Mysteries
by Tony Hellerman
Leaphorn & Chee: This review is my reaction to the three novels of this trilogy ( Skinwalkers, A Thief of Time and Coyote Waits), and two more, The Sinister Pig, and Skeleton Man. All of these novels feature Leaphorn and Chee.
My reaction to the novels by Hillerman is that he is a pretty good mystery writer in the tradition of Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and others. The plots are good, there is human interest in the form of a continuing story about Leaphorn the older, more experienced Navajo policeman (and, in addition of a more reflective temperament), and the younger officer Chee, more impetuous, and, in addition, wanting to be a policeman and also involved with Navajo spirituality. There are also a few important woman characters, all of whom have some relationship to the male characters. In the books that I read all but one of them were revealed through the point of view of the male characters, but it may be that one of them becomes more important in later novels, because she has at least segments of the last two novels told from her point of view.The characterizations are not really deep in the style of a P.D. James or Martha Grimes at her best (in the Paradise Hotel series and a few of the Richard Jury mysteries), but they are likable characters. There are a few stereotyped bad guys - mostly rich white guys play this role - but for the most part even the doers of bad deeds are treated pretty sympathetically.
What distinguishes these novels is how they reveal pieces of Native American culture, mostly Navajo, but occasionally others, such as Hopi or Anasazi. This comes in the form of spiritual practices, description of characters like Coyote or Kokopelli (the flute player), or just the description of how conversation is different among Navajos, who wait for information instead of asking questions and allow longer pauses before jumping in.
Though they aren't great books, they are easy reading and enjoyable. People who like mysteries, and, in addition, have an interest in other cultures, would probably enjoy them. 
by Tana French
In the Woodsl: In this mystery a child who vanished with his two closest friends, then reappeared with blood in his shoes, no friends and no memory of what occurred and not speaking, is now a homicide detective and is involved with his partner in an investigation that takes him to the place where the earlier crime occurred. He doesn't know, and for most of the book, we don't know whether the current crime has anything to do with the earlier one. Since his last name is common, and he goes by his middle name rather than the first name that was publicized, only a few people know about his role as victim in the earlier crime, and he chooses not to tell his boss, although his partner knows. Alongside the account of the investigation, there is a parallel account of his relationship with his partner, which is initially almost like brother/sister-like in their closeness, jokes, arguing and support for each other. One thing this book does very well is show someone acting like a jerk in a way that makes sense and still leaves you with a feeling of empathy for the character. This is a very strong first novel and I plan to read French's new book, The Likeness, which has the same two main characters. But the point of view may shift to the female partner. 
The Likeness: A Novel: The Likeness is Tana French's second mystery and involves one of the main characters of the first one. In the Woods was told from the point of view of the male partner of two cops and dealt a lot with the effect of a case on a trauma in his past. This second book is not a sequel of that one. The partners have broken up and the male cop doesn't really come into this book, although he is mentioned. It is told from the point of view of the female partner, Cassie, who has moved to the domestic violence unit, but now is pulled into an undercover assignment. She was previously in undercover before joining the murder squad. This undercover assignment is an unusual one, and most of the book shows her being drawn into the character that she is playing in the assignment.
While I liked In the Woods very much, I found the Likeness to be a stronger and more convincing work. I definitely recommend it.
by Ake Edwardson
Death Angels: A Chief Inspector Erik Winter Novel (Chief Inspector Erik Winter Novels): This is a mystery, but the language of it is so beautiful that it is almost slippery so I was having trouble hanging onto the facts of it - for the mystery. On finishing I immediately started it again, which is something I can't remembering doing with a mystery before. But the satisfaction is as much in the poetry and the characters as in the mystery. The characters in this case are involving, and I would be glad to read more about them. One thing that makes the book hard to read is that the detectives in it are affected by the murders (there are multiple related victims) and feel the despair of them, so the reader does as well. At least I did. Others have said that this is the latest translated, but chronologically the first, so I will be happy to continue with the rest. 