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Dance Hall of the Dead
Dance Hall of the Dead
Dance Hall of the Dead
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Dance Hall of the Dead

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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

The Edgar-Award winning second novel in New York Times bestselling author Tony Hillerman’s bestselling and highly acclaimed Leaphorn and Chee series

“Hillerman is a wonderful storyteller.”—New York Times Book Review

Two Native American boys have vanished into thin air, leaving a pool of blood behind them. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police has no choice but to suspect the very worst, since the blood that stains the parched New Mexico ground once flowed through the veins of one of the missing, a young Zuñi. But his investigation into a terrible crime is being complicated by an important archaeological dig . . . and a steel hypodermic needle. And the unique laws and sacred religious rites of the Zuñi people are throwing impassable roadblocks in Leaphorn’s already twisted path, enabling a craven murderer to elude justice or, worse still, kill again.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateOct 13, 2009
ISBN9780061795329
Author

Tony Hillerman

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.

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Reviews for Dance Hall of the Dead

Rating: 3.84472656640625 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Again, Tony Hillerman brings us back to the Navajo and Checkerboard Reservation where Joe Leaphorn uses his knowledge of the Navajo way of life, superstition and ritual to solve a murder. This time though Leaphorn is working with other police agencies and the FBI, making us witness to the strings that prevent true cooperation or respect between the agencies.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It took me forever to get into this book, though the plot and setting were interesting enough. I found the characters underdeveloped and hard to relate to, so it was hard to care about what they were doing and saying. Still, this was a nicely creative story and involves some elements of Native American cultures that don't often figure in murder mysteries.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the second book in the "Navajo Detective" series by Tony Hillerman and the first in which detective Joe Leaphorn is the principal charactor. "Dance Hall of the Dead" is a sad story. It focuses on the murder, or maybe the disppearance, of two boys, a Navajo and a Zuni, as well as Joe Leaphorn's efforts to find the missing boys. The riddle is entwined with Zuni religious ceremonies which Leaphorn, a Navajo, tries to understand.

    Tony Hillerman's novels with their brilliant depiction of Native American cultures and life in our Western desert are so much more than detective thrillers. They offer a rare insight into a culture that was ancient when the European settlers arrived in America. The reader will become captivated by the ceremonials, religious practices and the daily lives of these native people.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I found this second Tony Hillerman Navajo Mystery novel very enjoyable. It's not a cozy but has a very smooth feel about it, in large part due to the personality traits of our protagonist, Joe Leaphorn. Joe is very appealing, with his methodical, logical and philosophical approach to police work. Along the way, the reader learns about the Navajo and Zuni culture and religious practices, as well as a bit of archeology. The crime is set up in a novel way and I found this short mystery a refreshing change of pace. I look forward to continuing this long series with anticipation.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Difficult to describe. Detective fiction where the goal is not so much to solve the mystery but to explore the cross-cultural points of view.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great read. Well though out mystery. I highly recommend it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    law-enforcement, Hopi, Navajo, murder-investigation, historical-research, lore*****I figured it was time to revisit a series that I had enjoyed some years ago, so when it was offered as audio by Chirp I Leaphorned at the chance. Bad pun, I admit it. However this is a good convoluted mystery full of misdirection, Zuni and Navajo lore, suspense, red herrings, and the universal squabbles between branches of law enforcement. I loved it and plan to reread the entire series before winter is through with us!George Guidall has always been an exceptional narrator.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dance Hall of the Dead is a good Joe Leaphorn story. It illustrates what a person will do to get ahead in the academic world even if it involves killing two people along the way. The book received four stars in this review and is recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lots of local color, lots of Navajo and Zuni mythology and religion. Very intriguing given that, and the mystery wasn't bad either. I guessed who did it, but not why.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Leaphorn investigates the disappearance of two young males who were experimenting with the occult. Interesting read, with information about archaeology thrown into the mix.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    So sad, but so fascinating, with the delve into Zuni and their Kachina traditions. I very much appreciate that Leaphorn is an outsider into this religion, and a respectful one, who does not seek to tread on others' mysteries.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An early Hillerman novel, with less of the smooth story-telling that prevails in the later books of the Navajo Tribal Police series. It was interesting to read of Tribal politics and religious practices of the Zũni and Navajo. The missing-boys-possible-murder investigation conflicted with white law enforcement, in a very believable telling. Unfortunately, several incidents had no contribution to the plot, that I could see, and the story often lacked clarity. Why was the hippie commune and potential drugs distribution mentioned other than as a foil for the detective (Joe Leaphorn) to find where one of the boys might have gone? That whole scenario just petered out. The subsequent chasing / tracking the lost boy became a tedious middle to the story. The academic dishonesty and the impact on the graduate student's career was an interesting twist that left the reader to decide how that part ended. However, I found it unsatisfying that Susanne, the girl from the commune who accompanies Leaphorn on his quest for the boy, is left out of the dénouement. I thought the ultimate fate of the murderer was appropriate but the fumbling around to get to that point was a 'meh' piece of writing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A Zuni young teen is murdered and his Navajo friend, a Zuni-wannabe, has disappeared, Leaphorn shows his tracking skill, finding moccasin prints days old, anticipating where and when a hungry hunter would go to find game. He also shows his compassion for a young hippie woman who has nowhere to go but an abusive situation. He has no compassion for the white man who won't stand up for her. What he doesn't see is a trap and gets himself in trouble, and a tiny detail he forgets means he doesn't get to a victim in time.In the end, the traditional enforcers take care of their own, which is more satisfactory than having the Bilagaana outsiders doing a rescue.A quick, simple read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In Dance Hall of the Dead, Zuni and Navaho sacred traditions were woven through the investigation into the murder of a young Zuni boy whose death seemed to be without any kind of logical motivation.A bit too didactic at times on native traditions.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In this second entry in the series, Leaphorn is starting to take shape as a character, and I like him. He is patient, thoughtful, doesn't resent (too much) having to work within the limited jurisdiction and authority of his position as a Navajo police officer. The puzzle this time was quite interesting, as well. Two young Native American boys, one Navajo and one Zuni, have disappeared. One is feared dead, and the other may be a suspect. Several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and probably the DEA, are involved in searching for them, as boundaries are crossed, and drug-dealing may be a factor. I especially like the fact that Leaphorn is no superhuman cop; he hasn't been shot, beaten, or frozen half to death in every book. And he doesn't always manage to save the day. So far, he doesn't have an adversarial relationship with a superior, a substance abuse problem, or a complicated love life either. Handled well, those story elements can keep a series going, but this one doesn't need them. The Native American beliefs and practices featured were incorporated easily into the narrative, without feeling "educational".
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is the second in Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn series and was first published in 1973. It is a stronger book than the first book, "The Blessing Way." In the first book Leaphorn was almost a secondary character, whereas here he is clearly in the front and we follow his investigation into the disappearance of two youths - one probably dead and the other either the guilty party or hiding for fear of losing his life also. In fact it struck me how different Leaphorn was in each book - perhaps Hillerman decided to make him a stronger character and a different one. In any event, other than the name, they seemed like different characters. There is a nice anthropological element to this story that I liked. There is an underlying current of Zuni vs. Navajo cultural differences and resentment. As far as the mystery goes I'm not sure I can give it high marks. The reason is that by the time page 50 came around I already decided who was responsible for the murder and more or less why. I don't try to puzzle out mysteries as a general rule so it must have been pretty obvious. The ending is a little bothersome and caused me to dislike Leaphorn a bit, or maybe I was just disappointed in him. Overall an OK read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When a young Navajo boy disappears and it turns out his Zuni friend may have been killed for revealing religious ceremony secrets, Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn has to figure out where the kachina spirits meet since Leaphorn is told that the missing boy is making his way there to make amends. The second book in a series can sometimes be a bit of a let-down, but in this case, Hillerman's first installment was the wavering one since it had a split viewpoint and in this installment, Leaphorn is our main character and his viewpoint is strong enough to carry the very high-stakes story. In this story we also get a simple introduction to Zuni religion and the wonders that are kachinas, in this case specifically kachina dancers and the fascinating masks they wear when representing their respective supernatural spirits. The books in this series are obviously fiction and not anthropology textbooks, but I do enjoy very much how Hillerman mixes his mysteries with southwest Native American culture to create a niche of his own.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Audiobook performed by George Guidall3*** It's book number two in Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn series ... need I say more?Good mysteries with a little Native American cultural information in the mix. I love the way Leaphorn thinks things through before acting. George Guidall does a good job on the audio. He has good pacing and I really like the way he voices Leaphorn. There were times when Guidall’s performance transported me to my childhood, listening to my grandfather (or grandmother, or aunts or uncles) telling stories in the dark, as we all sat on the porch of a summer evening. But the press of daily life got in my way and the library deadline was fast approaching, so I abandoned the audio and finished reading the second half of the book in a day.Definitely a series I will continue.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dance Hall of the Dead is a much stronger book than The Blessing Way, Hillerman's first novel in the Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee series.Dance Hall features Joe Leaphorn front and center and introduces us to the ways he gathers facts and fits them together to solve the mystery. In this story, its figuring out how a Navajo boy gets mixed up in Zuñi religious practices and ends up murdered. Through persistence and the understanding of how culture affects actions, Leaphorn solves the mystery and saves another boy from murder.Quite enjoyable.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Although I had read this mystery before, I had little memory of it when I started listening to this audiobook edition. What a treat! Joe Leaphorn is such a marvelous character and George Guidall does a brilliant narration. I enjoy most of Hillerman's books, and missed Jim Chee a bit while listening to this early entry in the Navajo Mystery series. However, this book has the additional draw of the Zuni aspect - I found the interplay between Navajo, Zuni, and the various Caucasian factions (the state police, the FBI & DEA, the anthropologists, the hippies) fascinating.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Lt. Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo police becomes involved in the case of the disappearance and death of a young boy in this story the second of the Leaphorn series. Ernesto a young Zuñi has been chosen to impersonate the FireGod in the incoming Zuñi sacred celebrations. He has been training so that he can run, dance and participate with great strength. Pround of the fact that he has been so honored he could't help tell his friend George about it which was improper thing todo but he needed George's help in his workouts.

    When his body is found cruelly murdered George takes off trying to right the karma. But as is often the case one death follows another and Leaphorn knows he has to find George before anyone else does.

    Leaphorn has always believed that there is a reason for everything. Every cause has it's effect. Every action it's reaction. There is a synchronicity to nature. In all things there is a pattern but in this situation Joe Leaphorn is struggling to find it.

    Tony Hillerman creates a wonderful picture of a certain time and place. He educates the reader in this book about several of the very differences between the Navajo and the Zuñi both in their creation beliefs, and the way they live their lives.

    The value of a book is what you take away from it and Dance Hall Of The Dead is a gem.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the second book in the Joe Leaphorn series and I enjoyed it. It was a little confusing in places, mostly because I know absolutely nothing about the Navaho religious rituals, let alone the Zuni ones and both are strongly intertwined in this mystery within a mystery.

    I still like Joe, I admire his integrity and I love the way his character works through things, at his own pace and in his own time.

    This story centers around the death of a Zuni boy and the disappearance of his best friend, a Navaho. Joe is searching for the friend, afraid that either he killed the Zuni, or worse, that he is a target of a murderer.

    I didn't see the ending coming, and I don't know why because it was so obvious when Joe explained it to me - guess that is a sign of an excellent author, give all the facts as clues and still confuse the reader.

    I'll be going on in this series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It is a well written mystery, more than the mystery aspect it is the writing which I liked and the way author was able to bring about the native American atmosphere interwoven into the plot..
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This early Joe Leaphorn mystery has an intricate plot, interesting characters and lots of Indian lore, both Zuni and Navajo which adds up to an entertaining listening experience. The masterful narrations of George Guidall make the Hillerman novels one of the few book series that I prefer to listen to rather than read. Recommended—4 stars
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Could never get comfortable with this book. As part of a book discussion series looking at modern dective fiction, I found this to be a big disappointment. I expect a mystery to grab me and totally involve me in the story and getting the mystery solved. I found this book too long for the story being told and filled with disconnects - many characters just dropped when they could have contributed a great deal to the mystery.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Not one of Hillerman's best, but still an enjoyable read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Leaphorn pursues marked Navaho adolescent with an implausible smack at academics. Poetic end.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A young Hopi boy is the first to die, and his friend is missing. Jim Chee is detailed to look for the missing Navajo boy, and uncovers a mystery that includes a hippie commune, an archeological dig, and broken Hopi taboos that exact a terrible punishment.

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Dance Hall of the Dead - Tony Hillerman

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