Play with fire

Another good book in the Kate Shugak series.
In this one, Kate finds a body while picking mushrooms in a burned off forest area. It at first appears to be misadventure, but Kate isn't sure and her investigator's itch starts acting up. Thus hangs the tale.
This story doesn't put Kate in much personal danger (unlike previous novels). However she does meet up with some thoroughly unpleasant folk belonging to a religious cult. How do you get to the bottom of a mystery when people refuse to talk to you? If you are Kate Shugak, you find a way.
Alaska itself is a major character in this story.
Perhaps not as exciting as earlier books in the series, but still a good read. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Disappointing. While the descriptions of Alaskans and Alaska are good, the repetitious religion bashing screeds are tiresome.