Search - Play With Fire (Kate Shugak, Bk 5)

Very disappointed in the anti-Christian rhetoric in this one. Really preachy against "organized religion"... I couldn't finish this book since every time I'd get through a church-bashing part and I thought the author was done with it, up it would come again.

I got tired of reading Stabenow's books in random order and finally got all 17 of them. They are staying on my book shelf - the stories are good, but the rich backgrounds and descriptions make them keepers. She and Diana Gabaldon stay on my shelves, but thank heavens Dana Stabenow doesn't wait 5 years between books.

This is one of the more difficult of the series to read, because the bad guys do not get their comeuppance in the end. Kate finds a dead body in the woods after a forest fire has swept through. Although his death is deemed accidental, she is suspicious and investigates on her own, leading her to a community of religious fanatics. Stabenow uses her book to firmly express her own beliefs, which I wholeheartedly agree with, but the bitter and unsettling ending detracts from the enjoyment of the story, even as it faithfully reflects the truth of the adage that "life isn't fair". The characters as usual are marvelously drawn and very real, and as the series progresses we see Kate's character being more fleshed out and developing.

As always, a good read.

This is number five in the series and I thought it was the best one yet! Great characters, stunning description and a good plot. Great winter reading.