The Ghostway is the sixth in a series of mystery novels written by the acclaimed New Mexico author Tony Hillerman. Hillerman is well known for his Native American mystery novels in which he entertains with suspenseful storylines and provokes thought about the culture of Native Americans in a “white world.” The Ghostway carries on this theme. Readers are left on the edges of their seats as Tribal Policeman Jim Chee solves a murder case and searches for a runaway while also reconciling his Navajo background with the temptation of living in an urban “White world.”
Like most mystery novels, the book begins with a murder and a witness. This particular witness is an older Navajo man who was just waiting for his daughter when a murder happened before his eyes. The witness plays an important role in the story as the representative of the traditional Navajo culture. Then, the middle-aged Navajo detective, Jim Chee, comes into the story to solve the murder. He carries a lot of personal baggage, which creates the setting for the cultural dilemma. Hillerman uses the character of Chee's White American wife to represent the divide between the “White” world and Navajo culture, sticking Detective Chee right in the middle.
The Ghostway successfully engrosses readers in an intricate story that addresses many issues. Each character's personality and background plays an important part in Hillerman's presentation of societal issues all too relevant in modern American culture. On Amazon.com, some reviewers found the plot of this book harder to believe than some of his previous editions; however, the general consensus seems to be that he still succeeds in exposing complex issues tied into an entertaining story.
