Tony Hillerman

I'm sad to see that Tony Hillerman passed away yesterday. Tim and I have been readers of his books for years. On the surface, you might say that Tony Hillerman wrote mystery novels set in the Southwest, anchored by two Navajo main characters. His stories were rich in Native American culture and a love of the land. 

If you would like to read his work, I suggest you begin with his first book, The Blessing Way, and continue through the series in order. The books start with Lt. Joe Leaphorn, and later the character Jim Chee enters into the stories. These two characters both come from a Navajo background, but have very different points of view. 

Here is a link to his publisher--

http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/4488/Tony_Hillerman/index.aspx