A Deeper Sleep

In this compelling addition to Stabenow's series, Aleut investigator Kate Shugak faces a local serial killer who has repeatedly gotten away with rape and murder. To Kate's frustration, he slips through the justice system once more. It's a matter of time before he'll strike again, and now he has reason to target Kate's foster son. Bernadette Dunne's pitch-perfect voice brings numerous characters to life. Her pace varies appropriately; her phrasing aptly captures meaning and emotion. The setting fascinates, and Shugak is a strong, sympathetic character as she struggles with the demands of her culture, her growing attachment to State Trooper Chopin, and the gray areas of morality. E.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Starred review from October 16, 2006
All the elements that have made the author's signature Kate Shugak crime series successful shine in this 15th entry (after 2004's A Taint in the Blood
): Kate's personal growth as a woman and as an investigator; the Alaskan environment in all its unforgiving beauty; and a mystery whose solution remains in doubt until the end. The story opens with a brutal murder. The culprit, Louis Deem, who has managed to avoid justice for past crimes, is so odious that his presence is a cancer in the little Niniltna community Kate calls home. Stabenow's rich cast of supporting characters include natives and longtime settlers as well as those newcomers so unprepared that Kate refers to them as committing "suicide by Alaska." There is rough humor, a rich heritage of the community necessary for survival, and at the same time a remarkable tolerance for the many idiosyncrasies of those attracted to the harsh realities of Alaskan life. Kate Shugak is becoming a leader among her people and is already a leader in the sorority of women detectives.