In these reviews I will discuss the mysteries minimally, as that would really not be fair to the author. I will basically discuss Kate Shugak’s world and Liam Campbell’s world as learned through reading these books. I prefer the Kate Shugak books but there are themes throughout the Liam Campbell books I really enjoy, especially his relationship with the raven and the character Moses.

In both series what I really like is the maturing of the the main characters as they learn to deal with their demons and lives. The Liam Campbell series starts out at a more mature level of character development, but I liked even the first Kate Shugak book. I love the humor in the books, but the tragedy of life is always there. I am very attracted to the ever-present view of the various problems faced by the tribal Alaskans. The author, as a native (although not tribal) Alaskan provides an insight that Outsiders would not be able to give. See her website at http://www.stabenow.com/.

The Kate Shugak books are reviewed first and the Liam Campbell books after. The books are in order of writing and in order of happening within each world.


For this series I am assuming as a point of reference that the first book takes place in 1996 because in one book they talk about Windows 99. However, it could be anytime between 1991 to closer to the present. As a comment, I find amazing that Kate is almost killed in rather grusome ways in most of these books. She must be one tough lady! However, the unrealness of that in no way detracts from the books. She is a survivor whose life involves many losses that she learns to overcome and rise above, one loss at a time.

The mystery involves an Alaskan trooper who disappears. Four weeks after his disappearance an investigator goes in and he disappears also. Kate is asked to help two weeks later. The story takes place in December 1996.

Kate and her dog Mutt (half wolf) live alone in her parents’ old homestead. She is a neatnik as reflected in her cabin and grounds. Mutt is very protective of her. She had worked as an investigator in Anchorage until 14 months previously. Her throat is scarred badly by a knife wound gotten during a fight with a man who molested his small children. He died and Kate has a very rough voice as a result of the cut to her throat. She doesn’t drink partially because it was the cause of her parents’ deaths. Kate does some detective work in the Park, run by the Niniltna Corporation. Jack Morgan, her former supervisor and lover still loves her but accepts her as she is. In this book we learn that Jack has an extreme case of vertigo. Jack and Kate finally get together again a month after the action of this story. Abel Int-Hout had taught her about living off the land after her parents died. Kate’s grandmother, around 80, is Ekaterina Moonin Shugak (Emaa), the de facto leader of the tribal peoples in the Park. It is the general belief that Kate will take over Emma’s role when she dies, but Kate resists. Mandy Baker is her nearest neighbor. She is from an aristocratic family in Massachusetts and lives with Chick Noyukpuk. They both are sled dog racers and she had won the Iditarod. Bernie’s Roadhouse, just barely outside the Niniltna Native Association’s tribal jurisdiction (within which no alcohol can be sold), is where everybody meets, drinks, fights, etc. Jim Chopin, called “The Father of the Park,” because of his success with the ladies, is the ranger for the area and headquartered in Tok, usually flying a helicopter. Bobby Clark, a self-sufficient and relatively well-off black ham radio person who lost his legs in Vietnam, is another “Park Rat” and friend of Kate’s. Another person we meet in this book, and who shows up occasionally in other books, is the Anchorage FBI agent Fred Gamble.

Mystery: A man goes on a killing spree around Niniltna and kills nine people before being stopped and captured by Kate and Mutt. One dead woman is discovered to have been killed by someone else. Kate is asked to help. This story takes place the end of March 1997.

Jack and Kate are together again, whenever he can get off to come and see her—all very passionate. The tribal potlatch is explained clearly. The attitude toward “Outsider” mountain climbers is developed. Dan O’Brian is the Park ranger, with headquarters on the Step. The problems of growing marijuana, killing bears for bladders, and walruses for tusks within a park are all discussed. Kate, who has consistently rebelled against her grandmother’s wishes, begins to participate a bit in her native cultural events—dancing in this case. Mutt manages to get outside while in heat despite Kate’s best efforts, mating with a wolf.

Mystery: Two crewmen on a crabbing boat working near the Aleutian Islands are missing and Kate is asked to help find out what happened. She takes a job as crew member of the same crabber from which the men disappeared. The story takes place in October 1997.

Mutt is not part of this. She is taking care of her pups as a result of mating with the wolf of book 2. We learn a lot about crabbing and how hard it is, and about the international atmosphere of the Aleutians. Kate also begins to learn a bit about her roots in the Aleutians after she meets Olga Shapsnikoff, a storyteller and weaver who lives near Unalaska where the crabber brought it's haul.

