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Jessie Arnold & Alex Jensen #8
Dead North
With her cabin a pile of ashes and her life in pieces, champion Alaskan "musher" Jessie Arnold has gratefully accepted a friend's proposal that she drive his motor home up from Idaho, along the Alaska Highway—a breathtaking, two thousand-mile-long route winding past hot springs, glaciers, and ice-blue lakes. But the idyllic trip takes a dark turn when a teenage hitchhiker brings terror aboard. Frightened and alone, Patrick Cutler disappears just before the police inform Jessie that the young runaway is wanted in connection with two shocking murders. Suddenly she is cast into a raging maelstrom of dark secrets and deadly consequences. And the cold and empty road she's traveling could be leading her not to her home... but to a grave in the trackless wilderness.
Praise for Sue Henry
"A FINE ADVENTURE... HENRY REVELS IN THE WILDNESS OF THE ALASKAN SCENERY AND KEEPS THE TENSION MOUNTING."
—Cleveland Plain Dealer
"HEART-STOPPING... ONE OF HENRY'S • BEST—IF NOT THE BEST."
—Publishers Weekly (*Starred Review*)
Praise for Sue Henry
"A FINE ADVENTURE... HENRY REVELS IN THE WILDNESS OF THE ALASKAN SCENERY AND KEEPS THE TENSION MOUNTING."
—Cleveland Plain Dealer
"HEART-STOPPING... ONE OF HENRY'S • BEST—IF NOT THE BEST."
—Publishers Weekly (*Starred Review*)
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
68 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Sue Henry
36 books216 followersSue Henry is the author of 17 novels in two award-winning Alaska mystery series. Her first book, "Murder on the Iditarod Trail" (1991), was well reviewed and won both the Macavity Awards and Anthony Awards for best first novel, prompting the author to develop a series based on this book's characters, Alaskan state trooper Alex Jensen and Jessie Arnold, a sled dog racer.
In 2005, she started a new mystery series featuring a 63-year-old widow, Maxine McNab, travelling in her Winnebago with a miniature dachshund, Stretch. Maxine had appeared in Dead North (2001) in the first series.
Murder on the Iditarod Trail was filmed for television as The Cold Heart of a Killer (1996) starring Kate Jackson, who bought the rights to the book. Sue Henry lived in Alaska for more than a quarter of a century, and brought history, Alaskan lore, and the majestic beauty of the vast landscape to her mysteries. She also taught writing at the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
In 2005, she started a new mystery series featuring a 63-year-old widow, Maxine McNab, travelling in her Winnebago with a miniature dachshund, Stretch. Maxine had appeared in Dead North (2001) in the first series.
Murder on the Iditarod Trail was filmed for television as The Cold Heart of a Killer (1996) starring Kate Jackson, who bought the rights to the book. Sue Henry lived in Alaska for more than a quarter of a century, and brought history, Alaskan lore, and the majestic beauty of the vast landscape to her mysteries. She also taught writing at the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
October 3, 2017
Sue Henry takes her main character, Alaskan 'musher' on the road with only one of her dogs. While waiting to begin rebuilding her log cabin that was burned to the ground, Jessie Arnold agrees to drive a friend's motor home up from Idaho to Alaska. Jessie sees it as an opportunity for a relaxing adventure but true to all mystery books -- this adventure turns potential deadly.
Jessie makes a new friend on the trip, and they meet a frightened teenager who is fleeing to Alaska. The two women can't seem to get the story from the teen but they soon see good reason for his fear and are caught up in it. Can Jessie figure out the what is going on and how to save both the teen and her own lives?
A good story and one that keeps the interest going. In Jessie Arnold, Sue Henry has developed a down to earth, smart character — one that is not so smart to turn you off or one that makes such elementary mistakes that it bores you. There is a solid balance in the character and the stories.
Jessie makes a new friend on the trip, and they meet a frightened teenager who is fleeing to Alaska. The two women can't seem to get the story from the teen but they soon see good reason for his fear and are caught up in it. Can Jessie figure out the what is going on and how to save both the teen and her own lives?
