“People of Darkness” By Tony Hellerman

“People of Darkness” is the fourth book in the series of the Jim Chee crime series by Tony Hillerman. The mystery describes in rich detail the Navajo Way, the landscape in New Mexico and the conflict between the Navajo world and the “White Man’s” world. Tony Hillerman knows New Mexico and its people intimately. His insight enables his colorful characters to solve the murder in rich detail. The book was published in 1980 it’s still a best seller today.

In “People of Darkness,” Hillerman asks two main questions: Who would kill a dying man for his mineral collection? And why would the rich man’s wife pay $3,000 to get a box of rocks back? This is the mystery Navajo tribal detective Jim Chee solves.

Jim Chee follows a trail to the radical Indian cult called the People of Darkness who worship the Prince of the Underworld called Mole. Chee finds out about a mining accident that happened decades ago and the stolen box of rocks is actually the mineral samples from the mine.

In addition, Jim Chee’s girlfriend, a bacteriologist, discovers a mysterious disease. The slow acting germs are actually a method of murder. And one man actually dies from the infection. Both Chee and his girlfriend track down the assassin and realize that they’re the next target.

Tony Hillerman shows the connection the Navajo people have with the land. The novel depicts the conflict of how Jim Chee, the Navajo detective, is pulled away from his Navajo traditions in order to live in the White Man’s world.