What do you think?
Rate this book
Kate Shugak #16
Whisper to the Blood
Inside Alaska's biggest national park, around the town of Niniltna, a gold mining company has started buying up land. The residents of the Park are uneasy. "But gold is up to nine hundred dollars an ounce" is the refrain of Talia Macleod, the popular Alaskan skiing champ the company has hired to improve their relations with Alaskans and pave the way for the mine's expansion. And she promises much-needed jobs to the locals.
But before she can make her way to every village in the area to present her case at town meetings and village breakfasts, there are two brutal murders, including that of a long-standing mine opponent. The investigation into those deaths falls to Trooper Jim Chopin and, as usual, he needs Kate to help him get to the heart of the matter.
Between those deaths and a series of attacks on snowmobilers up the Kanuyaq River, not to mention the still-open homicide of Park villain Louis Deem last year, part-time P.I. and newly elected chairman of the Niniltna Native Association Kate Shugak has her hands very much full.
Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series continues to be beloved among crime fiction fans, but also provides a fascinating window into life and death in Alaska.
But before she can make her way to every village in the area to present her case at town meetings and village breakfasts, there are two brutal murders, including that of a long-standing mine opponent. The investigation into those deaths falls to Trooper Jim Chopin and, as usual, he needs Kate to help him get to the heart of the matter.
Between those deaths and a series of attacks on snowmobilers up the Kanuyaq River, not to mention the still-open homicide of Park villain Louis Deem last year, part-time P.I. and newly elected chairman of the Niniltna Native Association Kate Shugak has her hands very much full.
Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series continues to be beloved among crime fiction fans, but also provides a fascinating window into life and death in Alaska.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2009
388 people are currently reading
985 people want to read
About the author
Dana Stabenow
104 books2,145 followersDana 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
March 16, 2010
I’m wishing we had an exponentially more intricate system of html tags to denote intonation, because then I could calibrate the exact quality I need when I say that I am struggling with feelings of rage.
I like this series, okay? It’s a bunch of mysteries featuring a subsistence-living Alaskan Aleut and her half-wolf, and twenty of her most colorful friends, and her awesome and screwed up community. This series has been clever and geeky, and it can go from dry to slapstick in a breath. It made me tear up, once. I don’t read mysteries, okay, but I read these, because they have their heart in the right place and I just like them.
This one was going along okay – not great, comparatively, but still a good time – and then wam, our heroine gets partner raped, and the author seems to think it’s, I don’t even know! Hot? romantic?
Let me explain. They’re having a fight – a fight all about their mutual trust issues and intimacy problems, actually – and the boyfriend decides they’re going to fuck it out. Cue a few paragraphs just dripping with – let’s call them rape code words. I’ll just quote, actually, so stick with me because we haven’t even gotten to the really enraging part yet.
At which point she starts participating, and “his hand was between her legs, forcing entry,” and off we go. But here’s the best part: when she calls him on this later, he says that hey, she was cooking when they started fighting, and she turned the stove off, so clearly she consented. And also – I am not making this up -- she came.
Excuse me? Rapists of the world take note! It doesn’t matter whether someone says no to you – as long as you make them come eventually, you’re totally off the hook! And rape survivors of the world – some of whom will be women reading this book! Guess what! If you ever came during a sexual encounter, you consented just like that! So sleep better tonight, because you weren’t date-raped after all! Woohoo!
But wait, there’s more! Our heroine thinks about it later and concludes that, hey, it was fine, if she’d really wanted him to stop he would have.
Okay this? This right here is unacceptable on so many levels. First: you do not get to write a passage like the one quoted above and literally say that she really fought him, and then get – I don’t even know – rape take backsies. No! Second: I am skeeved right out of my skin by – ug. No, you know what? I was going to have this big old rant about just how fucked up the sexual dynamic was in that scene, but how the real problem was that it was sold as something I was supposed to enjoy reading, but I just don’t have the intestinal fortitude for this anymore.
She said no. Repeatedly. He ignored her refusals. It doesn’t matter that she participated later. That was not sexy. That was partner rape. I thought so much better of this series, but I was wrong. I am way angrier than I would be if I’d read this in some random romance novel, because I was invested here. I trusted these books. She said no. The fact that she came doesn’t make it any more okay than the fact that I finished this book makes me any less angry.
*Transcribed from audio, so forgive any small errors.
I like this series, okay? It’s a bunch of mysteries featuring a subsistence-living Alaskan Aleut and her half-wolf, and twenty of her most colorful friends, and her awesome and screwed up community. This series has been clever and geeky, and it can go from dry to slapstick in a breath. It made me tear up, once. I don’t read mysteries, okay, but I read these, because they have their heart in the right place and I just like them.
This one was going along okay – not great, comparatively, but still a good time – and then wam, our heroine gets partner raped, and the author seems to think it’s, I don’t even know! Hot? romantic?
Let me explain. They’re having a fight – a fight all about their mutual trust issues and intimacy problems, actually – and the boyfriend decides they’re going to fuck it out. Cue a few paragraphs just dripping with – let’s call them rape code words. I’ll just quote, actually, so stick with me because we haven’t even gotten to the really enraging part yet.