A good story and one that keeps the interest going. In Jessie Arnold, Sue Henry has developed a down to earth, smart character — one that is not so smart to turn you off or one that makes such elementary mistakes that it bores you. There is a solid balance in the character and the stories.
January 7, 2016
This is the 3rd I have read from the Jessie Arnold series. Enjoyable and more like a thriller than a cozy mystery. Features Jessie and her sled dog Tank and Maxie and her dachshund Stretch that she meets while traveling in an RV. Add in a teen on the run and friendly trucker and you have a diverse group of characters. Starts in the lower 48 states and travels through Canada and ends in Alaska. Henry’s writing style is very descriptive and you can picture the scenery along the way; just like you were along for the ride.
A woman is killed in Cody, Wyoming. Was it her son or law officer husband? The journey entails many campground adventures, dead bodies turning up at inopportune times and in the end a happy ending for an older gentleman on a fixed income who loves to garden!
A woman is killed in Cody, Wyoming. Was it her son or law officer husband? The journey entails many campground adventures, dead bodies turning up at inopportune times and in the end a happy ending for an older gentleman on a fixed income who loves to garden!
October 11, 2012
This is the 8th book of Sue Henry's I've read. Keeps me looking forward to another book. I'ven read Sue's other books with Maxine & her dog Stretch. It really made the book fun & interesting that both Jessie & Maxine met up. Love that there is just enough mystery in the book to keep you wanting to turn another page & really look forward to picking the book up again. But not a gruesome kind of mystery that you can't read before going to bed at night. Loved it!
August 20, 2016
A nice and easy read, but a bit disappointing as this installment doesn't take place in Alaska which is pretty much why I considered this series. Definitely not a cozy mystery but an enjoyable one, it kept me reading. Unfortunately Jessie Arnold is no Kate Shugak and Sue Henry is definitely not as good as Dana Stabenow and after reading her series everything (Alaskan mystery) will be compared to that standard.
August 15, 2022
This isn’t a genre I tend to read, but I love books about the North and Alaska, so when I saw this at a library book sale for $1 I took it. Also, the dog on the cover looks so silly. Why does he look so dumbfounded?
There isn’t a lot to say about this novel. It’s not really a mystery, as the prologue pretty much sets up the plot, but the main characters are interesting enough and the pacing was quick enough to keep me reading. There are long descriptions of scenery, but less about Alaska and more about highways and RV camps (I was hoping for more wilderness and fewer truck stops). Two cops blend into one another in terms of characterization and the villain is barely in the story. Yet, Jessie and Maxie are fun and made reasonable choices.
Overall, if you want a light, easy read at the beach, this is great for that!
There isn’t a lot to say about this novel. It’s not really a mystery, as the prologue pretty much sets up the plot, but the main characters are interesting enough and the pacing was quick enough to keep me reading. There are long descriptions of scenery, but less about Alaska and more about highways and RV camps (I was hoping for more wilderness and fewer truck stops). Two cops blend into one another in terms of characterization and the villain is barely in the story. Yet, Jessie and Maxie are fun and made reasonable choices.
Overall, if you want a light, easy read at the beach, this is great for that!
March 16, 2020
This was a really good one. While we've had books where Jessie is traveling before (Iditarod, Yukon Quest) she was traveling in a different way this time - bringing a camper up from the lower forty-eight on the Alaska Highway. There was a lot going on and a lot of characters to keep track of but it was an exciting story. I also enjoyed getting to meet Maxie and might have to check out some of her books as well.
April 27, 2025
This one definitely made me want to travel the Alaskan Highway - the Canadian bit of it, anyway.
April 26, 2011
The mystery is pretty light fare, about a teenage boy, Patrick, who goes on the run after being falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit. Jesse Arnold, an Iditarod dog sled racer, does a favor for a friend by flying down to Coeur d'Alene to pick up a Winnebago motor home and drive it back to Wasilla. What I really loved about this book was the description of Jesse's drive from Canada to Alaska along the famous Alaskan Highway. I've never been on that road this book makes me want to go. The natural scenery sounds wonderful. I'd love to visit the Signpost Forest near Watson Lake.
