Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Avon (2000), 320 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Mystery. HTML: "Adrenaline-pumping . . . [A] polished action mystery . . . [with] dazzling Arctic sights." �??Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review Winner of the Macavity Award and the Anthony Award Murder on the Iditarod Trail is a gripping mystery set during Alaska's world-famous Iditarod: a grueling eleven-hundred-mile dogsled race across hazardous Arctic terrain. It is an arduous sport, but not a deadly one. But suddenly the top Iditarod contestants are dying in bizarre ways: first a veteran musher smashes into a tree, then competitors begin turning up dead, with each murder more brutal than the last. State trooper Alex Jensen begins a homicide investigation, determined to track down the killer before more blood stains the pristine Alaskan snow. Meanwhile, Jessie Arnold, Alaska's premier female musher, has a shot at winning for the first time. But as her position in the race improves, so do her chances of being the killer's next target. As the mushers thread their way through the treacherous trails, Jessie and Jensen are drawn deep into the frozen heart of the perilous wild: where nature can kill as easily as a bullet and only the Arctic night can hear your final screams. "Engrossing . . . The howling winds, the snow, the ice, the dancing away from wolves, the crazing fatigue, the welcome heat and food, are almost palpable." �??Los Angeles Times Book Review "Excellent . . . well-paced, well-conceived, engrossing . . . moves along like a healthy, well-trained dog team." �??Anchorage Times "A book that will give you a feel for how the Iditarod is . . . Sue Henry has a genius for characterization, plot, and setting." �??Mystery N… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Nodosaurus
This was a fun read. It felt more like an adventure during an Iditarod run than a mystery, but everything did tie up neatly in the end and the guilty party was caught. I enjoyed the story of the run, the personalities involved and the adventrue of the race.
LibraryThing member fordbarbara
Good story, and very informative about the Iditarod Trail race.
LibraryThing member gypsysmom
I’ve been meaning to read this book for a long time because Sue Henry also writes a series of mysteries with a woman RVer that I have enjoyed. I knew that this book was her first and that it had won awards (Anthony Award for Best First Mystery and Macavity Award for Best First Mystery). After
The Iditarod Trail is a race of more than 1000 miles run by dogsleds between Anchorage and Nome Alaska. It is a test of the dog handler’s skill, the dogs’ endurance and the ability of all to withstand the chilling temperatures, the long hours, the physical challenges of the terrain and whatever weather gets thrown at them. When you add in someone who decides to commit murder the odds are really stacked against the competitors. Trooper Alex Jensen gets called in to investigate when one veteran musher is killed when he impacts a tree and a sharp branch penetrates through his eye into his brain. Although they are not sure he was murdered it looks very suspicious. Before any decision can be made on that death another occurs further down the trail and this time it is pretty clear it was caused by someone cutting almost through a line on the sled. There was a murderer on the race. Jensen becomes friendly with Jessie Arnold, a woman racer, and she gives him some tips about the race. Before long the two of them realize they are attracted to each other. Now Jensen has a personal reason for wanting to catch the killer.
Along the trail, from checkpoint to checkpoint, we follow the racers and Jensen and his team. One other racer is killed and several more are injured badly enough to be scratched from the race. Will Jessie be the next one? Or will she hang on to win first place? Read the book to find out. I guarantee you will be caught up in the excitement.
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reading this book I can say that the awards were well deserved.The Iditarod Trail is a race of more than 1000 miles run by dogsleds between Anchorage and Nome Alaska. It is a test of the dog handler’s skill, the dogs’ endurance and the ability of all to withstand the chilling temperatures, the long hours, the physical challenges of the terrain and whatever weather gets thrown at them. When you add in someone who decides to commit murder the odds are really stacked against the competitors. Trooper Alex Jensen gets called in to investigate when one veteran musher is killed when he impacts a tree and a sharp branch penetrates through his eye into his brain. Although they are not sure he was murdered it looks very suspicious. Before any decision can be made on that death another occurs further down the trail and this time it is pretty clear it was caused by someone cutting almost through a line on the sled. There was a murderer on the race. Jensen becomes friendly with Jessie Arnold, a woman racer, and she gives him some tips about the race. Before long the two of them realize they are attracted to each other. Now Jensen has a personal reason for wanting to catch the killer.
Along the trail, from checkpoint to checkpoint, we follow the racers and Jensen and his team. One other racer is killed and several more are injured badly enough to be scratched from the race. Will Jessie be the next one? Or will she hang on to win first place? Read the book to find out. I guarantee you will be caught up in the excitement.
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LibraryThing member CasaBooks
Set in Alaska.
Having been there several times and eager to return and spend much much more time there, I'm enjoying these Sue Henry books set there.
Good mysteries and good info on more of Alaska locales, traditions.
I'll be reading the series.
Read in 2004.
Having been there several times and eager to return and spend much much more time there, I'm enjoying these Sue Henry books set there.
Good mysteries and good info on more of Alaska locales, traditions.
I'll be reading the series.
Read in 2004.
LibraryThing member pussreboots
The mystery part of the book was pretty obvious from the get-go. It is the setting of the race and all the details and history of the event that Henry includes that makes this book an interesting read.
LibraryThing member Elleneer
Enjoyed this simply because I love the Iditarod!!
