A Grave Denied

Kate Shugak, #13

by

Dana Stabenow

The murder of the local jack-of-all-trades reveals that deeper and more tragic secrets are lurking in the Park.

A Grave Denied, the thirteenth book in Dana Stabenow’s iconic Alaska-set mystery series featuring Private Investigator Kate Shugak, is a bit of a change agent for this strong female protagonist. With Jack Morgan’s son part of her life, Kate dragged herself out of the pit of grief she’s been in since Jack’s death. She’s started to live again, needing to provide Johnny with a good home, a safe and secure environment, and a dependable and consistent role model in his life, or watch him get returned to his manipulative, emotionally abusive mother. 

When Johnny and his classmates discover the body of the Park’s odd-jobs man hidden in a melting glacier, State Trooper Sergeant Jim Chopin hires Kate to investigate his murder. However, the more digging she does, the more she puts herself and Johnny in a killer’s crosshairs. 

After her long suffering the emotional devastation of Jack Morgan’s death, I’m glad to see Kate is finally starting to heal, even if it is Johnny’s troubles that jumpstart her recovery. I feel like she’s come back stronger, sharper, and better than before as she unravels this truly baffling case. 

The story begins quietly enough: Johnny is settling in, and he and Kate are contemplating ways to improve her cabin to accommodate his move-in. But with the discovery of the body, there’s one twist after another until the absolutely shocking revelation of who was responsible and their motive for what they did. Meanwhile, Johnny’s mother and her jealous machinations must be handled, Bobby Clark’s past shows up in Niniltna in the form of an older brother, and the long-avoided feelings between Jim Chopin and Kate must finally be addressed. The unique personality and heartwarming community spirit of Kate’s hometown are on full display throughout the book, especially when neighbors need help. 

I recommend A GRAVE DENIED to fans of the previous books in the series.

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