Mystery: Drug dealing at a Prudoe Bay oil pumping facility has resulted in a death. Kate is reluctantly hired by John King, the head of operations at the facility, to find out who is bringing in the drugs and how. The story takes place in late March 1998.

Kate buys a carved seal that she carries everywhere with her. She learns about the archeological digs taking place around Prudoe Bay. She also meets another native leader, Cindy Sovalik, who lives near the pumping facility and works there. Kate deals with some natives who have lost their way and roots as a result of living in Anchorage. We learn more about Jack’s son Johnny and his former wife Jane. By the end of this book Kate is beginning to get along better with Ekatarina.

Mystery: Kate is hired by a 10-year-old to find out what happened to his missing father. She finds him dead while picking morel mushrooms in early summer after a fall fire. This story takes place in mid-June 1998.

We meet a blond photojournalist Dinah Cookman who falls for Bobby Clark and vice versa. We learn more about Bobby’s youth while discussing the problem of the extremist self-righteous Christian cults who tend to come to Alaska when chased out of other communities. We also learn more about the Aleut forced evacuation from the Aleutian Islands during World War II that had been referred to in a couple of the former books. We also learn more about Kate’s college years. Some humor is beginning to show up unlike the more serious first couple of books.

Mystery: Just before the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Anchorage two board members die in rather suspicious circumstances. The events take place in October 1998.

This is the first in the series of the Kate Shugak books that I really like, mostly because of the well-developed humor. Kate and Ekatarina work together and are close from the beginning of the book. Ekatarina realizes that Kate must live far enough away from Niniltna to have the peace, independence, and closeness to the land that strengthens her. Unfortunately, this is also the book in which Ekatarina dies. Most of the story takes place in Anchorage during the convention. Kate reluctantly becomes a background leader, partially because of her storyteller ability. Kate now knows she will have to get involved in at least some of the politics of the the Park and the local federation of natives. We get to know Jack’s son better also. In this book Jack’s former wife gets a bit of what’s owed to her. We also know that Ekatarina watches over Kate in the form of a bird. We hear the three notes sung by her occasionally throughout the following books.

Mystery: A body is found in the spring near Kate’s house and a woman dies near an old mine, apparently killed by a bear. This story takes place in March of 1999.

This is a good mystery, but you will be laughing out loud during several parts of the book. It is really funny. A jet engine lands in Kate’s yard, demolishing her car. She is chased by a bear. She stops a shootout TWICE in Bernie’s Roadhouse. She agrees to give Mandy’s parents, whom Mandy has always said rather nasty things about, a tour. They turn out to be rather nice despite all the crazy things that happen to them, and finally accept their daughter as she is. And there is more. In this book we discover that Dinah is pregnant and that she and Bobby plan to marry. Beginning to emerge in this book is the dependence on Kate by the Park residents to solve problems. She is beginning to accept her role.

Mystery: An unpleasant fisherman is killed and Kate investigates with Jim Chopin, with a little bit of help from Jack and Johnny. The story takes place around July 4, 1999.

We get to learn about fishing for salmon near the various river mouths around Cordova, Alaska, as well as learning about setnetters and fish wheels. We get to know the elders of the Park better. Old Sam owns the tender that Kate works on as deck boss. We get to know Auntie Joy, Auntie Vi, Auntie Edna and Auntie Balasha better. Kate reminisces about her father and we learn more about their life before he died when she was seven. We also meet the harbormaster in Cordova, Shitting Seagull, a great character, who is really into space aliens. We learn more about Johnny, who gets along very well with Kate’s aunts. He is an expert monopoly player, and willing to teach them how to win.

Mystery: Kate is one of several hunting guides, including Jack Morgan, who are working for George Perry at his lodge. They are hired to guide a group of German business people from one company. Things start getting dicey when one than another of the Germans die. Takes place south of Denali, in October 1999.

This is probably the most intense of the books, with constant action. In this book Jack decides to retire and he and Kate agree to him moving in with her on her homestead. Unfortunately, this is the book in which Jack is killed and Mutt is badly injured. Kate cuts her hair so it can never be used against her again, as it is in this book.

Mystery: Some Russians are suspected of smuggling in Bering. Jim Chopin goes there in disguise and is soon attacked. Several others are killed. Kate has been working there for several months. Takes place in early July 2000.

