Leaphorn & Chee Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Path

To fully appreciate the evolution of the characters and their relationships, the absolute best way to experience the Leaphorn & Chee series (often referred to as the Navajo Mysteries) is in publication order. While the mysteries in each book are self-contained, the personal lives, careers, and dynamics of the Navajo Tribal Police officers develop chronologically across the span of the series.

If you read them out of order, you will miss the gradual building of trust between Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, as well as the introduction and rising prominence of officer Bernadette Manuelito, who eventually becomes a central protagonist in the later novels.

The Core Starting Points

Depending on how you want to approach this massive, decades-spanning series, there are three logical places to begin:

• The Complete Journey: Start at the very beginning with The Blessing Way (1970). This introduces Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and establishes the atmospheric setting of the Navajo Nation.
• The Jim Chee Era: If you want to jump straight to the introduction of Officer Jim Chee, you can start with the fourth book, People of Darkness (1980). Here, Chee brings a more traditional, spiritual Navajo perspective to the mysteries.
• The Partnership: For many fans, the series truly hits its stride with the seventh book, Skinwalkers (1986). This is the first time Leaphorn and Chee are brought together to work on a case, initiating their legendary partnership.
• The Next Generation: If you are interested in the transition to Anne Hillerman's writing, you could start with Spider Woman's Daughter (2013), which elevates officer Bernadette Manuelito to a lead role and deals with the immediate aftermath of a tragedy involving Leaphorn.

Publication Order of the Navajo Mysteries

Here is the complete chronological list of the Leaphorn & Chee books by publication order, covering Tony Hillerman's original runs and the continuation by Anne Hillerman.

The Original Novels by Tony Hillerman

Tony Hillerman wrote the first 18 novels, which established the series as a landmark in cultural detective fiction:

1. The Blessing Way (1970)
2. Dance Hall of the Dead (1973)
3. Listening Woman (1978)
4. People of Darkness (1980)
5. The Dark Wind (1982)
6. The Ghostway (1984)
7. Skinwalkers (1986)
8. A Thief of Time (1988)
9. Talking God (1989)
10. Coyote Waits (1990)
11. Sacred Clowns (1993)
12. The Fallen Man (1996)
13. The First Eagle (1998)
14. Hunting Badger (1999)
15. The Wailing Wind (2002)
16. The Sinister Pig (2003)
17. Skeleton Man (2004)
18. The Shape Shifter (2006)

The Continuation Novels by Anne Hillerman

Following her father's passing, journalist and author Anne Hillerman continued the legacy by adding a fresh perspective, highlighting female characters like Bernadette Manuelito alongside the classic duo:

19. Spider Woman's Daughter (2013)
20. Rock with Wings (2015)
21. Song of the Lion (2017)
22. Cave of Bones (2018)
23. The Tale Teller (2019)
24. Stargazer (2021)
25. The Sacred Bridge (2022)
26. The Way of the Bear (2023)
27. Lost Birds (2024)
28. Shadow of the Solstice (2025)

What to Know Before You Start

The Leaphorn & Chee mysteries are unique because they do not just use the Navajo Nation as a backdrop; Navajo culture, geography, and spiritual beliefs are central to solving the crimes. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn represents a pragmatic, logic-driven approach, often skeptical of traditional superstitions. In contrast, Officer Jim Chee is younger, introspective, and actively studying to become a traditional Navajo singer (medicine man). Their contrasting worldviews are what give the partnership its brilliant friction.

When Anne Hillerman took over the series in 2013, she shifted the focus toward Bernadette "Bernie" Manuelito (Chee's wife and fellow officer), giving the series a modern, female-led perspective while keeping the classic characters involved in supporting roles.