The Name of the Rose

A Taint in the Blood - [14] Kate Shugak mystery by Dana Stabenow

A flash (fire) from the past is the heart of the newest Kate Shugak murder mystery. As ever, Alaskan author Dana Stabenow expertly weaves the place and its politics into the tale. Kate goes South to Anchorage to investigate a 31 year cold case of arson/murder, angering one of Alaska's most powerful families. Longtime readers of this series will miss Kate's friends and family back in The Park ("twenty million acres, almost four times the size of Denali National Park but with less than one percent of the tourists,") but this foray into the bright lights of the big city shows that you can take the girl out of The Park, but you can't take The Park out of the girl.

AUDIO ADDED, THANKS TO OTHERWORDLY!!! Thank you!

This, the first Wexford novel and Rendell's debut in the world of the published writer, is a remarkable crime novel, for several reasons. Firstly, and most importantly of course, it is an excellent mystery; a brilliant puzzle, worthy of Agatha Christie. The investigation twists and turns down unexpected paths, and the diligent Inspector Wexford follows each clue faithfully, until the entirely satisfying and surprising solution. However, unlike Christie, Rendell's mystery is more rounded. It is more socially conscious (although that's not at al to say that some of Christie's weren't; she was excellent at the divide between the upper- and lower-classes), the characters are more real, more developed, more human and thus more interesting. The writing is also better; more compelling, with greater clarity; precision.

A Deeper Sleep - [15] Kate Shugak mystery by Dana Stabenow

This is the latest Dana Stabenow novel featuring Kate Shugak, the Aleutian detective. All the elements that have made the author's signature Kate Shugak crime series successful shine in this 15th entry (after 2004's A Taint in the Blood): Kate's personal growth as a woman and as an investigator; the Alaskan environment in all its unforgiving beauty; and a mystery whose solution remains in doubt until the end. The story opens with a brutal murder. The culprit, Louis Deem, who has managed to avoid justice for past crimes, is so odious that his presence is a cancer in the little Niniltna community Kate calls home. Stabenow's rich cast of supporting characters include natives and longtime settlers as well as those newcomers so unprepared that Kate refers to them as committing "suicide by Alaska." There is rough humor, a rich heritage of the community necessary for survival, and at the same time a remarkable tolerance for the many idiosyncrasies of those attracted to the harsh realities of Alaskan life. Kate Shugak is becoming a leader among her people and is already a leader in the sorority of women detectives.

AUDIO NEEDED!!!

A Grave Denied - [13] A Kate Shugak mystery by Dana Sabenow

Stabenow relaxes and lets us have fun with Kate. At times, the novel's style made me think I was reading a cozy. The author finds humor in Kate's new parenting role, as she learns how to cope with a teenager she has inherited from previous novels. Some of the best scenes involve Kate's relationship with her dog, Mutt, a part-wolf who seems to read Kate's mind. As usual, the cast of characters holds our attention, with tiny subplots: Kate's best friend gets a visit from a (deliberately) long-lost brother and fourteen-year-old Johnny remains determined to stay with Kate, rather than his blood relatives. The endings seem realistic, not at all contrived.

AUDIO NEEDED!!!