So Sure of Death (Liam Campbell, #02)

From Publishers Weekly Stabenow's second Liam Campbell mystery (after Fire and Ice) has the vivid descriptions, rich characterization and compelling plot that distinguish her nine Kate Shugak books, with the added advantage of extra sex appeal. Alaska State Trooper Campbell, stationed in the southwest Alaska boondocks, has a lot on his plate: an eager new trooper, Diana Prince; a visit from his estranged father, an air force colonel on a suspicious mission; the reappearance of his great love, charter pilot Wyanet (Wy) Chouinard; and two very different cases rife with false clues. When an assistant at an important archeological site is murdered, evidence points to Frank Petla, a Yupik grave robber who travels by four-wheeler. Liam apprehends him in a dramatic chase by leaping out of Wy's Cub into a lake, but later comes to believe Frank's profession of innocence. The desperate murderer finally reveals himself, almost killing Wy and her journalist friend Jo. Finding a killer who sets fire to a fishing boat, incinerating all seven people aboard, proves a more difficult task. Initially, Liam suspects a disgruntled former deckhand, but the solution hinges on careful observation and an understanding of Yupik lifestyles and traditions, a necessity for these white cops in a predominantly Native American population. Colorful characters abound, and Stabenow ably evokes the life of hard-pressed commercial fishermen. The mystery ends on a mystical note, integrating Native American belief into a satisfying conclusion. (Nov.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal YA-Demoted because of five deaths that occurred on his watch, Alaskan state trooper Liam Campbell is sent to the remote village of Newenham where he finds himself fitting in with the hardy townspeople. In one day, he is faced with seven shot and burned bodies of a local family on a scuttled fishing boat and the murder of an archaeologist's gofer. Though he quickly has suspects in jail for each of the crimes, Liam continues sleuthing over the protests of his assistant and finds a twist to each of the murders. All of this is set against a backdrop of fishing villages and backwoods saloons with their attendant colorful characters. The culture of the native Alaskans is introduced as Liam collects clues from the dig site and interviews the council members of the fishing village. The challenges of the terrain are apparent from the number of airplanes, four-wheel drive vehicles, and boats used for transport; and the clear, concise writing mimics the clarity of the Alaskan light during the long summer days. There's a mixture of romance with the mystery as Liam connects with a former girlfriend. Great for adventure or mystery lovers. Pam Spencer, Young Adult Literature Specialist, Virginia Beach, VA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. Fire and Ice, the first Liam Campbell mystery, was named by Library Journal as Best Mystery of 1998. Now Campbell is back to uncover the icy heart of a deadly family secret.... Three relatively-quiet months have passed since Trooper Liam Campbell was assigned to the remote post of Newenham. It all changes when a local fishing boat is discovered scuttled and adriftits crew of seven dead in circumstances that can't be accidentaland Wy stumbles into a murder scene at an archaeological dig. Cultures collide as the community must deal with too many outside distractions. When the bodies of a local family are found adrift at sea, horribly murdered, Alaska State Trooper Liam Campbell is drawn straight into the heart of a family scandal involving adultery, tribal taboos, and forbidden romance. To find the killer, Liam will have to wade into the murky depths of Native-Alaskan politics, tribal mores, and deeply held secrets. In this, Dana Stabenow's second Liam Campbell mystery, she again earns her reputation as "Alaska's finest mystery writer." (The Anchorage Daily News) When state trooper Liam Campbell is called to aid a boat in distress, he finds the bodies of a family of local fishers and their crew. Meanwhile, former girlfriend Wy finds the body of an archeologist near the air force base. To add to all this, Liam's estranged father is in town Alaska state trooper Liam Campbell must use his knowledge of native ways to solve two crimes. In one, an archeologist is murdered, in another, seven people die in a boat fire, the work of an arsonist