“Oh hell, we both know what you trust me for,” and he picked her up off her feet and kissed her so hard, she felt her lip split. She squirmed, her feet dangling a good foot off the floor, pushing against his shoulders, bending herself backwards so she could free herself enough to speak.
“No, Jim, wait.”
This only inflamed Jim further. “Wait my ass,” he said, and started for the stairs for the loft.
. . .
Meanwhile, Kate began struggling in earnest. “No, Jim, stop. You don’t understand.”
“I understand plenty,” he said, starting up the stairs. She was strong and slippery, but he had more muscle mass than she did, as well as a longer reach, and he managed to hold on until he got them upstairs. He didn’t so much drop her to the bed as throw her at it. She bounced once and tried to scramble to the floor.
“Oh no you don’t,” he said, and two hundred twenty pounds of outraged male dropped onto her, driving all of the breath out of her body.
“Jim,” she said, her voice a squeak of sound.
“Shut up,” he said, kneeing her legs apart. He was fully aroused, hard against her. “Just shut the hell up.”
She fought him, she really did. But he ripped the white t-shirt over her head and left it to tangle her hands, before he went for the buttons on the fly of her jeans.
“Jim don’t,” she said frantically. “Not like this.”
“Just like this,” he said, ripping open her jeans and shoving them down.*
At which point she starts participating, and “his hand was between her legs, forcing entry,” and off we go. But here’s the best part: when she calls him on this later, he says that hey, she was cooking when they started fighting, and she turned the stove off, so clearly she consented. And also – I am not making this up -- she came.
Excuse me? Rapists of the world take note! It doesn’t matter whether someone says no to you – as long as you make them come eventually, you’re totally off the hook! And rape survivors of the world – some of whom will be women reading this book! Guess what! If you ever came during a sexual encounter, you consented just like that! So sleep better tonight, because you weren’t date-raped after all! Woohoo!
But wait, there’s more! Our heroine thinks about it later and concludes that, hey, it was fine, if she’d really wanted him to stop he would have.
Okay this? This right here is unacceptable on so many levels. First: you do not get to write a passage like the one quoted above and literally say that she really fought him, and then get – I don’t even know – rape take backsies. No! Second: I am skeeved right out of my skin by – ug. No, you know what? I was going to have this big old rant about just how fucked up the sexual dynamic was in that scene, but how the real problem was that it was sold as something I was supposed to enjoy reading, but I just don’t have the intestinal fortitude for this anymore.
She said no. Repeatedly. He ignored her refusals. It doesn’t matter that she participated later. That was not sexy. That was partner rape. I thought so much better of this series, but I was wrong. I am way angrier than I would be if I’d read this in some random romance novel, because I was invested here. I trusted these books. She said no. The fact that she came doesn’t make it any more okay than the fact that I finished this book makes me any less angry.
*Transcribed from audio, so forgive any small errors.
July 3, 2020
Not my favorite for Kate of her crew. There was a lot of political dealings going on. It's so not Kate, it was difficult to watch her deal with it. Deal with it she did, Woot Woot ! Wait till you read what she did. There was also a couple murders, as normal and some relationship fears.
March 23, 2019
I would have given this 4.5 stars if I could. Kate Shugak novels are always good and this one is better than most. Gold has been discovered near the park and a major company is planning on digging a large open pit mine near Ninalta. Some park rats are against it, others are for it. It's not long before a representative of the gold company is murdered and Chopper Jim and Kate must try to solve the case. Recommended.
March 2, 2013
Really mad about the rape scene and the way the author plays it off as sexy. It actually made me sick to my stomach.
Overall, I probably should have stopped this book after the above mentioned scene. However, I kept hoping they would deal with it somehow. And I wanted to hear about the rest of the characters. There are some good scenes, Kate is a strong character (for examples she goes after three guys by waiting next to an outhouse in the dark to catch them off guard). I have read that the rest of the books have nothing like this in it before, so this was probably the worst one for me to start with!
Unsure at this point if I will try again.
Overall, I probably should have stopped this book after the above mentioned scene. However, I kept hoping they would deal with it somehow. And I wanted to hear about the rest of the characters. There are some good scenes, Kate is a strong character (for examples she goes after three guys by waiting next to an outhouse in the dark to catch them off guard). I have read that the rest of the books have nothing like this in it before, so this was probably the worst one for me to start with!
Unsure at this point if I will try again.
April 20, 2023
This book is both a new one with a new storyline and a continuation of [[ASIN:0312937547 A Deeper Sleep: A Kate Shugak Novel (Kate Shugak Novels)]] since we never really figured out who killed Louis Deem.
I like the fact that in this book, Kate and Jim are having a real relationship. I love that Kate is not getting the *carp* beat out of her and that she is becoming more involved with the tribe.
In other words, this book really moved the series forward---maybe into a direction you aren't going to like, but it took a large step forward. There is a lot of character growth for many.
