Too much detail concerning the oil business in Alaska. The plot could have been a bit stronger. Good characters, as always, and an action filled conclusion save the story.

This is an exciting, suspenseful and atmospheric mystery set in Alaska. Aleut investigator Kate Shugak goes undercover working on the pipeline for an oil company to find out who's supplying cocaine to its employees. I could have done with a little less detail on the processes involved in oil extraction, but there's a lot to enjoy here. Much of Kate's first day at the base camp is quite funny, and there are enough colorful, eccentric people to satisfy anyone. I enjoyed the interlude in Anchorage with Kate and her wolf-Siberian husky mix, Mutt, one of those dogs you find in mysteries who obviously have more sense than some of the human characters. The identity of one of the drug dealers really surprised me. Not only is this a good, entertaining story; it's also true to life in showing, as Kate points out, how drugs can make smart people stupid and greedy.

COLD-BLOODED BUSINESS smokes. Dana Stabenow is a terrific mystery writer, and this novel is a smoking good mystery. Kate Shugak, a strong native Alaskan superwoman, is in prime form here. She goes undercover as an oilfield roustabout to investigate drug smuggling. Stabenow describes her frigid Alaskan setting with perfection. I love her characters--the good ones as well as the evil ones. Even the ones in-between. COLD-BLOODED BUSINESS is an awesome book.

This is apparently the second novel in a series. The novels should be read in order as substantial references are made to prior interactions between characters.

I had expected this to be a mystery. It is more a romance novel as an Alaska trooper woofs after his ex-mistress, both on-duty and off-duty. The story is compounded by various people, both single and married, who are sleeping around. There is also the appearance on the scene of Trooper Liam Campbell's father, an Air Force colonel whom Liam thought was in Florida. Mixed into the story are the Yupik shaman Moses Alakuyak; the ex-mistress, Wy, who runs an air service into the Alaska Bush; an obsessed scientist investigating an old native site; and native Alaskans who dislike the white invaders. There is also a mysterious raven that seems to follow Liam.

There are numerous sub-plots. A family is murdered aboard their fishing boat. The graduate assistant helping to excavate the native site is murdered. There are questions about what the graduate assistant found, about why Liam's father is in Alaska, and about who has been sleeping with whom. Wy's newspaper reporter friend shows up to investigate a tip she won't reveal.

Liam gets some assistance from a computer guru friend who has information on everyone in the state as the investigation continues. There are some twists and turns with revelations that are sometimes surprising and sometimes not. The trooper, of course, gets his man and also, in this case, his woman. He seems to have a somewhat casual attitude about turning over two men to a killer who murdered them (someone that would get a police officer suspended or fired in any other state). There are a few interesting sidelights as when one character goes into a long tirage against cell phones before throwing another man's cell phone out the front door of a bar, avoiding the probable urge to stuff it where the sun doesn't shine.

Overall, the novel is too fragmented into sub-plots, many unrelated. The novel has strong sexual content, language, and some violence. Parental discretion is advised.

Another book to keep you entranced in trying to figure out the ending.

I've read the Shugak mysteries, and think I like them a little better than this group. Stabenow is a good writer, not a great one. The plot is interesting but confusing, especially with two separate murders to solve. What Stabenow is good at is characterization. She does a wonderful job of making the people in the book tangible and real.

Since I have Deaf friends in Alaska and family, I am well aware of the hardships of the fishing life up there. The regular trips they make out in storms and big seas make "The Perfect Storm" look minor. This is part of their everyday life, and I admire anyone who has the stamina for it.

The people...well, they are odd. Not all of them, but enough to convince me that Alaska may be a nice place to visit, but you don't want to live there. Besides the winter darkness would drive me bonkers! Stabenow is also good at explaining the history of the state and its native people, and I thoroughly enjoy that in a mystery. Liam and Wy could use a little more rounding out...maybe I need to go back and read the first one. Some authors have a more difficult time then others writing from the viewpoint of the opposite sex. This may be the problem here since she is not merely writing from the woman's viewpoint as with the Shugalak mysteries.

The cracks about the looney and moody scientist (archeologist) and his protecting his discoveries to support his theory are right on target. I've read and met enough of these guys to realize too many of them will go to any lengths to protect their theories, even if they are wrong (which is distinctly unscientific!) Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

In the best Shugak tradition this one goes straight for the gut and then kicks you in the crotch. Unlike other Shugak books this one spends more time from Jim Chopin's point of view than Kate's, but it gives a better feel for the action that way. Like all mysteries there has to be some difficulty in solving the crime and this time it's Kate and her grief. That is when it's not Chopin's emotional issues getting in the way.