Kate, who blamed herself for causing Jack’s death, left her homestead in March after Mutt stopped her from killing herself. She went to Bering, taking a job at Baird Air Freight under the name of Kathy Sovalik, and is working more than 12 hours a day in order to forget. Mutt, now healed, is with her. Jim Chopin is hired to work for the same company under the name of Jim Churchill. Each is stunned to find the other there. Jim Chopin is still in love with her despite his many liaisons, which are beginning to be less interesting. They each independently meet Stephanie Chavak, a brilliant Yupik ten-year-old, who has a small model plane with a motor and TV transmitter. She is also a ham radio operator who communicates with Bobby Clark. She is the daughter of a college friend of Kate’s. Mention is made of the fact that Bobby and Dinah had gotten married the previous August (before Book 9) and Dinah had her baby the same day. Their daughter is named Katya, a much loved child. Jim and Kate sleep together once, but she is determined that it won’t happen again. Jim tells Kate she should go back home, and in the end she does. She makes a promise to Stephanie that she will help her when she finishes eighth grade. When she gets home Johnny Morgan walks out of her cabin. He has run away from his family.

Mystery: Kate agrees to help protect a politician running from her district because she has been receiving threatening messages. It turns ugly when two people die. Takes place in fall of 2000.

Two stories are running concurrently in this book. One concerns a murder that took place in 1915, which turns out to be connected to the present murders. We get an interesting look at the gold rush times, when “good-time girls” followed the miners to make more money than they could Outside.

Johnny is determined to stay in the Park, and stays with Ethan Int-Hout so there is less likelihood that his mother will find him. Ethan was interested in Kate when young, but was kept away from her by his father and eventually married another woman, who has since left him. He is trying to get together again with Kate. Jim is beginning to realize he loves Kate, but they both fight it mightily. We see the development of Katya, Bobby and Dinah’s daughter, and the love everyone has for the child. Johnny really gets along well with the child. A great scene is when Jane Morgan finds out where Kate lives, assuming she has Johnny. She goes to Kate’s house and trashes it. However, she is caught in the act by Mutt and is scared away. The Park residents all collaborate in keeping Johnny’s mother away from him, hopefully until he is sixteen—two more years.

Mystery: At the beginning of a battle to keep Dan O’Brian as chief park ranger a long-time resident of the Park, Dina Willner, is killed, and her housemate, Ruthe Bauman is badly injured. Takes place around January 2001.

We learn a lot historically about the effects that politics have on national parks, and currently the political effects under the Bush administration, with the wish to develop anything and everything. Ethan keeps trying to get serious with Kate, but she is beginning to realize that Jim really does love her. In the end, Ethan’s wife comes back and that solves that problem. Jim Chopin decides to get proactive in his pursuit of Kate. When there is discussion of his workload and the option exists to move his post to a more central location, he decides that Niniltna would be a perfect location. At the end Johnny hints that Jim Chopin is his choice, and we learn that Kate is going to build an extension on her house.

Mystery: While Johnny Morgan’s class is visiting a glacier, they discover the body of Len Dreyer, a local handyman, in a glacial cave. Takes place in late May 2001.

During this story Bobby Clark’s brother Jeffrey comes to ask that he come home because their father is dying. Bobby must face more demons and come to terms with them before he can agree to go. Johnny becomes good friends with Vanessa Cox. It becomes a bit more than friendship, but only a bit more. During this story Kate and Johnny confront Jane, Johnny’s mother, and it looks like she won’t be trouble in the future. Kate’s relationship with Jim Chopin changes a lot in this book and I am curious to see what will happen. There is a real shift in attitude on the part of each of them. Kate becomes more relaxed and Jim becomes more tense. Interesting. During the action of this story Kate’s house is burned down, and at the end the whole park (and many other friends) get together to build her a new house big enough to house her and a teen-age dependent.

This book is due out in Fall 2004.

These books basically take place in southwestern Alaska in the town of Newenham, on Bristol Bay. We learn that Liam had been the star of his class, moving up rapidly in the Alaskan ranger ranks. However, the death of a native family caused by the carelessness of his men, is blamed on him and he is demoted from sergeant to trooper. His wife Jenny and son Charlie were in a car hit by a drunk driver, Rick Dyson. His son was killed and his wife has been in a coma since. He has strong guilt feelings because he had had an aborted affair with Wyanet Chouinard before they were in the accident, but hasn’t seen her for almost three years, although there is still a very strong spark between them.