I understand that there are some people who look at a particular scene as a rape scene - I am, fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, not sensitive about this in this particular book and could understand what that scene was all about.
I love this series and make a habit of reading all of these books at least once every couple of years. Normally I am so 'into' the book that I would not normally catch things like this. And if you are not a re-reader and leave a year or two between books, then you might not notice these things. Unfortunately, though the story and history were, as usual, fascinating, and the character development was what we've come to expect, these timeline issues and inconsistencies are not something I like.
I know the author admits to changing certain characters' language skills, height, etc, but that was early in the series. (If I remember correctly). You would think by now the author could keep her characters amount of children and secondary characters' ages correct!!!
The Smith's had 17 children last book -in this one, 21 kids.
Johnny was 14 in the last book -in this, he is 16.
Now I could understand these issues if many years had gone by. But only one year (or really less) has gone by in this book.
I am sure there are other inconsistencies -but these are the ones that bothered me the most.
I like the fact that in this book, Kate and Jim are having a real relationship. I love that Kate is not getting the *carp* beat out of her and that she is becoming more involved with the tribe.
In other words, this book really moved the series forward---maybe into a direction you aren't going to like, but it took a large step forward. There is a lot of character growth for many.
I understand that there are some people who look at a particular scene as a rape scene - I am, fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, not sensitive about this in this particular book and could understand what that scene was all about.
I love this series and make a habit of reading all of these books at least once every couple of years. Normally I am so 'into' the book that I would not normally catch things like this. And if you are not a re-reader and leave a year or two between books, then you might not notice these things. Unfortunately, though the story and history were, as usual, fascinating, and the character development was what we've come to expect, these timeline issues and inconsistencies are not something I like.
I know the author admits to changing certain characters' language skills, height, etc, but that was early in the series. (If I remember correctly). You would think by now the author could keep her characters amount of children and secondary characters' ages correct!!!
The Smith's had 17 children last book -in this one, 21 kids.
Johnny was 14 in the last book -in this, he is 16.
Now I could understand these issues if many years had gone by. But only one year (or really less) has gone by in this book.
I am sure there are other inconsistencies -but these are the ones that bothered me the most.
September 20, 2017
These books in this series are easy and quick reads. Sometimes they are just what I need. I liked the story of this one. The author has twists and turns well placed throughout the whole story. She also incorporates subplots well. I like that there is depth and that it isn't about one thing only. I love the humor, which I always say about this author. I also love Mutt. This would have been 4 stars, but there was one scene in this that serious, but then brushed under the rug. I don't like it when topics like this are brought off and then glossed over. Some resolution (or apology) would have been nice.
August 8, 2025
strong ending. well written but I could have lived without the rape
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2020
tl;dr - WTF? Did not expect murder mystery with strong female protagonist to be perpetuating rape culture.
This is the second Kate Shugak book I've read. In both of them, I've enjoyed the descriptions of the the Alaska wilderness and the lives of people who live in it. Neither was the greatest mystery I ever read, but the plots maintained my interest.
Then all of the sudden there is a scene where Kate and her partner Jim are having a heated argument and mid-argument he picks her up and starts kissing her aggressively. At this point, Kate repeatedly uses words like "no", "stop", and "not like this", and also physically struggles against Jim. He ignores her, carries her upstairs, rips off her clothes, and they proceed to intense fucking. I think this is supposed to be sexy? But I was fucking horrified.
Later, when Kate tries to talk to Jim about the incident, and points out that she said no, his response is "you turned off the stove Kate. Besides, you came three times". Turning off the stove is not consent! Maybe she turned off the stove so her dinner wouldn't burn while they were having their argument!
The author makes it very clear that neither partner or the author herself think this is rape and that Kate was actually into the sex. Kate even thinks to herself later that Jim would have stopped if she "had really meant it." I was not comforted by this explanation. Because the minute Kate said "no", Jim should have taken his hands off of her completely. What kind of message is this? That if your partner says "no, stop, not like this", you should just keep physically restraining them and initiating sex, because at some point they'll be into it and then it'll all be fine? And how is any person qualified to determine whether their partner "really means it" or "is into it"? Those are the exact arguments that rapists and victim-blamers use. This is the reason affirmative consent is so important. This scene is perpetuating rape culture and was totally unnecessary to advance the plot of the book or even to make steamy times with Kate and Jim.
This is the second Kate Shugak book I've read. In both of them, I've enjoyed the descriptions of the the Alaska wilderness and the lives of people who live in it. Neither was the greatest mystery I ever read, but the plots maintained my interest.
Then all of the sudden there is a scene where Kate and her partner Jim are having a heated argument and mid-argument he picks her up and starts kissing her aggressively. At this point, Kate repeatedly uses words like "no", "stop", and "not like this", and also physically struggles against Jim. He ignores her, carries her upstairs, rips off her clothes, and they proceed to intense fucking. I think this is supposed to be sexy? But I was fucking horrified.
Later, when Kate tries to talk to Jim about the incident, and points out that she said no, his response is "you turned off the stove Kate. Besides, you came three times". Turning off the stove is not consent! Maybe she turned off the stove so her dinner wouldn't burn while they were having their argument!
