OCTOBER 2013 - AudioFile
Christina Delaine adopts a lilting accent for the Navajo characters in this first book by Tony Hillerman’s daughter, which continues his popular series with detectives Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. This aural demarcation between Navajo and non-Native characters may be of particular assistance to newcomers to the series. Navajo Nation police officer Bernadette Manualito witnesses the shooting of someone she greatly admires. While being a witness removes her from the official investigation, she finds ways to stay involved with the case. Delaine’s narration is imbued with respect for the culture and a sense of fondness for the characters. She depicts Bernie as a sensitive young woman but, at the same time, a polished professional. Delaine is equally adept at reflecting the age of the elders. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
In her first novel, reporter Hillerman successfully revives Navajo policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, last seen in The Shape Shifter (2006), the final book from her father, MWA Grand Master Tony Hillerman (1925–2008). Officer Bernadette Manuelito, who married Chee in 2004’s Skeleton Man, sees a gunman shoot Leaphorn in a restaurant parking lot, but isn’t close enough to stop the shooter from driving off. With Leaphorn comatose, Chee is named head investigator, while Manuelito is officially removed from the case because she’s a witness. Leaphorn’s current job evaluating a collection that the American Indian Resource Center is acquiring may provide a clue to his attacker. The much used getaway car and the odd disappearance of Leaphorn’s anthropologist lady friend, Louisa Bourebonette, may offer other clues. Chee may lead, but Manuelito forcefully injects herself into the case as a desperate killer threatens to strike again. Like her father, Hillerman has a gift for combining history and mystery. Agent: Elizabeth Trupin-Pulli, JET Literary Associates. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
From the utterly shocking opening scene to the final twist, Anne Hillerman offers a thrilling Southwestern tale featuring the unforgettable characters of Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, set in the vivid landscapes of Navajo country. Spider Woman’s Daughter is a must read for anyone who loved the great Tony Hillerman novels, now carried on by his amazingly talented daughter, a superb writer herself. I dearly hope this is the first of many.” — Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“A worthy continuation of Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee series. His daughter Anne ably returns to Navajo Country in a colorful mystery that is both fascinating and vividly compelling. From its startling first scene to its gripping climax, Spider Woman’s Daughter engages the reader in a complex web of intrigue and deception.” — David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder as a Fine Art
"Spider Woman’s Daughter is an intricately plotted, suspenseful, colorful, and unforgettable journey. Readers will fall in love with Bernie Manuelito and look forward to Anne Hillerman’s next effort in what should be a long, enjoyable, successful series. Her depiction of the Navajo Nation is spot on. I loved this book." — Jo-Ann Mapson, author of award-winning Solomon's Oak and Finding Casey
“Chip off the literary block—there are a lot of things Tony taught is daughter, Anne, and one of them was how to tell a good story. Spider Woman’s Daughter is a proud addition to the legacy, capturing the beauty and breath of the Southwest as only a Hillerman can.” — Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries, the basis for A&E's hit television series Longmire
“You will love this novel! Not only are old friends Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee back, we get to know the delightful, intrepid and thoroughly modern Navajo police officer, Bernadette Manuelito… Anne Hillerman comes naturally to writing mysteries, and Spider Woman’s Daughter is nothing less than a smashing debut.” — Margaret Coel, author of Killing Custer
“Hillerman fans, rejoice! Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee have returned, thanks to Tony’s daughter Anne. She captures the feel of her father’s books, the wonderful understanding of a place and a people that made his so popular, and she has an ear for his unique voice. It’s a remarkable accomplishment.” — Charles Todd
“Pot hunters, archaeologists, controversy over the museum display of tribal objects, and insurance fraud culminate in a heart-stopping, action-packed conclusion as Bernadette and Jim risk their lives to bring a would-be assassin to justice.... Fans of Southwestern mysteries will cheer this return of Leaphorn and Chee.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“So seamless is the writing transition from father to daughter, it is easy to forget that one is reading Anne, not Tony. That said, Anne brings a welcome female perspective to the table, fleshing out several of the female supporting characters but never forgetting the importance of the two main players who define the series. Nicely done on every level.” — BookPage
“His Leaphorn/Chee series is one of the most original and influential in modern crime fiction.” — Portland Sunday Oregonian
"A daughter takes on her famous father’s legacy in resuming a series focused on Navajo culture…maintaining the integrity…throughout." — Kirkus Reviews
“Difficult to put down...If you love mysteries, this book is for you.” — Examiner.com
Douglas Preston
From the utterly shocking opening scene to the final twist, Anne Hillerman offers a thrilling Southwestern tale featuring the unforgettable characters of Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, set in the vivid landscapes of Navajo country. Spider Woman’s Daughter is a must read for anyone who loved the great Tony Hillerman novels, now carried on by his amazingly talented daughter, a superb writer herself. I dearly hope this is the first of many.
