Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice
by Dana Stabenow

I initially was reluctant to read the Liam Campbell series, as I am a big fan of Stabenow's Kate Shugak series and felt Campbell simply couldn't be as good. But I read the excellent Kate #19 (Restless in the Grave -- don't read it unless you've read the other 18 first) which is a crossover between the two and was intrigued by Campbell and the off-beat, colorful people of his district. Fire and Ice is the first book in this series. He is an Alaskan State Trooper, demoted from Sgt to Trooper, and transferred from Anchorage to the rural fishing town of Newenham as punishment. His career is in the balance, and his personal life is no better -- his baby son is dead, and his wife is in a coma. His flight arrives into Newenham to find a dead body on the tarmac, torn apart by the propeller of a Piper Super Cub owned by the real love of his life, pilot Wyanet Chouinard, who is now the lead suspect. At the same time, someone has shot out the jukebox at a local bar and is being held hostage by the enraged owner who is also the local judge and she's ready to immediately pronounce sentence. Thus is Campbell's first 10 minutes in his new post. To say Stabenow peoples her books with interesting characters is quite the understatement. In addition to following Campbell as he learns his way around the town, along with the dynamics of the local population while he works the mystery, you'll be pulled into everyone's lives and care about them as you would in any good series. To date there are only four books in this series, five when you include the crossover. You'll wish there were more. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the Kate Shugak series, also by Stabenow.] -- recommended by Charlotte K. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in paperback format.]

[ official Liam Campbell page on the official Dana Stabenow web site ]

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