Rating: 
Summary: Deep Alaska
Review: Stabenow gives a good read for those of us making do at times with outdoor mystery novels instead of getting into the wild as much as we'd like. She also has a sage eye for the political complexities of Alaskan environmental and native issues. This politico loved the campaign trail storyline and the double plot, and got a kick out of Chopper Jim's true colors. As with all her books, I walked away feeling proud to be an armchair Alaskan.
Rating:
Summary: Deep Alaska
Review: Stabenow gives a good read for those of us making do at times with outdoor mystery novels instead of getting into the wild as much as we'd like. She also has a sage eye for the political complexities of Alaskan environmental and native issues. This politico loved the campaign trail storyline and the double plot, and got a kick out of Chopper Jim's true colors. As with all her books, I walked away feeling proud to be an armchair Alaskan.
Rating:
Summary: Two Very Well Told Stories
Review: Stabenow manages to entertain the reader with two very good stories in this book. Kate Shugak is employed as security to a woman who is campaigning for a Park Senate seat. About 100 years ago, a "working girl" falls in love and marries the man who was the highest bidder when she auctioned herself to the men of Dawson. Stabenow takes us back and forth between these two stories and it becomes clear that a connection will be made. The pace never falters and the characters, as always, are complete in every detail. In one part of the book, DS writes about Kate's love of books. Reading for fun. Preferring a book to television. The inability to pass a bookstore without going in. This really struck a chord with me. I'm just guessing here, but I think Stabenow has endowed Kate with her own love of books. Maybe that is why she is able to tell such good tales. She understands readers because she is one herself. I truely appreciate her efforts, as one reader to another. Oh, and what about the glove? Where have I heard about a glove found at the scene of a crime before? Hummmmm.
Rating:
Summary: Two Very Well Told Stories
Review: Stabenow manages to entertain the reader with two very good stories in this book. Kate Shugak is employed as security to a woman who is campaigning for a Park Senate seat. About 100 years ago, a "working girl" falls in love and marries the man who was the highest bidder when she auctioned herself to the men of Dawson. Stabenow takes us back and forth between these two stories and it becomes clear that a connection will be made. The pace never falters and the characters, as always, are complete in every detail. In one part of the book, DS writes about Kate's love of books. Reading for fun. Preferring a book to television. The inability to pass a bookstore without going in. This really struck a chord with me. I'm just guessing here, but I think Stabenow has endowed Kate with her own love of books. Maybe that is why she is able to tell such good tales. She understands readers because she is one herself. I truely appreciate her efforts, as one reader to another. Oh, and what about the glove? Where have I heard about a glove found at the scene of a crime before? Hummmmm.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific addition to the Kate Shugak series
Review: Terrific! That nicely sums up this latest entry in Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series. Stabenow, who was born and lives in Anchorage, provides her readers with an up-close and in-depth look at Alaskan life. And boy, is that life rugged and cold! Stabenow doesn't pull any punches as she describes everyday life in Alaska. People drink way too much. Marriages break up right and left. Just living day to day is difficult.Kate Shugak fiercely loves her native Alaska. She lives simply, without many of the conveniences we consider necessary. It's a lonely life, but one that Kate wouldn't change for the world. The only thing she would change is to bring back her recently deceased lover, Jack. But life goes on, and Kate slowly recovers from her grief. Helping her is Jack's teen-aged son, Johnny, who loves Alaska as much as Kate does. Unfortunately, he has run away from his mother, which causes Kate legal and emotional problems with Johnny's mother. As legal problems cost lots of money, Kate reluctantly accepts a job as security guard for state senator candidate Anne Gordaoff, who has been receiving threatening letters. Life on the campaign trail is hard, but not as hard as Kate's regular life (in my opinion). When first Anne's fundraiser/future son-in-law is murdered, followed shortly by the murder of another staff member, Kate digs into the past to identify the culprit. In fact, it is the past that provided the most interesting parts of the book. The parallel story of the Dawson Darling, a good-time girl of the Alaskan Gold Rush period, is riveting reading. Stabenow does an excellent job with her plot twists. There's lots of substance to THE SINGING OF THE DEAD, which makes it a satisfying read. Stabenow provides her reader with the necessary clues to identify the murderer along with Kate, although I must admit I didn't figure out "whodunit". All in all, I think this is one of the best in the Kake Shugak series. If you haven't read any, I recommend you start with the first book and work your way up to this one, as each book builds on the previous ones.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't fit a square peg in a round hole
Review: THE SINGING OF THE DEAD seems to be about two different stories: The first involves Kate Shugak's new job as "protection" for Anne Gordaoff's political campaign; the second flashes back to the travails of a "good-time girl" during the gold rush days in Alaska. The second is much more compelling than the first.
