Anne Hillerman, The Way of the Bear

When Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen asked, Anne Hillerman said The Way of the Bear is the eighth in the series that she has written, and twenty-seventh in the entire series if readers start with the first book by Anne’s father, Tony Hillerman’s The Blessing Way. Hillerman signed copies of The Way of the Bear, and they’re available through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/40CYmqq

Here’s the description of The Way of the Bear.

Fossil harvesting, ancient lore, greed, rejected love and murder combine in this gripping new installment of New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman’s Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series.

An unexpected death on a lonely road outside of Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument raises questions for Navajo Tribal Police officers Jim Chee and Bernadette Manuelito. Why would a seasoned outdoorsman and well-known paleontologist freeze to death within walking distance of his car? A second death brings more turmoil. Who is the unidentified man killed during a home invasion where nothing much seems to have been taken? Why was he murdered?

The Bears Ears area, at the edge of the Navajo Nation, is celebrated for its abundance of early human habitation sites and the discovery of unique fossils which revolutionized the scientific view of how early animals dealt with their changing world. Chee and Manuelito appreciate the area’s scenery and wealth of human and scientific resources, but their visit to this achingly beautiful place is disrupted by a current of unprecedented violence that sweeps them both into danger. Illicit romance, a fossilized jawbone, hints of witchcraft, and a mysterious disappearance during a blizzard add to the peril.

It takes all of Manuelito’s and Chee’s experience, skill, and intuition to navigate the threats that arise and see justice served.


ANNE HILLERMAN is the bestselling author of the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series. The Way of the Bear is her eighth novel in the series, which was created by her father, Tony Hillerman. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Tucson, Arizona, and is at work on her next novel.


Enjoy Anne Hillerman’s conversation with Barbara Peters.