First Impressions
When a judge goes missing in a fly-in Alaskan village during a storm, you know it won’t end with cocoa by the fire.
The Setup
Cutter investigates in Stone Cross, where mistrust and snowstorms isolate everyone.
What Worked for Me
– Isolation atmosphere. This was tough. When we lived in Bethel I struggled with the crushing isolation of Bush Alaska. The only way out of town during the winter was via airplane. It was too cold to go out unless absolutely necessary. Stone Cross is a fictional town with many of those elements I remember from those small villages in Western Alaska.
– Village dynamics—distrust of outsiders. The native Alaskans were very wary of gussaks, or rich white people. It took time to convince them that we were there to take anything from them. Once we did, we made some incredible friendships.
– Cutter as survivalist. Yeah… Cutter is the man. Considering that he was raised in Florida, I found this fictional character’s resourcefulness in the Alaskan wilderness to be impressive.
What Didn’t Work
Pacing is a slow burn—like trudging through snow. This was really okay for me, but I imagine some readers may get bogged down here.
Who Should Read It
Fans of C.J. Box or Dana Stabenow. But again, anyone wanting to know about the real Alaskan frontier should read these books.
Verdict
I connected deeply with the characters in this book. The cultural references were so powerful that I was hooked. It’s the most emotionally magnetic book of the series for me.
Buy this book: https://amzn.to/3Mv7Ti1