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Seven books ago, Tony Hillerman's daughter, Anne, took over his Leaphorn & Chee series after his death. She knew she needed a different take on the series since, of course, she was not Tony. She chose to elevate a formerly minor character, Bernadette (Bernie) Manuelito, to center stage, bringing a more female perspective to a series that had been decidedly male-focused. Those who have been following the series have seen Bernie grow in confidence and skill and her relationships with Leaphorn and Chee mature.
THE SACRED BRIDGE has Bernie and Chee involved in two different investigations while both of them contemplate making some professional and personal changes in their lives. Chee is at Lake Powell searching for lost caves replete with petroglyphs when he finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation. Bernie, who is determined to become a detective, goes undercover to find out what is happening at a secretive marijuana growing facility on Native lands. The chapters move between one investigation and the other, as Bernie's undercover work makes it impossible for her and Chee to communicate. As would be most likely in life if not in mystery novels, the two investigations are unrelated and provide two very different looks at Navajo life. At the end of the book, there is a hint about a possible future direction for Bernie and Chee.
As always, Anne Hillerman continues her father's legacy of evocative writing about Navajo life and traditions. She transports us to the arid landscape as she underlies her plot with the importance of water and the impact of its shortage on tribal lands. Her characters are complex, rarely becoming good or evil caricatures although, in this book, there is very little positive about the secondary character of the man running the marijuana facility. There is a contemplative feel to this book, as both Bernie and Chee reflect upon their roles in their community and in their relationship.
This was a great read with plenty of action to keep the reader's interest at the same time one that dealt with difficult social and physical issues affecting the Navajo Nation and beyond. I will be very interested to see what Anne Hillerman does in her next book with the possibility raised in the last sentence of this one.
§ Sharon Mensing, retired educational leader, lives, reads, and enjoys the outdoors in Arizona.
Reviewed by Sharon Mensing, June 2022
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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