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Nothing Gold Can Stay    by Dana Stabenow Amazon.com order for
Nothing Gold Can Stay
by Dana Stabenow
Order:  USA  Can
Dutton, 2000 (2000)
Hardcover, Paperback, Audio
* *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

Alaska State Trooper Liam Campbell is getting closer to Wy Chouinard, but not yet as close as he wants to be. He sleeps in a pop-up camper in her driveway, and sneaks inside whenever Wy's adopted son Tim is away. It's odd that Liam loves a pilot since he's terrified of flying (he has to do a lot of it this time and has some narrow escapes).

Soon after Liam and his subordinate Diana Prince investigate the murder of the postmistress of a tiny Bush village, there are more deaths and slowly a pattern emerges. The killer is moving towards Old Man Creek. This happens to be where Bill and Moses have given refuge to two young people - an abused teenage wife and Wy's Tim, in hiding from his birth mother and her visitation court order. Despite a gale warning, Wy panics and flies up there and of course Liam accompanies her into danger.

Bill, the sexy older woman who is also magistrate of Newenham, and Moses, her lover and a shaman who sees futures, are by now familiar figures in this series. Indeed they provide much of its interest and local color. Nothing Gold Can Stay shows more of their relationship, develops that of Liam and Wy, and also of Wy's best friend Jo. First love and tragedy enter Tim's young life and we meet a new heroine, the city-bred wife of a gold prospector. She deals with adversity with spirit and courage.

Though I still prefer Kate Shugak, I'm delighted that Stabenow is giving us more of Liam Campbell on a regular basis. This story ends with a surprise for the state trooper and the reader. It leaves me very curious about where the series will go next.

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