ISBN: 0425152545 Order from: Amazon.com
A likable protagonist, supporting characters and a vivid environment partly compensate for the grim plot.
Reviewed by David on June 01, 2002
Genre: Mystery (Private Investigator, Alaska)
Synopsis: Kate Shugak, once of the Anchorage District Attorney's office, is now a private investigator.
Kate Shugak, collecting a valuable crop of morel mushrooms, stumbles upon a corpse. Hired to look into the mysterious disappearance of a local teacher, Kate starts to connect the dots. However, powerful and ruthless people are determined to keep the truth hidden.
Full Review: As in the other mysteries of this series, the book benefits from a likable protagonist, fast plot, concentrated dialogue, and vivid Alaskan environment. Kate is a tough, competent, and yet vulnerable heroine, slightly exotic due to her Aleut heritage, but very human and admirable. Her friends, chance acquaintances, and even enemies are colorful, and many are likable.
The mystery is relatively easily guessed by both the reader and Kate, but, the details of proof and evidence make this a difficult mystery. The resolution is perhaps the darkest, most noir-ish of the series so far.
While enjoyable, the relative lack of mystery, and the dark nature of its resolution make this mystery less fun then the previous installments.
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 6; Characters: 6; Style: 5.5; World-building: 6; Originality: 6;
Copyright date 1995, Baen, May 1996, Mass market paperback
ISBN: 0425152545 Order from: Amazon.com