I knew after "Hunters Moon" that the next book would be a real emotional wringer and this book did not let me down in the least. While the mystery here is easy to solve the reason I couldn't put down the book until I finished it is that Kate is so real and so spell binding.

I can't wait for the next one. I rate Dana Stabenow up there with Dick Francis and Kate Shugak with Travis McGee.

I didn't think I would be very interested in a story concerning the Russian Mafia, but Stabenow changed my mind. Although I missed reading about the folks back in Niniltna, the introduction to the people of Bering was a true joy. Jim Chopin has a prominent role here and the insights into his character are very reveling. I also enjoyed a surprising revelation concerning Kate's grandmother, Ekaterina. The descriptions of Kate's dog, Mutt (one of my favorite characters) are, as always, vivid and alive. A word of warning: if you are a big fan of the FBI, you should know that the two FBI agents in this story are not portrayed in a very favorable light. I have read all of Stabenow's previous Kate Shugak mysteries, so it was easy for me to pick up where the story left off last time, but this probably isn't where a reader new to the series should begin. For a true understanding of Kate, it would be best to start at the beginning (A Cold Day For Murder). It was easy getting into this story and it held my attention throughout. The ending was spectacular.

No one seems to know where Kate Shigak is. The Aleut private detective owns and normally homesteads one hundred and sixty acres in the Alaska National Forest. However, Kate has disappeared. She still struggles with the loss of her beloved thanks to a maniac's bullet, a situation that has left her feeling empty and barren. Kate has traveled to an isolated fishing village in the Bering Strait under an assumed name. She fills her entire day working double shifts and more handling freight for Baird Airlines.

Her life changes again when her boss hires someone to work the second shift. Kate recognizes the new employee as State Trooper Jim Chopin, who is working undercover for the FBI. He is looking for the plutonium that the Russian Mafia has apparently smuggled into the area. When Jim is hospitalized with a bullet wound, Kate takes over the investigation.

The star of a Kate Shugat novel is usually Alaska, but in MIDNIGHT COME AGAIN the emotionally raw lead protagonist takes center stage. Kate is in transition as she grieves her loss while struggling to learn how to live life without her heart. Dana Stabenow serves up a fascinating and emotionally moving story line that keeps the reader's interest from first page to last. Fans of unpredictable, event-laden tales with plenty of regional color will gain much pleasure from Ms. Stabenow's latest achievement.

Harriet Klausner

As a Kate fan, I was very disappointed with this book. The author resorted to blatant stereotyping to force her plot, and as a result, I found her normal small errors about firearms, airplanes, and bush Alaska more annoying than usual. Ms. Stabenow has obviously never met a true German big game hunter, considered by many to be among the most ethical of hunters and respectful of the game they shoot.

I'm having a hard time with this one. After reading almost all the other Kate Shugak novels and enjoying this "Renaissance Woman", this one seemed pointless. A first-time reader would have a hard time figuring out what's going on, as there is no character development, and too many assumptions that her previous novels had been read. Kate's character has been complicated, trying to resolve her Native American heritage,her huge Native family, and "Bush" lifestyle with modern life that others take for granted. There was none of that is this book. Beautiful descriptions of Alaskan wilderness notwithstanding, I was left with a disquiet of pointless killing, and an ending that didn't satisfy.

Everybody keeps saying horrible things about this book, and if you asked me what I thought right after reading it, I would have agreed. However, looking back a few months later, I realize that this is a prime example of what happens when bad things happen to good people. It's a test of Kate Shugak's character - will she snap under the trauma of losing the only person she's grown to trust, or will our heroine somehow find a way to pick herself up and carry on? Though I don't believe this is one of Dana Stabenow's better ones, I think that rather than shaking off a loyal Shugak fan, this book has hooked me more firmly. I hate the fact that Jack died, but I can't bear to leave Kate dangling, not knowing if/how she copes. I also can't bear the fact that somebody got to my library's copy of Midnight Come Again before I did. ^_^

My husband and I are both big fans of the Kate Chugak series. We both came away disappointed with this installment. The problem is pretty basic. In the other books in this series, the mystery is the core of the book and the setting is the frosting on the cake. The mix is seriously reversed in this book, which is fine if you really want to learn about the Aluetian Islands. It's not so hot if you want a page turning mystery.

