Publisher Format: St. Martin's Minotaur (2010), 322 pages
Subject: gold mining
Setting: Alaska
Series: Kate Shugak Novels
Genre: women private detectives, murder mystery
Source: public library
Now here's a series I'm really going to get into. One of our patrons donated this book to the library, and shoved it at me (she knows me well) saying " YOU MUST READ THIS." Now who am I to make a patron unhappy? She was right. It's a page turner, with a great plot, a wonderful protagonist in Kate Shugak, a private investigator who works along side the tribal and government law enforcement authorities in the Alaskan wilderness.
This is evidently the 17th in the series, but I didn't feel I need much back fill to enjoy the story. The plot revolves around a greedy mining company wanting to dig gold from a pristine and ecologically endangered mine. I thought the author did an excellent job balancing what could have become a political diatribe and instead offered a fair explanation of the issues. These were certainly debated enough to cause murder and mayhem, missing and mis-identified bodies, and offer Kate the chance to once again help put together the clues she and others piece together from the wilderness. There's just enough question mark left at the end (no spoilers here!) to make readers look forward to the next in the series.
There is certainly enough to this character and the gorgeous setting to make me definitely seek out at least a few of the earlier ones. If you like rugged settings, strong women, and well plotted murder mystery, these just may be for you.
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I have read a few in this series and they are quite enjoyable. As you said, a great setting, a great strong female character...who is pretty smart, always a good thing.
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