CRY WOLF has the potential to be a really great mystery, but it’s bogged down by flat and rambling writing, uninteresting characters, and a romance that is the opposite of sizzling. While I appreciated finally figuring out what happened to Stacie’s boss and who was responsible for his murder, the path we took to get there was long, windy, boring, and didn’t make a lot of sense. Plus, the setting of the book is Alaska and I would have loved more descriptive imagery of the location and the wildlife.

Again, the potential for a great story is there, but the author takes the story on various tangents and offers lots of details for things that just aren’t pertinent to the story. This book is #2 in a series, and I haven’t read the first one, but you don’t have to in order to follow the story. Ultimately, it wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great either.

Stacie Calder, a tour guide in Alaska, usually shows tourists the highlights of Alaskan scenery from a boat. Once the temperatures drop low enough that ice in the water becomes a problem, she’s at loose ends. As a volunteer at Juneau Wildlife World, she’s familiar with the terrain and the animals who live there. This year, she’s a paid employee. One of the perks is being able to bring her dog with her and to stay on the premises when the roads are too slippery to navigate her way home.

Her job is to catalog sightings of wildlife—what she saw, where, how many, and if any are in distress or need supplemental food. There is one skirmish of sorts with another new employee, a manager. He thinks it’s dangerous for wildlife if Stacie takes her dog along when she’s walking the trails and gives her a hard time.

When his body is found in a remote area when Stacie goes to check on an injured wolf, suspicion arises that she might have killed him and framed the wolves. As the weather worsens and all employees, aka suspects, are forced to stay at the sanctuary, Stacie asks questions to draw out the real killer—but at what cost? The killer may strike again.

This is book two in the series. The first book, Bear Witness, was also reviewed here. Stacie walks the trails alone, questions everyone, and when she doesn’t receive answers or a confession, accuses each of her co-workers of the murder, a huge risk considering their isolation because of bad weather. The setting is beautifully described, especially when talking about the habits of wildlife. Readers will look forward to following the progress of Stacie’s relationship with Liam, an Alaskan State Trooper and to see what will happen next.

Alaska Untamed Mystery series is a cozy mystery series whose protagonist, Stacie Calder, is a naturalist. In the summer she leads tours aboard boats, but in the winter, she works at Juneau Wildlife World, a wild animal sanctuary, with Sasha, her husky companion. This season there is a new manager, Oliver Brownling, who seems to have issues with everyone and everything. He is not happy to have Sasha in the sanctuary, nor is he happy that Stacie seems to take chances with the animals, at least in his mind. When his mauled body is found in a remote part of the sanctuary containing wolves, Stacie is sure it was not from the wolves. Once it is revealed that it was a manmade wound, Stacie becomes a suspect as everyone witnessed her arguments with Oliver. She begins her own investigation as she is sure someone working in the animal sanctuary is guilty. Once the weather worsens and a storm moves in, Stacie and Sasha have to stay at the sanctuary, maybe with a killer.

I really enjoy the setting of this book and the occupation of the protagonist. Learning about Alaska and the animals is a bonus for me. Stacie is a smart character, using her knowledge about the animals and her instincts to solve the crime. With Sasha by her side, she is safer than being alone, which is needed. Although some of the story was repetitive, I enjoyed the mystery and trying to sort out all the clues. This book had a totally new cast of secondary characters with the new season and job, and I enjoyed getting to know them. If you enjoy armchair travel, learning about the outdoors and the animals, all mixed in with a mystery and likable characters, then pick up Cry Wolf or Bear Witness, the first book in this series.

Dollycas's Thoughts

As winter begins in Alaska, tour guide Stacie Calder switches from being a boat tour guide to working with the wildlife team at the wild animal sanctuary, Juneau Wildlife World. She has received special permission to have her Husky dog, Sasha accompany her in her tasks as long as she adheres to a set of rules created by the executive director of the sanctuary. The new manager, Oliver Brownling is not happy with the arrangement and makes it known every time he sees her. His complaints stopped when his mangled body was found in the wolf area of the sanctuary. But it wasn't a wolf that killed the man, no that task was performed by a human, and the Alaska State Troopers have decided to focus on Stacie.

Stacie knows she needs to find other options for the authorities and even her boyfriend Officer Liam Amaruq agrees. It has to be someone who works at the sanctuary, and that the victim rubbed many people the wrong way, but who was pushed far enough to kill the man in such a brutal way? Will Stacie flush out the killer or will she be their next victim?

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I had hoped to see more development of the characters from the first book, Bear Witness, in this book so I was surprised that Stacie was working another job. With the exception of just a few characters, the book introduced us to a bunch of new characters. Lettie, Stacie's assistant on the boat tours is now volunteering at the animal sanctuary. Stacie's relationship with Officer Liam Amaruq is struggling especially with her being a murder suspect. Stacy does know all about animals and had volunteered at the sanctuary in the past so her new job makes sense but I want to know all three of these characters better and all the supporting characters too.

