Tony Hillerman, RIP

- One of Hillerman's most well known mysteries, his second, was Dance Hall of the Dead, which received the 1973 Edgar Award for Best Novel.

I read the other day that novelist Tony Hillerman has died - Tony Hillerman, 83, dies; bestselling mystery author provided insight into the native people and culture of the Southwest (LA Times). I've read a number of novels by Hillerman, who was a purple heart winning infantryman in WWII, and liked them a lot, learning a bit about the Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo cultures while being entertained with a mystery. Here's a bit of the news story ...

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Bestselling author Tony Hillerman began writing his contemporary mystery novels set in the Navajo region of the Southwest, in part, he once said, because "they have a fascinating religious philosophy and a lot of good values."

And, he told Newsweek magazine in 1989, "they're the very bottom of the pecking order among Indian tribes out here. They're the country bumpkins. And I've always identified with that."

The critically acclaimed author, whose mysteries featured two Navajo tribal policemen and were known for providing insight into the native people and culture of the Southwest, died Sunday. He was 83 .....

Beginning with "The Blessing Way," published in 1970 and introducing Lt. Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police, Hillerman wrote 18 novels featuring Leaphorn and the younger officer Jim Chee and set in the sprawling Navajo region of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

The longtime Albuquerque resident, whose novels were known for their atmospheric blend of contemporary crime and traditional tribal beliefs and customs, remained something of a critically acclaimed cult favorite until his 1986 novel "Skinwalkers" propelled him onto bestseller lists and his mysteries, including "A Thief of Time," began selling millions of copies.

His legion of fans included Robert Redford, who acquired the film rights to Hillerman's mystery series and executive-produced "The Dark Wind," which was released in Britain in 1992, and others for PBS.

Hillerman, whose novels have been published in more than 30 languages, received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1991 ......

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