Kate Shugak Novel (Book 14)

In this gripping novel, A Taint in the Blood, award-winning crime writer Dana Stabenow showcases her exceptional talent as Kate Shugak confronts thirty years of secrets, regret, and murder within one of Alaska's most powerful families.

Thirty-one years ago in Anchorage, Alaska, Victoria Pilz Bannister Muravieff was convicted of murdering her seventeen-year-old son William. The jury delivered a swift guilty verdict, believing the prosecutor's claims that she had set fire to her own home with both her sons inside; William tragically perished, while the other, Oliver, narrowly escaped. Despite pleading not guilty at the trial, Victoria never again denied her guilt, and she was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Now, Victoria's daughter, Charlotte Muravieff, has hired Kate Shugak, a private investigator, to clear her mother's name. Charlotte has always believed in her mother's innocence, and with Victoria recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, she wants her mother to be free. Kate is the only P.I. Charlotte can find who is willing to take on such a long-shot case. For Kate, the decision to accept the case is not only driven by her newfound role as a single parent to a teenager, but also by the prospect of doing a favor for the Bannister family, one of the wealthiest and most prominent in Alaska's history.

As Kate begins her investigation, Victoria protests, refusing to cooperate. However, it soon becomes apparent that she is not the only one who wants to leave the past buried. Kate must navigate a complex web of secrets and lies to uncover the truth and clear Victoria's name, all while grappling with the challenges of her own personal life.

Throughout the investigation, Kate delves deeper into the Bannister family's history, uncovering layer upon layer of deceit and betrayal. The once-revered family is revealed to have a dark past, with skeletons in the closet that threaten to shatter the carefully crafted facade of their affluence and power.

As Kate's pursuit of the truth intensifies, she finds herself pitted against powerful forces that will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden. She must confront her own demons and navigate the treacherous waters of Alaska's elite, all while racing against time to exonerate Victoria before it's too late.

In this spell-binding novel, Stabenow masterfully weaves a compelling narrative that challenges the reader's preconceptions and explores the complexities of family, loyalty, and the consequences of long-buried secrets. With her sharp wit and keen eye for detail, the author takes the reader on a thrilling journey that will leave them questioning the nature of truth and the lengths people will go to protect their own interests.

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