The other cute thing about this book is Jesse's dog on the trip, Tank, a husky. Along the way, Jesse meets Maxie McNab, a free-spirited 61-year-old widow who roams the country in her motor home. Maxie has a toy dachshund named Stretch who is a scene stealer. Apparently Maxie has her own series now. I would definitely read more books from Sue Henry if the Alaskan setting is colorful.
The other cute thing about this book is Jesse's dog on the trip, Tank, a husky. Along the way, Jesse meets Maxie McNab, a free-spirited 61-year-old widow who roams the country in her motor home. Maxie has a toy dachshund named Stretch who is a scene stealer. Apparently Maxie has her own series now. I would definitely read more books from Sue Henry if the Alaskan setting is colorful.
December 2, 2012
Jessie Arnold's home in Alaska has been destroyed by an arsonist. The weather isn't good enough yet to pour the basement for her new home so she agrees to fly to Idaho to drive his newly purchased motor home back to Alaska. She meets up with Maxie, a woman who has traveled by camper for the three years since her husband's death. They, in turn, meet up with a young man who is hitchhiking to Alaska from Wyoming. The young man has something to hide and when a young man is murdered in the campground and Patrick disappears, Jessie and Maxie are caught in the middle of a mystery. It is a very good read. The murderer is known from the start of the book but the suspense of Patrick's life is compelling and Jessie and Maxie make a great team. I like this series very much. The characters are well defined and smart. The story does not "dumb down" the reader with unrealistic events or "nosy" amateur detectives.
July 19, 2008
My daughter pulled this book off the shelf at the library, and said, "This is a good one for you mommy!" Thinking yea right I appesed her by reading the back cover. It actually sounded good, so I brought it home.
Once I started reading it I could not put it down. The way the author describes the road trip to Alaska was so beautiful and vivid. I really wanted to travel there, in a motor home and see it myself.
The story itself was good as well. Very suspenseful. I also really enjoyed the characters, I felt as if I knew them and wanted to know more of what happened in there lives.
Once I started reading it I could not put it down. The way the author describes the road trip to Alaska was so beautiful and vivid. I really wanted to travel there, in a motor home and see it myself.
The story itself was good as well. Very suspenseful. I also really enjoyed the characters, I felt as if I knew them and wanted to know more of what happened in there lives.
August 28, 2010
Great descriptions of the Alaskan Highway. Great twist when Sue Henry's other heroine, Maxine and her dog Stretch ) meet up with Jesse Arnold and her husky, Tank to help a runaway they encounter while staying in a
RV park on their way home to Parmer and Homer, Alaska. Felt like got a great sense of what the Alaskan
highway is all about- I'm ready for a trip . Might even be fun to rent a Winnebago for a couple of weeks.
No worries, just the highway and spectacular scenery and unknown adventures.
RV park on their way home to Parmer and Homer, Alaska. Felt like got a great sense of what the Alaskan
highway is all about- I'm ready for a trip . Might even be fun to rent a Winnebago for a couple of weeks.
No worries, just the highway and spectacular scenery and unknown adventures.
June 24, 2009
Ah, I love Sue Henry's Alaska Mysteries! I could only give this one 4 stars, because Alex isn't in it aside from a brief hint. It's been a few months since I read them all, (somehow I missed this one before) and it's made me want to again :D. Jessie is amazing, and I totally love Maxie! As usual, Tank is the epitome of dogs!
May 21, 2009
Mystery novel about a woman and her champion sled dog traveling alone in a RV on the Alaska Highway. As murders, strangers and dark secrets are intangled in her travels, you are kept on the edge of your seat, but at the same time gives the reader a beautiful armchair travel log.
I finished the book, wanting to travel along the Alaska Highway.
I finished the book, wanting to travel along the Alaska Highway.
April 22, 2013
We traveled the Alaska Highway about a year after I read this book. This was both an inspiration and my guidebook for the trip. What fun to recognize places and seek out others mentioned in the book.
July 16, 2008
Im only 12 but i thought this book was a good adventure/mystery story.