The author makes it very clear that neither partner or the author herself think this is rape and that Kate was actually into the sex. Kate even thinks to herself later that Jim would have stopped if she "had really meant it." I was not comforted by this explanation. Because the minute Kate said "no", Jim should have taken his hands off of her completely. What kind of message is this? That if your partner says "no, stop, not like this", you should just keep physically restraining them and initiating sex, because at some point they'll be into it and then it'll all be fine? And how is any person qualified to determine whether their partner "really means it" or "is into it"? Those are the exact arguments that rapists and victim-blamers use. This is the reason affirmative consent is so important. This scene is perpetuating rape culture and was totally unnecessary to advance the plot of the book or even to make steamy times with Kate and Jim.
July 25, 2018
Dana Stabenow's mysteries take the reader to the heart of Alaska, deep in the wilds of a large national park based on Wrangell-St. Elias. Her detective, Kate Shugak, is part Athabaskan and part Aleut. She smart, strong, and wilderness-savvy.
The tiny town of Niniltna has its cast of characters, but believe me, they are mostly tougher and less charming than the characters in Louise Penny's Three Pines. The more appealing characters are mostly old women, especially the four Indigenous aunties whose authority most people respect.
This book, the 16th novel in the series, lives up to the earlier books.
A large company plans to develop a goldmine on land it has purchased. The Niniltna Native Association, which runs the town, needs to take a stand. Several murders take place, and some may be connected with the mining plan.
Stabenow's novels are always well written and well plotted. I don't much care for the descriptions of Kate's rough-and-tumble sex with her lover, officer Chopper Jim, but otherwise I enjoy the books.
The tiny town of Niniltna has its cast of characters, but believe me, they are mostly tougher and less charming than the characters in Louise Penny's Three Pines. The more appealing characters are mostly old women, especially the four Indigenous aunties whose authority most people respect.
This book, the 16th novel in the series, lives up to the earlier books.
A large company plans to develop a goldmine on land it has purchased. The Niniltna Native Association, which runs the town, needs to take a stand. Several murders take place, and some may be connected with the mining plan.
Stabenow's novels are always well written and well plotted. I don't much care for the descriptions of Kate's rough-and-tumble sex with her lover, officer Chopper Jim, but otherwise I enjoy the books.
October 11, 2020
I always look forward to a Kate Shugak thriller because I not only enjoy a good story I enjoy learning Alaska’s history.
Johnny, Kate’s Ward, has now transitioned fully into Kate’s life. Johnny is the son of a lover who was murdered. Johnny and his dad had lived with Kate until has dad was murdered. After the death of Johnny’s dad and because Kate didn’t have legal custody of Johnny, he was returned to his mother who didn’t want him and gave him to her parents in Arizona who didn’t want him either and never hide their feelings for Johnny from him.
Johnny ran away and hitched-hiked from Arizona to Alaska back to Kate. The trucker allowed Johnny to ride with him from Arizona to Seattle. A while later the trucker shows up in Alaska and the trucker and Johnny greet one another with fondness. What Johnny doesn’t know is the trucker is carrying a secret that can be unhealthy for Johnny’s and for everyone he cares about.
Meanwhile, people are turning up dead left and right and Kate and her Trooper boyfriend are trying to make the killings make sense because it appears there is more than one killer.
There is so much going on in Whisper to the Blood It read like a soap opera.
Marguerite Gavin was the voices of the characters as she understood the moods of the characters and the emotions the author was trying to convey.
Johnny, Kate’s Ward, has now transitioned fully into Kate’s life. Johnny is the son of a lover who was murdered. Johnny and his dad had lived with Kate until has dad was murdered. After the death of Johnny’s dad and because Kate didn’t have legal custody of Johnny, he was returned to his mother who didn’t want him and gave him to her parents in Arizona who didn’t want him either and never hide their feelings for Johnny from him.
Johnny ran away and hitched-hiked from Arizona to Alaska back to Kate. The trucker allowed Johnny to ride with him from Arizona to Seattle. A while later the trucker shows up in Alaska and the trucker and Johnny greet one another with fondness. What Johnny doesn’t know is the trucker is carrying a secret that can be unhealthy for Johnny’s and for everyone he cares about.
Meanwhile, people are turning up dead left and right and Kate and her Trooper boyfriend are trying to make the killings make sense because it appears there is more than one killer.
There is so much going on in Whisper to the Blood It read like a soap opera.
Marguerite Gavin was the voices of the characters as she understood the moods of the characters and the emotions the author was trying to convey.
September 12, 2015
I don't normally review pulp fiction, but this one so irritated me that I am making an exception. Swings in voice within the first ten pages had convinced me that this was an author's first attempt at writing. I was surprised to learn that Ms. Stabenow is a well-published and award-winning author. Surely, this book won't further that line of accolades.
Examples of the book never finding a unifying voice range from annoying, cutesy asides like "He frowned down at the gingerbread, which didn't deserve it," to informative history about Alaska. The latter is an obvious strength of the author and she compellingly depicts northern, communal life. But the writing seems to indicate an author bored with her genre, who wants to break out of this character and book.
