Buy used: $10.50
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery Tuesday, April 30 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, April 26. Order within 1 hr 21 mins
Used: Good | Details
Sold by K Book Sales
Fulfilled by Amazon
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: Ships direct from Amazon! Different cover on this book than shown in photo. Wear on covers, corners and edges. Both the covers and bind are intact. Pages are clean with no writing, highlighting or marking.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Tony Hillerman
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Blessing Way (A Leaphorn and Chee Novel, 1) Mass Market Paperback – May 26, 2009

by Tony Hillerman (Author)
See all formats and editions

Don’t miss the TV series, Dark Winds, based on the Leaphorn, Chee, & Manuelito novels, now on AMC and AMC+!  

“Brilliant…as fascinating as it is original.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

From New York Times bestselling author Tony Hillerman, the first novel in his series featuring Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn & Officer Jim Chee who encounter a bizarre case that borders between the supernatural and murder

Homicide is always an abomination, but there is something exceptionally disturbing about the victim discovered in a high, lonely place—a corpse with a mouth full of sand—abandoned at a crime scene seemingly devoid of tracks or useful clues. Though it goes against his better judgment, Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn cannot help but suspect the hand of a supernatural killer.

There is palpable evil in the air, and Leaphorn's pursuit of a Wolf-Witch leads him where even the bravest men fear, on a chilling trail that winds perilously between mysticism and murder.

Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 27
    Leaphorn and Chee
  2. Print length
    304 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Harper
  5. Publication date
    May 26, 2009
  6. Dimensions
    4.19 x 0.68 x 7.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0061808350
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0061808357
  9. See all details
Next page
Books with Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Popular Highlights in this book
What are popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. But Navajos didn’t hurry. In fact, there was no word in the Navajo language for time.
    Highlighted by 259 Kindle readers
  2. The white man sees the desolation and calls it a desert, McKee thought, but the Navajo name for it means “Beautiful Valley.”
    Highlighted by 257 Kindle readers
  3. Over the fire, Sandoval would be singing the old chants, the old songs to the Holy People—not prayers of humility or supplication, and not pleas for forgiveness, but songs which sought nothing but to restore man’s harmony with all that was elemental.
    Highlighted by 151 Kindle readers
Next page

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Homicide is always an abomination, but there is something exceptionally disturbing about the victim discovered in a high lonely place, a corpse with a mouth full of sand, abandoned at a crime scene seemingly devoid of tracks or useful clues. Though it goes against his better judgment, Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn cannot help but suspect the hand of a supernatural killer. There is palpable evil in the air, and Leaphorn's pursuit of a Wolf-Witch is leading him where even the bravest men fear, on a chilling trail that winds perilously between mysticism and murder.

About the Author

TONY HILLERMAN served as president of the Mystery Writers of America and received the Edgar and Grand Master Awards. His other honors include the Center for the American Indian’s Ambassador Award, the Spur Award for Best Western Novel, and the Navajo Tribal Council Special Friend of the Dineh Award. A native of Oklahoma, Tony Hillerman lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, until his death in 2008.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper; Reprint edition (May 26, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061808350
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061808357
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.68 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Tony Hillerman

Tony Hillerman

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Tony Hillerman was the former president of the Mystery Writers of America and received its Edgar® and Grand Master awards. His other honors include the Center for the American Indian's Ambassador Award, the Silver Spur Award for the best novel set in the West, and the Navajo Tribe's Special Friend Award. He lived with his wife in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
7,186 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Godzgurl60
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional read
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
I had started this series many years ago and fell in love with Leaphorn and the Navajo beliefs. I liked the blending of Native and white worlds. Leaphorn is intelligent, intuitive, and a bit snarky. The mystery is good and well-written. I look forward to the next episode.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyabe mystery
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
The book started out a little slow. However, the second half really got your attention. I was somewhat lost for a while; but all started to come together around the middle. All in all an enjoyable read.
Helpful
 Report
Mini
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent series
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2022
Verified Purchase
I love Hillerman’s books. I collected them many years ago and am now buying digital copies I can read on my iPad. I love to read on a black background with white print. I’m very disappointed in the new tv series based on Hillerman’s books. Personally, the show made me uncomfortable as I felt it did not portray and represent the specific characters or the Navajo people in a manner faithful to Hillerman. Sooo, I highly recommend reading the books. The main characters are smart, observant, and not simply left brain thinkers. They are intuitive and almost seem to flow in an additional sense unknown to their more “civilized” counterparts. Often there is a David and Goliath situation between the Navajo Tribal Police and federal officers. I love the way the main characters take this in stride without making a fuss and solve the case anyway. The main characters seek to remain in harmony with their world while working to solve cunningly devised mysteries. The books offer very interesting characters living and working in, what to me, is so foreign a landscape and lifestyle that it might as well be on the moon.
20 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
John S
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
My friend recommended this book a number of years ago but it took me watching the tv show based on this series to get me to give it a try. I should have taken my friend's advice because this was a very good book.

