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Experienced aviator Finn Grant died in a fiery crash which seemed to have been caused by equipment failure. But the state trooper investigating believed it was murder. Nearly everyone in the area has a motive, including his wife. Trooper Liam Campbell asks Kate Shugak to come down to Niniltna and investigate undercover. It becomes obvious very soon that someone does not want her nosing around. At first there was just harassment but when that didn't work things got more serious.
Kate works as a bartender and can pick up lots of interesting information. Her investigation of the murder leads her to discover a cover-up of very serious crimes and into more danger. She is a fascinating character. Prickly, intelligent, well grounded in the native culture and yet understanding the white world, deft at defending herself and yet not a superwoman by any means, she strides across the events of this story and dominates the action. All the other characters except one are defined by her actions and her vision. Of course her dog Mutt is there to help her.
The other dominating character is Alaska. Huge, amazing, dangerous and challenging, it is a place Kate loves and embraces. The state is all extremes. No one can act without keeping the weather and the terrain in mind. Where else could flying from village to village be the commonplace way to travel? If the reader did not have a desire to visit Alaska before reading this book, she certainly will afterwards.
The plot is well done. The reader knows there was a murder, at least, we think we know. But we have no idea who might have done it and for what reasons. Kate goes step by step uncovering clues and putting them together until what they mean becomes clear. And it takes Kate, the state trooper, and the FBI to finally stop the conspiracy.
The book is well-written and easy to listen to. The reader, Marguerite Gavin, has read all of Stabenow's books. She catches the character of Kate very well and she draws the reader in. She differentiates different characters with ease and dexterity. My only objection to the production is that there is no warning when the disc is finished. As I listened in the car, there would be a short silence and then more of the story but I would then realize that I had heard this part before. A simple "This is the end of Disc 2" would have been nice.
But other than that, the production is good, the story is intriguing, and Kate Shugak dominates once again.
§ Sally Fellows is a retired history teacher with an MA in history and an avid reader of mysteries.
Reviewed by Sally A. Fellows, May 2012
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Contact: Linda Wilson (ljw@reviewingtheevidence.com), Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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