Customer Reviews

A Fatal Thaw

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found "A Fatal Thaw," the second in the Kate Shugak series set in the Alaskan wilderness, much easier to read and follow than the first, and I zipped through it with great interest.

Stabenow is herself an Alaskan, and she makes you feel the very essence of the place, in all its rough and ready wildness. I felt I was there in the first spring thaw with Kate and her wonderful half-wolf dog (a bona fide character in her own right) as they stretch their winter-weary limbs. Kate has spring fever, and her very female dog, Mutt, is mesmerized by a giant and gorgeous he-wolf who can't seem to keep away from Kate's cabin.

This serenity is shattered very quickly, however, by the doings of a crazy-mad serial killer who, in one short span of a few hours, goes on a murder spree so deadly and so accurate that almost nobody in the tight-knit communty is spared outrage, shock or unbearable grief. After the dust settles, however, the real shocker sets in: One of the dead was not shot with the same gun. Somebody has used a crazy man's murder spree to cover up a real and nasty additional killing--and it's up to Kate to find out who.

I found the mystery less than the story telling, which kept my interest all the way through. This is a good, solid series, one that I am reading from the beginning, and I see no reason at all not to move on quickly and with pleasurable anticipation to the next!

Thanks for finally putting some of the earlier Kate Shugak books on Kindle. I love the depiction of life in Alaska, both harsh and beautiful. Kate, Mutt, and an assortment of other great characters, make this one of my favorite series.

Mystery and a peek into Alaskan lifestyle combine to make for good reading. A good plot and finely drawn characters are a plus. Made me want more of Ms. Stabenow's stories.

I am very glad that I discovered Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series through a free book for the Kindle. The first in the series introduced me to Kate and her dog, Mutt. I've finished this second, A Fatal Thaw, in the long series. This second installment is better than the first, and I really like the first one. I love the character of Kate and her homesteading ways in the wilds of an Alaskan park. Her Aleut roots make for excellent reading and also for learning about the wonderful terrain and beauty of Alaska.

In Fatal Thaw, spring is coming along with its annual thaw and Kate is out washing windows on her garage and doing her spring cleaning. She has a problem with Mutt, because a male wolf is hanging around and all she needs is a litter of pups again, so Mutt is tied up where Kate can keep an eye on her. In another location, not far from Kate's, a deranged man is on a shooting spree and before he's finished he has killed nine people. Much to Kate's surprise, Chopper Jim lands right at Kate's place to tell her what has happened and to warn her that this man is headed in the direction of her home. Shortly after Jim leaves, his warning becomes reality.

As Kate's life usually goes, she is asked to help with the investigation of the awful murders that have taken place. One very interesting thing is revealed when ballistics results come back, and that is that one of the dead, Lisa Getty, was shot with a different rifle than the rest of the victims, and by a different shooter. Who killed Lisa and why is the major mystery that Kate must investigate and solve before anyone else is killed, but another person will die before it's over.

We see a lot of Bobby in this book, the wheelchair-bound Vietnam vet and it just made me love him even more. He celebrates once again, with his buddies, the Fifth Annual Twentieth Anniversary Celebration of the Tet Offensive and Kate gets to see this, too. There is also a Middle Finger ceremony and a potlatch that Ekaterina puts on. Jack is around, still pining away for Kate, and Jim is quite fond of her, too, and that doesn't sit well with Jack.

I really liked Fatal Thaw, and think it was better than the first novel. The characters were better developed and more time was spent with several of them, allowing me to get to know them much better. The ending is very exciting and breathtaking, and throughout the book, the Alaskan mountains, glaciers and the beauty of it are described by the author with reverence for such grandeur which can turn to tragedy if it isn't respected.

Now it's on to the third in this series.

This lady knows how to construct a mystery and feed you the clues slowly so you are completely wrapped in the atmosphere. Danger is real and your heart will pump.

I love this author and can't wait for each book. I have them all in my collection.

A insane man kills off his neighbors in A FATAL THAW by Dana Stabenow, but when the body counting is finish one of the dead was not killed by the same man.
Lisa Getty was involved in many illegal activities in the part and many a woman had reason to hate her for her active interest in their husbands. Kate is faced with the difficult task of finding to real killer hidden among all the possible suspects.
The final scene in this books is one of the most beautiful expressions of the Native American concept of living, death, and the glories of heritage. Not to be missed in the Kate Shugak saga.
Nash Black, author whose books are now available in Kindle editions.
Writing as a Small BusinessHaints

I love this series, it's fun to read curled up next to the fire. The book arrived quickly & in great condition. I couldn't be happier.

I remember receiving a previous Dana Stabenow book that seemed 50% thicker than most hardcopies and thinking 'wow she really outdid herself this time'.

Well now I witnessed the opposite thing. This book was at least 50% thinner than most novels I have read so things started off on the wrong foot and continued from there.

I've always enjoyed the Kate Shugak background and her exploits out in the wilderness. She seems like a very tough, but self respecting individual who would go out of her way to help anyone.

After reading this book, I now find her a bit grating, selfish and not really that nice of a person. Similar to another reviewers opinion. Kate just seemed to come across as a B****, moreso than usual. The story also had some far-fetched components to it such as; always being able to find clues the Police and others never noticed, always being in just the right spot at the right time to catch a killer and of course having a dog that can also burst through a window just in the nick of time and plow down a murderer.

I did rate it a bit higher than I would have because I enjoyed the twist at the beginning where you follow along through the eyes and actions of the murderer and soon discover there is another one.

So I would rate the beginning 5 stars and the second half only 2.

The characters in the book are a delight, and I'm already a big lover of Mutt. And I enjoyed seeing how the town comes together. It's a bunch of characters in a town with character. I also loved reading a book in the Alaskan Bush because it's so quirky and different from other locales. All told, it reminded me a bit of the quirkiness found in the old TV show Northern Exposure. And it's clear Dana knows her Alaska.

The story has good pacing as the mystery unfolds. My one complaint is the story holds back a little on who did it because it's not clear who dunnit. Normally, that's the mark of a good mystery...leaving you guessing to the end. In this case, I mean it as a mild criticism because all of a sudden you get to the end and the bad guy is revealed with an insider's knowledge. I would rather see the clues unfold more. I found the same to be true of Book 2 in the series as well.

However, I can already see that will be a hallmark of the series. It's not just about solving a mystery. It's about sharing an adventure with a group of quirky, interesting characters. On that basis alone, the book is an enjoyable read. The mystery is just icing. I'll be continuing with the series.