Someone has been sending Gordaoff threatening letters and Shugak is hired to protect her. She needs the money to help provide for her dead lover's son, whose mother wants him back, apparently just to spite Shugak. And that's what's wrong with this book. Everybody has it in for Kate Shugak. It's like President Nixon said about Reagan, "She's just not a pleasant person to be around." Shugak also locks horns with Gordaoff's campaign manager, Darlene Shelikof, with whom she attended The University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She doesn't get along with men any better, even those she's attracted to, like state cop Jim Chopin whom she thinks is condescending.
After two members of Gordaoff's staff are murdered, the murderer comes looking for Shugak. It's especially galling for Shugak when Chopin saves her. I found the resolution to be about as believable as the Kennedy conspiracies. Stabenow can't get the two stories to jibe and so she pounds a square peg into a round hole. I also kept paging ahead to see where the good-time girl story continued.
Rating:
Summary: Can't fit a square peg in a round hole
Review: THE SINGING OF THE DEAD seems to be about two different stories: The first involves Kate Shugak's new job as "protection" for Anne Gordaoff's political campaign; the second flashes back to the travails of a "good-time girl" during the gold rush days in Alaska. The second is much more compelling than the first.
Someone has been sending Gordaoff threatening letters and Shugak is hired to protect her. She needs the money to help provide for her dead lover's son, whose mother wants him back, apparently just to spite Shugak. And that's what's wrong with this book. Everybody has it in for Kate Shugak. It's like President Nixon said about Reagan, "She's just not a pleasant person to be around." Shugak also locks horns with Gordaoff's campaign manager, Darlene Shelikof, with whom she attended The University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She doesn't get along with men any better, even those she's attracted to, like state cop Jim Chopin whom she thinks is condescending.
After two members of Gordaoff's staff are murdered, the murderer comes looking for Shugak. It's especially galling for Shugak when Chopin saves her. I found the resolution to be about as believable as the Kennedy conspiracies. Stabenow can't get the two stories to jibe and so she pounds a square peg into a round hole. I also kept paging ahead to see where the good-time girl story continued.
Rating:
Summary: A chilling political murder mystery
Review: The Singing Of The Dead: A Kate Shugak Novel by Dana Stabenow is a chilling political murder mystery. The strong-willed and firm-minded heroine Kate Shugak decides to work security for a Native American woman running for state senator. But the bizarre of the campaign's staff researcher pulls Kate Shugak into a murderous web stretching back ninety years, and pits her against a modern-day killer with a cold and cruel irreverence for human life. Suspenseful and occasionally down-right mesmerizing listening, this complete and unabridged audiobook edition of The Singing Of The Dead is very ably narrated by Marguerite Gavin and strongly recommended for community library audiobook collections.
Rating: 
Summary: Not As Sharp As Usual
Review: There is nothing wrong with this book except that it seemed a tad tired, even though I never met a Kate Shugak book I didn't like.
In this outing, Kate is hired (very reluctantly on her part) to act as security guard for a political candidate, Anne Gordaoff. Like all politicians, Anne is quick with the glib tongue and the familiar handshake, and Kate finds it hard to like her, even though on the surface, her platform seems sound. What's worse for Kate is the folderol that goes with any campaign, and stalwart native Kate is truly a fish out of water--until the murders start.
Somebody is dogging the candidate's heels, and victims are having a nasty way of turning up when least expected. Kate tries to solve the mystery, joined by her would-be lover Jim Chopin (Chopper Jim) and other regulars--including, of course, half-wolf, half wonderdog Mutt.
What saves the plot from being entirely tired is the parallel story that takes place early in the century--that of a dancehall hostess/prostitute in the wild and woolly Alaskan gold rush. Many authors before Stabenow have used this double plot trick to very good effect, and it works for her too, except that the tie-in between the prostitute Angel and the candidate Anne is very weak and very confusing.
So be it...worth reading for diehard Shugak fans. On to the next!
Rating:
Summary: Learn about the Dawson Darling... & Kate
Review: This is the 11th in the Kate Shugak Series, and the second one since Kate's sole mate was brutally killed while helping guide on a hunting trip. In this story Kate is "talked into" acting as a bodyguard for a Native Woman who is running for s state senate seat. The biggest drawback is that it involves dealing with a woman she knows from college. Let's just say there is no apparent love loss here. At the same time Johnny is now living with Kate, or at least Kate's friends. Stabenow has also given us a look into the past with this book. This is really 2 stories in one. Yes they are tied together. But, you learn a bit about the beginning of the state's history (Alaska) and the type of people that brought her into statehood. You also learn a lot about the difference in politics in a land that is vast and wide. I loved the way the Dawson Darling was brought to life. Though I did find the switching back and forth a bit annoying. (Which is the 4 star rating) I would have liked to see this one as a separate story. I also love how you see the pleasure that books bring people and the joy of reading (as many of us do) thought the eyes of Kate and Paula. If you like a good murder mystery you will like this one! But, if you are new to the series I suggest you start with an earlier book first.
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