Bottom line -- if you really like reading your mysteries in order, this is worth reading since the horrors of the crab boat are referred to often in later books. Otherwise, don't go out of your way to find this book.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as I have the other books in this series. The action scenes were very good, but the plot was a little thin. I missed reading about Mutt, the homestead, and the folks back home. Still, a pretty good read.

I wasn't sure I'd enjoy a mystery set aboard a fishing vessel in cold Alaskan waters--I just knew Kate would be drowned (shiver)--but I started anyway because I like the series about Aleut detective Kate Shugak. Very glad I did, this story has everything. Atmosphere (not just fog but Alaskan "characters"), terror, mean people, romance, Aleut customs. True, there's not much mystery about whodunnit, but there's lots of suspense about how Kate will ever prove it. Although Shugak has definite native Alaskan and envrionmentalist tendencies, nature description is not Stabenow's strong point nor goal. A good light read with a touch of social consciousness to it.

I've enjoyed the Kate Shugak series as I used to live in Alaska & the novels are well written. So I thought I'd like the Liam Campbell series as well. It was slow going the first few chapters and then Liam returns to the murder victim's house to continue his investigation and search for clues. He shows what an unprofessional excuse for a law officer he is (zzzz)and subsequently finds himself in an even more absurd situation. This jerk is an insult to all law enforcement professionals (fictional as well as real)and especially to the state troopers serving the state of Alaska. I couldn't find anything admirable about the Campbell character.

Dana Stabenow's Liam Campbell is on the case of the mysterious glacial crash of a WWII Lend-Lease cargo plane and current-day foul play. Is there a connection?

The Stabenow oeuvre (Campbell and Kate Shugak ) serves up fun geological, geographical, environmental and historical morsels and moving verbal snapshots of Alaska along with ice-cracklin' good "Whodunnits." At times, this one tilted too much toward Harlequin bodice-buster for my tastes. And, Hello? Is anyone listening? "Doing the box thing" (Campbell's diagramming of people and interrelationships involved in a case) would be much more effective if, like Ed McBain's 87th Precinct books, the author and publisher actually visually (not just a verbal description) SHOW the reader the document to which they refer.

I prefer Shugak's saga over Campbell's chronicles- so far Kate has more substance and less bodice-busting - but both series are good for cozy winter nights in front of a warm fire. They are best read in order to follow the escapades of this interesting, entertaining, and quirky bunch of inhabitants of the Land of the Midnight Sun. Reviewed by TundraVision

This is a good story, but, there is much in the story that emulates soap opera plotting. The ending seems rushed with the "aha" veiled in a rapid realization of the perp's identity. It would be best read in series since there is so much of the subplot that carries over from previous stories. Not having read the series will not hamper the reading but the reader is likely to feel ill at ease over not knowing the "inside" remarks. The author does a fine telling of Alaska land, climate and socio-economic problems. These elements are under-written but part of the fabric of the story's main plot. (And, the plot is quite interesting as well as thoroughly unique.) The relationships among the people are perhaps entirely within the social norms of the writer's experience. They are somewhat alien to my experience and seem extreme as to both alcohol usage and the sexual undercurrents. I believe that any new reader will wish to read the previous books in this series to flesh out this story. I await the next book in the series to see if it meets the level of the earlier books.

With each book, Dana Stabenow has gotten better and better. She has a strong voice and writes beautifully about Alaska, a state she obviously loves. She creates compelling characters and writes great action scenes. So I was really disappointed with this, her latest installment in the Kate Shugak series. In fact, I was so disappointed that I checked her website to see what was going on. It turns out that the author was required by contract to produce a book that had her writing much of it just when, like many of us, she got bogged down in a September 11th depression. All I can say is, too bad her publisher didn't give her more time.

At only 304 pages, the book is way too short (and not coincidentally it's list price is way too high). The author seemed to be treading water through most of the story and the murder mystery seemed to be added as an afterthought. Too much of the story was spent with various people describing others (including the murder victim) as outrageous characters. By the end, you don't care about the murder victim, the murderer, or the soap opera-worthy reason for the murder. This is not Ms. Stabenow's best book. If you're new to the series, read an earlier installment. If you just want to keep up with Kate, read this one and hope that Ms. Stabenow gets back in the game with her next book.

This is the 12th in the Kate Shugak series of mysteries set in Alaska. In this outing, Kate is back in the Park, winter is upon them, and she is beginning to emerge from her self-imposed cocoon. When two of the park's long-time residents are killed, she teams up with state trooper Jim Chopin to find the killer

I've been a big fan of Dana Stabenow since her first Kate Shugak mystery, A Cold Day for Murder. This is not one of her best. There's too much description and not enough action. There's not much plot - what there is takes place in the last 60 pages of the book.

