Philanthropy Associate and Program Assistant Ann Sandefur recommends The Way of the Bear by Anne Hillerman.
The Way of The Bear is a compelling mystery that unfolds in the Bears Ears National Monument at the edge of the Navajo Nation—an area rich in both geological and spiritual significance for the Navajo people. A seasoned outdoorsman and paleontologist is found frozen to death, and a second, unidentified man is murdered in a home invasion.
The characters are well-developed, authentic, and gripping, drawing you ever deeper into the book and its plot with surprising twists and turns.
Fossil harvesting, ancient lore, greed, rejected love, and murder. For Navajo Tribal Police officers Jim Chee and Bernadette “Bernie” Manuelito, the area glows with geological interest and spiritual insight. Their visit to this beautiful place is disrupted by violence that sweeps them both into danger.
Chee and Bernie are drawn into the investigation, where they find a web of illicit business, a fossilized jawbone, and a hint of witchcraft. The novel explores themes of greed, cultural respect, and the tension between personal dreams and realities, as Chee and Bernie work through the complexities of their roles and the traditions of their people. It takes all of their experience, skill, and intuition to navigate the threats that arise and see justice served.
This novel by Anne Hillerman, who is known for continuing the legacy of her father, Tony Hillerman, is the eighth in a series with these well-developed and intriguing characters. I found this book to be a wonderful read, following the further adventures of the characters her father made famous going back to1970.
