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Kate Shugak #6
Blood Will Tell
At the request of her grandmother, a matriarch of her Aleut clan, Kate Shugak travels to Anchorage to investigate the mysterious deaths of several Council members just before a crucial meeting to determine the fate of some disputed tribal lands
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Dana Stabenow
100 books2,031 followersDana Stabenow was born in Anchorage and raised on 75-foot fish tender in the Gulf of Alaska. She knew there was a warmer, drier job out there somewhere.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
June 26, 2017
What can I say. I've never seen such resistance from an author in avoiding being repetitive and formulaic. Dana Stabenow is showing me how to enjoy a series without taking it for granted.
There are a lot of details to be sifted in this particular book. Not to separate the wheat from the chaff, but to find sustenance is the rawness of storytelling that Dana Stabenow displays. Try to read this book, if you won't start from the beginning. It's as good as any standalone.
There is a major death in the book, that's all I'm saying. The gloves are not off yet, but the promise of book 7 in the series is hefty and not to be taken lightly. I keep refraining from giving this series 5 stars, but I love it as if I didn't. I'm in danger of being turned from a fan into a fanboy.
There are a lot of details to be sifted in this particular book. Not to separate the wheat from the chaff, but to find sustenance is the rawness of storytelling that Dana Stabenow displays. Try to read this book, if you won't start from the beginning. It's as good as any standalone.
There is a major death in the book, that's all I'm saying. The gloves are not off yet, but the promise of book 7 in the series is hefty and not to be taken lightly. I keep refraining from giving this series 5 stars, but I love it as if I didn't. I'm in danger of being turned from a fan into a fanboy.
August 16, 2023
Living away from her clan but with Mutt, her wolf/dog crossbreed, in a solitary and remote location in Alaska's interior is Kate's choice. Her Grandmother, the leader of the Aleut Clan, would love to have Kate live with the clan and, eventually, succeed her as the leader of the clan. Kate, all five feet one inch of her, however, has always avoided politics of any kind and strongly prefers her own lifestyle. That lifestyle works well for her personality and he job as a private investigator.
Prior to a critically important meeting of all the clan councils in Anchorage, Kate is approached by her grandmother who asks her to go to Anchorage to look into the death of a council member who supported her grandmother on key issues before the council. Kate agrees and shortly after she arrives in Anchorage, another council member, supportive of her Grandmother dies in what some describe as a suicide. Kate thinks the timing cannot be a coincidence and looks into both deaths.
At the same time, Kate's lover/partner is in danger of losing contact with his adolescent son. The boy's mother is suing for sole custody and, although she is entirely unfit as a mother, she has manipulated circumstances and just might win. The trial will take place shortly and Kate, in addition to investigating the deaths of the two council members, is determined to shatter the mother's plan.
But then...
Dana Stabenow has done her usual great job of bringing Kate, Kate's Grandmother, Mutt, and Alaska to a very vivid and somewhat mysterious life. Her writing is very straight-forward which suits Kate, and Alaska for that matter, perfectly. She has created characters that are, for the most part, three-dimensional and interesting although in a couple of cases, they are a bit extreme, even for Alaska which is, indeed, home to a great many extreme people.
Stabenow does a particularly good job of creating the dialogue between Native Alaskans and between Native Alaskans and white people. However, as indicated earlier, some of the white dialogue is a bit extreme. The plot is engaging and has a few twists which add significantly to the quality of the story. There's not a lot of action so those addicted to fights, shootings, car chases, and the like may not enjoy books in this series.
The book stands nicely on its own but is the sixth book in the series so if you haven't read a Kate Shugak book, you might want to start at the beginning of the series. Not surprisingly, this book will appeal most to readers who enjoy books featuring indigenous characters.
Finito
Prior to a critically important meeting of all the clan councils in Anchorage, Kate is approached by her grandmother who asks her to go to Anchorage to look into the death of a council member who supported her grandmother on key issues before the council. Kate agrees and shortly after she arrives in Anchorage, another council member, supportive of her Grandmother dies in what some describe as a suicide. Kate thinks the timing cannot be a coincidence and looks into both deaths.
At the same time, Kate's lover/partner is in danger of losing contact with his adolescent son. The boy's mother is suing for sole custody and, although she is entirely unfit as a mother, she has manipulated circumstances and just might win. The trial will take place shortly and Kate, in addition to investigating the deaths of the two council members, is determined to shatter the mother's plan.
But then...
Dana Stabenow has done her usual great job of bringing Kate, Kate's Grandmother, Mutt, and Alaska to a very vivid and somewhat mysterious life. Her writing is very straight-forward which suits Kate, and Alaska for that matter, perfectly. She has created characters that are, for the most part, three-dimensional and interesting although in a couple of cases, they are a bit extreme, even for Alaska which is, indeed, home to a great many extreme people.
Stabenow does a particularly good job of creating the dialogue between Native Alaskans and between Native Alaskans and white people. However, as indicated earlier, some of the white dialogue is a bit extreme. The plot is engaging and has a few twists which add significantly to the quality of the story. There's not a lot of action so those addicted to fights, shootings, car chases, and the like may not enjoy books in this series.
The book stands nicely on its own but is the sixth book in the series so if you haven't read a Kate Shugak book, you might want to start at the beginning of the series. Not surprisingly, this book will appeal most to readers who enjoy books featuring indigenous characters.
Finito
October 9, 2017
Another fantastic book i this series about an Alaskan Native with mad detective skills and her adorable side kick Mutt. The author did a fabulous job with her research blending reality into this story seamlessly. Sadly we lost a favorite character :(
March 21, 2021
I love Kate Shugak and the stories set in Alaska. I especially love the references to the Inuits, the group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada and Alaska. Kate is a descendent and member of this tribe, and she is ready to defend the lands these peoples have lived on for thousands of years. There is a tragic loss in this story, but I'm not going to say what it is. Just have some tissues ready.
March 1, 2024
I enjoy this series. This one dealt strongly with the Alaskan politics.
December 19, 2014
I couldn't put it down until I was either asleep sitting up or finished.
Five Stars
I have enjoyed all four of Dana Stabenow's books. I love the way she takes me to Alaska as I'm sitting at home in Washington state. I have two step sons whose mother was born and raised in Togiak Alaska. The boys lived there when they were little. They were back and forth, from Togiak to Washington until the oldest son was 5 years old. His brother 4. I met my husband when his divorce was almost final. He had custody of the children. We lived in Washington. When my middle son was 29 he got caught up in the fast lane, mixed up with the wrong people, and nearly lost his life because of drugs. I called his Mother in Togiak and explained the situation and she made arrangements for him to fly up to Togiak. It saved his life. Togiak is a dry village, thank GOD. To date he has turned his life around. We have two Grandkids in Togiak. Their father hunts and fishes and is pretty good at it. He shares with everyone in the village. Dana's stories help me visualize so many things I've never seen with my eyes. But I have heard a lot of stories from my husband and my son. After reading Dana Stabenow's first four books, I have learned thing's about my son's heritage, the ways the state is run was very informative. The customs, our lifestyle differences, so many things I was unaware of have been brought into my understanding of where my son and Grandchildren are living and the customs the children are being taught. Thank You Dana Stabenow, you are a very gifted writer. You write and I see it all in my mind. If I could rate you seven stars, I would. Sincerely, Kathy Forsling Now I'm on to the next book. I can't wait.
Five Stars
I have enjoyed all four of Dana Stabenow's books. I love the way she takes me to Alaska as I'm sitting at home in Washington state. I have two step sons whose mother was born and raised in Togiak Alaska. The boys lived there when they were little. They were back and forth, from Togiak to Washington until the oldest son was 5 years old. His brother 4. I met my husband when his divorce was almost final. He had custody of the children. We lived in Washington. When my middle son was 29 he got caught up in the fast lane, mixed up with the wrong people, and nearly lost his life because of drugs. I called his Mother in Togiak and explained the situation and she made arrangements for him to fly up to Togiak. It saved his life. Togiak is a dry village, thank GOD. To date he has turned his life around. We have two Grandkids in Togiak. Their father hunts and fishes and is pretty good at it. He shares with everyone in the village. Dana's stories help me visualize so many things I've never seen with my eyes. But I have heard a lot of stories from my husband and my son. After reading Dana Stabenow's first four books, I have learned thing's about my son's heritage, the ways the state is run was very informative. The customs, our lifestyle differences, so many things I was unaware of have been brought into my understanding of where my son and Grandchildren are living and the customs the children are being taught. Thank You Dana Stabenow, you are a very gifted writer. You write and I see it all in my mind. If I could rate you seven stars, I would. Sincerely, Kathy Forsling Now I'm on to the next book. I can't wait.
April 24, 2021
I first read this novel some time between approx 2005 & 2010. I could barely remember UCB about this series after so long, and I’d stopped somewhere soon after this novel, as that’s all my local library had had of Stabenow’s series. I thought it would reread those few I’d gotten through so long ago, and try to get a little further this time, hopefully through to the ending.
It’s just as wonderful as it was the first time. This novel in particular is very touching and riveting, in turns. And I sometimes wish Kate Sugak was real, so I could be her friend.
Marguerite Gavin is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, and she is absolutely perfect for this series. Her pronunciations are perfection, and her voice characterizations are sublime, and I hope she continues her work throughout this entire series.
If you haven’t read this series yet, please do yourself a favor and do so. But please start at the beginning on book one, which is A Cold Day for Murder. You will be happy you did, I bet.
That is all.
It’s just as wonderful as it was the first time. This novel in particular is very touching and riveting, in turns. And I sometimes wish Kate Sugak was real, so I could be her friend.
Marguerite Gavin is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, and she is absolutely perfect for this series. Her pronunciations are perfection, and her voice characterizations are sublime, and I hope she continues her work throughout this entire series.
If you haven’t read this series yet, please do yourself a favor and do so. But please start at the beginning on book one, which is A Cold Day for Murder. You will be happy you did, I bet.
That is all.
September 18, 2008
BLOOD WILL TELL - Ex
Stabenow, Dana - 6th in kate Shugak series
Aleut investigator, Kate Shugak, faces one of the most painful cases of her reluctant career. Kate was formerly the star investigator of the Anchorage D.A.'s office; now all she wants to do is enjoy the first weeks of autumn on her isolated homestead. Alone. But duty calls, in the form of Ekaterina Shugak, Kate's grandmother, the imposing matriarch of her extended family. It's the week of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention, and everyone who's anyone - as well as a few nobodies - has gathered in Anchorage for a week of shopping, gossiping, bragging, and more than a little wheeling and dealing. But there's more happening this year than what's on the official agenda. A vote is coming up on the future of tribal lands, and the arguments are heated. Heated enough to raise suspicions about the recent death of a Native Association board member. Kate has always refused to get involved with tribal politics. But the dead woman was a relative, and the one true weakness Kate Shugak has is for her family. Reluctantly agreeing to investigate, she is drawn into a whirlpool of deceit, lies, and secrets; she is torn not only between the modern world and the traditional, but also between opposing factions within each group. And the more Kate investigates, the more she discovers how deeply she is tied to the land, and to what lengths she will go in order to protect it.
This series gets better with every book. Great characters, including the dog, good suspense and wonderful humor (a shopping trip to Nordstrom's is memorable).
Stabenow, Dana - 6th in kate Shugak series
Aleut investigator, Kate Shugak, faces one of the most painful cases of her reluctant career. Kate was formerly the star investigator of the Anchorage D.A.'s office; now all she wants to do is enjoy the first weeks of autumn on her isolated homestead. Alone. But duty calls, in the form of Ekaterina Shugak, Kate's grandmother, the imposing matriarch of her extended family. It's the week of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention, and everyone who's anyone - as well as a few nobodies - has gathered in Anchorage for a week of shopping, gossiping, bragging, and more than a little wheeling and dealing. But there's more happening this year than what's on the official agenda. A vote is coming up on the future of tribal lands, and the arguments are heated. Heated enough to raise suspicions about the recent death of a Native Association board member. Kate has always refused to get involved with tribal politics. But the dead woman was a relative, and the one true weakness Kate Shugak has is for her family. Reluctantly agreeing to investigate, she is drawn into a whirlpool of deceit, lies, and secrets; she is torn not only between the modern world and the traditional, but also between opposing factions within each group. And the more Kate investigates, the more she discovers how deeply she is tied to the land, and to what lengths she will go in order to protect it.
This series gets better with every book. Great characters, including the dog, good suspense and wonderful humor (a shopping trip to Nordstrom's is memorable).
September 3, 2022
In Blood Will Tell we get to know more about Kates boyfriend Jack and his situation. This is an ongoing theme through all the books. We get a little bit of the characters history in every book, I find that great and one of the reasons I'm a seriesholic. We also get a new problem to face in every book and some humorous dialogue as well.
April 19, 2014
I love all things Alaska and Dana Stabenow just brings everything to life with her words. I really like her intrepid heroine, Kate Shugak. She's an inherently good person with strong morals and respect for her elders even when they annoy the heck out of her. Her grandmother, Ekaterina Moonin Shugak is the Council leader and drags Kate kicking and screaming (figuratively) into tribal matters. Kate's gotten slick though, she now charges the Council for her assistance.
In Blood Will Tell, Ekaterina gets Kate to go to a Native Association meeting in Anchorage (if you're a Kate fan, you know she hates Anchorage). Someone is killing off council members and Ekaterina talks Kate into investigating. I like how Kate figures things out. She takes all the little tidbits that come her way, talks to some people and with some seemingly minor investigation, puts all the puzzle pieces together and doesn't hesitate to confront the bad guy(s) with her sidekick, Mutt, of course.
This one was a little too political for my liking but like all books in this series, details of life in the Alaska bush abound as well as native traditions. I find these stories, regardless of the murders, very refreshing and enjoyable.
In Blood Will Tell, Ekaterina gets Kate to go to a Native Association meeting in Anchorage (if you're a Kate fan, you know she hates Anchorage). Someone is killing off council members and Ekaterina talks Kate into investigating. I like how Kate figures things out. She takes all the little tidbits that come her way, talks to some people and with some seemingly minor investigation, puts all the puzzle pieces together and doesn't hesitate to confront the bad guy(s) with her sidekick, Mutt, of course.
This one was a little too political for my liking but like all books in this series, details of life in the Alaska bush abound as well as native traditions. I find these stories, regardless of the murders, very refreshing and enjoyable.
January 19, 2013
Okay, I know that I should really give the book a four star rating, but I really, really enjoyed it. I just love the down to earth Kate Shugak and how the author balances Kate's personal, family, cultural and sleuthing lives. Each book I read, gives me more information about life in Alaska. I laughed out loud in the chapter about her going (against her will) to Nordstrom's to buy a fancy dress for a dance event for the annual Alaska Federation of Natives conference. She had never owned a dress nor wore high heels, and her wardrobe mostly contained t-shirts jeans, and outdoor gear. When the perfectly dressed young sales lady asked her what her favorite color was, she said khaki--and it got funnier after that. Anyway, this was a great read, and I will certainly check out #7 in the series (which should be read in order).
April 15, 2016
Although I still like Kate and love the series' exploration of Alaskan culture I am frustrated by Kate's behavior in this book. She stole an identity, stole money, and acted as a stalker. I suspend my belief often while reading because I am a big fan of mysteries and they often require it. But in this case the crimes were not committed while solving a crime... they were planned and premeditated acts. It really concerned me that these acts were justified by Kate to herself and to Jack, and justified by the author to the reader.
September 23, 2021
Such a high cost…Emaa.
