Rating: 
Summary: A good read....
Review: A promising start to the series. I have ordered the next book, and am looking forward to reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Once more, with gusto
Review: A rookie federal Park Ranger/son-of-a-congressman, and an investigator sent to find him, go missing in the cold expanse of Kate Shugak's Alaskan Park (occupying "twenty million acres, almost four times the size of Denali National Park but with less than one percent of the tourists.") Reluctantly, Kate, a former D.A's investigator herself until a run-in with a child molester left him dead and her soured her on the job and a major portion of "civilization," is on the case. This is the first of Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak mystery series, and I'm glad I went back and started at the beginning. The reader is introduced to Jack Morgan, the aforementioned D.A., with whom Kate had an affair before leaving his employ in Anchorage to return home to the environs and inhabitants of her native Village and Park. The characters and locale will become old familiar friends as this series wends on. The introduction to Jack Morgan is particularly resonant:"He looked like John Wayne ready to run the claim jumpers off his gold mine on that old White Mountain just a little southeast of Nome, if John Wayne had been outfitted by Eddie Bauer." (If you are clueless about the humour, I suggest you go over to videos and get a copy of the movie "North to Alaska" - pay attention to the song being sung during the credits.) That Johnny Horton song is on jukeboxes everywhere here in our part of the Tundra, and everybody sings along ;-) And, speaking of jukeboxes and bars, the scene at Bernie's Bar in the book is really a hoot! Along the way to finding out what happened to the Ranger and his would-be rescuer, Stabenow gives the reader an overview of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and life in the villages. It's a good start to a good series and I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent new find!
Review: Having spent two weeks in Alaska last summer, I thought I would give this author a try since she was recommended on this board. What a find! Kate Shugak is very solitary and strong. The mystery kept me riveted and guessing. Very unusual. Glad I began at the first in the series. Hope most of the characters show up in the following books. A fast and exciting read.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Here is yet another book in which the detective confronts the murderer with evidence that wouldn't last two minutes under cross examination--but the accused confesses, lays out all the motives, then does the detective a favor by committing suicide. I say a favor because the D.A. would never take the case, and if the case by some fluke went to court, the detective would be red faced under the attack of the defense attorney.
Enough of these. Publishers need to make it a rule: no on the spot confessions followed by suicide will be permitted. It's been done over and over--and like the exclamation point, it is the sure sign of the amateur.
I started the book with high hopes--an Aleut woman as detective, set in Alaska. It sounded great. The characters were interesting and the atmosphere was fine, although perhaps just a bit over done. But then the book collapsed for me, owing to the plot that really made no sense from a logical standpoint. I can only hope the writer's subsequent mysteries are better.
Rating:
Summary: Strong character!
Review: I enjoyed this book. I will probably buy more in the series. I liked the strength of the lead character and found the mystery compelling.
Rating:
Summary: Strong character!
Review: I enjoyed this book. I will probably buy more in the series. I liked the strength of the lead character and found the mystery compelling.
Rating:
Summary: This One Got Me Started
Review: I had polished off Nevada Barr, & Van Gieson and was searching for a new author. Amazon.com suggested that if I liked the above authors I would like Stabenow so I acquired this, the 1st in the series. Now I'm hooked. I find the characters eccentric and interesting enough to keep me reading. Given that the setting is Alaska, I don't find the characters as eccentric as they might seem stateside. I will continue until I've finished the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Must read the entire series
Review: I love all the books in this series. Just warning you, it is very easy to get hooked!
Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: I loved this book. If you like strong women this is a book you should read.
Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: I loved this book. If you like strong women this is a book you should read.
| 