The death of Oliver Brownling set up an interesting mystery with the suspect pool that included everyone who worked at the Juneau Wildlife World. Stacie really tried to investigate but her interviewing technique needs work. She made clear that she was investigating and when her first round of interviews yielded nada, she became like a bull in a china shop accusing everyone including the killer. It was no surprise she ended up in a horrendous situation but I was surprised by who it was with. Again, the author dropped clues at a slower pace and even held some back until we were in the thick of the reveal and that truly kept me guessing. The killer's plan was diabolical and scary but the motive was not as deep as I had expected. Sometimes it doesn't take much to push a person to murder.

The setting for this series is fantastic. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions the author provided about the sanctuary and its animals and the Alaskan weather too. There was a bit of repetition because of the nature of Stacie's job of checking on the animals each day and the tracks through the woods. I was really drawn to the job of prepping and delivering the different foods for the animals in the cold winter months when they can't forage for themselves. It is a huge job.

Cry Wolf was an enjoyable wildlife-themed story with characters I long to know better set in a beautiful place where conditions can be extreme. I am wondering what Ms. Jensen has planned for her characters next. Will Stacie still be working at the sanctuary? or will she be back doing boat tours? or will Stacie be off on a new adventure? I am excited to find out.

Having read the first book in the Alaska Untamed series, Bear Witness, by author Lark O. Jensen, I wanted to see the direction the second book, Cry Wolf, would take.

This series follows Stacie and her husky, Sasha. Winter is quickly approaching in Alaska, and the tour boat company she works for is closing down for the season. Stacie takes a seasonal job at the Juneau Wildlife World, where she had volunteered previously. While the director of the refuge is perfectly fine with Stacie’s dog hanging around, one of the new managers is not. When that manager is found dead, Stacie is a prime suspect and decides to don her sleuth cap to prove her innocence.

While I enjoyed the plot and mystery, some world-building and details got lost in the mundane to me. I didn’t feel we needed to know as much about Stacie’s routines or how often people pet Sasha. Having said that, it certainly wasn’t a deal breaker. I enjoyed Stacie actively trying to solve the murder, and the resolution was satisfying.

With a solid story and likable characters, Cry Wolf delivered a satisfying mystery for wildlife or Alaska-loving cozy readers.

I enjoyed the story, but it didn't quite meet my expectations, especially considering that the second half of the narrative fell short of my hopes. As much as I love mysteries and amateur/wannabe sleuths, I dislike the practice of accusing suspects of committing a crime in order to assess their reactions.

Why Stacie, Why? As much as I understand Stacie's need to prove her innocence, it doesn't mean she has to go around accusing everyone of committing the crime, hoping one of them would buckle up.

Having said that, I loved the setting and the characters (except for Stacie's one trait - unnecessary accusations.) Lark O. Jensen's storytelling is immersive and one can't help but feel invested in the characters and the mystery.

The mystery behind the murder kept me guessing till the end. This is a closed circle of suspects mystery. It is very clear to the reader that one of the employees committed the crime. The motive for murder was not up to my expectations but the killer's identity was a shocker.

Overall, Cry Wolf by Lark O. Jensen was an okay read. The story lacked suspense but was immersive in its rich and vivid setting.

This Alaska based cozy series has a lot of potential but is hampered by writing that could use another polish. Stacey, a naturalist, and her husky Sasha once again find themselves investigating a murder, a murder that someone would like to pin on Stacey. It's classic cozy territory and I continue to have high hopes that Jensen will make better use of the Alaska setting but, alas. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast read that might entertain.

Cry Wolf
Lark O. Jensen
November 07, 2023

Stacie Calder is a professional naturalist. She spends her spring, summer and early fall as a tour guide for ClemTours on one of their tourist boats. She gives the passengers a live view of the wildlife and areas of Alaska from an ocean view. She’s decided she wants to find winter employment but would rather be outdoors helping wildlife in the Alaskan wilderness. Her interview with the director of Juneau Wildlife World went well. As a new hiree, she’ll report to work soon to learn the responsibilities and meet the staff. She has volunteered at the sanctuary in the past so she is aware of the needs to observe and help the animals who reside near there. She tells the story of her thoughts and beginnings with the staff to introduce the riddle that follows into Jensen’s plot. She brings the suspense into the path of knowledge she gives the reader.
Cry Wolf will be published on November 07, 2023 by Penguin Random House Publishers. I was able to read and review Lark O. Jensen’s latest in the An Alaskan Untamed series via NetGalley. She pulls a lot of documentation and interesting facts along with the killing of one of the staff at the preserve. As an Alaskan Suspense reader I always find it interesting to learn about the landscape and local facts. Stacie and her buddy, a Husky named Sasha, explore together. It becomes an eerie fictional documentary that is really fascinating. Do enjoy this one.

