went back to the beginning of the series to “The Blessing Way.” To be fair, I was distracted by both a close family member's health issue and a busy time at work. Which is why I perhaps had a harder time getting through this book and not necessarily the book own merits or demerits.

I really enjoyed the beginning, but then the story seemed a little convoluted, bogged down (or at least to my distracted mind), and seemed not to make a ton sense. I shall move along with this series to make it past #4 and see if the magic continues.

With several different story arcs it gets a bit confusing at who is where and when but the author does a good job at the very end refreshing one's memory enough that you see the whole picture. Not sure if the Navaho traditions mentioned are real or not but they do sound intriguing.

Follow Joe Leaphorn and Bergen McKee as they work their way through mystery, death and intrigue. When a wanted man turns up dead with no evidence as to how he died, Leaphorn is disturbed. With more and more reports of a ghost, or a Wolf Man raiding the cattle, rumors begin to fly and the case becomes harder and harder to solve. While Leaphorn is trying to solve that, McKee is trying to unravel the origins of some of the witch stories that have been on the reservation for a while. Needing more case studies, he does his best, but when he is pulled into the middle of the investigation without knowing it, he might just uncover his best lead yet...

This book will not leave you disappointed, and has you hooked from the beginning. It has been described as slow in places, but the webs that are being woven throughout the book deserve a closer look and a chance. I have loved these books for a long time, and being able to sit back and read slowly, I was able to pick up on things that I have missed previously.

Great read! Definitely recommend it as a MUST READ!

I'm partial - I'm from the southwest and I love southwestern literature, and that's why I would give the book 5 stars. Unfortunately, the mystery itself is a little flat, maybe I would give that 3 stars. So I met in the middle with 4. I love this author, I love his characters, and I love the adventures these books take me on. Plus, I get to learn a little Navajo culture in the process.