Anne Hillerman Books In Order

Publication Order of Leaphorn & Chee Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Before starting her fiction writing career, author Anne Hillerman worked as a journalist for than 20 years. She worked for the Santa Fe New Mexican and then the Albuquerque Journal as well as freelancing for many other publications. Among her many jobs as a journalist were education reporter, editorial writer and restaurant reviewer. Author Anne started her writing career in the year 1984 with the release her debut nonfiction book called ‘Children’s Guide to Santa Fe’. And her work as a restaurant reviewer let to the publication of another non-fiction work, ‘Santa Fe Flavors.’

Along with the help of her photographer husband, the late Don Strel, Anne has worked on a project for the University of New Mexico Press. This project, the reissue of her father Tony Hillerman iconic non-fiction book, The Great Taos Bank Robbery, included Anne’s introduction and the addition of photographs of the places included in the nonfiction essays. In the introduction, author Anne had described how she felt while growing up as one of the 6 children of Tony Hillerman.

She once again collaborated with her husband on a non-fiction book titled ‘Gardens of Santa Fe’. This book went on to become a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award and also won the New Mexico Award.

Author Anne and her husband also collaborated on another book, “Tony Hillerman’s Landscape”, which was awarded many prestigious awards and honors. Anne spent two years traveling the Navajo Nation and visiting sites her father used in his long series of lovely. That book led to her transition from non-fiction to fiction.

Anne was a director of Wordharvest Writers Workshops as well as the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference. She helped establish both of these organizations and both programs ran for more than 10 years, bringing in a variety of authors to teach writing. The sessions gave Anne a good background in both the craft and business of writing books.

The Leaphorn and Chee series consists of 19 novels by author Tony Hillerman and nine by author Anne Hillerman, the newest of which, Lost Birds, will debut in 2024.

All the books in the series feature Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, working as crime solvers in the Navajo tribal police. The first book in the series written by author Anne ‘Spider Woman’s Daughter’. It was released by the Harper publishers in 2013 and features Bernadette Manuelito as a lead character.

At the beginning of this book, it is shown that Bernadette Manuelito, who works as a police officer in the Navajo Nation, is enjoying breakfast with her colleagues. Soon, she sees a truck squealing into a parking lot and then hears sounds of gunfire. When the dust of the gunfire cleared, she saw someone very close to her lying in a pool of blood.

After the incident, the victim battles for his life at the hospital while all the police officers in the squad go on to hunt down the gunman, along with the help of the FBI. Bernadette too wants to get involved in the investigation, but she is disallowed due to a regulation that prevents eyewitnesses from taking part in an investigation. She gets the order to take leave, but she does not seem to relax.

When she learns that her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee, has been put in-charge of finding the gunman, she becomes even more restless to get involved. As both of them move ahead with the investigation, they come to know that one of the old cases involving retired Police Inspector Joe Leaphorn, might be related to the shooting in some way.

Finding important clues every time they dig into the old and new cases together, the husband and wife pair keeps getting closer to the truth. Their search inches nearer to a deadly killer, who seems to stop at nothing to keep from getting caught.

One of the other books written by author Anne Hillerman is titled as ‘Rock With Wings,’ published by Harper in 2015. At the start of this book, the married couple of Bernadette Manuelito and Jim Chee, who work as police officers for the Navajo Tribal Cops investigate a couple of perplexing cases under the guidance of their mentor, the legendary Joe Leaphorn.

After doing some good work for a relative, Jim and Bernadette get a chance to remain away from their schedule at the police station. But, two important cases cause them to come back from their vacation. They are made to work on the cases separately, one in Monument Valley and the other in Shiprock. Chee’s investigation leads him to a few random clues which bring him to a missing woman and a thug.

On the other hand, Bernadette finds her hands full with a drug bust that goes wrong, uncovering of a fire originating from nowhere, and looking into a solar energy project that might cause serious consequences on the Navajo land. Under the guidance of Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, Bernadette and Jim Chee navigate several unexpected obstacles and confront a number of challenges that test their commitment, courage, and skills.

Currently, author Anne is working on the development of the plot of her next novel. Her and her father’s stories are the basis for the AMC television series Dark Winds, which premiered in 2023.

7 Responses to “Anne Hillerman”

1. Dee Lou: 3 months ago

   My husband first introduced me to Tony Hillerman’s books and I was immediately hooked! I will miss Tony very much but his daughter Anne is just as impressive a writer. I love this series and look forward to reading the latest Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito book! I feel as if they are family and we have visited parts of New Mexico and the Monument Valley in the past so we can relate to what we are reading! My husband feels the same way and we just want to say Thank You Anne for carrying on your father’s awesome legacy ❤️

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2. Wendy Feen: 10 months ago

   I read and loved your dad’s books, and only recently learned you have continued the series. I am hooked; your books are addictive. Thank you for helping us to connect and help understand Navajo beliefs; it is opening up my horizons.

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3. MaryJane: 2 years ago

   Love your books! Love your dads books and so very Happy you have continued with his series. I’ve been fascinated by the cultures of Arizona’s and New Mexico and love that there is so much interesting facts in your writing. It is great that one of the characters is a strong intelligent woman
   And shows some of the reality of living and working in those cultures and States. Thank you so much and hope you will continue.

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4. David Broerman: 2 years ago

   Anne, I have read and reread your fathers’ books of Leaphorn and Chee.So now I have found your books! Thank you for continuing the rest of the story, You are truly as gifted as your father! Thank you!

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5. Donald D Flemming: 3 years ago

   Read all your father’s books and loved them. Have just started reading yours and, so far, love them as well. Please keep the tales a-coming.

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6. Cynthia Clark: 3 years ago

   Love all Tony’s and Anne’s books. Anne keep them coming great job.

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7. Felicity: 4 years ago

   She is writtes as her father, impeccable stories, she honours her father that in heaven must be very proud.

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