Hillerman's training and experience in journalism taught him that there are stories to be found everywhere. The plot of Talking God grew from a piece in the Washington Post about a group of militant Indian activists who demanded that the Smithsonian surrender to them certain of the Native American bones in their possession.

Hillerman uses three distinct points of view — Leaphorn's, Chee's, and Leroy Fleck's — cutting from one to another with cinematic rapidity, allowing the reader to follow events and actions from the vantage of their plan and execution. This use of parallel narration is particularly effective at the finale of the novel when Hillerman finally connects all of the subplots into one denouement.

The contrapuntal structure of the novel is enhanced by Hillerman's deftly compact and accurate descriptions, which allow the reader to visualize the Smithsonian storage system, a desolate murder site by the railroad...