Examples:
"Then there was her seat on the Association board, definitely not a consummation devoutly to be wished, if she wanted to keep quoting poetry to herself, which she could if she wanted to." What?! For one thing, the character doesn't quote poetry to herself anywhere else in the book, as far as I can tell. It reads more like the author wants the reader to know just how well read she is, and that she could write more if she wanted to. Just so you know.
Such inane sentences grate against the rest of the local flavor of the writing.
"There was a premptory bark outside and Kate got up to admit the lupine member of the constabulary."
I hardly need to comment on that one. Enough to note that that author's narrative is sandwiched between dialogue like, "Yeah, yuck it up," and "That's a hell of a step up for them."
The reader almost feels sorry for the author who seems trapped by the format. Instead of breaking free and leaving the character behind, the writing dips and sways between advancing a storyline, essay writing and philosophical meanderings. Perhaps the author is stuck with a character/story that pays the bills, but is itching to have her readers change with her to focus on some other style of writing.
Two last pieces that really annoyed me, and then I'll have this book off of my chest.
One:
avoid writing gimmicks. The author seems to discover a new technique and then repeat it until she shifts to some other trick that she thinks is cute. Stuff like clever asides about the gingerbread. Stuff like having a character repeat what the narrative says.
"To a woman they stonewalled her. 'They're stonewalling me,' she said...."
"Place reminded him of an armed camp lately. 'Place reminds me of an armed camp lately,' he said...." (Both of these example fall within five paragraphs of each other.)
Two:
find ways to make your point other than repeating it over and over. A character in the book has a name change, which isn't a hugely signficant detail overall, but the author seems to think that the reader might miss it. "Greenbaugh--Gallagher..." "Greenbaugh--Gallagher--" "Greenbaugh--Gallagher!--" Those three phrases were within one page. And in case you didn't get it, 80 pages later you can read "Doyle--Dick--" "Doyle--Dick!--" "Doyle Greenbaugh--Dick Gallagher, dammit--" "Dick--that's right, Dick--" "Dick Gallagher, say it again, Dick Gallagher--" (All of those within three pages of reading.) Guess who the author wants you to think is important to her story? Or, maybe she just thinks that her readers are dense.
At any rate, in my rating system even the worst book scores a one. So "Whisper to the Blood" gets one star. I should figure out a way to score a zero.
Examples of the book never finding a unifying voice range from annoying, cutesy asides like "He frowned down at the gingerbread, which didn't deserve it," to informative history about Alaska. The latter is an obvious strength of the author and she compellingly depicts northern, communal life. But the writing seems to indicate an author bored with her genre, who wants to break out of this character and book.
Examples:
"Then there was her seat on the Association board, definitely not a consummation devoutly to be wished, if she wanted to keep quoting poetry to herself, which she could if she wanted to." What?! For one thing, the character doesn't quote poetry to herself anywhere else in the book, as far as I can tell. It reads more like the author wants the reader to know just how well read she is, and that she could write more if she wanted to. Just so you know.
Such inane sentences grate against the rest of the local flavor of the writing.
"There was a premptory bark outside and Kate got up to admit the lupine member of the constabulary."
I hardly need to comment on that one. Enough to note that that author's narrative is sandwiched between dialogue like, "Yeah, yuck it up," and "That's a hell of a step up for them."
The reader almost feels sorry for the author who seems trapped by the format. Instead of breaking free and leaving the character behind, the writing dips and sways between advancing a storyline, essay writing and philosophical meanderings. Perhaps the author is stuck with a character/story that pays the bills, but is itching to have her readers change with her to focus on some other style of writing.
Two last pieces that really annoyed me, and then I'll have this book off of my chest.
One:
avoid writing gimmicks. The author seems to discover a new technique and then repeat it until she shifts to some other trick that she thinks is cute. Stuff like clever asides about the gingerbread. Stuff like having a character repeat what the narrative says.
"To a woman they stonewalled her. 'They're stonewalling me,' she said...."
"Place reminded him of an armed camp lately. 'Place reminds me of an armed camp lately,' he said...." (Both of these example fall within five paragraphs of each other.)
Two:
find ways to make your point other than repeating it over and over. A character in the book has a name change, which isn't a hugely signficant detail overall, but the author seems to think that the reader might miss it. "Greenbaugh--Gallagher..." "Greenbaugh--Gallagher--" "Greenbaugh--Gallagher!--" Those three phrases were within one page. And in case you didn't get it, 80 pages later you can read "Doyle--Dick--" "Doyle--Dick!--" "Doyle Greenbaugh--Dick Gallagher, dammit--" "Dick--that's right, Dick--" "Dick Gallagher, say it again, Dick Gallagher--" (All of those within three pages of reading.) Guess who the author wants you to think is important to her story? Or, maybe she just thinks that her readers are dense.
At any rate, in my rating system even the worst book scores a one. So "Whisper to the Blood" gets one star. I should figure out a way to score a zero.
