Review by Madeline Salmon
I have read just a handful of mysteries in my lifetime. I've always been under some bizarre impression that I shouldn't waste my time with them when I have more important books to read. But recently I've decided that, God willing, I have a long life ahead of me filled with thousands of books and reading a few mysteries won't set me back too far. And I've always known that if I read any mysteries in substantial numbers they would be by Tony Hillerman or Agatha Christie. I chose to start with Hillerman.
The Blessing Way is the first of Hillerman's Navajo mysteries, the series for which he is most remembered. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn must balance his love and respect for the ways of The People with his duty to the law. And he must wrestle with the fact that all signs point to a murder committed by witchcraft, something he may or may not believe in. This is the great draw of the story--I doubt many other mysteries feature a culture the way Hillerman portrays Navajo life, which really functions as a shadowy character on its own, always present and always influencing every decision and action the characters make.
Of course I expected Hillerman's mastery of suspense (he wouldn't have gotten very far in the mystery genre without it), but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he is also a remarkably gifted writer. He has not just written a plot that drives the suspense forward but has actually crafted a compelling story, not to mention characters that are as believable and well-rounded as in any "real" novel.
Eighteen books comprise the Navajo mystery series, and while I may not read every one, I certainly enjoyed The Blessing Way and look forward to continuing the series, even if it means saving some Charles Dickens and Wallace Stegner for another time.
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