Lost Birds

A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel

By: Anne Hillerman

Narrated by: Jessica Matten

Narrated by Jessica Matten, star of the AMC series DARK WINDS, based on the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito novels

“Anne Hillerman is a star.”—J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author

From New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman, a thrilling and moving chapter in the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series involving several emotionally complex cases that will test the detectives in different ways.

Joe Leaphorn may be long retired from the Navajo Tribal Police, but his detective skills are still sharp, honed by his work as a private detective. His experience will be essential to solve a compelling new case: finding the birth parents of a woman who was raised by a bilagáana family but believes she is Diné based on one solid clue, an old photograph with a classic Navajo child’s blanket. Leaphorn discovers that his client’s adoption was questionable, and her adoptive family not what they seem. His quest for answers takes him to an old trading post and leads him to a deadly cache of long-buried family secrets.

As that case grows more complicated, Leaphorn receives an unexpected call from a person he met decades earlier. Cecil Bowleg’s desperation is clear in his voice, but just as he begins to explain, the call is cut off by an explosion and Cecil disappears. True to his nature, Leaphorn is determined to find the truth even as the situation grows dangerous. Investigation of the explosion falls in part to Officer Bernadette Manuelito, who discovers an unexpected link to Cecil’s missing wife.

Bernie also is involved in a troubling investigation of her own: an elderly weaver whose prize-winning sheep have been ruthlessly killed by feral dogs.

Exploring the emotionally complex issues of adoption of Indigenous children by non-native parents, Anne Hillerman delivers another thought-provoking, gripping mystery that brings to life the vivid terrain of the American Southwest, its people, and the lore and traditions that make it distinct.

©2024 Anne Hillerman (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Anne is doing a great job continuing her father‘s stories

I am so grateful that Anne is continuing the stories but from the female perspective. I can’t wait for the next book

pleasure

always a good thing to read a new installment of a beloved series that continues a great tradition

life on a Navaho reservation.

This book had several plots which were completed and finished by the end of the story but probably relied on the reader having come to this book through reading previous ones in the series. It assumed an intimacy with previous stories which I did not have.

A Good Storyline

I like that Anne Hillerman followed her father’s tales of Leaphorn, Chee and Manuellito but the narrator doesn’t change her voice enough so it gets confusing which character is speaking.

Best Anne Hillerman yet

Huge Tony Hillerman fan. So glad Anne is carrying the characters forward with her own twists & details. This one was her best yet. Fast, followable, enough plot twists & surprises that it didn’t feel predictable.

More complicated plot line.

This was a very good Chee and Manuleto story. Although we’ve heard this narrator previously, the extra characters highlighted an issue. Jessica Matten seems to lack the range to give enough varying voices to the different characters. It made it hard to follow the story in places. Otherwise, another great story.

Lost Birds

Too many stories going on at the same time so I felt as though none of them got the attention they deserved. Narration was a huge distraction. I usually look forward to the next Hillerman but have to admit not too excited about the next one.

wow Ann has outdone her dad!!

smooth transition into next stages for the characters.. love it every time Leaphorn enters the picture

Pronunciation

Of course, I don’t know how the Navajo people pronounce Spanish words and names but the way the narrator pronounced Manuelito just grated. Every time anyone said Bernie’s last name I mentally corrected it.

Classic Leaphorn!

The story was a bit complicated but that’s the way life is. I can imagine the characters as real. The description of the landscape makes me want to be there.