I saved this book because I have read and loved all her others. But this one didn’t hit the mark. I’m guessing it is because this is a pre publication version and she is going to work on it a bit more before publication? It read more like an outline for a book with no action just the backgrounds of the characters and a lot of political stuff. The politics really put me off. Being British it didn’t mean much to me. I understand how native people have been badly treated. However, her previous books have highlighted inter tribal conflict that can be interpreted as a form of racism. I feel it was written to make me feel guilty of my cultural background. Well there is nothing I can do about that so maybe I’ll give her next book a miss. It’s a real shame.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Not the Ones Dead is the 23rd installment in the Kate Shugak series, and it does not disappoint. Fans of the Alaskan private investigator will find plenty of action, suspense, and intrigue in this latest adventure, as Kate investigates a mysterious mid-air collision that leaves ten people dead and one more shot in the head. What seems like a tragic accident soon turns into a complex case of political corruption, involving powerful players who will stop at nothing to cover their tracks. Kate must use all her skills and resources, as well as the help of her loyal friends and family, to uncover the truth and expose the killers, even if it means putting her own life on the line.

Dana Stabenow is a master of creating vivid settings and richly drawn characters, and Not the Ones Dead is no exception. The Alaskan wilderness comes alive in her descriptions, and the reader feels immersed in the culture and history of the land and its people. Kate Shugak is a compelling heroine, who combines intelligence, courage, and compassion, with a touch of humor and sarcasm. She is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in, and to fight for justice, even when the odds are against her. The supporting cast of characters is equally engaging, each with their own personality and backstory, adding depth and diversity to the story.

Not the Ones Dead is a fast-paced and thrilling read, that will keep the reader hooked from the first page to the last. It is a well-written and well-researched novel, that blends fiction and reality, and explores relevant themes such as environmental issues, indigenous rights, and political scandals. It is a satisfying and enjoyable addition to the Kate Shugak series, and a must-read for fans of crime fiction, especially those who love strong female protagonists and exotic settings.

A review by Fantastic Fiction:
The gripping new Kate Shugak novel by New York Times bestselling author Dana Stabenow. What seems a tragic accident soon becomes a murder investigation as Kate is drawn into a case of political intrigue.

A mid-air collision in the Alaskan wilderness between two small aircraft leaves ten people dead. Was it a bird strike, pilot error... or premeditated murder?

Then an eleventh body is found in the wreckage: a man shot gangland style, twice in the chest and once in the head.

In an investigation that reaches to the highest levels of government, justice may not be served, but Kate Shugak is determined that the truth will out, even at the risk of her life and the lives of those she loves most.

I have previously read all the other Kate Shugak novels and the Liam Campbell books.
There really is some lack of continuity in these books at times, Jim's height is one. A Deeper Sleep which is book 15 of the series. Bernie's wife, Enid is shot along with their eldest son Fritz. Was this a Bobby Ewing moment and she is back from the dead? I found that really odd that Van would ask about her and then realise she was off on one of their breaks? She was dead for heavens sake.
I feel Dana was on a schedule by her publisher to get this book out, it didn't flow and there was no suspense and the fun wasn't fun either. There was way too much political stuff going on, I read these for escapism of this stuff and I'm not American so I'm not even that interested. I like hearing about the weather, the plants, the landscape in Alaska. I will never go, but I like to hear the talk about that and how life is there, without the politics.
Lots of other characters brought in to this book that meant nothing and didn't add to the story. A lot more could have been made of a group setting up camp in Alaska for their agenda than they did.
Really quite disappointed in this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC in return for an honest review.

To explain: I read the ebook shortly after it came out. I have been a fan of this series for many years, and I didn't feel I could do Ms. Stabenow's work justice without listening to the audiobook version as I have done with past novels in the Kate Shugak series. I just finished listening to the audiobook version of this novel, narrated by Marguerite Gavin. Ms. Gavin is such an amazing narrator! She conveys all the subtleties of each character with just her voice. I always feel that I am right there in every part of the story.

Of course, Ms. Gavin has phenomenal material to work with. I just love Ms. Stabenow’s ability to convey both the physical scene and the emotional landscape. It’s like being a fly on the wall and being inside her characters’ thoughts at the same time. And this novel has a fascinating plot, where discrimination, drones, and domestic terrorism impact the Park and its residents. I certainly saw this as a modern cautionary tale. Kate, Jim, and the Park prevail, though I was certainly left feeling fearful for their (and our) future.

Crime fiction at it's best in this thriller. The female sleuthing powers had me cringing and the mystery seemed unsolvable too me so I was pleasantly shocked with the outcome.

I've read all this 'Kate Shugak' series..... I think one might be able to read & enjoy this even without having read the 1st 22 books....but having read them all in order....I could appreciate the 'growth' of the characters. I think Stabenow has really brought along/developed her story over the years of writing this series. I felt like we saw her returning characters maturing, but not weakening! This is a good strong reliable entry into the series! If you're already familiar with Dana Stabenow, you'll like this one too. If you haven't read any Stabenow, I highly recommend her! It's a good read! I also appreciated the 'Notes & Acknowledgements' at the end of this book.....& also liked her book recommendations!
I received an e-ARC from publisher Aria & Aries/Head of Zeus via NetGalley for review purposes. This is my own fair/honest review.

