Navajo Autumn

Navajo Nation Mystery, Book 1

By: R. Allen Chappell

Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab

Reservation "bad boy" Thomas Begay is found dead drunk under the La Plata Bridge, which is not unusual for him. What is unusual, however, is that beautiful BIA investigator Patsy Greyhorse is found lying beside him, not drunk or even a Navajo but very dead nonetheless. Charlie Yazzie, fresh from law school, risks his career and even his life to help his old friend. The answer seems to lie with the Yeenaaldiooshii...should one choose to believe in such things.

©2013 R. Allen Chappell (P)2016 Tantor

Great book for Tony and Anne Hillerman fans!

Here's a book that was both written and read well. When a Native American drunk is discovered unconscious near the body of a murdered woman, the local authorities consider their case closed. Fortunately for the accused man, not everyone agrees. Knowing he's innocent and proving it are two different things. This story will hold your attention right to the end.

Gripping

I kept expecting Lt. Joe Leaphorn to show up in various scenes. Chappell is a great story teller and I felt the book was almost in the league of Tony Hillerman. This is a modern day story set in the Navajo Reservation I the Four Corners Region. Our protagonist is Charlie Yazzie who has returned to “The Res” with a law degree, but finds few choices for his skills. He is unable to obtain employment in any law firms in off Reservation towns. The Navajo Nation hires him as a special investigator until a position opens up in the tribal legal department.

Thomas Begay, a school friend of Charlie’s from the Indian Bureau’s tribal boarding school days, is charged with the murder of a Sioux Indian woman. It turns out she is an attorney with the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigating a problem with the Tribal watershed rights. Charlie sets out to prove Thomas innocent.

What makes the story interesting is Charlie has lost most of his fluency in the Navajo language and customs. The story provides a look at a people where the young are leaving behind the old ways but the older generation is hanging on tight to their past. Chappell provides an insight into the modern day problems of the Navajo people in a form of a good story. The story has engaging characters, fast action and some humor. Chappell provides explanations of Navajo history, culture and spirituality and how they have survived in such a rugged environment. Kaipo Schwab does a good job narrating the story. I cannot wait for more stories by Chappell.

Navajo Autumn

Was a good story-wished that it had been longer-The narrator did a great job…loved his voice.

Not a Bad Introduction

I thought Kaipo Schwab did a good job of narrating. His voice is pleasant to listen to and he didn't make glaring mistakes in pronunciation of proper nouns - as far as I could tell. This is the first book in a series of mysteries that take place on the Navajo reservation. The book was quite short - under 4 hours. There wasn't really enough of it to get to know the characters well, but it's a decent introduction. I intend to listen to the next book in the series.

spoiled by Hillerman

T his was a quiet little mystery story, the kind you can listen to with half an ear as you work some mindless task. it didn't have the tight, serious plots of a Hillerman, nor the well-researched and well -known cultural aspects of the Navajo. But it was very listenable. I gave four stars to the narrator for not knowing the proper pronunciation of some very simple words like mesa, and for stars to the author for not only not knowing done very basic but critical Navajo cultural, but for also apparently not knowing the right titles given each person in a clan's hierarchy. overall it was listenable and I will finish the series as I found the plot reasonable though in need of filling out and the characters were likable and believable.

A new Voice for the Southwest

Never can be John Hillerman but this series has a totally fiDifferent method of storytelling. The author brings usS 3 main chapters who are so fully fleshed, oNe has no trouble driving right,
, atmosphere, history, religion all treated in a new way. Very exciting , just wish books were longer!

Fun to listen to

i love to listen to the adventures of Thomas and Charlie! Entertaining, sometimes funny, good mystery. and a touch of Navajo culture.

All good

I listen alot. Good narration and decent story lines… maybe even a little cultural education…
Thanks

WELL DONE SHORT STORY

STORY SET IN THE WEST ON THE NAVAHO INDIAN RESERVATION WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION AND REFERENCES TO THE
OLD WAYS YET A STORYLINE THAT COULD BE FROM THE 1800'S OR TODAY. I ENJOYED THE VERY DESCRIPTIVE SCENES
OF THE LANDSCAPE, WEATHER AND LIVING CONDITIONS. IT PLACED YOU RIGHT IN THE STORY. THE AUTHOR DID A GOOD JOB OF TELLING A WHOLE STORY IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AND PLACED YOU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ARIZONA DESERT, SMELLING THE CEDAR BURING IN THE OLD WOOD STOVE IN A HOGAN.

Story

Fantastic narrator and story. Hope for more. I listen to this when I want to visit the southwest. Thank you all!