The beginning is a little slow but atmospheric as the setting and characters are introduced. Stabenow excels at both, giving depth to the narrative.
Kate Shugak, an Aleut, left her confined home and culture to pursue an education. She then worked for the Anchorage AG office as an investigator for seven years--until a dreadful case sent her into exile after a grievous wound.
A Cold Day for Murder pulls Kate back into investigation when a Park Ranger goes missing and an investigator sent to find him disappears, too.
An strong, independent woman, divided between cultures, Kate remains comfortable with herself, bridging the separations with skill and decency. She is, nevertheless, unhappy at being manipulated into the search for the two missing men, but she also has personal reasons for accepting the challenge.
There are some truly amusing parts that are balanced between the sad situations of many of the indigenous characters. Kate accepts both as a part of life and doesn't get morally upset about people she cares about poaching or the alcoholic problems that beset her friends and relatives, taking it all in and balancing her affection for flawed characters with their self-destructive behavior.
Stabenow won an Edgar for this, her debut novel. Kate is an intriguing, self-sufficient character, and I look forward to continuing this series!
Purchased.
Mystery/Crime. 1992; 2019.
I wish I could remember which Stabenow book I've read in this series, but I don't remember much more than the Alaskan setting and the main character's name. I guess that means I can start over with this one, huh? :)
ReplyDelete:) I guess you can, Lark. I'm excited to have a new series to follow, and I'm going to have to pace myself because I'm feeling greedy right now!
DeleteOh, I'm glad you read this one and liked it. First books seem to either really work for people or may not because it's a 'debut' book. I love this series. Love Kate and all the people that you'll meet in her life. I've met Dana Stabenow at a mystery conference and I was so very excited. She's funny and friendly.
ReplyDeleteYes! I can see that this first book might be a little slow for some readers, but the characters and the setting are so worth taking the time to appreciate. Dana Stabenow must be some capable person because Kate's abilities feel absolutely genuine!
DeleteI'm one of the few who wasn't "grabbed" by this first book, and I haven't gone on to read any of the others. I have met and talked with Dana more than once, and she's great. I love her sense of humor and her wide-ranging knowledge.
DeleteThis sounds like the start of a really great series. I love it when a book can transport me right to it's setting. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm already on the second book!
DeleteGosh, if you could see my Kindle, you'd see it is FULL of books you've recommended! Including this one, now. Sometimes I have to not read the blog until I finish a book, because I pretty much want to read all the mysteries and procedurals your
ReplyDeletewrite about! 👍😁
I hope you enjoy some of the ones I really like, Debby! I read a lot of books that keep me mildly entertained, but this is a series I expect to continue to feel strongly about. So interesting to feel more knowledgeable about Alaska, which is sort of our last frontier. :)
DeleteSounds like a winner. I love books that are atmospheric and Kate sounds like a great detective for the reader to follow...sufficiently complex but also sympathetic.
ReplyDeleteKate is such an appealing character, but the secondary characters are fascinating, too. Living in the Alaskan wilderness requires skills most of us are completely unfamiliar with and hardships that seem daunting to me, but which those who live there take for granted. I have a nephew who lives there and works as a guide (cheers to you, Lucas!), and I wonder if he's read Dana Stabenow's books.
DeleteIt is nice to read and to be educated even in smaller things as you go along. This book sounds a good one. New author and book for me.
ReplyDelete:) It is! I love learning through fiction. I often do more exploration on my own about people, places, and history I've never thought much about before.
DeleteI've heard about this series for years and just haven't gotten around to it. I like that the setting is so different from most of my other favorite series. Would definitely stand out!
ReplyDeleteIt really is good! The setting becomes a character it is so vividly described. :)
DeleteI had wanted to try this series years ago, but it fell off my radar. I think I ended up giving away my copy of this book. I do love the setting. Maybe one day I'll give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI'm hooked on it now. :)
DeleteThis sounds like a good one! Will add it onto my wishlist. :)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading about the culture of indigenous tribes and the difficulties of survival in such a wilderness of cold and danger. I've just finished the second book, and I liked it even better!
DeleteWhat a great introduction to Kate and this author -- I liked that the author managed to straddle the line between entertainment and education.
ReplyDeleteThose Alaskans are a tough people. Stabenow's characters are an odd mixture, but they all feel genuine.
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