I wasn’t very impressed with book 1 in this series, but I decided to give the second book a try. This book has different issues from the the first but it isn’t an improvement.
The plot is slow and plodding. The conversations are stilted.
I struggle with the placing this in the cozy mystery genre because of the casual sexual relationship between Stacie and Liam that is constantly mentioned from the first page. It’s not like readers don’t know that sex happens, but part of what draws me to cozy mysteries is the lack of bad language, sexual situations and lack of gritty descriptions.
The mystery is an interesting one. The way Stacie investigates kind of put me off. I realize she doesn’t want to be a suspect but the confrontation that occurs with the killer came about because she actively accused people and then pretended she knew what the detectives were planning.
The narrator was fairly good. Although, the narrator may have contributed to the feeling that Stacie was uptight and sanctimonious.
I wouldn’t recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read this book.

Outdoorsy Cozy Mystery in which an Alaskan boat tour guide and naturalist with her Husky dog turns sleuth when her wild animal sanctuary manager is found dead.

5/5 stars: This is the second entry in Jensen's Alaska Untamed Mystery series and it doesn't disappoint. Jensen has not only written incredibly likable characters but enjoy reading the progression of Stacie's relationship with her Alaskan State Trooper boyfriend, Liam, and how they dealt with conflict. Additionally, it was interesting meeting a whole new cast of folks with the introduction of Stacie's winter job at the wild animal sanctuary. I love the unique Outdoorsy / Tourism themes that are tackled in this series and really appreciate how vividly Jensen brings the Alaskan landscape and atmosphere to life. The descriptions of the various animals, especially the wolves, are fantastic and speaking of animals, one can't forget to mention Stacie's awesome Husky dog, Sasha. So adorable. Most importantly, Jensen's mystery perfectly balances the clues, red herrings and suspects and will leave you guessing the whodunit until the final reveal. To start this series at the beginning, pick up book one, Bear Witness.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This is the second in the series but was a great read. This is also one for those who like a storyline involving an Alaskan tour guide. This also involves and unlikely band of characters like some wolves. If you like a good mystery w dogs and interesting details this one is for you.

In Lark Jensen's Cry Wolf (2023 Crooked Lane Books), #2 in the Alaska Untamed Mystery, Stacie Calder and her husky Sasha are again called to solve a murder in the Alaskan wilds. She’s a Juneau Wildlife World naturalist who looks after the health and safety of the wildlife in this Alaskan sanctuary and she's an amateur sleuth--the rare person not afraid to ask difficult questions and go where most of us don't want to go. When a new  manager at Juneau Wildlife World is murdered, Stacie becomes the main suspect because the man had insulted her dog Sasha often, seemed to threaten Stacie's job that included the presence of her  husky. Stacie had pushed back on the insult, defending her dog, so when the manager is killed, she realizes she will be suspected. As a result, she starts asking around to see who else might have had a big enough grudge against the man to kill him. As she follows the clues, we explore the glorious Alaskan wilderness and all it offers man and animal.

I enjoyed the story though the dialogue was a bit stilted and the plot slow and plodding. Plus there were too many mundane details that made me want to rush past them. I was easily 80% into the book before I recognized the first real clue. Overall, I’d call the book good not great. Still, I'd recommend it for lovers of the Alaskan wilderness who don't want that imagery interrupted by riveting plot and addictive characters.

naturalist, state-troopers, Alaska, national-park, wildlife-center, murder-investigation, dog, cozy-mystery, friendship, friends, relationship-issues, relationships, series****

The new manager was a real toad and had poor interpersonal skills, but that didn't seem to be enough to murder him. But someone did and Stacie is in the frame. Add in an injured wolf, the usual workplace issues and a faltering relationship to make this a fair whodunit. There are lots of teaching moment that I loved, but I don't really favor the stream of consciousness method.
I guess that I am disappointed because I really loved the first in series.
I requested and received an EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

With boat tours shut down for the winter, Stacie Calder, along with her husky Sasha, goes to work for a wild animal sanctuary in Juneau. When the new manager is found murdered, Stacie is suspected due to the argument she had with him. As the weather worsens and Stacie and Sasha are staying at the sanctuary, she begins to question all her coworkers to try to uncover who wanted Oliver dead.

#CryWolf#NetGalley

This book sounded great from the description, but the writing is atrocious. I struggled to get to the end of the first chapter. It felt like it was written by a middle schooler writing an assignment for English class. There were tons of weird word choices that felt like the author had just grabbed a thesaurus and picked the first synonym for a word recently used. We are supposed to believe that the main character is a trained naturalist in her early 30s, but the way she is written (and the 1st person narration) makes her sound like a teenager. It is just absolutely awful.

"There was a large open area at the front of the welcome building, mostly paved. Visitors, as well as employees and volunteers, could park their cars there, and today I'd also left my blue SUV there - at the end, so lots of people could park closer to the door. But there were only a few cars there at the moment."

Really? People can park their cars in a parking lot? I never would have figured that out on my own. And why is this even included? It's pointless and random, and a waste of time. It doesn't set the scene for anything.

Hopefully it got better as it went along, but I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading it. Not sure how this got published.

I hate to say it but I found this book boring. Most of the book is repetitive, same location, same actions which have nothing to do with investigating. Mostly it talks about observing the wildlife. #CryWolf #NetGalley