LibraryThing member sushicat
This is the first installment in the series of books featuring the musher Jessie Arnold. Right from the start the Iditarod, the legendary dog sled race across Alaska, is beset by weird accidents. The Alaska State Trooper Alex Jensen starts to investigate and soon figures out that there is intent
Reading this right after Winterdance by Gary Paulsen, who painted such a vivid picture of the race conditions, this sounded as though the changes introduced in the intervening 20 years or so - notably the forced layovers at the checkpoints - did make race somewhat less dramatic. Or maybe it was that the race itself did really not figure as prominently in this book.
Overall an enjoyable read.
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behind these events. He soon engages the help of Jessie. The two quickly grow close as events escalate. As the race goes on the list of suspects, which are among the leaders of the race shrinks and Jessie finds herself the next target.Reading this right after Winterdance by Gary Paulsen, who painted such a vivid picture of the race conditions, this sounded as though the changes introduced in the intervening 20 years or so - notably the forced layovers at the checkpoints - did make race somewhat less dramatic. Or maybe it was that the race itself did really not figure as prominently in this book.
Overall an enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member lamour
The Iditarod Trail is Alaska’s famous dog sled race that takes two weeks to cover 1040 miles. It is a very difficult sporting event for the musher and his/her dogs who faces the extremely cold temperatures causing frost bite plus the fatigue resulting from the physical challenges and lack of
While no competitors have ever died during the event’s history, in this novel three top competitors appeared to have been murdered while on the trail. Sergeant Alex Jensen tries to figure out who is the killer before he or she kills again. Alex connects with Jessie Arnold who is a top musher and who seems to be on the killer’s hit list.
Lots of action and multiple suspects keep the action flowing while the listener learns about the rules and the difficulties a competitor faces while participating in the Iditarod.
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sleep.While no competitors have ever died during the event’s history, in this novel three top competitors appeared to have been murdered while on the trail. Sergeant Alex Jensen tries to figure out who is the killer before he or she kills again. Alex connects with Jessie Arnold who is a top musher and who seems to be on the killer’s hit list.
Lots of action and multiple suspects keep the action flowing while the listener learns about the rules and the difficulties a competitor faces while participating in the Iditarod.
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LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader
I don't remember how I learned about this title but I purchased it as a Christmas gift for my mother as I was in awe of her description of being taken for a short sled ride when she was the only volunteer to get on the sled as part of an excursion tour during an Alaska cruise. I was surprised to
Although I had certainly been aware of the Iditarod Trail Race prior to my mother's trip, I don't think I had thought about the severity of the unforgiving cold temperatures. Sue Henry brings to life with vivid descriptions the trail terrain, the brutally cold temperatures, the dedication of the mushers not only to the sport of the race but to their prior strategy planning with flexibility during the race, and to the training and ongoing care of their dog teams with special attention given during the race itself. Within this extraordinary annual race setting, the author has created an engrossing page-turning mystery with the murders of Iditarod participants along the various legs of the grueling race.
In searching for biographical information about the author after reading this novel it came as no surprise to learn that Sue Henry has lived in Alaska for almost 30 years. With her words as her artistic brush she paints the majesty and beauty of the landscape as well as to portray a respect for the land and its perils as only someone could portray with a personal experience of living in this state through many seasons. Another gift of this reading experience is the interspersed history of the trail points and race itself that flow naturally within the storyline without sounding like bullet points from a fact sheet. I have never had a desire to travel and visit Alaska not even after reading this novel but it has given me a new appreciation for everyone who lives in Alaska and to hold in awe all who choose to participate in the Iditarod Trail Race.
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see this title again recently when one of the characters in another novel was said to be reading this book. In the past few days it has been my turn to read it. I don't think I've imagined being that cold since reading "61 Hours" (Jack Reacher, #14) by Lee Child as that novel's setting is during a brutally cold winter in South Dakota.Although I had certainly been aware of the Iditarod Trail Race prior to my mother's trip, I don't think I had thought about the severity of the unforgiving cold temperatures. Sue Henry brings to life with vivid descriptions the trail terrain, the brutally cold temperatures, the dedication of the mushers not only to the sport of the race but to their prior strategy planning with flexibility during the race, and to the training and ongoing care of their dog teams with special attention given during the race itself. Within this extraordinary annual race setting, the author has created an engrossing page-turning mystery with the murders of Iditarod participants along the various legs of the grueling race.
In searching for biographical information about the author after reading this novel it came as no surprise to learn that Sue Henry has lived in Alaska for almost 30 years. With her words as her artistic brush she paints the majesty and beauty of the landscape as well as to portray a respect for the land and its perils as only someone could portray with a personal experience of living in this state through many seasons. Another gift of this reading experience is the interspersed history of the trail points and race itself that flow naturally within the storyline without sounding like bullet points from a fact sheet. I have never had a desire to travel and visit Alaska not even after reading this novel but it has given me a new appreciation for everyone who lives in Alaska and to hold in awe all who choose to participate in the Iditarod Trail Race.
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LibraryThing member chibitika
The author really puts you on the sleds right along with the mushers and their dogs! The mystery is good but there were two passages that were slightly messed up, as if the author’s attention slipped and the mistakes weren’t caught by editors, and it spoiled the flow of the story temporarily
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but the strength of the writing was so good that it didn’t matter. Highly recommended. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Anthony Award (Nominee — First Novel — 1992)
Macavity Award (Winner — First Novel — 1992)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1992)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1991
Physical description
320 p.; 4.19 inches
ISBN
0380717581 / 9780380717583