October 15, 2014
This series gets better and more in depth with every book. Ms. Stabenow describes living in the bush in such a way that it makes me wonder if I could survive an Alaskan winter. I've always wanted to move to Alaska but knowing that I can't hunt and would probably starve to death keeps me in the lower 48. So now I read this series to live vicariously through Kate Shugak. I just love her historical information regarding Alaskan politics, Alaskan natives and just everyday things that effect each and every person living in the park.
This particular installment revolves around a gold mine that would negatively impact the park but positively impact the people (well their wallet anyway). I found it interesting how each person reacted and why. As always , a fascinating look into a totally different culture. I really like Kate's relationship with Jim and Johnny and that shines in this book. I look forward to returning to Alaska in November when I once again put on my Alaska goggles and live the life of a true Alaskan.
This particular installment revolves around a gold mine that would negatively impact the park but positively impact the people (well their wallet anyway). I found it interesting how each person reacted and why. As always , a fascinating look into a totally different culture. I really like Kate's relationship with Jim and Johnny and that shines in this book. I look forward to returning to Alaska in November when I once again put on my Alaska goggles and live the life of a true Alaskan.
October 7, 2016
This is a pretty exciting novel in the Kate Shugak series. It's winter, a company is digging a gold mine (lots of Park rats not so happy about it), there are a couple of ugly murders... and Jim and Kate are getting pretty comfy in their relationship. Great fun tale about life in backwoods Alaska. I recommend starting at the beginning of the series.
March 5, 2017
I'm a big Stabenow and Kate Shugak fan and this was no disappointment. read over a weekend and loved it. Gold mining company wants to commence mining on native land. The community is split between environmental concerns vs employment vs money to be made. A few deaths and Kate and Mutt save the day. Loved it!
April 30, 2014
I am so enjoying the Kate Shugak series. Each story seems to weave both a broader and finer web of interrelatedness amongst people in the story. I think it would make a great ongoing TV series. I certainly will read the next one.
August 1, 2016
Dull and hard to get through.
June 5, 2018
Thanks to another review I was warned about the partner rape scene and was able to mostly skip over it. If it weren't for that one scene I would have given this one 3 stars.
May 21, 2021
I’m seriously disappointed and upset with this novel. The partner rape scene in this novel was seriously unnecessary, didn’t further the plot of the novel or the relationship between Jim and Kate, and the author tried to pass this whole situation off as sexy as well, which is gross. I don’t know how anyone else can think being forced to have sex when you have said no repeatedly is sexy. ***This entire scene perpetuates rape culture, period.***
And now I’m not sure if I can finish this series, or even continue with them because of this scene. How incredibly maddening! I would have thought Stabenow would know better. Her strong female lead Kate Shugak should have been written better and deserves better than this!
For more reviews with people who agree with me on this, please read the links below:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
These are just a few of them. Shame on you, Ms. Stabenow. Shame.
Marguerite Gavin was the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel.
And now I’m not sure if I can finish this series, or even continue with them because of this scene. How incredibly maddening! I would have thought Stabenow would know better. Her strong female lead Kate Shugak should have been written better and deserves better than this!
For more reviews with people who agree with me on this, please read the links below:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
These are just a few of them. Shame on you, Ms. Stabenow. Shame.
Marguerite Gavin was the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel.
March 2, 2023
It's going to be a new goldrush in the park. Kate has her hands full with all the usual stuff and now she is even chairperson of the community. Whisper to the Blood has some great moments in the boardroom and I actually laughed out loud a couple of times. We still have the usual relationship troubles and of course there is murder. This is another great book by Dana Stabenow.
November 20, 2024
4.5 I wish Amazon would allow Goodreads to have half-stars like LibraryThing!
December 13, 2025
I love the characters, especially Mutt.
December 21, 2017
Not one of her best, and definately one that has to be read as part of the series as a whole. A lot of the murder mystery side of things tags on to what was happening in the previous book, and honestly, most of this book is about the on going story of the characters of the Park in Alaska. In the blurb it mentions the murder of a father and son. To give you an idea, that murder is referred to in the story so briefly, if you blink you'll miss it. If this is your first Stabenow book, put it to one side and find another one to start on. It's strictly for the folks who want to read the entire series.
The first hint of murders don't even start till about page 130, so all in all that side of things feel very sub plot. So what is the deal about this book? Well, it's about two things. Changing dynamics of characters in the park - people thinking they can take the law into their own hands, people getting too big for their boots - one of the Aunties even tries to bully Kate into who is appropriate for a relationship on a purely racist level - and Kate getting forced into a role she's none too keen on (chairlady of the native board), but finding that however briefly she may be in the role, she may be able to initiate some changes for the long-term betterment of the park. It's also about a very relevant environmental issue. It turns out there are masses of mineral deposits in the park, and there are plans for a several-mile-wide open cast mine to be set up. On the one hand prosperity, jobs, new blood and life to the region, where some little villages are dying off. On the other hand, maybe too much blood and increased population and the horror of how much damage this could do to their beautiful natural wilderness, water supplies, salmon runs etc etc.
