“Cameron’s books are riveting page-turners.”—Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author In a remote Alaskan village, Deputy US Marshal Arliss Cutter searches for a stone-cold killer amid a hotbed of corruption, lies, and long-buried secrets . . . Winter comes early to the rural native community of Stone Cross, Alaska—and so does hunting season. Caribou and moose are a major source of … does hunting season. Caribou and moose are a major source of food through the long, dark months ahead. But Arliss Cutter has come here for a very different game. A federal judge is receiving death threats and refuses protection. Cutter and his deputy Lola Teariki have been assigned to shadow him on his trip to this icy outland to make sure that he’s safe. But they quickly discover that no one is ever really safe in a place like this. And no one is above suspicion . . .
When Cutter and Lola arrive, the village is already gripped with fear. A young couple has disappeared from their fishing lodge, just eight miles upriver. Their handyman has been found dead, next to a crude drawing of a mysterious symbol. To make matters worse, a dense fog has descended on the region, isolating the town from civilization. With the judge’s life still at risk, and two people still missing, Cutter and Lola have their work cut out for them. But navigating the small-town customs and blood-bound traditions of this close-knit community won’t be easy. When the secrets come out, the deadly hunt is on . . .
more
Stone Cross (U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter #2) by Marc Cameron is a thriller set in a small Inuit village in Alaska. US .Marshal Arliss Cutter and his partner, Lola Teariki, are to accompany a federal judge for an arbitration case to Stone Cross as a protection detail. The judge has received a death threat from someone in Stone Cross which leads Cutter and Lola to be vigilant as the weather conditions deteriorate which may delay their return to Anchorage. The marshals are thrown into the middle of a case of murder and a search for two missing residents. As I read the book it was as if I could feel the wet cold of the environment and the terror of Sarah. This book is fast-paced with interesting characters who are in the midst of personal problems and some criminals who are brutally evil. This is the second in the Arliss Cutter series, but can be read as a stand-alone book.
Publication Date:March 31, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Really good book, better than the first one. If I could give it 4.5stars, I would. The story just had so many more ingredients that one would expect to see from an Alaskan based series. There were native Alaskan people (they prefer that over Eskimos) and caribou hunting, white-out blizzards, dog sledding over frozen tundras and ice cracking rivers. Just an overall fascinating read for a sunny SoCA gal from LA.
My only complaint (once again) were all the parts on guns and ammo. I’m sure Cameron’s gun aficionado fans love that stuff but I find these passages tedious and just skim over them. Fortunately, there aren’t a lot of these sections and they most certainly don’t take away from the overall story.
Great read
I’ve always had an interest in Alaska.. this book will make you feel the freezing cold back country as US Marshals protect a Federal judge in a remote village. You’ll get an appreciation for how these native people live and survive in a world completely different than the lower 48 states. You’ll hold onto your seat during the action packed excitement of a dog-sled chase scene.
This is a back-woods experience you’ll never forget.
Cheers
mrbrush
Awesome book. Didn’t expect very last ending.
Not very well written.
Exciting new addition to the Arliss Cutter series
This is the second book in the Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter series following OPEN CARRY. I enjoyed the first book but this book was even better.
Cutter and his partner, Lola Teariki, half-Maori and half-Japanese and all bada*s, end up getting sent to the tiny village of Stone Cross, Alaska to protect a federal judge there during a hearing. They don’t want to be there and the judge doesn’t want them there but he has received a death threat that they think originated near the village.
When they arrive at Stone Cross they find out about a murder and a kidnapping at a nearby hunting/fishing lodge and Cutter tries everything he can to get assigned to looking for the kidnap victims rather than babysitting the judge.
They find that the village isn’t a nice, quiet law-abiding spot and has its share of violent crime.
I love how the author describes this part of Alaska in detail – a state I happen to love. And I appreciate that he has strong, intelligent women throughout the story.
I will definitely be watching for the next book in this series. And I strongly recommend these first two.
I received this book from Kensington Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
Stone Cross by Marc Cameron
Arlliss Cutter Series #2
Arliss Cutter is intelligent, intriguing, and a bit of an enigma. Reading book one of this series I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to finish a book by this author that was filled with murder, mystery and mayhem AND the same is true for reading the second book because it was 4am before I read the last page and finally headed to bed.
As I read I grew to know more about Alaska and Arliss and I fell in love with Grumpy – the grandfather who raised Arliss. The main case was brutal and so was the encroaching Alaska winter. This could have been just the story of solving a murder and finding people that disappeared but it was so much more.
What I liked:
* Arliss: for reasons mentioned above and also because he is a man I admire and would like to know better. I want him to have a happy future and hope that some of his dreams will come true as the series continues.
* The information learned about a bit of Arliss’s past
* The character guide at the beginning of the book
* Birdie: a Yu’pik woman who suffered greatly and achieved much – I truly admired her.
* Lola: Arliss’s partner – a strong tough woman with a heart of gold
* Sarah: her strength and courage were amazing
* The weaving in of the side stories that enhanced the overall story
* Mim: Arliss’s widowed sister-in-law and her concern fo her children and also for Arliss’s well being
* Arliss’s relationship with his brother’s family
* What I learned about living in remote Alaska, mushing dogs, and how the weather impacts living there.
* Reading about and then googling poke-hand and thread tattooing then cringing when I found out what it was and how there is a resurgence in the art form. I also learned a bit, after googling again, about cut and chisel tattooing used by the Maoris.
* There are so many other things to mention but I really and truly liked it all except for…
What I did not like:
* The bad guys…they were ruthless, evil, despicable no good rotten…just horrible
* Having to wait till the next book is written so I can find out what happens next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
5 stars
This book is an exciting addition to the Arliss Cutter series by author Marc Cameron.
I really like that the key women in this story are strong and self-reliant. “Bad-a**.” as one of the characters termed it. The book is extremely well written and thought out in Mr. Cameron’s usual competent style. I like Cutter very much and his interaction with his sister-in-law Mim and her children added a great deal to the book. In fact, we learn a great deal about all of the major characters’ backgrounds in this volume. I really appreciate learning all this information about the people in the book for it makes me relate to them better and it makes them more real.
I like that Mr. Cameron describes the local beliefs and everyday life in the Alaskan bush. From weather to food to seemingly entrenched attitudes towards women, it is rich and colorful in description.
Cutter has transferred to Anchorage, Alaska to be closer to his widowed sister-in-law and her children. He and his partner, Lola are assigned to escort and protect a judge to a remote village to arbitrate a local case. The judge is a cantankerous person and would rather the Marshalls didn’t shadow him.
While they are there, a murder occurs and a husband and wife go missing. Torn between watching the judge and chasing the kidnappers, Cutter is in a dilemma. He hates standing around. Fortunately, the judge is not as unobservant as one might think.
Full of action and tense scenes, along with a little wry humor (go, go Cutter!), this book is a sure winner. I really like Marc Cameron’s writing and will continue to read him as long as he chooses to write these great stories.
I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books/Kensington for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review.