The book is about a Navajo police officer on the reservation who is trying to unravel a murder. He finds himself with miles and miles of uninhabited areas to search, not much evidence to go on, and a "Navajo witch" that is putting curses on other Navajo.

A very interesting book that kept me turning the pages to see what happened next. Even though this was written many years ago it is still a very good book.
14 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
illiandantic
3.0 out of 5 stars A Decent First Novel
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2014
Verified Purchase
"The Blessing Way" is not just the first book in Tony Hillerman's "Leaphorn & Chee" novels, it's the first novel he had published. It's a decent enough book, but lacks in several ways. Firstly, even though it's in the "Leaphorn & Chee" set, Joe Leaphorn doesn't play all that big a role in it. He's somewhat of a major character, but he's definitely not the main character. Second, the mystery isn't very mysterious. It's fairly obvious what's going on and who's doing it (and even why) pretty early in the book. But, none of the characters seem to be able to see it until right at the end. And, finally, there's the dichotomy in viewpoints (Navajo vs non-Navajo). Hillerman doesn't really let us know if we're supposed to view what's happening through a mythological or a material (or both) lens until most of the way through the book. It's not a big problem, but it would have been nice to know if I should have expected magic or money to leap out and startle me. One other minor thing that bothers me a bit is the title: "The Blessing Way." I have no idea why he's used that. A Blessing Way is mentioned only peripherally during the book. The main rite in the book is the Enemy Way. So, that's what I'd have expected the title to be. But, still, the overall writing is pretty good and I rate the book at a Decent 3 stars out of 5. Since he's got such a good reputation as a writer, I assume the later books in the series will be better.

Hillerman's "Leaphorn & Chee" novels are:

1.  The Blessing Way
2.  Dance Hall of the Dead
3.  Listening Woman
4.  People of Darkness
5.  The Dark Wind
6.  The Ghostway (Jim Chee Novels)
7.  Skinwalkers
8.  A Thief of Time
9.  Talking God
10.  Coyote Waits
11. Sacred Clowns: Novel, A
12. The Fallen Man
13. The First Eagle
14. Hunting Badger
15. The Wailing Wind
16. The Sinister Pig
17. Skeleton Man
18. The Shape Shifter
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Steve
4.0 out of 5 stars Great to read source of the TV series, subsequent installments get expensive
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
I am very happy that decided to give this series a try after watching the TV show. The books are set in a part of the Southwest where I've spent a lot of time and it felt good to learn more about a people who have suffered much at the hands of white America. I highly recommend these books. But be forewarned: they started out inexpensively on Kindle, but the Kindle price increases substantially as you progress through the series. I stopped at #7 and refused to pay yet another $1 more ($11.99) for #8. Instead I found a cheap used paperback edition for $4. I have to believe the progressive price increase on Kindle is a strategy to draw one in and then make a hefty profit on the later books in the series. Shame on the publisher, Amazon, etc.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Shirley J. Burroughs
5.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting book for the beginning of the Lt. Leaphorn series.
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
zi liked the book as the beginning of this series. I enjoy Tony Hillerman's writing I did purchase the Dark Winds DVD which I enjoyed. I think that fans of his would be pleased with the start of these writings.
Helpful
 Report
MJC
5.0 out of 5 stars Love Leaphorn and Chee
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
I really liked the series on PBS with Adam Beach and Wes Studi, but when AMC released "Dark Winds" it reignited my affinity for the characters in this series. Three movies (Four if you count Lou Diamond Phillips' Chee, which is good as well), and two series of six episodes aren't enough for me. So I decided to check out the audiobooks (as I am getting older and have to read for my job I find I am too tired to read at the end of the day). There are many books in this series, so this will hold me over until the next season of Dark Winds. I like comparing the character portrayals in mind to the narrated book version of Leaphorn.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

John McAreavey
5.0 out of 5 stars Gift
Reviewed in Canada on January 12, 2024
Verified Purchase
She loved it
Report
Boszormenyi Zsofia
5.0 out of 5 stars great
Reviewed in France on August 9, 2019
Verified Purchase
great story, beautifully written, I enjoyed every second of it!
Report
Fernando Monge
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
Reviewed in Spain on October 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
An excellent story who approaches the Navajo ways respectfully. It is well written and keep you trapped in these pages till the end.
Report
Laura
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in Italy on March 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
It's the first book of a series with lieutenant Leaphorn and investigations in Navajo reserve if you love mystery and wildlife it's a must to read, with its fascinating landscape descriptions and the account of Navajo style living. I'm going to read the following books
One person found this helpful
 Report
Wendy Meenenga
5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 25, 2012
Verified Purchase
Loved it! Even if it was an abridged version - 3 hours instead of the six that most of the other Hillerman audio books are. It was also interesting to listen to the voice of the author spinning his tale . . . .
Report