A Grave Denied.

A GRAVE DENIED. Dana Stabenow. 2003. Read by Marguerite Gavin. 7-1.5 hour tapes. Books on Tape. 0-7366-9516-8. $56.00. Vinyl; plot notes. SA

The setting: an Alaskan park preserve, sparsely populated by intrepid characters, one of whom is Kate Shugak. Once an Anchorage investigator of child abuse, Kate has fled back to the park, which was her childhood home, to heal from the death of a lover. She has taken in her lover's teenaged son who has run away from the painful neglect of a biological mother who never wanted children but who is now spitefully seeking custody. Then comes the murder of a local handyman known, but not well known, by the inhabitants of the park.

Gavin has a gravelly but interesting voice and ably narrates the rough-hewn cast of characters. She does Swedish accents well and gives an accent to native characters I cannot judge, but that seems to fit. Stabenow takes us into a distinct culture, pays tremendous homage to the nature and wildlife of Alaska, and crafts a skillful who-done-it. Her characters are lively, interesting, and real. She is a no-nonsense writer about a place without frills and her prose is a delightful match. If this is your first Kate Shugak mystery you may have to go back and read the others. Nancy Chaplin, Libn., VCCW, Goochland, VA