February 13, 2009
Mystery Book Group choice. Good description of driving AlCan highway; some loose ends, especially regarding Butch Stinger, but these may be resolved in later titles in the series.
May 31, 2009
When is a road trip a mystery? When several people are heading to Alaska with a madman searching for one of them. Lots of sights and adventure on this trip.
May 31, 2010
This was a lanky book, fun to listen to whilst driving, and I thought often of my mother who seems independent and spunky like Maxine.
April 27, 2012
I pretty much have read this entire series :)
September 2, 2012
Loved it, couldn't put it down!
September 30, 2012
Liked the scenery and the switch to the new characters too.
February 11, 2014
Good read on using the Alaskan Highway as a murder/Mystery by Family and friends.
Ms. Henry also wound in friendships formed on the road and while camping.
Added this to my "ToDo" or "Bucket List!"
Ms. Henry also wound in friendships formed on the road and while camping.
Added this to my "ToDo" or "Bucket List!"
April 16, 2016
I haven't read Sue Henry for years, but may have to go back and try to read some from the past, because I really did enjoy reading this one
April 14, 2013
Got half way through and couldn't put it down!!!!
December 9, 2018
Sue Henry
Dead North
Start: 12/06/18
Completed: 12/07/18
Review: 5☆'s
Trouble follows Jessie Arnold everywhere she goes & this time is no different in Dead North. It was time to "get out of Dodge" so to speak as Jessie was attempting to heal mentally from her house being burnt to the ground & manipulated by an old friend. Rebuilding her house was put on hold until the ground thawed & dried up from all the recent rains. So Jessie took off on an innocent adventure with Tank as a favor from her building contractor to drive a brand new 31 ft. Winnebago motor home back to Alaska for him. But what ensued along her journey turned into an utter nightmare. In the end with the murders solved Jessie & Tank left the Canadian wilds for Alaska and arrived home in one piece including the motor home.
I loved the storyline of Dead North. The book seemed lighter even though there was trouble along her travels. New lasting friendships were made & new characters were introduced. Sue Henry's descriptions of Alaska's wilderness & along the AlCan Highway makes me want to plan a roadtrip to see all the places she describes in this book. 5☆'s hands down. One of Sue Henry's best books... in my opinion.
Dead North
Start: 12/06/18
Completed: 12/07/18
Review: 5☆'s
Trouble follows Jessie Arnold everywhere she goes & this time is no different in Dead North. It was time to "get out of Dodge" so to speak as Jessie was attempting to heal mentally from her house being burnt to the ground & manipulated by an old friend. Rebuilding her house was put on hold until the ground thawed & dried up from all the recent rains. So Jessie took off on an innocent adventure with Tank as a favor from her building contractor to drive a brand new 31 ft. Winnebago motor home back to Alaska for him. But what ensued along her journey turned into an utter nightmare. In the end with the murders solved Jessie & Tank left the Canadian wilds for Alaska and arrived home in one piece including the motor home.
I loved the storyline of Dead North. The book seemed lighter even though there was trouble along her travels. New lasting friendships were made & new characters were introduced. Sue Henry's descriptions of Alaska's wilderness & along the AlCan Highway makes me want to plan a roadtrip to see all the places she describes in this book. 5☆'s hands down. One of Sue Henry's best books... in my opinion.
December 8, 2018
After arson destroyed her home and before the ground is thawed enough to pour the foundation for its replacement, Jesse Arnold agrees to go to the lower 48 and drive home her contractor’s new motor home. She gets more than she bargained for as a rogue cop chases a witness to his crimes to Alaska along the same route. In a campground Jesse meets Maxie McNabb, another traveler, (which introduces the star of another Henry series.)
