Book Description Review “Stabenow is blessed with a rich prose style and a fine eye for detail. An outstanding series.” —Washington Post on the Kate Shugak series “Crime fiction doesn’t get much better than this.” —Booklist starred review of Less than a TreasonRichly nuanced, highly entertaining 21st Kate Shugak mystery. . . . The dialogue is smart, authentic, and reminiscent of Elmore Leonard.” —Publishers Weekly starred review of Less than a Treason”Fans will hope this series goes on forever.” — Publishers Weekly”A fine entry in a series that’s deservedly a fan favorite.”— Booklist Online Read more About the Author Dana Stabenow is the author of the bestselling Kate Shugak series, which includes Less than a Treason, Midnight Come Again, The Singing of the Dead, and Bad Blood. She has won the Edgar Award and the Nero Award, and in 2007 she was named Alaska Artist of the Year in the Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities. Read more Customers Review: I really enjoyed this book. I’m so glad to see everyone together again. As for the reviewer with no empathy for immigrants I can only assume you’re pro trump. The rest of us are sickened by what this administration is doing. I’m not for illegal aliens bypassing the system, but I am for treating people with dignity and care. Immigrants are getting away from starvation, murder and rape. Our old systems before trump handled this pretty well. I appreciate Ms Stabenow bringing in relevant issues.
Despite my decades-long love for all things Shugak, this most recent book in the series has me re-thinking my fiction qualifiers. This is not the first author I have anxiously awaited a release from only to be disappointed to find that personal political opinions are driving the story. Not only did Stabenow take a ridiculous amount of liberty with the actual facts regarding the conditions at the southern border determent camps, it appears that she did not even bother to verify the information. If she had, she probably would have been dismayed to realize that, given the circumstances created by the REEDONKULOUS numbers trying to cross the border illegally, the US has done an amazing job feeding and housing illegal immigrants until each citizenship situation can be addressed. If I told 25 friends to come over for the weekend, I would be prepared with food and necessities to take care of us all. If those 25 friends brought 25 friends each (and I’m not even coming close to the real numbers), there is NO WAY I would be able to take care of everyone’s needs adequately. That’s the situation at our border right now. It’s been the situation down here for decades. “This administration” (as referred to in the book) is FAR from being the reason our border conditions are stressed beyond belief. Where was all this liberal outrage when the previous Democrat administration had those cages built to begin with? In the interest of honesty, most immigrants at the border receive the first medical treatment of their lives and probably the first decent meal and bath they’ve had in months. The swipe Stabenow takes at former Federal Agents being the procurers of immigrant children to be trafficked is not only greatly offensive, it encourages an erroneous dismissive attitude towards the front-line agents who EVERY DAY work hard to help people the best they can under extremely stressful and difficult circumstances.As a right of center conservative, I’m finding more and more liberal authors have still not come to terms with the 2016 election and venting their political spleens in their fiction work apparently brings them oodles of enjoyment. At least let’s hope it does because I’d be willing to wager that it’s losing them some fans.With that being said, I may or may not pick up Shugak #23. For the first time since I picked up A Cold Day for Murder in 1993 (newly moved into my first condo in Dallas waiting on my first paycheck to buy a TV), I can honestly say that, at this point, I don’t care what happens with this series now.
I have been an avid fan for 25 years! So very disappointed that the author went in to the politics from outside! As a “legal” immigrant and some one of the law enforcement family the portrayals of immigration and blacks are very sad!!You should check the facts about black on black shootings, our own children born here in orphanages, or “groups homes” who face the same problems! They were born here! How about looking at the family who put the children in harm’s way?! Not acceptable! Just trying to get a better life?! Aren’t we all?!Dana, very disappointed!! A former Alaskan, who is an immigrant! Try again and at least look at both sides!
I love Alaska and I love the Kate books. In No Fixed Line, Alaska, as a character, shines. Fictional characters are just that, made up people. While I loved the interactions of the aunties and Kate and Jim, much of it seemed to be just a convenience to move characters where they needed to be at a given time. What I didn’t like was how political the story is. Without a doubt, human trafficking is beyond the pale, immigrants need to be treated fairly, families should not be separated, water should be clean, the climate should not be warming, Mother Earth should not be polluted. Having said that, I found the story starter “old” and the reunification of the children with their mother and almost instant citizenship, too disingenuous to be believable.
I’ve been waiting with bated breath for a new installment in the Kate Shugak, Alaskan PI crime series by Dana Stabenow, and thankfully one arrived in my mailbox this week. And it did not disappoint! Kate’s adventures have been many, and a whole new list is added to this segment. The storyline is current, from opiate addiction, sex trafficking, drug smuggling, and current administrative practices of the US government. Not only is Kate back, her boyfriend Jim plays a role in the story, as does Mutt, Kate’s famous half wolf-half husky protector and fighting machine. Kate is as saucy as ever and filled with impertinent comments on a variety of subjects. As is typical of series novels, issues and characters from past books appear or are referred to, but you need to read from the beginning novel if you want to understand it all. There are running in-jokes and hints about Alaskan history, government, and the state’s multi-racial population. Most importantly, the book is revealing and funny, and the action moves at a stellar pace. I couldn’t put it down until the last page! Thank you, Dana!
I’ve been eagerly awaiting The return of Kate, Mutt and Jim, and reread the first 21 books to refresh my memories of their adventures. I read this book in one sitting, enjoyed it, but something was missing. Kate and Jim felt old and tired (and they’re only fortyish), didn’t sense the sparks between them as in the past. Maybe it was the political undercurrent throughout the book that affected the tone of the story overall for me. Still love the series, which reminds me so much of the old TV series, Northern Exposure. And I do wish Chopin would go back to being 6’10”. |
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