May 16, 2009
Kate reluctantly agrees to go to Anchorage with her grandmother for a tribal convention. This meeting is especially important because a decision must be made about industries wanting to log over sections of the tribal territories. That would have a negative impact on the wild plant and animal life that support the tribal lifestyle. Kate's grandmother has allies in her attempt to protect their territory, but those allies have started dying. It's unnaturally convenient for someone, especially for Kate's cousin's lobbyist boyfriend. Then, Kate's lover Jack and his son are threatened by Jack's ex-wife. The Law is no help in either case. It's up to Kate to take measures.
There is no stopping place during the reading of BLOOD WILL TELL. There is also a lot of humor included, in what has become an overwhelmingly multidimensional series which teems with humanity.
There is no stopping place during the reading of BLOOD WILL TELL. There is also a lot of humor included, in what has become an overwhelmingly multidimensional series which teems with humanity.
February 15, 2016
This book is set mostly in Anchorage at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention. It's a rather twisted plot as Kate gets involved investigating corruption in land leases and park vs forest designations as well as a couple of deaths that might or might not be connected. There's also a subplot involving Kate's boyfriend Jack and a custody battle over his son. I found this one to be a bit over the top, particularly with the motive for murder and with the revenge thing Kate had going on. (I know this was published back in 1996, but didn't they have ATM cameras even back then?)
July 21, 2010
Kate Shugak is hired by her emaa (Katherine Moon Shugak) to figure out what shenanigans are in play when two of the tribal leaders die before a major vote about logging some preserved land. Kate does some great research, after being dragged to Anchorage, and as usual, Mutt plays a major role.
September 8, 2013
Too much revenge on her boyfriend's ex.
August 2, 2023
Native American Kate Shugak wants to be left alone to enjoy her piece of heaven, her homestead, where she has just killed a moose on the first day of hunting season.
But actions that threaten to destroy her people's lands force her hand. At her grandmother's urging she begins an investigation of how greed leads to lies and deceit. And some of her own relatives are not above that greed. And as she works her investigation there are things that she struggles with, including the age and increasing frailty of her grandmother, as well as a threat to her lover and his son.
It's no time for half measures and Shugak does it and then some, fighting wrongs not only for her emaa, but her Indian nation and the Alaska wilderness they hold dear. It is a very good read, not only for the mystery and crimes that Shugak uncovers, but in what the reader learns about the culture and beliefs of the native Americans in Alaska.
But actions that threaten to destroy her people's lands force her hand. At her grandmother's urging she begins an investigation of how greed leads to lies and deceit. And some of her own relatives are not above that greed. And as she works her investigation there are things that she struggles with, including the age and increasing frailty of her grandmother, as well as a threat to her lover and his son.
It's no time for half measures and Shugak does it and then some, fighting wrongs not only for her emaa, but her Indian nation and the Alaska wilderness they hold dear. It is a very good read, not only for the mystery and crimes that Shugak uncovers, but in what the reader learns about the culture and beliefs of the native Americans in Alaska.
February 15, 2024
Devo dire che la protagonista mi è sembrata una specie di giustiziera in questo libro. A ben pensarci, aspetti simili ci sono stati anche nei libri precedenti... non so se la cosa mi piaccia o meno, devo confessarlo. Comunque sia, alla fine colui che muoveva tutti i fili fra i cattivi la fa praticamente franca: quasi quasi vorrei che Kate avesse fatto la giustiziera fino in fondo con lui. Forse sarà punito in un libro successivo, chissà...
January 28, 2022
If you read this series from the beginning in order, then this is a very emotional, but satisfying, entry. Plenty of native Alaskan atmosphere, a bit of mystery, some good action and plenty of the halfbreed wolf named Mutt. I really enjoyed the story and look forward (as I always do) to getting into the next book.
November 14, 2022
Kate Shugak is fierce! Her emaa is fiercer. Who will win in their struggle of wills? And does Kate have a choice? Betrayal, death, murder, deception, lies, tribal lands, tribal politics, and Kate is the one to unravel it all. Her life will never be the same.
