Northern Lights [Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

When the weather isn't providing such extremes, the wild animals are. Don't face down an angry moose or a hungry black bear!

The demographics are also unusual . . . there are a lot more men than woman, which can mean that the women can play the field while the men have to be loyal.

Travel isn't simple. You use snowshoes, land planes on frozen rivers and fly hundreds of miles for ordinary shopping.

Is it any wonder that tempers can get short, disagreements can get out-of-hand, and families find themselves in conflict with one another?

With Alaska as the main character in this book, Ms. Roberts turns what would normally be a pretty average romance/murder mystery story into an intriguing one.

Nate Burke was a good cop . . . so good that it cost him his marriage. Distracted by the loss of his wife, Nate Burke even begins to doubt he can be a good cop again. Running away becomes attractive, and he takes the job as police chief in the small town of Lunacy, Alaska. As soon as he arrives, he realizes that he's out of his depth and may not last the winter.

Two women immediately begin vying for his attention and his attractive body. That's enough to make most men come alive . . . but it's even more significant when they both turn out to be untamed . . . and are mother and daughter.

While he's dealing with the possibility of love, Nate finds himself drawn into solving an old, unsuspected murder . . . while realizing that the killer must still be in Lunacy.

How will it all turn out?... You'll spend over 500 interesting pages finding out. At the end, you'll feel rewarded for your effort . . . whether you are a romance or a mystery buff. The book is above average from both perspectives.

I would have graded the book higher but I found that it didn't move quite fast enough for me, and the Nate Burke character was a little too predictable. Meg Callaway, on the other hand, is an original and fascinating heroine whom you will greatly enjoy. Read more ›

The novel is set in Lunacy, Alaska, a tiny, quiet town, (pop. 506), whose inhabitants have worked hard to make sure they have all the institutions necessary for a civilized life. It is also of extreme importance for them to function and be self-sufficient when the weather cuts them off from the outside world. The Lunatics, (as the townsfolk call themselves), proudly claim a mayor, a school, a bank, one hotel, (The Lodge), with it own restaurant, and one pizzeria called "The Italian Place," a health clinic, fire department, weekly newspaper, radio station, small plane service, and a police force - minus a chief - which is why Baltimore Police Detective Nate Burke was hired for the job. The town's elders were looking for an outsider without a local or state agenda, and the experienced detective Burke fit the bill.... He was willing to move thousands of miles, to the middle of nowhere, away from any possibility of career advancement, because he is in bad shape - so to speak. Nate is recovering from the break-up of his marriage, and much worse, the traumatic shooting death of his longtime partner. He blames himself and is filled with guilt, which has left him reeling. Burke has been on the edge of a breakdown, seriously depressed, for quite a while.

He settles in fairly quickly, especially due to the influence of bush pilot Meg Galloway, who catches his eye from the minute he first sees her. He has been alone for a very long time and, until now, disinterested in finding company of the female persuasion. This new relationship is different from anything Nate has ever experienced. And his feelings are reciprocated. Meg is drawn to the sexy, very competent cop with the sad eyes, who is more giving than any man she has known. Being with Meg helps to bring him back, emotionally, to the land of the living.

Work is interesting, but crime in Lunacy is far different from crime in Baltimore, although the locals are just as colorful, and far fewer. Then a frozen body, with an ice ax in its chest, is discovered in a cave on "No Name Mountain." Meg identifies the corpse as her father, who she and the rest of the town's people believed deserted his family 16 years before. Shortly after this grim event, the well-liked newspaper publisher, Max, commits suicide, leaving a note on his PC confessing to the murder. Nate believes that there is much more going on than the obvious, and that Max is innocent. Against almost everyone's wishes, he refuses to let the investigation die.

This is a riveting suspense thriller with some serious romance. Nate Burke is an extremely sympathetic and complex protagonist. He is much more than the usual Alpha male who plays the romantic lead. All the characters, in fact, are terrific, no matter their eccentricities, including Meg's huskies, Rock and Bull. Ms. Roberts explores community bonds and the intimacy of small town life in the wilderness, which can test the soul.

My one problem with the book is that the narrative is way too long, especially the first 100 plus pages. Filler is not necessary in this novel and tighter writing could only enhance the story.
JANA Read more ›