It's more of a series transition - moving Kate from mourning Jack to a new relationship. It is as if the author had to meet a deadline for a book and this was the result. Stabenow's heart didn't seem to be in this book. I'm hoping that this really is a transition, and not the beginning of the end. I hope Stabenow will be back in form in the next Kate Shugak book.

Now that the Republicans are back in the White House, there is an intense interest in exploring the Alaskan wilderness for oil reserves. The natives of the state are torn between the need for new jobs and preserving the beauty of their untamed land. Chief park ranger Dan O'Brien is on the record for wanting to preserve the environment and as a result was asked by his superiors to take an early retirement.

Kate Shugak, a homesteader in the Park, is rallying the people to save Dan's job. When two elderly radical conservationists that Kate spoke to about the problem are found dead, Alaska state trooper Jim Chopin arrests a Vietnam vet, covered in blood and holding the murder weapon. Although it looks like an open and shut case, both Kate and Jim find that things seem too pat and decide to investigate, a decision that puts Kate in deadly danger.

Although A FINE AND BITTER SNOW is a great mystery, the author puts more emphasis on the strange but very real courtship of Kate and Jim. Kate's efforts to avoid Jim and his honest bewilderment about his feelings for the prickly investigator make for some funny episodes. As always, Dana Stabenow brings the beauty and the danger of the Alaskan frontier alive, but also provides insight into the oil rigging environmental controversy This exciting novel will leave readers excited yet bushed from a wonderful reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

In this book, Kate Shugak finds a body while picking mushrooms. It turns out to be the body of a person who has been missing for quite awhile, but whose father never reported him missing.
Kate is always arrogant with her beliefs, but this book really goes too far. I fully agree with Dana Stabenow's views on religious fundamental extremists. However, she goes too far when she starts trashing all religion and people who believe in them.
I really liked Kate's remembrances of her first year of college and of the professor who turned her on to literature. But none of this makes up for all her preaching against religion, people from other states, people who listen to different music, etc.
The mystery itself is unsatisfying, too. I agree with the other reviewer who lamented the lack of suspects, red herrings, etc.

...

If you enjoy mysteries that have good characters and stories, with some real opinions about the world that they live in, the Travis McGee of John D. MacDonald type books, you will like this book. A strong character can't just avoid thinking.

If you like Stabenow and you like Kate Shugak, don't let the reviews scare you off! Yes -- Stabenow takes on creationism and fanatical christians. Do you really think that an Alaska Native, like Kate, would find such beliefs appealing?

The story is interesting and the glimpses into what makes Kate tick will please devoted Stabenow fans.

I've read all of the Kate Shugat books but may stop with this one. Some mystery writers have feel that to develop their stories, they must use the same character for everything. This has been a problem for Danna Stabenow and Nevada Barr. Both authors developed strong characters in their first few books then have spent several books tearing these characters apart. Stabenow has been destroying Kate's natural setting book by book for awhile now. After killing off her Grandmother, the Native Alaskan element dropped by the wayside. After killing off her lover in this book, while not bothering with plot, characters or believable events, how much less Kate Shugat can we take?

A good mystery needs to be believable. Do you really believe that someone could run for miles cross-country after being disemboweled? Danna Stabenow has been a good writer in the past. The question is, can she be one again in the future?

I have read all of Dana Stabenow's mysteries, and am a great fan of her writing. The characters are lively and complex, the setting superb, and usually the mystery itself is well-plotted and suspenseful. Unfortunately, this book is a rare disappointment. I actually found the aspect bemoaned by several other reviewers, killing off Jack, rather refreshing; happy endings have never particularly appealed to me. However, Ms. Stabenow seems to be have been so impressed with developing this twist to her series that she forgot to construct a decent story around it. From the start, there are no characters, just cardboard cut-outs. The bad guys are obviously the bad guys from the word go, the victims obviously pathetic and being set up to be victimized, and the whole story never really comes together as a mystery and doesn't make much sense in the end. The action at the end provides the only moderate suspense in the book. Fortunately, the books Stabenow has written since show her back at her old level of quality.

My wife and I have enjoyed the Kate Shugak series ever since we were introduced a couple of years ago. However, I found that this book left me uneasy and disappointed. Not only was it somewhat stilted and out of character for Stabenow, but I have never understood the need to kill of Jack. Surely there must have been other plot devices that would allow further growth of Kate but this one seemed extreme. Not my favorite.