The Fallen Man by
Tony Hillerman
pbk out August 98
(Penguin)
The Fallen Man by Tony Hillerman Michael Joseph £16.99.
Tony Hillerman lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, close to the home of the Navajo Nation. He has written fourteen novels, most of them around a couple of Navajo policemen, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. These novels are something special, most of them concerning themselves with some aspect of Navajo myth, folk-lore or religion, while at the same time developing character and leaning heavily on a tight story-line.
The Fallen Man is a skeleton by the time his body is discovered. Although the discovery of his remains solves an eleven year old missing persons case for Joe Leaphorn, it opens a murder enquiry for the younger Jim Chee.
The mystery of the fallen man is solved in the end, as he is revealed as a man who had been given everything and found it was not quite enough.
Although not the best novel in the series, it is nevertheless, a satisfying and easy read. For those not yet initiated into the ways of these two unique investigators, I would recommend one of the earlier novels. But converts will already be queuing up to get their little paws on this one.