If you also enjoy these books for the depictions of life in Alaska and contemporary issues, plus the ongoing Kate Shugak life story, it's a must. But if you're just after a good murder mystery, I'd give it a miss.
The first hint of murders don't even start till about page 130, so all in all that side of things feel very sub plot. So what is the deal about this book? Well, it's about two things. Changing dynamics of characters in the park - people thinking they can take the law into their own hands, people getting too big for their boots - one of the Aunties even tries to bully Kate into who is appropriate for a relationship on a purely racist level - and Kate getting forced into a role she's none too keen on (chairlady of the native board), but finding that however briefly she may be in the role, she may be able to initiate some changes for the long-term betterment of the park. It's also about a very relevant environmental issue. It turns out there are masses of mineral deposits in the park, and there are plans for a several-mile-wide open cast mine to be set up. On the one hand prosperity, jobs, new blood and life to the region, where some little villages are dying off. On the other hand, maybe too much blood and increased population and the horror of how much damage this could do to their beautiful natural wilderness, water supplies, salmon runs etc etc.
If you also enjoy these books for the depictions of life in Alaska and contemporary issues, plus the ongoing Kate Shugak life story, it's a must. But if you're just after a good murder mystery, I'd give it a miss.
May 23, 2020
4.5 stars - only because it took until almost 100 pages in before the first body hit the page.
Wow! I had to stop last night, and with 50 pages left I thought there was no way Stabenow could wrap up not one, but two books worth of plot twists in those 50 pages. Sure glad I was wrong!
It will be interesting to see how the overarching storyline progresses - I've got a ways to go before I catch up with this series. Still loving it, still loving Alaska, and really enjoy Kate's growth throughout this series.
Wow! I had to stop last night, and with 50 pages left I thought there was no way Stabenow could wrap up not one, but two books worth of plot twists in those 50 pages. Sure glad I was wrong!
It will be interesting to see how the overarching storyline progresses - I've got a ways to go before I catch up with this series. Still loving it, still loving Alaska, and really enjoy Kate's growth throughout this series.
January 8, 2021
Rape: The forced sex between the protagonist and her live in partner was very inexplicable to me. It honestly did not seem reasonable for either character. It ruined the book for me though I did finish it.
The next day and months later the rape did not affect either character. Their relationship continued to be close.
It's as if the author was unaware that being in a relationship does not allow a man to overpower a woman at will if he wants sex. Rape is rape. No is no.
Between the certification of the election and ongoing struggles with Covid I am not sure I can give an accurate review.
I thought about the characters while doing chores and looked forward to reading it each evening. I cared about the characters and their relationships.
The setting was new to me. I learned a lot without feeling like I was reading a guide book.
I did not realize this was part of a series when I started it. There were many references to prior events that were confusing to me at this time.
My comment on Lightreads's review. He transcribed the scene. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The rape scene was deeply disturbing. It added nothing to the story. It ruined the whole series for me. . . . I also listened to audio and appreciate that you transcribed the passage. . . . Using the dog's behavior to signal that, "It's all in good fun" also was inexplicable.
The next day and months later the rape did not affect either character. Their relationship continued to be close.
It's as if the author was unaware that being in a relationship does not allow a man to overpower a woman at will if he wants sex. Rape is rape. No is no.
Between the certification of the election and ongoing struggles with Covid I am not sure I can give an accurate review.
I thought about the characters while doing chores and looked forward to reading it each evening. I cared about the characters and their relationships.
The setting was new to me. I learned a lot without feeling like I was reading a guide book.
I did not realize this was part of a series when I started it. There were many references to prior events that were confusing to me at this time.
My comment on Lightreads's review. He transcribed the scene. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The rape scene was deeply disturbing. It added nothing to the story. It ruined the whole series for me. . . . I also listened to audio and appreciate that you transcribed the passage. . . . Using the dog's behavior to signal that, "It's all in good fun" also was inexplicable.
March 14, 2009
Another exciting entry in a wonderful series! I love Kate Shugak, as she is the strong outdoorswoman/private investigator/Alaskan native I will never be :). In Whisper to the Blood, Kate is finding her position in her community--in absentia, she was elected chairman of the Niniltna Native Association--and is also being pressured to move closer to town as part of this position. There is also a mine that is preparing to open, and the company's representative, a beautiful woman, is flirting her way around Kate's Park area, convincing the population to go along with the project, telling them that it will bring jobs for building the project, and jobs will continue after it opens. Kate's friends, relatives and neighbors are skeptical, but willing to listen for jobs. On top of all this, two murders are committed, and both Kate and Jim, state trooper & Kate's significant other, are drawn in to solve them. In the process, a previous crime or two manage to get solved as well.
This book is well written, and has a terrific pace. I absolutely inhaled it!
The only thing I wish is that I had read the previous book more recently (the last Kate Shugak came out in 2007), as this book refers to crimes & situations that occurred in that book.
This book is well written, and has a terrific pace. I absolutely inhaled it!
The only thing I wish is that I had read the previous book more recently (the last Kate Shugak came out in 2007), as this book refers to crimes & situations that occurred in that book.
