Book Description:
The state police and FBI are baffled when an old man and a teenage girl are brutally murdered. The blind Navajo Listening Woman speaks of ghosts and of witches. But Lieutenant Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police knows his people as well as he knows cold-blooded killers. His incredible investigation carries him from a dead man's secret to a kidnap scheme, to a conspiracy that stretches back more than one hundred years. Leaphorn arrives at the threshold of a solution--and is greeted with the most violent confrontation of his career.

About the Author:
Tony Hillerman is past president of Mystery Writers of America and has received their 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, the Navajo Tribe's Special Friend Award, the National Media Award from the American Anthropological Association, the Public Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Nero Wolfe Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book, an honorary life membership in the Western Literature Association, and the Grand Prix de Littérature Policiére. In addition to his election to Phi Beta Kappa, Tony Hillerman has been named Doctor of Humane Letters at Arizona State University and at Oregon's Portland State University. He lives with his wife, Marie, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Gave the book to Flower78 for delivery to Tampere.

Woo-hoo! Now I've got the first three books in Joe Leaphorn / Jim Chee Navajo Tribal Police series. I already had # 2, Dance Hall of the Dead in my TBR, I just got # 1, The Blessing Way, and now this, the third book in the series. Thank you so much, Candy!

A note to myself: Listening Woman was nominated for the 1979 “Best Mystery Novel” Edgar Award.


Tony Hillerman at Wikipedia
Listening Woman at Wikipedia

If memory serves, Listening Woman is more thriller-like than any other novel by Hillerman I've ever read. It also has more characters, I think. I didn't always remember who was who in this book. But the main thing is that like all the other books, also Listening Woman opens the door to Navajo culture. The text seemed to be more visual — most of the time I could see the landscape, the mountains, the cave, etc. This novel could well have been filmed too.
As always, my reading experience was a good one. Thank you, CandyDarling!
I don't know if there will be Palkintokaappi (Finnish forum Trophy Cabinet aka award winners/nominees VBB) this fall. Depends on how many BC'ers want to join it. If it'll travel, this book might be one of the books in it. For the time being, Listening Woman will stay reserved.

***
Edited to add on Nov. 2, 2015 that this book is now reserved for pippis.

Listening Woman was one of the books I put in Palkintokaappi 4 (Finnish Forum Trophy Cabinet, award winners/nominees VBB) and pippis was the BC'er who picked it up.
Happy reading, pippis!

If a book is set among indigenous people, it has to be checked out! Thank you for placing the book in VPK and sending it, Tarna! Perfect card too!

Gorgeous reading experience, but oh so slow! Everything took its time, no bigger surprises down the road and all problems were solved through thinking. I was reading the book to stay awake, but the tranquil pace almost failed me... I thought the Listening Woman would have had a bigger role in the story, it was quite surprising only her story counted in the end.
I loved all the bits and pieces on Navajo culture, but the book could have done with a short glossary, just to give the reader a better understanding on the rituals, gods and customs. I would have loved reading more on the sand paintings in the cave and of the gods they depicted, how the world could have been created anew.
If anyone has a good explanation on the cover picture, I'd love to know what the masked character is...

Edit: Forgot to mention, that the book felt quite fresh, though it was written 38 yrs ago. Lacking of modern stuff like a mobile or laptops didn't bother me a bit, instead the story felt timeless because of it. It was clear people were meant to survive by other means anyway.

Sending the book to the winner of Finnish forum's May 2016 book raffle winner!

Thank you :)