Rating: 
Summary: Excellent mystery in a spectacular setting
Review: This second Northwestern Alaska Inupiat mystery featuring state trooper Nathan Active thoroughly lives up to the promise of the first, `White Sky, Black Ice." Active, an Inupiat adopted by whites and raised in Anchorage, still takes a lot of ribbing for his city ways and bush ignorance, and he's still waiting for his transfer to Anchorage while carrying on an uncommitted relationship with a local woman.Following the murder of a tribal leader at his ice-fishing camp, much of Active's dogged investigating takes place in remote, snow and ice-bound areas, reached on his bargain-priced, purple ("the Ladies' Model") snowmobile, or by harrowing airplane flights. The victim was killed with an antique harpoon, recently acquired by the tribe from the Smithsonian, along with the mummy it belonged to. The mummy was immediately "liberated" from the local museum, where it had been put on display, but the obvious suspects have good alibis. As Active digs deeper, tribal legends and old traditions come into play. Understanding how the pieces fit into a modern murder requires the help of various villagers, including Active's birth mother and grandfather. The spectacular setting takes a central and active role too as Active asserts himself in places he may not be ready for. Early spring is a stormy, unsettled time and the climax builds during a raging blizzard in a remote mountain pass. Atmospheric and involving, with bright flashes of humor and an enigmatic and increasingly surefooted hero, this series from an Alaskan native and bush pilot feels like the real thing.
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