Hoot to Kill [Paperback]

Karen Dudley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2003

Hoot to Kill is an environmental mystery that takes place in the remote logging town of Marten Valley. Robyn Devara is a field biologist who stumbles upon a murdered man in the woods and inadvertently gets herself involved in the deadly battle between loggers and environmentalists. This is the first in the Robyn Devara mystery series.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...feel-good, crack-paced, chuckly and informative...tongue in cheek flavour." -- Quill and Quire

"Dudley writes her characters with wit, realism and charm." -- Canadian Bookseller

"If her first novel... is any indication, Karen Dudley has a bright future ahead in the mystery genre." -- Winnipeg Free Press, December 5, 1999

Karen Dudley's Hoot to Kill is a refreshing blend of murder, environmental infighting and owl lore...the discerning reader will welcome Robyn, a bright and funny addition to Canadian crime fiction. -- Gail Bowen --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Karen Dudley's checkered past includes field biology, production art, photo research, palaeo-environmental studies, editing and archaeology before her love of books inspired her to start writing novels. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Turnstone Press (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888012918
• ISBN-13: 978-0888012913
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,457,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A charming and exciting mystery with an environmental theme, October 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hoot to Kill (Robyn Devara Mysteries) (Paperback)

Hoot to Kill is a terrific read, and charming in a way that so many grittier and cynical American mysteries rarely are. Although set in British Columbia, the underlying premise concerns issues that are very central to the Pacific Northwest in general: old-growth forests, logging and the survival of the spotted owl. Dudley's protagonist is an environmental consultant, so the reader gets to not only piece together the mystery but finds out all sorts of interesting things about a profession they probably know nothing about. Robyn Devara is an immensely likable heroine full of her own insecurities, yet resolute when it comes to both crime-solving and science. Karen Dudley's strengths lie in her realistic and charming characters, her sparkling and witty (hell, downright hilarious) dialogue, and in the fact that she seamlessly weaves environmental and scientific information into her mystery without being either overly technical or preachy. In fact, for a book that features such controversial subject matter, she is remarkably balanced in her approach, showing sympathy for both the logging town and the environmentalist. At once exciting, fascinating, warm, evocative and cozy (the descriptions of food alone are worth the price of admission) Hoot to Kill is a very promising start to what will probably be a crackling good series. The next title, The Red Heron, is out now.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thorougly Enjoyable Read, January 3, 2000

By 

Lisa McDonald (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hoot to Kill (Robyn Devara Mysteries) (Paperback)

This book is outstanding. If you are interested in conservation, endangered species or if you'd just like a good read-try Hoot to Kill. Karen Dudley's heroine Robin Devara is refreshingly funny- "Most biologists believe that the worst thing about field biology is watching everything else have sex except you". The plot was riveting, the characters were intriguing and I loved the mouth-watering descriptions of food! I really enjoyed Hoot to Kill and I look forward to following Robyn's further adventures.