Lost Birds

A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel

De: Anne Hillerman

Narrado por: 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.

tired of little sister drama

I am so tired of the little sister drama. Soap opera stuff which feels to me like simplistic filler. What I loved about Tony's writing was the feeling of being transported to the Southwest through his obvious love of the landscape and people. I learned about Native American lore and ways. I felt put into the landscape. I understand that Anne is trying to give us a rounded full idea of issues that the different Nations have to deal with today, but what has been lost to me in her writing is how many may manage to maintain historical traditions that allow the Native Americans to preserver through the hardships. That is still there but is superseded by the endless "cheeseburger " whining. I loved reading about Jim Chee's journey to become a singer and how he worked to struggle keep both his police career and deeply personal beliefs in harmony. I will always read Anne Hillerman's books but I will also always miss Tony's writing.

Leaphorn is a favorite

I feel like Chee and Leaphorn are real people I would love to know. . I am happy that Anne continued with them. I enjoy reading their adventures and look forward to the next book. The only problem when I get a new book is I read/listen continuously until completed. Then I wait a month and savor it more slowly. I was happy to have more Leaphorn in this book as I missed him when he was in Hawaii.

Lost Bird

Good story, I think this one is my favorite of Anne Hillermans books so far. She’s becoming to be as great an author as her father.

learning about the Navajo Nation culture.

sometimes a change in a narrator can take away the flavor of the book.like the other narrators a little bit better.

I like that this book was about Joe Lephorn.

I don’t think the reader is the right voice for the story. Your voice wasn’t compelling enough.