Dana Stabenow

The Singing of the Dead

Private Investigator: Kate Shugak
Time                        Current
Setting:                    Alaska

Yet another of the Kate Shugak novels. Eleventh in the series. Shugak is hired as a security guard for an candidate in the Alaskan House of Representatives following the receipt of threatening letters to the candidate. The story is paralled by one set in the late 1890's to 1915 during the Gold Rush era concerning the career and ultimately murder of a prostitute who tries to better herself.  

In the Shugak series Stabenow mostly concerns herself with the plight of native Alaskans (Shugak is an Aleut). In this novel between the sub and main plots Stebenow explores the origins of the sate's Anglo population making the point that most of the state's "aristocracy" can be traced back to prostitutes who married well. 

It is whether of not there are skeleton's in the family cupboard of both Shugak's employer and her opponent that drives much of the plot especially after a researcher who has been asked to check into backgrounds is murdered.

In terms of the backplot ARC, Shugak is still coming to terms with the murder of her partner and reconciling herself to the responsibility of looking after his 14 year old sn.

Rating A

Dana Stabenow's web site

Previously read
A Cold Day for Murder
A Fatal Flaw
Dead in the Water
A Cold Blooded Business 
Whisper to the Blood
A Night too Dark
Though Not Dead
Restless in the Grave