Reviews for A Deeper Sleep.
Click here to pre-order a copy from Amazon:
ISBN 0-312-34322-1.
Publisher’s Weekly:
All the elements that have made the author’s signature Kate Shugak crime series successful shine in this 15th entry (after 2004′s A Taint in the Blood): Kate’s personal growth as a woman and as an investigator; the Alaskan environment in all its unforgiving beauty; and a mystery whose solution remains in doubt until the end. The story opens with a brutal murder. The culprit, Louis Deem, who has managed to avoid justice for past crimes, is so odious that his presence is a cancer in the Niniltna community Kate calls home. Stabenow’s rich cast of supporting characters included natives and longtime settlers as well as those newcomers so unprepared that Kate refers to them as committing “suicide by Alaska.” There is a rough humor, a rich heritage of the community necessary for survival, and at the same time a remarkable tolerance for the many idiosyncrasies of those attracted to the harsh realities of Alaskan life. Kate Shugak is becoming a leader among her people and is already a leader in the sorority of women detectives. (Jan.)
From the 1/7/07 Baltimore Sun:
After a successful venture into stand-alone territory (Blindfold Game was a New York Times best-seller) Stabenow goes back to the series that made her name with her core mystery audience. But a return does not mean a retread, as Anchorage private investigator Kate Shugak has grown quite a bit: She’s tougher yet more vulnerable, prone to indulging in personal justice that occasionally borders on the mean but never goes over the line. Being mean is a perfect response to the likes of Louis Deem, a psychopath with astonishing luck as he’s managed to get away with murdering not one, but two wives. To make matters worse, it looks as if Deem is set to marry another bright young trusting thing, blithely unaware of his true nature. So when Deem’s murder trial acquittal rolls in and another murder takes place, Shugak isn’t merely investigating who did it and why – she’s out to settle scores based on old histories. But as Stabenow shrewdly points out time and time again, assumptions based on convictions too often turn out to be the most dangerous, and Shugak’s armor takes another blow to expose her vulnerability.
More magazine’s Crime Book of the Month (Dec2006/Jan2007):
A Deeper Sleep (St. Martin’s/Minotaur), the fifteenth installment in Dana Stabenow’s best-selling Kate Shugak series, finds Kate, the firebrand Aleutian PI, multitasking as never before–playing single mom to her late boyfriend’s teenage son, juggling her sexually charged romance with a state trooper, and fending off entreaties by her elderly aunties to take over their tribal shareholders association–all while helping to catch the bad guys for the Anchorage DA. This time, the prime suspect has been acquitted of the murder of his third wife just as the book opens. Right up until the last page of this twist-filled mystery, readers will be worrying that the jury made a dangerous mistake. But they will also savor the account of an excursion into the Alaskan wilderness.
Dana~
I have been so proud of my self restraint as it relates to the reading of A Deeper Sleep. I’ve been offered the opportunity to read the book and have declined. After reading the PW review… I feel my resolve starting to dissolve. Perhaps January is too long of a wait….
Congratulations on the wonderful words in support of our next Kate Shugak novel!
When’s our next Liam?
Sandy, you are an evil, evil woman, and you must be stopped.
I’m telling my editor on you.
News of Le Tour ’07 –
A really humane tour for A Deeper Sleep, thanks to my editor, Kelley Ragland, and my publicist, Rachel Eckstrom, bless them, as follows:
January 17
Elliott Bay Book Company
Seattle
January 18
Powell’s
Portland
January 19
Poisoned Pen
Scottsdale
January 20
Poisoned Pen Central
Phoenix
Writer’s workshop with James Sallis
Any chance your tour for A Deeper Sleep will get you east of the Mississippi? I’d like to suggest Lexington, Kentucky — home of Joseph-Beth Booksellers, where many other authors have come to visit. This includes Diana Gabaldon, Lorna Landvik, and Adriana Trigiani to do a little name-dropping
Next time I’m in the store I’ll have to put in a request with them to contact your publisher…
Congrats on the review — it’s really whet my appetite!!
No chance for this book, Mary, sorry! I have been to Joseph-Beth (I think with Play With Fire, aka Kate5) and it is a terrific store. A kitchen in the cookbook section, as I recall, a playroom in the kid’s books, and a travel agent in with the travel books. That’s what I call one-stop shopping.