Dana Stabenow immerses Kate Shugak in an invasion of her Alaskan Park by strangers with white supremacist beliefs who threaten the park community. She is hired to find out who caused the crash of air craft that killed 9 people. As she investigates she is threatened. Read Not the Ones Dead to find out whounit. Great adventure story and non stop adventure.

Reading Dana Stabenow feels like a holiday, as her grasp of the setting is so acute and well developed. I thought this latest installment was a little slow to start but otherwise it's an absorbing mystery, with excellent use made of the pandemic to provide persuasive but not overpowering detail

This was a great read! Well written, we get a sense of Alaska along with some mystery murder and investigating. You won’t want to put this book down!

This is a solid entry in this long-running series featuring Alaskan PI Kate Shugak. This time she's investigating a mid-air collision of two planes. This was a good mystery but what sets this series above and beyond is the Alaskan setting and the strength of its heroine.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I have read and enjoyed many Kate Shugak books in the past. Unfortunately, Not the Ones Dead does not live up to expectations. There is no action until the 50% point in the book and the interesting activities end at 80%. Everything else is setup and rehash.

I do not recommend this novel for Stabenow fans.

Some stories are as much about place and people as they are about plot. This is one such story: a love-letter to the Alaskan wilderness and to the people who comprise its variegated population. There’s a genuine threat prowling the backwoods, of course there is, but the author devotes many more words to exploring the awe-inspiring landscape than she does to the darkness of men’s souls.

All of which makes Not The Ones Dead hard to sum up in a single sentence. It’s not really a fast-paced thriller, nor a high-stakes investigation – it’s more like a densely textured rendering of this unique place at a particular time. Light, shade, love and death; the everyday reality of breadline existence on the fringes of American society where the best view in the world won’t pay the rent or feed the kids.

Against that background, menacing strangers in camo gear have been picking fights with the locals. A fatal mid-air collision might not be an accident. And a couple of loners seem to have disappeared altogether – not unheard of in the rough country, of course, but the tribal elders are starting to get concerned. And then the local watering hole is set ablaze…

The Kate Shugak series has been running for yonks and I’ve dipped in and out, here and there. She’s a veteran investigator with a solid supporting cast of tech geeks, legal advisors, romantic interest, growing-up dependents – all the accoutrements that any long-standing series inevitably accumulates – and the star of the show, a charismatic half-wolf named Mutt. The dog has in fact almost stolen the entire show.

It’s easy enough to catch up with the background if you’re new to the author but, be warned, you’ll get a rapid lesson in first-nation fault-lines and the politics of national parks. It’s almost alien to a reader in rural England, and I’m grateful to author Dana Stabenow for sharing her insights into how these worlds mesh together – and how sometimes they don’t. There’s so much more to American society than we see on the flat-screen, and it’s all here to absorb and understand. Take a deep breath of the bitterly crisp mountain air and fire up your light aircraft for the regular commute into town…

This series sits well on a shelf alongside James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux books, or Kris Lackey’s Chickasaw Nation Mysteries. I’m not sure that this is the best book to begin with, however; there’s a lot of back-story to infer and Kate herself can be quite oblique. So while Not The Ones Dead will certainly satisfy regular readers, I’d advise newcomers to start nearer the beginning of this 23 book series. You’ve got a lot to look forward to!

7/10

Dana Stabenow’s latest book, Not the Ones Dead, is 23rd in the series about Kate Shugak. The first half of the book mostly focuses on others in the Park and village, including Johnny and Van who insist on being treated like adults by their pseudo-parents, Kate and Jim. Centering the novel is a midair crash between two small plains that Kate investigates to see whether it was caused by an elderly pilot. In addition,her best friend Bobbie is accosted by individuals who do not appreciate the color of his skin. Plus, some paramilitary types are running off hikers in the Park. It appears that the current social divisions may be intruding into the park. More political than most of her novels, Stabenow ends on a more inclusive note.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I have read all the books in the Kate Shugak series, and now we have book 23. The series begins with A Cold Day for Murder in 1992. The last few books were a 4 year wait between books.

I am thrilled to have more to read in this series. Many things have changed over time. In the beginning, Kate and Mutt were a team. Kate was quite independent, a very talented investigator with her native knowledge. She then had a relationship with Jack Morgan who at one time was her boss in the DA's office in Anchorage. Now she lives with Jim Chopin, a retired Alaska State trooper she worked with many times. She also has Jack's son in college and his girlfriend, Van, who both live with them at times.

Not the Ones Dead seems a different style to me than previous books. There are all the many and varied characters I have come to enjoy in the park. Covid is mentioned and its impact in the Park. The story just starts out with a bunch of events with different people, some known, some not, but many of them are not Kate centered.