Mystery: When Liam steps off the plane at his new posting, he walks in on a crime scene: Wyanet Chouinard’s herring spotter has been killed by the propeller of Wy’s plane.
We learn a lot in this book about herring fishing. We also meet the characters of the series. When Liam moves to Newenham, he feels like he’s in another dimension, or in the Twilight Zone. One of the crazy things Liam does is to spot herring for Wy, despite his fear of flying. At the end of the story Jenny, Liam’s wife dies, still in a coma.
Liam Campbell is afraid of flying, is in love with Wy Chouinard, and is trying to come to terms with the tragedies in his life.
Wyanet Chouinard is a pilot who has bought an air taxi service and is paying it off. She has taken in a 12-year-old boy, Tim Gosuk, who had been badly abused by his mother. She is trying to get custody of him. Also, she has feels guilty because she slept with a married man, Liam.
Moses Alakuyak is the lover of Linda Billington. He is a shaman, wise man, and a person who hears voices that he tries to drown out with alcohol. He is teaching Wy and Liam tai chi without any choice on their part.
Linda Billington (Bill) owns Bill’s Bar and Restaurant and is the magistrate for the town.
The Raven is a trickster, who protects Liam in unexpected ways, and mocks him often. He shows up everywhere, mocking and chiding Liam.
John Barton is Liam’s boss who transferred him there to get back on his feet and be in touch with Wy.
Bob DeCreft, a herring spotter, has been killed by the propeller of Wyanet Chouinard’s plane. He had a live-in named Laura Nanalook, who works for Bill. She has suffered a lot and Cecil Wolfe comes in to rape her after the death of her protector.
Jim Earl - the mayor of Newenham.
Sergeant Roger Corcoran is the outgoing ranger that Liam is replacing. He caused much embarrassment for the ranger service.
Cecil Wolfe owns the Sea Wolfe and Wy spots herring for him. He is not a nice guy and lots of people are afraid of him.
Jo Dunaway - Wy’s best friend, whom we meet briefly in this book. She’s a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News newspaper.
Charlene Taylor - The Fish and Wildlife Protection officer at Newenham. She’s married to the local state attorney.

Mystery: Two murder cases have taken place: one is a massacre of seven people on a boat and another is of an assistant at an archaeological dig.
In this book Wy and Liam start over and actually start dating. Liam has migrated from sleeping on his chair in the office to sleeping in a leaky boat. We meet Charles Campbell, Liam’s father, an air force pilot whom Liam is barely beginning to come to terms with. Liam is beginning to put down roots in Newenham. The raven again comes to Liam’s rescue. Diana Prince, a pilot, flies in as Liam’s new assistant and is plunged into work immediately. Jo Dunaway becomes a bigger character in this story. We meet Gary Dunaway, Jo’s brother, who apparently has had some kind of relationship with Wy sometime in the past. In this book Liam, who is so afraid of flying, ends up jumping TWICE from a plane to catch someone. Diane and Charles Campbell occasionally sleep together.

Mystery: Several people have been killed and finally Diane, Liam and Wy begin to realize there is a connection and they know a serial killer is in the area, and has been for many years.
In this book Liam has moved from the leaky boat to a camper in Wy’s driveway, with an occasional foray into her bedroom and her twin bed. In this book we learn more about Moses. We also get to meet Jim Wiley, Liam’s college roommate, who is a genius at getting information. We also get a hint that there could eventually be something between Jim and Jo Dunaway, but that is probably for a future book. Tim’s birth mother, Natalie Gosuk, has a court order that says she can have supervised visitation rights to her son, which he definitely does not want. Of course the raven comes through once more, and Liam uses the guidance of the raven, trusting it, luckily. At the end of this story Liam is promoted back to sergeant and is expected to go back to Anchorage.

Mystery: A WWII plane is found while a glacier is calving, and some deaths follow, originally not connected to the plane.
In the course of this book Moses tells Wy that he is her grandfather, mainly because he is afraid she has inherited his prescience and hearing of voices. She says not, but she does know things—gets a prickling at the back of her skull and knows what to do. We find out that Wy had been married briefly to Gary Dunaway and lost their child, resulting in her not being able to have children. Liam says he doesn’t care. By the end of this book Liam says he won’t accept the job in Anchorage and they decide to marry—IF they get a queen-size bed.