The Curious Eat Themselves
an Alaskan mystery
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3.7 • 15 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
The private investigator juggles multiple investigations and a crumbling personal life in the second Cecil Younger mystery set in Sitka, Alaska.
“Like the Coen brothers on literary speed, John Straley is among the very best stylists of his generation.” —Ken Bruen, author of The Guards
When Louise Root, a new client of Cecil Younger, is found murdered, the private investigator finds himself in the middle of a web of secrets and deadly repercussions—usually not found in the world of environmental politics. Not only that, it seems everyone suddenly wants Younger's help: his old friend, Doggy, the DA; his autistic roommate, Todd, whose Labrador retriever has disappeared; an image-conscious environmental activist; and even the sleazy executives of Global Mining, whose interest in the case is a more than a little suspicious.
In the midst of all this, Younger is wrecked by guilt, and his personal life is fraying as he tries to keep his drinking under control. He's got his hands full trying to juggle his lingering emotions over his ex-lover, the multiple investigations, and simply trying to stay alive.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
With the second adventure of Cecil Younger, a PI in southeastern Alaska, Straley reconfirms his claim to the regional territory he staked out in The Woman Who Married a Bear . Louise Root, who was raped at the Global gold mine where she worked as a cook, hires Cecil to gather evidence of the crime, although she won't tell him who assaulted her. Only days later, Louise's body is pulled from a river, her throat slit. Cecil is soon hired by Global's Lee Altman and Charlie Potts, who want to know ``everything'' about environmentalist Steven Mathews. They pay in cash, want no written records of the transaction and warn Cecil to ``stay clear of this Louise Root thing.'' But social worker Hannah Elder, Cecil's former lover and Louise's childhood friend, has no qualms about involving Cecil in her probe of Louise's death, especially after she discovers in Louise's things letters addressed to Steven marked ``return to sender.'' Once past the gimmicky assignments that initiate the plot, Straley's atmospheric prose takes hold and the action hums along, through unethical dealings and more killings, to the rugged, backwoods Alaska finale. Author tour.
Customer Reviews
Too verbose
Second book and Cecil sounds like a whining alcoholic. Broken record, born again,too confused ex girlfriend and not much insight into Alaska. Too painful to read any ,ore of them....