Eventually, after some serious events like a mid-air plane crash, a murder, and interference with park visitors, Kate is hired to look into the plane crash being blamed on the older pilot, by his kids. Even then the different activities and problems in the park are shared in a scattered fashion which is not through Kate.

Kate does start putting together the events but she isn't clear she can find out the truth or prove what is needed for the kids' father to be exonerated or to help out Bernie with his problem. Jim is always on hand to support her and I love that. I really enjoy them as a couple. There are also a lot more pop culture sort of mentions of actual people currently in politics.

I really love all the characters in this world from over the years. The criminals are current event timely in their crimes and style. I love seeing Mutt who is back with Kate. Kate and Jim are readers and their reads are books I recognize. Johnny and his girl, Van have their parts in the story as they are growing up quickly. The aunties, as well as the traditions and culture in the park, is a community who takes care of their own people.

I loved reading this story because of my long connection. I think it might be a harder read for those without all the background. I missed having Kate do a smart investigation here. It's mostly done by others, and the investigation firm she helped start with a "hacker" handling a lot of the data collection. Kate directed some things but it felt second-hand. Kate's great instincts helped to bring law enforcement on scene when the bad guys tried to take out others.

I truly want more of this story with the characters I love, their relationships, the community in the park with the stunningly beautiful natural scenes. I appreciated the current relevance of problems woven into the plot. I would love to see Kate more at the center of things in the future.

Not The Ones Dead by Dana Stabenow takes us back to Alaska where Kate Shugak is living with her partner, Jim, a retired state trooper. She keeps her ear to the ground and so knows nearly everything that happens in the park. Most of Alaska is federal land and supervised by the National Park Service. One day an old friend, Bobby, arrives at her house asking for help. He has been run off the road a ways away and he needs help getting his truck out of the ditch. Bobby is Black. Soon the only bar anywhere near the park is burned to the ground the night some local native boys had a run-in with some pseudo army guys. Kate is talking to a little girl in town when the child is rudely yanked away and Kate ignored when Jim tries to introduce them. It is all building when there is a midair crash, nine people dead. The NTSB tries to blame it on one of the pilots, an 87-year-old man who had more flying time than any of the rest of them. His adult children come to Kate to ask for help. They didn’t want that to be his legacy and they didn’t believe it.

Lots of people knew lots of little pieces of the puzzle and it was up to Kate to put them all together. She is a very talented native woman, a member of the community and trusted by all. Jim, her partner is white but still trusted by everyone. After living in the park for all these years he had built his reputation. Dan, the fairly young and very eager head of the park service had a nose for things that weren’t right and when people started complaining that they were being driven off a trail, it was another piece of the puzzle. Someone was buying up land, another piece. This book is so full of information about Alaska that a reader can’t retain it all. It is interesting and appeals to anyone who is drawn to Alaska in any way. It is a good mystery, which comes together when the pieces fall into place. Deaths, for which no one will probably ever go to jail, are seen as what they were, at least by most. Kate has her own way of getting around rules imposed upon her by government agencies to see justice done. An excellent novel. Love Kate Shugak.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Not The Ones Dead by Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #AriaAndAries #DanaStabenow #NotTheOnesDead

I stopped reading Stabenow years ago after the death of a major character, But I thought I'd give this book a try, and I'm glad I did. Kate Shugak returns with another crime to solve, and though I certainly missed a bunch in the intervening novels I was able to catch up quickly. Alaska comes through in all its glory and the plot was very satisfying.

Two small planes collide in the Alaskan wilderness. Nine people are killed. The community is rocked and needs someone to blame. That blame is placed on the pilot of one of the planes. His family then hires Detective Kate Shugak to clear his name.

I love that this story is told from multiple points of view, and the characters are entertaining and relatable. There were parts that were a little bit slow for me, but overall I really enjoyed this book. I'm going to have to check out some more of the Kate Shugak series.

Not the Ones Dead by Dana Stabenow.
A mid-air collision in the Alaskan wilderness between two small aircraft leaves ten people dead. Was it a bird strike, pilot error... or premeditated murder? Then an eleventh body is found in the wreckage: a man shot gangland style, twice in the chest and once in the head.
I did enjoy this book. Twisty and gripping. 5*.

Small planes are part of the cultural landscape of Alaska, the best way to get from point A to point B in a region where roads are often impassable, if they even exist. When a midair collision takes the lives of 9 people over the national park that is the setting for this series, it rocks the entire community. When fingers looking for who to blame point to the 87 year old pilot of one of the planes, his children hire investigator Kate Shugak to get to the bottom of things and clear their father's name. It soon becomes apparent to Kate that there is a lot more going on in the community, but it's unclear whether different events are connected and how much is related to the group of newcomers that bought one of the private properties within the park. I really liked the way this story begins, with multiple points of view converging on one event. The writing brings the personalities of the characters to life, and the plot is well-paced and interesting. I am relatively new to the series (book 22 was my first), and while there are some references to earlier events/stories, I don't think it's necessary to have read all of the previous books to jump into the series and enjoy this one as a standalone.