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Inupiat Eskimo Mystery #1
Elements of a Kill
A Storm's Fury . . .
Awakened out of a sound sleep, Police Detective Ray Attla is disgruntled when he's assigned to the investigation of a death at an isolated oil rig in the icy Alaskan wilderness. Especially since he's off duty, tucked away in a little hut the used to call home on the Inupiat reservation. But Ray is the closest official to the scene and fierce Arctic storm has closed off the area.
A Shaman's Vision . . .
Despite dire warnings from his ancient grandfather and protests from his fiancee, Ray heads for the rig on his snowmobile and quickly determines that the frozen body encased in a piece of oil pipe is no accidental death. The victim's Rolex implicates a big-time oil man, and the marks of the Eskimo hunter slashed across his body point to ritual murder. With few clues, no reinforcements, and little help from a novice local deputy, Ray gives in to his grandfather's pleas that he consult the Inupiat shaman--but not before he's hunting a multiple killer, and not before he himself becomes the hunted . . .
Awakened out of a sound sleep, Police Detective Ray Attla is disgruntled when he's assigned to the investigation of a death at an isolated oil rig in the icy Alaskan wilderness. Especially since he's off duty, tucked away in a little hut the used to call home on the Inupiat reservation. But Ray is the closest official to the scene and fierce Arctic storm has closed off the area.
A Shaman's Vision . . .
Despite dire warnings from his ancient grandfather and protests from his fiancee, Ray heads for the rig on his snowmobile and quickly determines that the frozen body encased in a piece of oil pipe is no accidental death. The victim's Rolex implicates a big-time oil man, and the marks of the Eskimo hunter slashed across his body point to ritual murder. With few clues, no reinforcements, and little help from a novice local deputy, Ray gives in to his grandfather's pleas that he consult the Inupiat shaman--but not before he's hunting a multiple killer, and not before he himself becomes the hunted . . .
- GenresMystery
340 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1998
5 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Christopher A. Lane
25 books4 followersChristopher A. Lane is the author of Eden’s Gate and the best-selling Appearance of Evil, as well as several children’s books, one of which was awarded a Gold Medallion. He and his wife own Alpha-Omega Productions, which provides media reviews to subscribers. They live in Colorado Springs with their children.
Christopher Lane is a prolific writer who has published 15 books for the inspirational and religious market, including six children's novels, one of which won the Gold Medallion Award and another the C.S. Lewis Award. He continues to write for the Christian market. This first mystery is his debut in the American Booksellers market.
His Inupiat Eskimo Mystery series has the author listed as "Christopher Lane".
Christopher Lane is a prolific writer who has published 15 books for the inspirational and religious market, including six children's novels, one of which won the Gold Medallion Award and another the C.S. Lewis Award. He continues to write for the Christian market. This first mystery is his debut in the American Booksellers market.
His Inupiat Eskimo Mystery series has the author listed as "Christopher Lane".
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 3, 2019
Alaskan police detective Ray, a native Inupiat on a much needed break visiting his Grandfather, is called back to duty when a body is found stuffed into a section of pipe being laid on a new oil rig in Prudhoe Bay. Due to a blizzard settling in, the only help Ray has to solve this and the subsequent murders is the local deputy sheriff, Jim Bob, a Texan so wet behind the ears moss is growing. Ray also feels pressure to solve the murders or hand them off to others to solve so he can get back to Barrow in time for the wedding shower being thrown for his fiancé Margaret.
As Ray struggles to solve the murders with no clues, a missing corpse, little real cooperation from the oil men, and someone trying to murder him, his inner personal conflicts reveal much about the current Native Alaskan conflict between tradition and the contemporary world. And also the interplay between native Alaskans and the oil companies and their workers, mostly brought infrom the lower 48 to work brutally long shifts at high pay. The author deftly weaves in the casual racism that Ray and other natives experience from the workers, adding great depth to this detective story.
There is a point just after halfway where the key clues needed to solve the murders are delivered on a silver platter, although Ray and Jim Bob take a lot longer to put it all together, and only do so after a life and deatb chase across the tundra and a confrontation with a jet about to take off. Much as I liked this book, the length of time it took Ray to put it all together after I had figured it out lost it a star. But I will absolutely read more in this series. And I really hope Jim Bob continues to assist.
As Ray struggles to solve the murders with no clues, a missing corpse, little real cooperation from the oil men, and someone trying to murder him, his inner personal conflicts reveal much about the current Native Alaskan conflict between tradition and the contemporary world. And also the interplay between native Alaskans and the oil companies and their workers, mostly brought infrom the lower 48 to work brutally long shifts at high pay. The author deftly weaves in the casual racism that Ray and other natives experience from the workers, adding great depth to this detective story.
There is a point just after halfway where the key clues needed to solve the murders are delivered on a silver platter, although Ray and Jim Bob take a lot longer to put it all together, and only do so after a life and deatb chase across the tundra and a confrontation with a jet about to take off. Much as I liked this book, the length of time it took Ray to put it all together after I had figured it out lost it a star. But I will absolutely read more in this series. And I really hope Jim Bob continues to assist.
March 8, 2017
Three murders occur at an oil rig near Deadhorse, Alaska, a small town above the Arctic Circle. Barrow policeman Ray Attla investigates. Great atmosphere - lots of sleazy characters - exciting climax. You really get to know the people and surroundings in such a bleak area. Surprisingly good.
March 17, 2022
This was an interesting mystery. I liked the characters, but the story was slow at times. Many possible suspects throughout.
June 8, 2014
PROTAGONIST: Ray Attla, police detective
SETTING: Alaska
SERIES: #1 of 5
RATING: 3.25
WHY: Barrow (Alaska) police detective and Native Inupiat Ray Attla is assigned to investigate a murder that has occurred at a remote oil rig. The body is frozen and encased in a piece of oil pipe. No one seems to know who it is; the fact that the man was wearing a Rolex indicates he may have been someone important. Attla is assisted in the investigation by a local deputy, a Texan named Billy Bob Cleaver, who Ray regards as a doofus. The book started out well, outlining the realities of living in Alaska and shattering some common stereotypes. I liked how, despite being a Native, he dismissed a shaman as spouting mumbo jumbo. The setting, particularly traveling in the wilderneses was well done. But by page 300, Ray was as clueless as ever about what was going on. After a while, the book really dragged, what with no clues and Ray constantly facing death. Showed enough promise that I'll check out the second in the series.
SETTING: Alaska
SERIES: #1 of 5
RATING: 3.25
WHY: Barrow (Alaska) police detective and Native Inupiat Ray Attla is assigned to investigate a murder that has occurred at a remote oil rig. The body is frozen and encased in a piece of oil pipe. No one seems to know who it is; the fact that the man was wearing a Rolex indicates he may have been someone important. Attla is assisted in the investigation by a local deputy, a Texan named Billy Bob Cleaver, who Ray regards as a doofus. The book started out well, outlining the realities of living in Alaska and shattering some common stereotypes. I liked how, despite being a Native, he dismissed a shaman as spouting mumbo jumbo. The setting, particularly traveling in the wilderneses was well done. But by page 300, Ray was as clueless as ever about what was going on. After a while, the book really dragged, what with no clues and Ray constantly facing death. Showed enough promise that I'll check out the second in the series.
August 23, 2010
Having never read an eskimo mystery, I found the landscape a lunar one, full of Inupiat/ ethnic references, and found it interesting.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews