The Singing of the Dead [Audio CD]

Dana Stabenow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2001

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense 8 hours, 43 min 7 CDs

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Books On Tape (2001)
• ISBN-10: 1415958092
• ISBN-13: 978-1415958094
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,332,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dana Stabenow was born in Anchorage and raised on 75-foot fish tender in the Gulf of Alaska. She knew there was a warmer, drier job out there somewhere and found it in writing.

Her first science fiction novel, Second Star, sank without a trace (but has since been resurrected as an e-book), her first crime fiction novel, A Cold Day for Murder, won an Edgar award, her first thriller, Blindfold Game, hit the New York Times bestseller list, and her twenty-eighth novel and nineteenth Kate Shugak novel, Restless in the Grave, was published February 14, 2012.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic stoytelling, April 15, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Singing of the Dead (A Kate Shugak Novel) (Hardcover)

Jack died over a year ago but Kate remains in shock as she still feels the pain of his death as if it happened yesterday. A former police officer and sometimes private detective Kate Shugak, a full-blooded Inuit, harbors her dead lover's teenage white son Johnny. The fourteen-year old young adult refuses to live in the lower forty-eight states or reside with his mother who hates Kate.

With another mouth to feed and potential future legal fees, Kate leaves Johnny on the homestead and accepts work as a bodyguard to Anne Gordaoff, a senatorial candidate. Anne has been receiving escalating threats that require her to hire Kate. While Kate protects her client, someone murders The candidate's son-in-law and a staffer leaving it up to Kate to unravel the truth before someone else is hurt.

The latest Shugak novel gives readers an early twentieth century Alaskan history lesson and how past events three generations ago relate to the present murders. The mystery is cleverly developed and the sexual tension between Kate and Trooper Jim is so thick the murder weapon cannot slice through it. That "non-relationship" bears future watching as Dana Stabenow continues to provide her audience with tales they enjoy reading.

Harriet Klausner

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific addition to the Kate Shugak series, May 30, 2001

By 

Mystery Maven (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Singing of the Dead (A Kate Shugak Novel) (Hardcover)

Terrific! That nicely sums up this latest entry in Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series. Stabenow, who was born and lives in Anchorage, provides her readers with an up-close and in-depth look at Alaskan life. And boy, is that life rugged and cold! Stabenow doesn't pull any punches as she describes everyday life in Alaska. People drink way too much. Marriages break up right and left. Just living day to day is difficult.

Kate Shugak fiercely loves her native Alaska. She lives simply, without many of the conveniences we consider necessary. It's a lonely life, but one that Kate wouldn't change for the world. The only thing she would change is to bring back her recently deceased lover, Jack. But life goes on, and Kate slowly recovers from her grief. Helping her is Jack's teen-aged son, Johnny, who loves Alaska as much as Kate does. Unfortunately, he has run away from his mother, which causes Kate legal and emotional problems with Johnny's mother.

As legal problems cost lots of money, Kate reluctantly accepts a job as security guard for state senator candidate Anne Gordaoff, who has been receiving threatening letters. Life on the campaign trail is hard, but not as hard as Kate's regular life (in my opinion). When first Anne's fundraiser/future son-in-law is murdered, followed shortly by the murder of another staff member, Kate digs into the past to identify the culprit.

In fact, it is the past that provided the most interesting parts of the book. The parallel story of the Dawson Darling, a good-time girl of the Alaskan Gold Rush period, is riveting reading.

Stabenow does an excellent job with her plot twists. There's lots of substance to THE SINGING OF THE DEAD, which makes it a satisfying read. Stabenow provides her reader with the necessary clues to identify the murderer along with Kate, although I must admit I didn't figure out "whodunit".

All in all, I think this is one of the best in the Kake Shugak series. If you haven't read any, I recommend you start with the first book and work your way up to this one, as each book builds on the previous ones.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Very Well Told Stories, August 2, 2001

By 

N. Sausser "pucksau" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Singing of the Dead (A Kate Shugak Novel) (Hardcover)

Stabenow manages to entertain the reader with two very good stories in this book. Kate Shugak is employed as security to a woman who is campaigning for a Park Senate seat. About 100 years ago, a "working girl" falls in love and marries the man who was the highest bidder when she auctioned herself to the men of Dawson. Stabenow takes us back and forth between these two stories and it becomes clear that a connection will be made. The pace never falters and the characters, as always, are complete in every detail. In one part of the book, DS writes about Kate's love of books. Reading for fun. Preferring a book to television. The inability to pass a bookstore without going in. This really struck a chord with me. I'm just guessing here, but I think Stabenow has endowed Kate with her own love of books. Maybe that is why she is able to tell such good tales. She understands readers because she is one herself. I truely appreciate her efforts, as one reader to another. Oh, and what about the glove? Where have I heard about a glove found at the scene of a crime before? Hummmmm.