October 29, 2012
The second largest gold mine is going to be just down the road--jobs on the one hand and rape of the land on the other--Kate is voted in as the chair of the NNA whether she wants it or not and keeping everyone happy will never be a possibility. Thank goodness for Johnny and Jim in her life, keeping it sane because between the aunties hiring out thugs and all the park rats taking vengence on lawbrakers, Jim and Kate are out of the ususal loop. I love when Kate asks Jim about Talia and he says "she's not my girlfriend" and Kate says "Good to know, I 'd like to think I had dibs" and he replies "Good to Know." Kate is so calm about it and Jim is fighting the whole relationship thing but not really very hard. Another masterfully crafted mystery with a couple of murders to solve. I love when Kate brings the Johansens to justice, catching them with Mutt's help out at the Canyon Hot Springs. She and Mutt scare them to death ,or almost,--catching one of them with his pants down--too funny. The best is when she loads them all on her trailer and tows them through town to the post so Jim can arrest them and showing the aunties that she can take care of business!
June 3, 2016
I am a lover of mysteries but I have 3 things I need in any book if I am going to enjoy it. 1. Interesting characters who are real so that I believe that I could know them in real life. Not caricatures. 2. A storyline that contains surprises. If I can predict what will happen next and/or how it will end then it is too simplistic or formulaic for me. 3. A setting that intrigues me... perhaps a culture I don't know such as the Kate Shaguk series or the Decker/Lazarus series.
This book succeeds at presenting characters who are both likable and unlikable -- but always imperfect and real. Sometimes I cheered for them and sometimes I wanted to slap them. Overall they provoking and so I consider this a win. The plot is unique in the way it is told and does have twists that surprised me. I didn't always know what was just ahead and so I give that element positive marks as well. However, there is no cultural intrigue, no opportunity to learn anything new or different. That element would be necessary for me to consider anything above 4 stars. Overall, ranked as a mystery and so against books in its genre I would give it maybe 3.8 stars.
This book succeeds at presenting characters who are both likable and unlikable -- but always imperfect and real. Sometimes I cheered for them and sometimes I wanted to slap them. Overall they provoking and so I consider this a win. The plot is unique in the way it is told and does have twists that surprised me. I didn't always know what was just ahead and so I give that element positive marks as well. However, there is no cultural intrigue, no opportunity to learn anything new or different. That element would be necessary for me to consider anything above 4 stars. Overall, ranked as a mystery and so against books in its genre I would give it maybe 3.8 stars.
March 15, 2018
I have read a number of the books in this series. This is not my favorite book of the author’s. It seemed like there was one primary mystery to solve and 3 or so secondary or minor mysteries. One of the secondary stories influenced other things and it was hard for me to connect - as the event did not actually take place in the current story. I was always trying to figure out what was going on! Also, the characters of Kate and Jim did not seem authentic or true to what we have learned about them so far. There was one sex scene that was just too rough and it just didn’t seem to fit these two. It was as if the author was told by the editor to spice things up and she went too far for it to ring true for them. It was an ok read. I had a hard time getting into the story and it just did not hold my attention. All of the mini stories that conveniently wrapped up was a bit too tidy. I didn’t always see the connections regarding Kate’s sudden light bulb moments when she was the only one to figure things out when certain people hadn’t even been an integral part of the story.
September 7, 2019
I wanted to rate this book higher, I really did, because I couldn’t put it down, but this had to be THE most poorly written and sloppily edited book in Stabenow’s excellent series.
The plot is good, but the characters felt thin, the relationship between Kate and Chopper Jim got cliched, and the mess ups in syntax and continuity just did not help. It succeeded in holding my attention, but honestly, if the next one is as poorly done, I might be done with this series. I think Stabenow is suffering from Evanovich Syndrome. She doesn’t seem to have her characters’ best interests at heart for the long haul.
The plot is good, but the characters felt thin, the relationship between Kate and Chopper Jim got cliched, and the mess ups in syntax and continuity just did not help. It succeeded in holding my attention, but honestly, if the next one is as poorly done, I might be done with this series. I think Stabenow is suffering from Evanovich Syndrome. She doesn’t seem to have her characters’ best interests at heart for the long haul.
March 22, 2024
Not her best. A lot of redundancy as well as typos. Somehow this book slipped through the editing process. However, I still like the characters and there was some mystery.
As an addition, I almost threw it across the room in anger when her partner basically raped her. Then it gets gaslighted into she wanted it. Dana Stabenaw, WTF?!? Is that what you think is romantic? I don’t and don’t want that in the series again. Anything close I’m done with her as an author. Yeah, yeah, they are all back lovey dovey now, but it was disturbing. Very.
As an addition, I almost threw it across the room in anger when her partner basically raped her. Then it gets gaslighted into she wanted it. Dana Stabenaw, WTF?!? Is that what you think is romantic? I don’t and don’t want that in the series again. Anything close I’m done with her as an author. Yeah, yeah, they are all back lovey dovey now, but it was disturbing. Very.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews