First published 2010
People keep disappearing in Kate Shugak's corner of Alaska. Hunters venture into the wilderness and never return. Fishermen try their luck on dangerous rivers and vanish. Tourists attempt both and drop off the map entirely. The disappearances have increased since geologists discovered the world's second-largest gold deposit right in Kate's backyard. The Suulutaq Mine has drawn fierce opposition from environmental activists who see the project as their crusade. Their protests attract more outside attention than locals want. When Kate finally locates a corpse, she feels relief. Dead bodies she can handle better than political controversies. But then the victim's identity disappears too. Kate teams up with state trooper Jim Chopin to investigate the mining dispute and uncover what's really happening in their homeland. Their search puts them against someone willing to commit murder to keep deadly secrets underground.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Alaska
322 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: death, murder, violence