ICY CLUTCHES

by Aaron Elkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 1990

Gideon Oliver, an anthropologist with a special interest in bone identification (The Dark Place, etc.), has accompanied his forest-ranger wife Julie to a weeklong conference she's attending at Glacier Bay Lodge in Alaska. Another guest there is Professor M. Audley Tremaine, eminent botanist and sole survivor of a 1960 avalanche in the vicinity that took the lives of Steven Fisk, James Pratt, and Jocelyn Yount, members of his research team. Others on that team but not on the fatal mission--Dr. Walter Judd and Dr. Anna Henckel--are in the group assembled by Tremaine at the lodge, along with Gerald Pratt, James' brother; Jocelyn's twin sister Shirley; and Elliott Fisk, Steven's nephew. Tremaine's soon to publish a book about the tragedy, and a memorial plaque is to be installed at the site. Very touching and great publicity is Oliver's cynical thought as he detects some vicious undercurrents beneath the sentiment, mostly directed at the self-adoring Tremaine. Then, when bone fragments are found in the course of the installation, Oliver is asked by park officials to help with identification. Whathe finds brings old friend FBI agent John Lau flying in from Seattle. Just as well, for a brand-new murder is soon to happen--and it'll take all of Oliver's expertise, a flash of insight, and Lau's resources to solve it. A literate, amiable story too often slowed by pages of technical mumbo-jumbo but enhanced by a credible plot, a likable hero, and a thoroughly detailed picture of Alaska through a vacationer's eyes.

Pub Date: Sept. 18, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Mysterious Press-dist. by Ballantine

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1990

Categories: FICTION