Strong women assist the young witness, aid the police and find themselves in mortal danger. Good characters, great scenery, brave dogs, and suspense make this a must read for mystery fans. This is a reread for me and it still holds up. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Dana Stabenow’s Kate Shugak mysteries; William G. Tapply’s Stoney Calhoun mysteries; Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon series; Jo Nesbo – The Leopard; C.J. Box – Joe Pickett novels; William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor mysteries.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Strong women; likeable
Story: Plot-driven
Writing style: Engaging; compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Cody WY, Alaska Highway; contemporary
Strong women assist the young witness, aid the police and find themselves in mortal danger. Good characters, great scenery, brave dogs, and suspense make this a must read for mystery fans. This is a reread for me and it still holds up. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Dana Stabenow’s Kate Shugak mysteries; William G. Tapply’s Stoney Calhoun mysteries; Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon series; Jo Nesbo – The Leopard; C.J. Box – Joe Pickett novels; William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor mysteries.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Strong women; likeable
Story: Plot-driven
Writing style: Engaging; compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Cody WY, Alaska Highway; contemporary
January 2, 2017
In the last novel, Jessie's house was destroyed. It is being rebuilt when a friend offers her the proposition of a road trip. He has bought an RV in Idaho and needs it driven to Alaska. Jessie thinks this sounds like a fun vacation and the chance to take a leisurely drive while stopping whenever it strikes her. The views are beautiful and she meets a nice lady travelling the same direction as well as a kindly truck driver. She also meets a runaway teenage boy who brings unwanted excitement to the trip. The boy is escaping some family troubles to go to Alaska to stay with friends. The police are looking at him as the suspect in a double murder and his stepfather is chasing him. Jessie and her friend are cautious but don't believe the boy has hurt anyone but he is in serious danger and soon they are too.
December 28, 2025
Although most of this book occurred outside of Alaska, with Jessie driving an RV along from Idaho to Alaska, I enjoyed the story and spending more time with Jessie and her lead dog, Tank. The descriptions of the Canadian portion of the Alaskan Highway made me want to take that trip myself... if I could talk Hubby into it :)
The book opens with a murder, but it's a little slow to pick up from there. Things happen, but Jessie doesn't get involved until later in the story. Once she and Maxine, a new friend Jessie met along the way, take up the cause, the book was hard to put down. Right up until the final few scenes, it was hard to figure out if some of the characters introduced were good guys or bad guys, so I gave up trying. I loved the way everything shook out when it was all said and done, and am glad Jessie will be back in her familiar Alaskan surroundings for the next book.
The book opens with a murder, but it's a little slow to pick up from there. Things happen, but Jessie doesn't get involved until later in the story. Once she and Maxine, a new friend Jessie met along the way, take up the cause, the book was hard to put down. Right up until the final few scenes, it was hard to figure out if some of the characters introduced were good guys or bad guys, so I gave up trying. I loved the way everything shook out when it was all said and done, and am glad Jessie will be back in her familiar Alaskan surroundings for the next book.
March 12, 2022
This is one of my favorite Sue Henry books. Granted, my criteria is a bit odd. I am listening to Henry's books, rather than reading them, and also doing other chores at the same time. Thus I am looking for a book that doesn't have an extensive list of characters that I have to keep track of.
The characters in this book were familiar to me from other books by Sue Henry. Jessie Arnold and Maxie are both interesting characters, and I enjoyed hearing more about them.
The beginning and ending of this book were very well done. Very impressive!
I found it interesting to hear the descriptions of the Alaska Highway and places along the route. I would like to listen to this book again. It might be fun to listen to it while driving on the Alaska Highway.
The characters in this book were familiar to me from other books by Sue Henry. Jessie Arnold and Maxie are both interesting characters, and I enjoyed hearing more about them.
The beginning and ending of this book were very well done. Very impressive!
I found it interesting to hear the descriptions of the Alaska Highway and places along the route. I would like to listen to this book again. It might be fun to listen to it while driving on the Alaska Highway.
May 16, 2018
A good read! Jesse Arnold, champion musher, finds herself in limbo as her home has burned down and the frost has not got out of the ground, so she can't start her rebuild. A friend, asks her is she would go to Idaho and drive his new motor home up to Alaska. She believes this would be a leisurely scenic drive along the Alaska Highway. Wrong, although it certainly does have it's leisurely moments, there's some dangerous situations that have led to almost death and death. Enjoyed the read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews