Cave of Bones: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel

Bestseller Hillerman’s meandering fourth mystery set in New Mexico (after 2017’s Song of the Lion) takes Navajo police officer Bernadette “Bernie” Manuelito into El Malpais, the badlands where Rose Cooper, the director of a program for troubled teenage girls, runs a campsite. When Annie Rainsong, one of the campers, goes missing, Domingo “Dom” Cruz, the assistant program director, goes looking for her. Annie returns safe, if a little scared, with a tale of finding a cave of bones. When Dom fails to return, the police send out a search party. Dom’s disappearance may be linked to a long-ago case handled by former police officer Joe Leaphorn. Bernie soon gets caught up in a case of grave robbing and stolen artifacts related to the cave find. Meanwhile, Sgt. Jim Chee, Bernie’s husband, who’s in Santa Fe for training, checks up on her younger sister, Darleen, who’s in school there and hanging out with the wrong people. Diffuse plotting makes this a weak series entry, though Hillerman’s use of the harsh but beautiful landscape and details of Navajo life is as strong as ever. Agent: Elizabeth Trupin-Pulli, JET Literary Associates. (Apr.)