April 27, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have read the series from the beginning. Stabenow had insight into the Alaskan mindset. She writes a good tight, fast-paced mystery. Although the books do not portray big business as uniformly grotesque there is a definite "small is good" and pro-environmental bent to the books. This is an underlying tone and does not dominate most of the books. Even when it is a major feature, Stabenow tends to give view of both sides of the issue at hand.
April 15, 2024
The first 50 or so pages were a lot of needless information that read more like it was to up the page or word count. It was a pretty good read after that.
January 26, 2020
The book starts out slow and gains momentum as you wind your way through the story line. Kate is involved in three different story lines that at times your not sure they are going to wrap up. All the story lines will have long term impact on her in different ways. I won't know what ways until I get further in the series. There are currently 21 books in the series. I have a long way to go. Enjoy.
Read
December 7, 2010Though I'm enjoying the series as a whole this particular book really didn't do it for me. One reason could be that the Anchorage city setting isn't as entralling as the more remote and inhospitable Alaskan settings. Another reason could be that I didn't much like the way Kate was portrayed in this book. There is some good stuff here but there was a lot that annoyed me. Kate seemed a little to vigilante like when it wasn't necessary. Also, in the previous books Kate has been seen to be if not quite ugly she's at least a down to earth, jeans and trainers, scarred and weather beaten kind of a person. In this book she got a makeover and turned into something that men fawned over. Granted it was only for the sake of the story but I found it all a bit too over the top. I already find the descriptions of her boyfriend (who's about seven foot seven and hunkily drop dead gorgeous) and her career in law enforcement ("the star of the Anchorage police department") to be a bit much and this was going too far for me.
Still there were good points to this book, and I won't stop here because I know Stabenow can do better. This was definitely the weakest of the series for me.
September 14, 2012
In my neverending quest to read the series in whatever order I can lay my hands on these books....
So this one fills in a lot of blanks for me - this is pre-Chopper Jim and during the custody battle for Johnny. There's something going on, two out of 5 of the voting council members have died, possibly murdered. Kate's grandmother is looking frail and old and won't tell Kate what's going on. Land use may be at stake, grandmother is continuing to push Kate to step up to the plate and into grandmother's place.
My favorite wolf/Husky Mutt gets to romp through the story at will...
So this one fills in a lot of blanks for me - this is pre-Chopper Jim and during the custody battle for Johnny. There's something going on, two out of 5 of the voting council members have died, possibly murdered. Kate's grandmother is looking frail and old and won't tell Kate what's going on. Land use may be at stake, grandmother is continuing to push Kate to step up to the plate and into grandmother's place.
My favorite wolf/Husky Mutt gets to romp through the story at will...
November 15, 2008
To me the mystery was too focused on Alaskan politics and I was confused by the countless people, tribes, government agencies & 'fake' corporations that all played a part. Guess I expected a Kate Shugak mystery to be simpler & without any ax grinding.
The one thing that remains constant is Kate's super human ability to solve both personal & political problems simultaneously! What a gal!
The one thing that remains constant is Kate's super human ability to solve both personal & political problems simultaneously! What a gal!
March 17, 2017
Family and politicians
This is a story full of information and communication. How family members react to each other and the heritage foundation they live with. Excellent heart death and or murder. I could add it's also an on going love story. I highly recommend reading this series if you enjoy all these things.
This is a story full of information and communication. How family members react to each other and the heritage foundation they live with. Excellent heart death and or murder. I could add it's also an on going love story. I highly recommend reading this series if you enjoy all these things.
January 12, 2013
On the plus side, Kate gives a great speech. On the negative side, the lead characters allow the ends to justify their dishonorable means and that just grated throughout the book. Also too much time "dressing up" Kate to go to a fancy dress party. Waste of space.
February 7, 2013
I usually really like Stabenow's Kate Shugak novels. This one just didn't keep my interest very well. I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters, and it was mostly based on politics (which I HATE). This didn't stop me from buying the next one in the series, though.
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