Perfect Storm: A Mystery (Alaska Wild)
Mystery/Suspense
6th in Series
Setting – Alaska
Publisher : Minotaur Books (December 3, 2024)
Hardcover : 256 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250910463
ISBN-13 : 978-1250910462
Kindle ASIN : B0CQHLNGP8
The next installment in Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild series, a gripping, atmospheric, traditional mystery series with a great wilderness hook.
Beth Rivers needs to disappear. Her one-time kidnapper, Travis, is on his way to her town in Alaska, and she’s losing time to get out quickly.
The perfect spot for Beth and her boyfriend, Tex, to hide, presents itself in a camp in the woods, away from Benedict. But when their trip takes them by Blue Mine, a small community that has seen tragedy over the last couple months, plans get diverted. Beth and Tex bring the widow of a recently murdered man back to Benedict, for Police Chief Gril to investigate, only to find that nothing is quite what it seems.
When the woman vanishes, Beth must be on the alert for further danger. Who knows what further unwelcome disappearances–or appearances–might be lurking in the unforgiving Alaska storms.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Beth Rivers came to Benedict Alaska to hide from her kidnapper, Travis Walker. She had made friends and felt more at ease because the man had been captured. But during a recent transfer, he escaped and has made it known he is after Beth again. Her new friends have vowed to keep her safe. They come up with a plan to get her out of town. She and her boyfriend, Tex are going on a hike and will find the perfect place to set up camp until Travis is recaptured.
That plan is upended when Tex and Beth get near the tiny community of Blue Mine. They meet a woman heading to Benedict with her husband’s dead body atop a horse. After visiting the people at Blue Mine they learn of some strange happenings and other suspicious deaths. They agree to get her and the body back to Police Chief Gril so he can launch a full investigation.
Back in town, Beth is again on high alert but some of her protectors are on the way to Blue Mine. The widow disappears when a secret is revealed so others are searching to find her. With a limited number of people to keep her safe, they stay hyperaware because you never know who or what may be out in the Alaskan wilderness, especially during the unrelenting storms.
There are several reasons that this is one of my favorite series.
First, the characters in this series are unique and continue to grow in realistic ways. Beth gets more confident in every installment and every chapter. She and Viola are now true friends, both learning from each other. Viola is one tough lady but you have to be in the wilds of Alaska. Beth and Tex have a relationship that is in no way conventional but it works for them. Gril’s job is to keep everybody safe and he goes to all ends to do that. Beth’s safety is a priority for him. Orin is concerned about Beth’s safety as well. He has an actual fortress for her to stay in but she is too stubborn to take him up on his offer. Park Ranger Donner and Beth’s dad Eddy are also part of the team involved in Beth’s safety. The people who live in Benedict Alaska are strong and unshakeable. Ms. Shelton’s words bring these wonderful people to life. I could get dropped in Benedict today and pick out each one of them just from her words. I can’t forget Gus, he is such a smart and loyal dog.
Her descriptive details also set each scene vividly. The torrential rainstorms of course, but also the beauty of the entire area. The area around Blue Mine is so aptly described, as is an abandoned mine. The town of Benedict, Viola’s boardinghouse, Orin’s fortress, the mercantile, the bar, the post office, the trail to the library, and Beth’s old hunting shed. – everything is brilliantly described.
Ms. Shelton takes us to this amazing place and wraps her characters in a suspenseful mystery that is impossible to put down. With dead bodies, Bigfoot sightings, and a felon on the loose after one of their own, readers are pulled in and are allowed to travel along with Beth and her friends as they try to make sense of what is happening around them and if and how kidnapper Travis Walker is involved. Will they be able to find him before he finds Beth? The pages on my Paperwhite were flying and there truly were times I was at the edge of my seat.
Perfect Storm is a compelling, complex mystery plotted with such precision that it is absolutely a must-read. Full of suspense and drama with twists and turns, Ms. Shelton continues to impress me every chapter. This series would make an excellent movie or short drama series. Someone call Netflix! You shouldn’t be surprised when I say this book deserves more than 5 stars. I am very intrigued about Beth’s next adventure.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About The Author
PAIGE SHELTON had a nomadic childhood, as her father’s job as a football coach took her family to seven different towns before she was even twelve years old. After college at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, she moved to Salt Lake City. She thought she’d only stay a couple of years, but instead, she fell in love with the mountains and a great guy who became her husband. After many decades in Utah, she and her family moved to Arizona. She writes the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series
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Find all of Paige Shelton’s books HERE.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
