Tony Hillerman

As is so often the case, one generation's genius is not necessarily reflected in the next one or the previous one. Mozart, for example, was a composer of unbelievable talent, perhaps the greatest who ever lived, but his father was only pretty good, not great. Likewise, Tony Hillerman was as good a mystery writer as there has ever been, weaving together with great skill Navajo religion, culture, personalities, and land into stories of the first rank. Daughter Anne, although not a bad writer, simply is not in the same league no matter how hard she tries. Her two (so far) attempted continuations of the 18-volume series of her father are so-so but do not hit the gold nor anywhere near it. It is painful and embarrassing, frankly, to see these attempts to do what she seems incapable of doing. This also is unfair to the reader who is expecting the product of a great Hillerman and not the mediocrity of a lesser Hillerman. Perhaps she would do better at another sort of writing, but Navajo mysteries definitely are not her forte.