Homer Alaska - Arts

Homer writer Dana Stabenow's latest Kate Shugak novel, "Though Not Dead," made the New York Times bestseller list on its first week of publication. The 18th novel in the popular murder series, "Though Not Dead" was at number 16 for sales reported through Feb. 5. The list was published in the Sunday edition on Feb. 13. In 2009, Evergreen Films of Anchorage and Los Angles acquired the film rights to Stabenow's series about an Aleut private investigator whose adventures take her all over Alaska.

"In the most recent installment, Shugak gets knocked out with a piece of firewood, is forced to spend the night in her truck in a snowstorm, gets shot at in a gold mine and chases down bad guys on her snowgo," the Juneau Empire describes the novel. "In between she attempts to track down a missing tribal heirloom, confers with her elderly aunties, grieves a dead relative, provides guidance to the teenage boy in her care, and interacts with a broad array of oddball characters."

"If you have in mind a long trip anywhere, including Alaska, this is the book to put in your backpack," Washington Times reviewer Muriel Dobbin wrote. "Even if Ms. Stabenow might be occasionally guilty of exaggeration, nobody will care as long as she goes on writing thrillers about the place she loves."

"Though Not Dead" is published in hardcover, e-book and audio format.