David Morrell
A worthy continuation of Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee series. His daughter Anne ably returns to Navajo Country in a colorful mystery that is both fascinating and vividly compelling. From its startling first scene to its gripping climax, Spider Woman’s Daughter engages the reader in a complex web of intrigue and deception.
BookPage
So seamless is the writing transition from father to daughter, it is easy to forget that one is reading Anne, not Tony. That said, Anne brings a welcome female perspective to the table, fleshing out several of the female supporting characters but never forgetting the importance of the two main players who define the series. Nicely done on every level.
Margaret Coel
You will love this novel! Not only are old friends Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee back, we get to know the delightful, intrepid and thoroughly modern Navajo police officer, Bernadette Manuelito… Anne Hillerman comes naturally to writing mysteries, and Spider Woman’s Daughter is nothing less than a smashing debut.
Craig Johnson
Chip off the literary block—there are a lot of things Tony taught is daughter, Anne, and one of them was how to tell a good story. Spider Woman’s Daughter is a proud addition to the legacy, capturing the beauty and breath of the Southwest as only a Hillerman can.
Portland Sunday Oregonian
His Leaphorn/Chee series is one of the most original and influential in modern crime fiction.
Charles Todd
Hillerman fans, rejoice! Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee have returned, thanks to Tony’s daughter Anne. She captures the feel of her father’s books, the wonderful understanding of a place and a people that made his so popular, and she has an ear for his unique voice. It’s a remarkable accomplishment.
Jo-Ann Mapson
"Spider Woman’s Daughter is an intricately plotted, suspenseful, colorful, and unforgettable journey. Readers will fall in love with Bernie Manuelito and look forward to Anne Hillerman’s next effort in what should be a long, enjoyable, successful series. Her depiction of the Navajo Nation is spot on. I loved this book."
Examiner.com
Difficult to put down...If you love mysteries, this book is for you.
Examiner.com on SPIDER WOMAN'S DAUGHTER
Difficult to put down...If you love mysteries, this book is for you.
OCTOBER 2013 - AudioFile
Christina Delaine adopts a lilting accent for the Navajo characters in this first book by Tony Hillerman’s daughter, which continues his popular series with detectives Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. This aural demarcation between Navajo and non-Native characters may be of particular assistance to newcomers to the series. Navajo Nation police officer Bernadette Manualito witnesses the shooting of someone she greatly admires. While being a witness removes her from the official investigation, she finds ways to stay involved with the case. Delaine’s narration is imbued with respect for the culture and a sense of fondness for the characters. She depicts Bernie as a sensitive young woman but, at the same time, a polished professional. Delaine is equally adept at reflecting the age of the elders. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
A daughter takes on her famous father's legacy in resuming a series focused on Navajo culture. Bernadette Manuelito is at the helm of a mystery that involves all of Shiprock's Navajo Tribal Police force when one of her longtime colleagues is gunned down after a breakfast with co-workers. Bernie is on hand when a hooded figure shoots her colleague, Lt. Joe Leaphorn, and she'll do anything it takes to find his assailant while his life hangs in the balance. Unfortunately, as witness to the crime, Bernie is forced to take a back seat in the case. Luckily, her husband, Sgt Jim Chee, is leading the inquiry, so she's still a party to insider information. In the time she has open from investigating, Bernie connects with the American Indian Resource Center, trying to finish a job Joe had contracted to help with. The AIRC houses an unbelievable collection of Indian art and artifacts, and Bernie soon finds herself drawn not only to the beauty of what she sees, but also to the connections of the staff to Jim's and Joe's pasts. At the same time, she's forced to shift some attention to her little sister Darleen's care of their mother when it becomes apparent that Darleen's drinking is affecting her caretaking abilities. With big shoes to fill, Hillerman does her best to copy the style of her father Tony's beloved series (The Shape Shifter, 2006, etc.), maintaining the integrity of Navajo culture throughout. Fans will spot the guilty party a mile off.