And thanks!
More news about A Deeper Sleep –
It’s going to be reviewed in the December issue of More magazine.
Congrats on the “glowing” review. I, too, was able to get my hands on an early copy of the book but unlike Sandy I did not restrain myself from reading and loving it! As stated in an email to you what I especially liked about this book is the obvious growth and potential leadership we are seeing in Kate. The mystery part of the book was first rate!
You know how long I’ve been trying to get you to Kentucky and Joseph Beth would be the ideal spot for you. I’m sure Mary and I could show you the town which would have to include Rupp Arena. Since it can’t be this tour…let’s get your publisher to spring for Kentucky for the next book tour??? Please???
Hugs,
CathyR
Another interesting thing about the starred review of A Deeper Sleep in Publishers Weekly is that it is in the Fiction section rather than the Mystery section.
Isn’t that called “breakout?”
Hugs backatcha, Cathy!
Mary, I didn’t know it was in Fiction. How about that.
I will see you at Elliott Bay then, I can’t wait to read this one!
My Coast Guard dad who served in Alaska (on a ship out of Kodiak) said you got it right, by the way. He enjoyed Blindfold Game a lot.
Tell him thanks, Kaari, and I look forward to meeting you in January.
I am looking forward to the new Kate book, already have it pre-ordered on Amazon. Will you write another Liam Campbell book. I really want to know if they get that Queen size bed!
Thanks, Laurie! I have another Liam and Wy book outlined, I just haven’t had time to write it. Stay tuned. And I think Liam deserves a king size bed, don’t you?
FYI, everyone, I’ll be on the cover of Mystery Scene magazine in February, or so they tell me. The editor is Kate Stine, who has revolutionized the look and content of the magazine. For those of you who like crime fiction or any fiction for that matter, this is a fun read and an excellent resource.
Dana, I love, love, love the cover of A Deeper Sleep. I can’t wait until January.
I just recently finished Blindfold Game. (Let’s not discuss how many unread books are filling up my office). I really enjoyed it, even though it was a bit chilling in light of current events in North Korea.
Thanks, thanks, thanks, Trish, me, too!
And thanks for the good word on Blindfold Game. I know, I didn’t set out to be prescient, but it is a little spooky. Maybe that’s what happens to authors when we research a topic as hard as I researched this one.
Dana, I know that word has been out for a few years about making a movie or movies featuring the Kate books but considering how timely Blindfold Game has become have you have anyone expressing an interest in filming it? You know it’s got Tony Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer written all over it!
There has been interest, Cathy, and there is, as they say in Hollywood, “talent attached” to it. As yet, no offers. If it happens, which if you look at the percentages of books which do NOT make it to film seems very iffy, I assure you I’ll post it here first. Right after I call my 200 best friends.
FYI, A Deeper Sleep has been chosen for a Notable Pick for January by Booksense, the indepent booksellers organization. And don’t forget that Blindfold Game comes out in paperback on November 28th. It’s a big print run so, really, your Christmas shopping begins there, right? I thought so.
Hey there Dana!
Congrats on the review, I can’t wait to read A Deeper Sleep! And once again – your release date for the new book is my birthday! Thanks for the gift!
I can’t remember what the name of the book store is that we can purchase your books at signed and have them mailed to us? Since you are not touring east of the Mississippi for your “A Deeper Sleep” Tour, I would like to order my signed copy (personalized?).
I also want to start getting my Kate Collection complete, complete with your signature.
Do you personalize them like you do at a signing? e.g. To: Natasha? I hope so. (hint).
Also, just out of curiosity, what was the original name of the Kate 15 book? All I can remember is that someone couldn’t get the spelling right.
Thank you,
Natasha :0)
Thanks, Natasha! The name of the Alaska bookstore is Twice Told Tales, tttales@alaskalife.net. Your best chances for a personalized signature is at a personal appearance.
The original name of A Deeper Sleep was A Complement to Rage. New York said no one would understand what it meant. I beg to differ, but I pick my battles and this wasn’t one worth going to the mat over, especially since I wanted to call the next thriller Prepared for Rage and I knew they wouldn’t like the word “rage” in two sequential titles.
And Happy Birthday! i actually didn’t know the exact day of the release until your email made me go look it up on Amazon.com. The author is always the last to know. Thank goodness there are fans.
