The Woman Who Married a Bear by John Straley

'Straley's beautifully understated narrative, vivid sense of place and unapologetic, unadorned characters make this a riveting, unpredictable ride.' 'Like James Lee Burke, Straley transcends the genre. John Straley's novels are like no others.' 'Now and then a writer dares to flout the rules and in so doing, carves out a niche that belongs to him alone. 'Superior thriller writing, once again by Straley-an excellent plot against Alaska's gigantic and bizarre backdrop.' He has tremendous feeling for the setting: not only the open waters and frosted countryside outside of Sitka and Juneau, but also the somewhat seedy streets of these cities.' His prose is as smooth as a well-tuned cello. Straley proves once again that he is up there with the great ones. 'Chandler, Ross Macdonald, James Crumley. Ken Bruen, Shamus Award winning author of The Guard 'Like the Coen brothers on literary speed, John Straley is among the very best stylists of his generation.' James Sallis, author of Drive and the Lew Griffin mysteries But damned near every one of us, sooner or later, ends up in one of Straley's wise, wayward, wonderfully unhinged novels.' Hölderlin wrote: 'Poetically man dwells on the earth.' Some of us wind up in limericks, some in heroic couplets. 'Lesser writers look to their characters' poor choices and attempts to rectify them, John Straley loves his characters for just those choices. with his storyteller's sense of dramatic action in his glory.'

Richard Nelson, author of The Island Within lets you breathe the chill wetness of the country and he gives you the people of these outpost communities exactly as they are.' ' The Woman Who Married a Bear weaves Alaska's two wildest sides together-the dark secret world of city nights, with its streets and bars, and the sprawling world of the bush country and mountain forests where bears and ravens preside. 'A darkly poetic thriller with a strange sense of place, and exotic debut which augurs well for the author.' 'Clear and crisp, like a Juneau morning.' 'As great writers have always done, Straley breathes new life into a stock character by remaking an ancient myth.' A highly refreshing setting, a great cast of characters, and an intriguing plot.

'Blazes a new trail through the dense, familiar forest of the mystery genre. Flashes of the dark poetry of Ross Macdonald.' Tony Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author of the Leaphorn and Chee novels 'A fascinating Alaskan setting, great characters, a highly unusual plot and remarkably good writing. Winner of the Shamus Award for Best First Novel

The Woman Who Married a Bear by John Straley