Hunter's Moon

Thanks to a number of reviewers who took it upon themselves to reveal the last 50 pages of this book in spoiler upon spoiler, I already knew that a great tragedy was to come upon Kate Shugak somewhere along in Hunter's Moon.But even knowing that, I was totally unprepared for the grief that overtook me as a reader; the sobs that tore me apart. For those of us who have followed Kate from the very first book, this story is almost unbearable in its suspense, its heart-pounding intensity, and its gut-wrenching ending. It brings the series to a whole new level, and if I never read another one in the series, I will always remember this book.The story starts out simply enough: Kate and her lover Jack Morgan, along with Kate's trusty half-wolf, half-husky Mutt, join feisty Old Sam and others as hired guides to a party of largely tenderfoot hunters. They've done work like this before, and they know all the pitfalls of such an escorted hunting trip, but this group of paid participants is more obnoxious than the average amateur: The entire group is from a multinational computer software company headquartered in Germany, and each of the teutonic wilderness wannabees is more obnoxious than the next. Before the first shot moose is cold, there has been an accidental shooting of a human being. And that's only the beginning. It becomes clear in very short order that a mass murderer has signed along for the trip, and that nobody is safe.As Kate and Jack rely on their wits and their wildnerness savvy to figure out who is doing the killing, the reader is increasingly afraid for their very existence.This is an amazingly powerful book. I'm glad I read it, but I'm still crying as I write this review. Whew!

What begins as a hunt for Kate and a group of German Executives ends in death. Kate agrees to guide a moose/beer hunt in the Alaska Bush for her friend George. The guides include Jack Morgan, Dimitri, Old Sam and George. They will be responsible for taking a CEO of a German software company and his top executives into the Bush for a real Alaskan Adventure. Tension builds immidiately between Kate and the CEO. The hunt begins to fall apart when one of the members is accidently shot. Shortly after more murders take place and a consipiracy is uncovered.The plot was action packed and is a real "tape turner." Kate is spunky and displays a great wit. The book has some laugh out loud part - the joke about the bear in the woods is answered in full color. Though there are some fun parts, they are short lived - kleenex are a must! Kate proves to be a character with a conscious even when the world deals her tragedy.The tape was well read and I couldn't wait to get in my car to hear what happened next!

The latest Alaska tale of Stabenow lives up to all I expect of this talented writer. The buildup to the crushing ending is powerful--and I read it again to understand. Having read all the earlier novels, I expected a "happy ending." Characters from her other novels (George Perry, for one, with his plane)contributed to the anticipated comfortable "read." The tragic ending left me stunned--and looking forward to the next novel. From the other reviews, it appears I am not the only reader who accepted Kate as a real person! Quite an accomplishment for Ms Stabenow!

A powerful book! Although dark and sinister compared to her other books, it's believable and frightening. The ending is extremely emotional and powerful and not for the faint of heart or the romance novel lovers. I can't wait for the follow-up to see what direction Kate takes.

This is a powerful and moving book about Kate and the ones she loves. To get the full impact of this latest book, though, a reader should read the previous books in this Alaskan series. I give the author credit for having the courage to "challenge" the reader and Kate to survive the surprising ending. Afterall, if we live long enough, we will all have unbelieveable joy and tragedy in our lives...it is what either defines us or "kills" us. Personally, I cannot wait for the next in this series to see how Kate "moves on" with her life!