Stargazer

 Stargazer (#998) is the latest entry in Anne Hillerman's Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito mystery series.  Things are stretched thin in Navajo law enforcement across the Four Corners, so Sargeant Jim Chee is filling in for Captain Largo, away at a conference.  That makes him temporarily Bernadette Manuelito's boss, and uncomfortable fit all the way around.  She runs into a badly beaten woman, a dead infant, and a herd of stray cattle all while trying to serve a warrant.  She finds the wanted man, but she fails to bring him in.  Things are not going well with the tension in the office.

So Bernie's glad to be called in to aid in a suicide investigation in another short-handed jurisdiction.  Steve Jones, a well-known astronomer working at the Very Large Array of radio telescopes near Alamo, New Mexico, was found by a young boy out hunting rabbits. His fancy Jaguar is pulled off the road with his body inside, a bullet wound to his head.  The gun is there, and there are no signs of a struggle, so it seems case closed.  Until Maya Kelsey walks into the local police station and confesses to murdering him.

The fact that Maya was Bernie's former roommate complicates matters.  She is convinced that Maya would not have done it, but Maya is adamant.  But if the murderer is not Maya, who else has motive and opportunity?  Their investigation leads them into some out of the way places and explores Navajo star mythology in this intriguing outing.  Is it time for Bernie to take on new challenges?  Stay tuned!