The best New Mexico mysteries begin with Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee novels, set among the Navajo Tribal Police, and run through Anne Hillerman's continuation, Michael McGarrity's Kevin Kerney series, Steven Havill's Posadas County procedurals, and Rudolfo Anaya's Sonny Baca quartet. The state's landscape — vast, empty, layered with three cultures and a thousand years of history — turns out to be perfect for crime fiction, where place is half the story. This is a reader's guide to the series worth your time. For the collector's view, see collecting New Mexico mystery & crime fiction; for the wider canon, Best Books Set in New Mexico.
Published June 2026 · Curated by Josh Eldred, New Mexico Literacy Project
The Leaphorn & Chee novels — Tony Hillerman
The foundation. Eighteen mysteries following Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee across the high desert, beginning with The Blessing Way (1970). Hillerman wove Navajo culture and landscape into the procedural so well that the Navajo Nation named him a Special Friend of the Diné. Best starting points: A Thief of Time and Dance Hall of the Dead.
The Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito novels — Anne Hillerman
Tony's daughter took up the series in 2013 with Spider Woman's Daughter, bringing Officer Bernadette Manuelito from the margins to center stage. Written from Santa Fe with the same deep sense of place, they're a seamless continuation and a fine entry point for new readers.
The Kevin Kerney novels — Michael McGarrity
Beginning with Tularosa, McGarrity's series follows lawman Kevin Kerney from Santa Fe across the whole state. A former cop himself, McGarrity writes procedure that rings true and a New Mexico that's lived-in rather than scenic.
The Posadas County mysteries — Steven F. Havill
Set in a fictional county on the southern New Mexico border, Havill's long-running series — first with undersheriff Bill Gastner, later Estelle Reyes-Guzman — is the great procedural of the rural borderland: small departments, big country, and small-town crime rendered with care.
The Ella Clah novels — Aimée & David Thurlo
A long series featuring Ella Clah, a former FBI agent turned Navajo police investigator, navigating both modern law enforcement and traditional Navajo life on the reservation. A worthy companion to Hillerman from a husband-and-wife team deeply versed in the Diné world.
The Sonny Baca quartet — Rudolfo Anaya
The author of Bless Me, Ultima turned to crime fiction with four seasonal novels — Zia Summer, Rio Grande Fall, Shaman Winter, and Jemez Spring — following Albuquerque detective Sonny Baca. Anaya blends the procedural with Hispano and Native spirituality, making these unlike any other mysteries on this list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best New Mexico mystery series?
Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee novels, set among the Navajo Tribal Police, are the definitive New Mexico mystery series. Start with A Thief of Time.
Who writes New Mexico mysteries now?
Anne Hillerman (continuing the Leaphorn/Chee/Manuelito series), Michael McGarrity (Kevin Kerney), and Steven F. Havill (Posadas County) are the leading contemporary names.
Did Rudolfo Anaya write mysteries?
Yes — the Sonny Baca quartet (Zia Summer, Rio Grande Fall, Shaman Winter, Jemez Spring), set in Albuquerque.
Cite This Guide
Eldred, J. (June 2026). Best New Mexico Mystery & Crime Novels. New Mexico Literacy Project.
https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/best-new-mexico-mysteries
Original curation by Josh Eldred. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.