I can’t wait to read the next Kate Shugak novel! She is my hero. Seriously, since reading the Kate and the Liam books, my whole family has gotten the Alaska bug. It helps that my children’s father is part Alaska Native. His grandmother was Agafia Anderson of Old Iliamna. We are now conversing with her relative at Pedro Bay regarding a visit to the region. We have obtained a lot of information from John Branson at Lake Clark Park. Your writing just lights up places such as Nondalton and that entire area. Thank you.
Delighted to hear it, Jackie, and thanks! Iliamna is right across the Inlet from where I was raised and now live, and in Alaska terms that is almost neighbors.
Check out page 42 of the Dec/Jan issue of More Magazine, where they have just picked A Deeper Sleep as their crime book of the month. Whoop! Nice review, too.
Hello Dana,
If you said already, I don’t remember, but what day(s) were you going to be on panel at the Bucher 2007, in Anchorage?
Panels for Bcon 2007 won’t be up until August at the earliest. We’ll have a Programming page on the website as soon as it’s ready.
And if you have any suggestions for panel topics, everybody serve ‘em up!
“…I think Liam deserves a king size bed, don’t you?”
Not at all Dana, his character needs the discomfort of a small bed to keep the comfort level in check. Nothing like a morning backache to nag the mind into other thoughts, such as coffee, bad weathered relationships, murder, etc.
Gotcha, Steve, discomfort equals inspiration. Liam says “Thanks, buddy.”
Dana…hummmm interesting you drop a hint and no one picks it up and runs with it. I’ve been without a computer or I would have caught this sooner.
So….the next book’s title is tentatively titled…Prepared For Rage. You’re calling it a thriller so it must not be a newer new Kate (aka Kate 16). Soooo is this a new Coastie book? Or something else? Details, please! Lots and lots of details!!!!
Oh, and have a very merry.
CathyR
Congratulations on the wonderful review! I wanted to thank you for the great quote for my book on the Poisoned Pen website. That was incredibly generous of you, and I so appreciate it!
It’s a second thriller, Cathy, which I am scribbling away at frantically now and which is set to come out in 2008. And yes, there will be a Coastie in it, and an astronaut, and a marine pilot, and, well, a cast of thousands. Oh yes, and a villain, whom I have fallen completely in love with, in spite of his being, you know, a totally conscienceless mass murderer.
Sometimes I think I need help.
Hey, Dana, if you get the chance while you’re in Scottsdale, stop in at the Rusty Spur and hoist one for me, and if Tim the insanely good-looking bartender is working, well, just enjoy.
Thanks for the tip, Kymm, I’ll put him on my list. Er, it, of course I meant to say, IT on my list.
Well, Lady, you have done it again. The only thing I would change is make it 3 X longer! I got “A Deeper Sleep” 3 days ago and finished it last night!
I wrote to you a year or so ago & told you what I feared most might happen with XXXXXX and XXXXX and you had me going for a few pages. Whew, GOOD STUFF.
Dana,
Sure hope you do find time again to visit Joseph-Beth bookstore in Lexington, Ky. You have a number of fans here.
I am really looking forward to reading A Deeper Sleep. Thanks for all the enjoyable books.
Thanks, Deb! I took the liberty of doing a teensy bit of editing of your post. We don’t want to give anything away, now, do we?
You are most welcome, Frank, and I’ll look forward to being at Joseph-Beth again. It is one terrific, original store.
Really Deb, that wouldn’t be right. The release date is Jan. 9, for me.
My copy via Amazon came in the mail today!
CathyO
I just talked to Rachel at Twice Told Tales (tttales@alaskalife.net) in Anchorage and she got her copies yesterday, too. She’s my first stop when I leave on book tour. She stocks autographed copies of all my books.
A Deeper Sleep…..well done!!Enjoyed being with Kate and all who live in the Park again. Thank you so much for providing us all a Kate “fix”. Nice twist at the end!!
Looking forward to your next release… with or without Kate or Liam.
Thanks, Sharon.
Just finished “A Deeper Sleep” and loved it, but I admit I found the ending confusing. Was the “culprit” Jim and Bernie, or Howie and the aunties? I reread it several times and still not sure. Did any one else have this problem or is it me?
Help her out, ‘maniacs?