Dead Stick (New Alaskan Murder Mystery) [Paperback]

Megan Mallory Rust (Author)

Book Description

Series: New Alaskan Murder Mystery | Publication Date: May 1, 1998

From last-minute wake-up rescue calls to sexist co-workers to perilous travel through the Alaskan wilderness, aviator Taylor Morgan has seen it all. But when a woman Taylor approved for piloting the LifeLine Air Ambulance crashes without explanation, Taylor turns from pilot to PI, and soon senses danger everywhere. Now she must quickly uncover the truth behind the crash, before she too meets with a fatal "accident".

Product Details

• Paperback: 201 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425162966
• ISBN-13: 978-0425162965
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,030,884 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Alaskan sleuth I've ever read, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dead Stick (New Alaskan Murder Mystery) (Paperback)

I loved this book. Its set in my own neighborhood and she did a good job or representing the way life really is here. Of all the Alaskan sleuths I've read this one is the most realistic in the small details. At least she is more like the women in my neighborhood and I think more representative of the kind real Alaska women I know. I liked that her romantic relationsip is a cooperative partnership rather than the cliched love/hate thing.

I really hate flying especially in smaller planes and especially in Alaska but the story of this medevac pilot had me totally engrossed. And the writer treated me fairly, putting the clues out there for me and giving me a fair chance at finding them and provided enough red herrings alternative suspects and motives to make it a challenge.

The story included the standard first novel motives (one of which is so cliched its my pet peeve) but it was written with a unique perspective. I've read books with similar plots, and a similar final scene, but never written this well. It was a nailbiter with a suprisingly creative ending.

As soon as I finished it, I bought her second one and I hope she writes a hundred more.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A good sense of place spoiled by a second-class mystery., August 9, 1999

By 

Mackie "mackie3745" (Lancaster, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dead Stick (New Alaskan Murder Mystery) (Paperback)

Megan Mallory Rust weaves a colorful portrait of Alaska and displays a keen knowledge of the flying she clearly loves. However, as a mystery writer, she is a disappointment to this die-hard mystery buff. To give her main character something to investigate, she made the rest of her characters unbelievably stupid--I know more from simply reading books than her investigators know about crime scenes! The criminal is obvious almost from the very beginning, and the motive for the crime was quite literally spelled out. Sadly, the only tension she manages to create is within the reader, who wonders when the heroine will finally unravel the obvious.

However, as much as I didn't care for the mystery elements of this story, Rust still manages to convey a good sense of modern Alaska and the thrill of flying. I'll certainly read her next book to see if she's improved her plots.

As with all novels being published today, this one could have used a good editor; I am forced to wonder what the publishers are using for their hiring criteria -- a willingness to work cheap, knowledge of basic English not a requirement?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great possibilities, but extremely underplayed, May 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dead Stick (New Alaskan Murder Mystery) (Paperback)

This story has eyecatching elements: female pilot, medevac outfit, Alaskan setting. And the plot has potential. Rust has provided Taylor with excellent reasons--such as the threat to her public reputation (as the person who checked out Erica--the killed pilot--and approved her for flight), coupled with a personal anxiety that she had screwed up the check flight and sent five people to their deaths.

Which would be terrific if Rust capitalized on these strengths, but once these motivations are introduced, they are never reinforced and instead we get a story about an amateur sleuth bumbling around for the heck of it.

There are glimmers throughout the book that whisper "This person can write!" Notably, a lone descriptive passage about a drive through Alaskan countryside, and a pretty good final climactic scene. Also an occasional glimpse of insight from the main character, usually in throwaway lines that frustrate the hopeful reader. Unfortunately, the dialog is terribly weak and drags down the entire novel, as do the plethora of cliches.

The aviation details (and the sexist environment) felt authentic to this private pilot. But specific details about Anchorage and Alaska are almost non-existent, as are details about the medevac routine, all of which could have added authenticity to the story.

As to the mystery, well...its there, but you can barely get a glimpse it with all the holes. Once again, it could have been a great plot if played well. Extremely frustrating!

But the author isn't solely to blame. Where the heck was the editor?? AWOL, apparently. This book was obviously published for its marketing potential rather than the quality of the product. I for one am getting really tired this practice. (No, I am not a rejected author.)