Anthony Grove Hillerman was an exceptional writer of mystery novels, mostly concerning Navajo tribes. His most used characters were Lt. Leaphorn and Jim Chee, two tribal police officers of the four corners area in New Mexico and Arizona. Hillerman spent most of his youth in Sacred Heart, Oklahoma and later joined the military to serve in the 103rd Infantry Division during World War II. Later he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico and was a professor of Journalism until 1987.

In 1970 Hillerman wrote his first mystery novel “The Blessing Way.” His main characters, Leaphorn and Chee, struggle with how they fit into the Navajo society and belief structure. Chee, more than Leaphorn, does believe in the power of the traditional Navajo ways of the singers and other spiritual rituals. Dozens of novels featuring Leaphorn and Chee then followed.

Hillerman’s novels were greatly inspired by the mystery novels written by Arthur Upfield about his own detective. In Upfield’s novels his hero is a part of Australian Aboriginal society and his knowledge of the Aboriginal people helps him to solve mysteries. Hillerman’s novels display the same common theme. Both Leaphorn and Chee also attempt to solve the mysteries they are faced with armed with their knowledge and familiarity with the ways of the Navajo people.

Anthony Hillerman passed away on October 26th, 2008 leaving behind a legacy of excellent stories and novels. He received many awards in his lifetime both due to his efforts in the war and the lasting fiction he created after.