"The Ghostway" is another Jim Chee mystery novel by American author Tony Hillerman. This is the 6th book that Hillerman has written, and was published in 1984. Jim Chee is a recurring character and is a Navajo Tribal Police Sergeant. Chee must unravel the complex mysteries of the Hillerman novels, while trying to straddle his upbringing in his native Navajo culture and his modern education.
Chee is depicted as a quiet and thoughtful man. He solves his mysteries by careful and slow evaluation of the clues and evidence. He is caught between the two cultures in his life - too traditionally Navajo to fit fully into the bustling “white” society, but too modern to fit fully into the traditional Navajo life. In "The Ghostway", Chee also has a personal conflict, as he is in love with a white woman, Mary Landon. Chee is torn between leaving the tribal police to join the FBI or staying with his Navajo heritage and becoming a “singer” to help preserve the traditions of his culture.
"The Ghostway" opens with a shooting in a laundromat parking lot in New Mexico. The story also involves a runaway 15 year old girl, a car theft ring, and a ghost in an abandon hogan. After the Federal Witness Protection Program sends a convicted felon to Chee's reservation, a series of murders follows. Chee uses his knowledge of and love for his people, the Navajo traditions, and the land itself to help solve the mystery. This is another wonderful book for fans of Hillerman novels.
