Goodreads describes it as:
Kate Shugak returns to her roots in the far Alaskan north, after leaving the Anchorage D.A.’s office. Her deductive powers are definitely needed when a ranger disappears. Looking for clues among the Aleutian pipeliners, she begins to realize the fine line between lies and loyalties–between justice served and cold murder.
I started this book last night and finished it when I got home this morning. One would think that meant I thought it was really great but, alas, no. I wanted to get it done so I could start something else and I was almost there so finished it up before I went to bed.
The story is about Kate, a native of Alaska, who finds discord within the “Outsiders” and her own people. She feels she doesn’t belong to either world which makes her a recluse who lives in a cabin miles from anyone. She left the DA’s office due to an accident that almost ended her life and forced her to take another’s. Disillusioned, she returned home after having left there years before against tribal objections.
A ranger and then a FBI man both disappear without a trace which leaves everyone baffled. Kate has to come out of her shell of a life to help figure out what happened. The powers that be waited, who knows why, until there was no chance either person could be found alive to enlist her aid.
OK, the good – I liked Dana’s description of Alaska. What a beautiful yet barren and harsh a place Alaska must be. Out in the middle of no where it is vital that one be able to keep their senses and keep organized or they would succumb to the elements. I would never live there. Her writing is pretty basic and easy to follow.
I have had this book for months and was really looking forward to trying this author. I have several more of hers as well. The writing style disappointed me. I like to feel the emotions of the character which doesn’t happen when I’m being told the events rather than being a part of them. This rather left me feeling detached to the story and characters. As much as I had hoped to, I could not become vested in Kate or those around her.
For being a tracker and an expert, Kate misses a lot of very easy clues. Dana lays them out all over the place taking the guess-work out of who the murderer is and why it happened. The lack of mystery or suspense at the whodunit made the story harder to complete – why finish it if you know who the killer is in the first few chapters? There was little investigation done – she talked to a few people and that was it making the scenery carry the rest of the story.
Though this Kate Shugak series won’t be scratched off my “to read list”, I can say it is going to the bottom so it could be years before I read another. I had high hopes for this series because of the setting in Alaska – one of our last true frontiers. I give the book a C.
