Tony Hillerman's Novel "The First Eagle"

Tony Hillerman’s novel “The First Eagle” is another story in the life of the series’ main character named Jim Chee. The author designs his novels around mystery, murder and police investigations while keeping it all in relation to Native land and people in the Southwest. A large part of the novel’s story is experiencing the cultural differences between the Native Americans and the “White Man” in charge.

Lieutenant Jim Chee is burdened with the expected difficulties of a man newly put in a position of authority. His office has a police officer who is sexually harassing a number of female officers and staff who are outraged and want Chee to do something about it. Intermixed with the office politics is Chee’s ongoing relationship with his now ex-fiancée Janet Pete, who he first fell in love with in Hillerman’s earlier novel “The Sacred Clown.”

The story’s deep plot line, however, is the pursuit of an eagle poacher, which is not only against the law but sacrilegious to various tribes. Chee’s ties to the Navajo people make the destruction of sacred animals an important problem. While looking for the eagle poacher, the main suspect is found standing over a dying police officer who was sent to apprehend him. The man swears he didn’t do it and Chee is once again immersed in mystery, murder, romance and intrigue all while maintaining a solid foundation in the Navajo and general Indian heritage. Hillerman’s novels offer all the best aspects of a mystery/murder novel.