Stone cross

Readers will find a spectacular crime story here, though some may wonder why they need to read a third of the novel to get to it. The short prologue does its job: a young couple is attacked in their cabin in the Alaskan wilderness. But then comes a slab of geography and sociology regarding an ice-locked rural village, as though author Cameron's research left him with a bushel of info he couldn't bear to waste. Things brighten up when U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter rescues a battered woman. It's a sharp, beautifully realized scene, heralding an infusion of energy. It's followed by the sort of insider dope that is the genre's fringe benefit: time of death can be approximated by measuring the size of larvae feeding on the corpse. Then, as though he couldn't keep his mind on his story, Cameron dwells on the victimized childhood of a local woman. Along the way, we learn of Cutter's experiences as a warrior in Afghanistan. This provides a great moment, deserving of a novel of its own. Fine crime fiction, well worth hunting for it.

Bestseller Cameron's intricate, multilayered sequel to 2019's Open Carry finds Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki, his partner on the Alaska Fugitive Task Force, reluctantly escorting a federal judge, who has received a death threat, to the rural village of Stone Cross for the judge's protection. What should have been a routine, if not easy, assignment takes a chilling turn when they learn at Stone Cross that a local couple have gone missing and their handyman murdered. Cut off from any immediate help due to inclement weather, Cutter and Lola must either brave freezing snow and ice to go after a killer and probable kidnapper or stay warm in the small town and ensure the judge's safety. Cameron populates his suspenseful tale, which builds to a satisfying, if violent, conclusion, with fully realized characters, each with their own believable backstory. His understanding of the ins and outs of small Alaskan communities makes for a rich sense of time and place. Readers can only hope they won't have long to wait for Cutter's third outing. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Apr.)