Bears Ears, the on-again, off-again national park that's been the subject of so much political turmoil in recent years, becomes the site of more personal and dangerous conflicts. Still smarting from the rejection of her application for promotion to detective, Navajo police officer Bernadette Manuelito has accompanied her husband, Lt. Jim Chee, to Utah, where he plans to meet with Hosteen Desmond Grayhair and help persuade interested scientist Chapman Dulles to make a sizable donation to the Navajo Nation's Fallen Officers Memorial Fund. On a solitary evening walk in the Valley of the Gods, Bernie is targeted by a truck that nearly runs her down shortly after she discovers that some of the valley's ancient petroglyphs have been defaced. On top of all this, she's called on to deliver the baby of Hannah Black, whose husband, Roper, has just tendered his resignation as Dulles' security chief. Since Chee's buddy Officer Ajax Becenti is away from his desk at the Bureau of Land Management, Bernie reports the damaged petroglyphs to Becenti's partner, Ranger Cassidy Kingsley, a California import who seems indifferent. The tale picks up steam with the discovery of missing paleontologist Kyle Johnson's body and the disappearance of Dulles, who leaves an unidentified corpse behind on his front porch. Hillerman ends up identifying a surprising number of suspects as perpetrators of diverse crimes and misdemeanors. But it's clear from early on that the crux of them all is Mary, the fossilized skull that Dulles had found and made a beloved companion. A so-so mystery that raises probing questions about the fates of fossils found on public lands sacred to many. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Bestseller Hillerman's pleasing eighth Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito mystery (after 2022's The Sacred Bridge) takes Navaho police officer Bernadette "Bernie" Manuelito and her policeman husband, Lt. Jim Chee, to Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. Chee is there to meet with Chapman Dulles, a scientist who has decided to donate to the Navajo Nation's Fallen Officers Memorial Fund. Bernie has taken time off from work and joined Chee to contemplate her future after being passed over for a promotion to detective. While hiking on a cold winter's day, she comes across what looks at first glance to be an archaeological dig. Bernie begins to suspect that the excavation may really be connected with the robbing of grave sites or the illegal collection of fossils. Her suspicions seem to be confirmed when she's chased and shot at. Meanwhile, Chee shows up at Dulles's home to find an unidentified dead man sprawled on the driveway. Dulles is nowhere to be found. An intriguing plot matches the well-developed, reflective leads. As always, the real strength of this series lies in its authentic atmosphere, evocative descriptions of the landscape, and fascinating details of Navajo life. Hillerman consistently satisfies. (Apr.)