KATE SHUGAK is a native Aleut working as a private investigator in Alaska. She's 5 foot 1 inch tall, carries a scar that runs from ear to ear across her throat and owns half-wolf, half-husky dog named Mutt. Resourceful, strong-willed, defiant, Kate is tougher than your average heroine - and she needs to be to survive the worst the Alaskan wilds can throw at her.

A FATAL THAW: Eleven days ago, Roger McAniff bought himself a new Winchester 30.06 rifle. Ten days ago he went out to test it. Now nine people are dead. But only eight were killed by McAniff...

Stephen Syms. Patrick Jorgensen. Lyle and Lucy Longstaff. Lisa Getty. The Weiss family, John, Tina, and their two children. All slaughtered. Considering she would have been his final victim, Kate Shugak almost regrets not killing Roger McAniff. But Lisa Getty was killed by a different rifle. Different rifle, different shooter. And Kate Shugak is tasked with tracking this unknown killer down before the case goes completely cold...