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Alex Carter #3
A Ghost of Caribou
Building upon the highly acclaimed debut of Alice Henderson's A Solitude of Wolverines and its follow-up thriller A Blizzard of Polar Bears comes the eagerly anticipated and electrifying third installment A Ghost of Caribou, in which wildlife biologist Alex Carter encounters an unsolved murder and a town in turmoil while in search of this majestic, all-but-vanished animal.
When a remote camera on a large, rugged expanse held by the Land Trust for Wildlife Conservation picks up a blurry image of what could be a mountain caribou, they contact Alex Carter to investigate. After all, mountain caribou went extinct in the contiguous U.S. years ago, and if one has wandered down from Canada, it's monumental.
But when Alex arrives on scene in the Selkirk mountains of northeastern Washington state, she quickly learns that her only challenge isn't finding an elusive caribou on a massive piece of land. The nearby townspeople are agitated; loggers and activists clash over a swath of old growth forest marked for clearcutting. The murdered body of a forest ranger is found strung up in the town's park, and Alex learns of a backcountry hiker who went missing in the same area the year before.
As she ventures into the forest in search of the endangered animal, she quickly finds herself in a fight for her life, caught between factions warring for the future of the forest and a murderer stalking the dense groves of ancient trees.
When a remote camera on a large, rugged expanse held by the Land Trust for Wildlife Conservation picks up a blurry image of what could be a mountain caribou, they contact Alex Carter to investigate. After all, mountain caribou went extinct in the contiguous U.S. years ago, and if one has wandered down from Canada, it's monumental.
But when Alex arrives on scene in the Selkirk mountains of northeastern Washington state, she quickly learns that her only challenge isn't finding an elusive caribou on a massive piece of land. The nearby townspeople are agitated; loggers and activists clash over a swath of old growth forest marked for clearcutting. The murdered body of a forest ranger is found strung up in the town's park, and Alex learns of a backcountry hiker who went missing in the same area the year before.
As she ventures into the forest in search of the endangered animal, she quickly finds herself in a fight for her life, caught between factions warring for the future of the forest and a murderer stalking the dense groves of ancient trees.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2022
About the author
Alice Henderson
32 books699 followersAlice Henderson's love of wild places inspired her thriller series which begins with A Solitude of Wolverines, and continues with A Blizzard of Polar Bears and A Ghost of Caribou. It features a wildlife biologist who encounters dangerous situations while working to protect endangered species.
She has also written media-tie in novels, including official novels for the TV shows Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While working at LucasArts, she wrote material for several Star Wars video games.
She was selected to attend Launchpad, a NASA-funded writing workshop aimed at bringing accurate science to fiction.
In addition to being a writer, Henderson is a wildlife researcher, geographic information systems specialist, and bioacoustician. She documents wildlife on specialized recording equipment, checks remote cameras, creates maps, and undertakes wildlife surveys to determine what species are present on preserves, while ensuring there are no signs of poaching. She's surveyed for the presence of grizzlies, wolves, wolverines, jaguars, endangered bats, and more.
Please visit her at www.AliceHenderson.com.
She has also written media-tie in novels, including official novels for the TV shows Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While working at LucasArts, she wrote material for several Star Wars video games.
She was selected to attend Launchpad, a NASA-funded writing workshop aimed at bringing accurate science to fiction.
In addition to being a writer, Henderson is a wildlife researcher, geographic information systems specialist, and bioacoustician. She documents wildlife on specialized recording equipment, checks remote cameras, creates maps, and undertakes wildlife surveys to determine what species are present on preserves, while ensuring there are no signs of poaching. She's surveyed for the presence of grizzlies, wolves, wolverines, jaguars, endangered bats, and more.
Please visit her at www.AliceHenderson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
March 25, 2023
3.5 rounded down.
I really enjoy the Alex Carter series by Alice Henderson and her use of the environment as a thoughtful background in the storytelling. But this being the third in the series, I guess I had expected more…the story to be crisp and the suspense to be the star.
If Henderson writes another book, I’ll read it, but my expectations will still be high.
I really enjoy the Alex Carter series by Alice Henderson and her use of the environment as a thoughtful background in the storytelling. But this being the third in the series, I guess I had expected more…the story to be crisp and the suspense to be the star.
If Henderson writes another book, I’ll read it, but my expectations will still be high.
November 26, 2022
This is the third installment in the Alex Carter series - with the previous books also pictured. I absolutely love this series! Alex is a conservationist who dedicates her life to studying animal habitats and working to preserve almost-extinct animal species.
The author is obviously passionate about her subject and shares so much interesting information about the different animal species she writes about. I feel like I learn so much more about the animals, the effects of climate change and the destruction of habitats that industry causes.
Alex feels most comfortable hiking and camping in the woods. Nature is her peace. She is also the most badda$$ female adventure character! She always finds herself in dangerous situations and uses her MacGyver skills to prevail. I’ve realized through this series that I really enjoy reading a woman writing adventure. It’s not about gore (although there is always a little) - it’s more about her thinking through situations- remembering things her mother or father taught her, or techniques she learned while studying a specialized version of karate.
“She labored in the trenches of what often felt like a hopeless cause. Habitat destruction, overdevelopment, greed, species extinction. It felt insurmountable at times. So many people weren’t tuned in to what was happening with the planet. Biodiversity was plummeting, pieces of the intricate web of life just vanishing, leaving holes, weakening the very structure of life on Earth.”
Very sobering thoughts. But Henderson’s books are written with hope and action. One person can make a difference! I highly recommend these books! Can be read as stand-alones - but she weaves information and characters from previous books, so it’s fun to know that information.
The author is obviously passionate about her subject and shares so much interesting information about the different animal species she writes about. I feel like I learn so much more about the animals, the effects of climate change and the destruction of habitats that industry causes.
Alex feels most comfortable hiking and camping in the woods. Nature is her peace. She is also the most badda$$ female adventure character! She always finds herself in dangerous situations and uses her MacGyver skills to prevail. I’ve realized through this series that I really enjoy reading a woman writing adventure. It’s not about gore (although there is always a little) - it’s more about her thinking through situations- remembering things her mother or father taught her, or techniques she learned while studying a specialized version of karate.
“She labored in the trenches of what often felt like a hopeless cause. Habitat destruction, overdevelopment, greed, species extinction. It felt insurmountable at times. So many people weren’t tuned in to what was happening with the planet. Biodiversity was plummeting, pieces of the intricate web of life just vanishing, leaving holes, weakening the very structure of life on Earth.”
Very sobering thoughts. But Henderson’s books are written with hope and action. One person can make a difference! I highly recommend these books! Can be read as stand-alones - but she weaves information and characters from previous books, so it’s fun to know that information.
January 5, 2024
Alex takes a job in a wilderness area at the junction of Washington, Idaho and Canada. A Caribou, thought to be extinct in the area, has been spotted and she is searching for it. But with environmentalists and loggers doing battle over the old growth forests she finds herself in the middle of a tense situation.
On top of that a woman has been murdered and another has disappeared. She employs her wilderness survival training to help out.
There are authors who give a small nudge to reality and there are authors who stretch reality as much as they can get away with. Kendra Elliot is an example of the former while someone like Matthew Reilly is an example of the latter. I would put Alice Henderson in that latter group too but her books are written with such earnestness that I can't help but love them.
So yeah, I love this book and I love this series.
On top of that a woman has been murdered and another has disappeared. She employs her wilderness survival training to help out.
There are authors who give a small nudge to reality and there are authors who stretch reality as much as they can get away with. Kendra Elliot is an example of the former while someone like Matthew Reilly is an example of the latter. I would put Alice Henderson in that latter group too but her books are written with such earnestness that I can't help but love them.
So yeah, I love this book and I love this series.
March 26, 2023
I enjoy Alice Henderson's books. Not only are they good mysteries with an unusual occupation for the main protagonist, I always learn something about an endangered species. In this book, wildlife biologist Alex Carter is in search of the elusive mountain caribou--I had no idea there was such an animal.
Fresh off her polar bear adventure in Canada, Alex is tasked with finding a lone mountain caribou thought to be inhabiting a wilderness area in northeastern Washington state. With the animals thought to be extinct in the lower forty-eight states, this is big news. Hoping to capture images of the caribou, she sets out her cameras in remote areas, but when she stumbles across a squatter and his traps, she knows there's more out there than just the caribou. There is also the clash between environmentalists and loggers over old-growth forests--the native habitat for the caribou--and a woman who is mysteriously abducted. All-in-all, Alex has her hands full and battles she didn't sign up for.
Henderson does an excellent job of explaining the plight of the mountain caribou and the danger to its habitat. She also does a good job of spinning a plausible murder mystery into the plot. Where the book fell apart for me was with her standard, stereotypical characters: environmentalists against the world. I know this is a very real problem and the situation is dire, but Henderson falls back on this plot device in too many of her books. I also got the feeling she was trying to pad the length of the book by often repeating action sequences in conversations between her characters. Despite these issues, A Ghost of Caribou is a good addition to the series and although this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. 3.5 stars.
Fresh off her polar bear adventure in Canada, Alex is tasked with finding a lone mountain caribou thought to be inhabiting a wilderness area in northeastern Washington state. With the animals thought to be extinct in the lower forty-eight states, this is big news. Hoping to capture images of the caribou, she sets out her cameras in remote areas, but when she stumbles across a squatter and his traps, she knows there's more out there than just the caribou. There is also the clash between environmentalists and loggers over old-growth forests--the native habitat for the caribou--and a woman who is mysteriously abducted. All-in-all, Alex has her hands full and battles she didn't sign up for.
Henderson does an excellent job of explaining the plight of the mountain caribou and the danger to its habitat. She also does a good job of spinning a plausible murder mystery into the plot. Where the book fell apart for me was with her standard, stereotypical characters: environmentalists against the world. I know this is a very real problem and the situation is dire, but Henderson falls back on this plot device in too many of her books. I also got the feeling she was trying to pad the length of the book by often repeating action sequences in conversations between her characters. Despite these issues, A Ghost of Caribou is a good addition to the series and although this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. 3.5 stars.
January 23, 2023
Plot wise this was my least favorite of the series but I still really enjoyed learning about a rare species of Caribou scientists thought were extinct. Great on audio with all the trademark wildlife biology info and edge of your seat suspense and another really informative author's note included at the end. I highly recommend these books! I had them on my shelf to read for ages and I'm so glad I finally picked them up. I read all three in a matter of days.
March 4, 2023
This series is slowly growing on me. So much so, that I wish I had an ARC of A Prowl of Jaguars in front of me today.
In A Ghost of Caribou, I learned more bits and pieces from Dr. Alex’s background. The suspense concerning some missing women AND the mysterious caribou was very good. I was even waiting to see if and when her ‘mystery man’ would show up.
Whether you are looking for a green-read mystery or you just love animals, start with A Solitude of Wolverines, then A Blizzard of Polar Bears. There is some suspension of disbelief with the strength of Alex’s character, but just go with the flow.
I like Alex. She is a strong, down-to-earth ( no pun intended) female. At the same time, I sense her vulnerability. That said, I am looking forward to reading her next adventure.
In A Ghost of Caribou, I learned more bits and pieces from Dr. Alex’s background. The suspense concerning some missing women AND the mysterious caribou was very good. I was even waiting to see if and when her ‘mystery man’ would show up.
Whether you are looking for a green-read mystery or you just love animals, start with A Solitude of Wolverines, then A Blizzard of Polar Bears. There is some suspension of disbelief with the strength of Alex’s character, but just go with the flow.
I like Alex. She is a strong, down-to-earth ( no pun intended) female. At the same time, I sense her vulnerability. That said, I am looking forward to reading her next adventure.
December 16, 2022
I hate to post a negative review but this third in a series just lost its luster for me. I actually think it would read better if I hadn't read the others first... too many similarities.
While I preordered and anxiously looked forward to the arrival of this third adventure of wildlife biologist Alex Carter, I have to admit my disappointment on several levels. The local community distain of conservation efforts and the mental derangement of the opposition is becoming too predictable. While the blow- by- blow description of every conflict reads like a movie script, it becomes exhausting when the climax of the book is bathed in the constant physical violence. Finally, the narrator is infuriating with her constant fluctuation in volume and quizzical intonation.... it was impossible to listen to this while driving as the volume needed to be so loud to hear the end of each sentence- making the beginnings painful.
I did learn a bit about mountain caribou and I enjoyed the description of the wilderness areas, but I won't be anticipating future volumes quite so anxiously.
While I preordered and anxiously looked forward to the arrival of this third adventure of wildlife biologist Alex Carter, I have to admit my disappointment on several levels. The local community distain of conservation efforts and the mental derangement of the opposition is becoming too predictable. While the blow- by- blow description of every conflict reads like a movie script, it becomes exhausting when the climax of the book is bathed in the constant physical violence. Finally, the narrator is infuriating with her constant fluctuation in volume and quizzical intonation.... it was impossible to listen to this while driving as the volume needed to be so loud to hear the end of each sentence- making the beginnings painful.
I did learn a bit about mountain caribou and I enjoyed the description of the wilderness areas, but I won't be anticipating future volumes quite so anxiously.
February 1, 2023
3.25 stars
A mixed review of this one. I do like Alex Carter and her passion and love for wildlife. However the series has taken a turn for the worse, in my opinion, with Alex Carter becoming some sort of Jack Reacher of the wilderness. The book is full of action packed scenes and she's always winning every fight. No bullets ever touch her and no trap is too big for her and at the end of the day she goes home, talked to her father and her Hollywood friend and gets a good night sleep to start all over the next day. She's always the hero, she finds all the evidence, she's uncovering all the crimes and all that single handedly.
A mixed review of this one. I do like Alex Carter and her passion and love for wildlife. However the series has taken a turn for the worse, in my opinion, with Alex Carter becoming some sort of Jack Reacher of the wilderness. The book is full of action packed scenes and she's always winning every fight. No bullets ever touch her and no trap is too big for her and at the end of the day she goes home, talked to her father and her Hollywood friend and gets a good night sleep to start all over the next day. She's always the hero, she finds all the evidence, she's uncovering all the crimes and all that single handedly.
October 24, 2022
I can’t decide what I love more about this book—the beautiful descriptions of nature and wildlife, the terrifying action sequences that kept me turning pages too late into the night, or our heroine herself— Alex Carter—a super bad-ass with a heart. I love reading about all the different animals and the ways that biologists are saving these incredible species. And on top of all that, you get an amazingly creepy and tense action plot. It's so clear Alice Henderson is on top of her game. This series keeps getting better and better.
July 29, 2022
Thank you NetGalley for furthering my Henderson obsession. I read the first two so quickly and was lamenting waiting for the third but I got it and tore through it! A little too reminiscent of the first book for 5 stars and I anticipated the twist this time so 4 stars to this entry. Can’t wait for the next one!
November 18, 2022
Another solid entry in this enjoyable mystery series!
September 9, 2022
I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy this book but I am glad I gave it a chance. It was very well done and kept me engrossed throughout the whole story. Alex Carter is sent to Washington state for proof of the elusive mountain caribou. That might be the easiest part of her quest. There is a lot more to this area than meets the eyes but persistence is the key. I don't want to ruin any of the plot but there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the story rolling. After reading this, I plan to pick up the author's other entries in this series.
October 12, 2022
I was excited to read this book.
The opening chapter is pretty strong but the rest of the story just falls flat.
Some issues:
-The characters don’t feel real.
-You get way too much information about mountain caribou.
-She keeps calling an actor friend does not help the story along. Or calling her father.
-She finds the mountain caribou so easy which is a joke.
-The needless details like drinking oat milk or meatless items.
-The misogynistic tree cutter is upset that people are living in trees.
-And the murder story is the dumbest twist at the end.
I thought this was going to be a story about thinking the photo was a mountain caribou instead it’s not.
So very disappointing. Yes I now get that this is a series but it was really lacking.
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
The opening chapter is pretty strong but the rest of the story just falls flat.
Some issues:
-The characters don’t feel real.
-You get way too much information about mountain caribou.
-She keeps calling an actor friend does not help the story along. Or calling her father.
-She finds the mountain caribou so easy which is a joke.
-The needless details like drinking oat milk or meatless items.
-The misogynistic tree cutter is upset that people are living in trees.
-And the murder story is the dumbest twist at the end.
I thought this was going to be a story about thinking the photo was a mountain caribou instead it’s not.
So very disappointing. Yes I now get that this is a series but it was really lacking.
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
September 3, 2022
Overall this book was a page-Turner just like A Solitude of Wolverines and A Blizzard of Polar Bears. As someone who is passionate about wildlife management, I relate a lot to Alex Carter. This book starts off heavy in wildlife management and her project while the latter half is action packed. I really enjoyed this book, although I do wish Casey had been more involved in this story like he was in A Blizzard of Polar Bears.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2022
This book is the third installment following wildlife biologist Alex Carter. Alex comes across an unsolved murder in a town in turmoil over logging and with saving the old growth trees.
She is in search of caribou, to be studied and collared.
Alex finds one caribou in the Selkirk Mountains, near the Canadian border.
As Alex ventures into the forest to collect camera forage of animal movements, she finds herself in the fight for her life.
She is in search of caribou, to be studied and collared.
Alex finds one caribou in the Selkirk Mountains, near the Canadian border.
As Alex ventures into the forest to collect camera forage of animal movements, she finds herself in the fight for her life.
Read
December 13, 2022A GHOST OF CARIBOU (William Morrow) is a light-up-the-night/edge-of-your-seat suspenseful wilderness thriller written by Alice Henderson. It may well keep you awake at night with your lights blazing!
Read the full review on Booktrib.com
Read the full review on Booktrib.com
February 20, 2023
OMGosh what a great book! I had never read anything from this author before and thoroughly enjoyed this third novel from her.
Dr. Alex Carter is a wildlife biologist who has found herself stationed in beautiful eastern Washington to locate a Mountain Caribou that may have found its way down to the former Caribou preserve in the Selkirk Mountains. While searching for this endangered and elusive creature Alex finds herself surrounded by other challenges. The day she arrives in town a body is found in the town park and she learns another back country hiker is missing.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat, each chapter made me want to see what happened next. Now I’ll need to go back and read her other two books.
Dr. Alex Carter is a wildlife biologist who has found herself stationed in beautiful eastern Washington to locate a Mountain Caribou that may have found its way down to the former Caribou preserve in the Selkirk Mountains. While searching for this endangered and elusive creature Alex finds herself surrounded by other challenges. The day she arrives in town a body is found in the town park and she learns another back country hiker is missing.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat, each chapter made me want to see what happened next. Now I’ll need to go back and read her other two books.
September 9, 2022
In the continuing series Alex Carter is now at Selkirk Wildlife Sanctuary in Washington state and she is tasked with discovering whether or not there are Mountain Caribou in the area. Much like she did in the first book of the series Alex, alone, moves into an old home and begins to set and check trail cameras when she feels as though she is being watched.
When she arrived in WA through Spokane, authorities were dealing with a possible homicide and she has been told to be in the look out for any signs of a hiker who went missing over a year ago in the sanctuary/national forest area. So that’s enough to set the tone for some creepy goings on which if you’ve read Alice Henderson before you know will be off the scale by book’s end.
As always the strength in these novels for me is all the factual information about the animals, the terrain, and the scientific process Alex follows. I loved learning about the caribou and looking up pictures and additional information. Did you know caribou ruminate?
Resources are always included in author notes.
Thanks to @harpercollinsus for this #advancereaderscopy.
When she arrived in WA through Spokane, authorities were dealing with a possible homicide and she has been told to be in the look out for any signs of a hiker who went missing over a year ago in the sanctuary/national forest area. So that’s enough to set the tone for some creepy goings on which if you’ve read Alice Henderson before you know will be off the scale by book’s end.
As always the strength in these novels for me is all the factual information about the animals, the terrain, and the scientific process Alex follows. I loved learning about the caribou and looking up pictures and additional information. Did you know caribou ruminate?
Resources are always included in author notes.
Thanks to @harpercollinsus for this #advancereaderscopy.
January 15, 2023
A Ghost of Caribou is the third book in the Alex Carter series. Alex is a wildlife biologist who travels throughout the US tracking species that are extinct or endangered. In this book Alex is investigating a report that someone possibly saw a Mountain Caribou, thought to be extinct in the U.S. Excess logging of old-growth timber and the expansion of winter recreation either killed them outright or drove them into Canada. If Alex could find and document them it could lead to changes in logging practices in an effort to help the caribou repopulate the area.
Of course with a plot like that readers will be engulfed in the traditional feud between loggers and environmentalists. The suspense storyline includes a woman who is missing and when a body is discovered in the woods, it leads to FBI and local police involvement.
I really enjoyed this Informative and suspenseful wilderness thriller. I learned a lot about the process wildlife biologists use in tracking animals and the peril of endangered species. From a suspense standpoint, the action was well written. The author is quite passionate about our environment and her research and experience definitely show in every book.
My only complaint is that Alex always falls into being one of those TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) heroines. She refuses to tell anyone about the mysterious lights that appear at night and risks danger by staying out at night to investigate them herself. That didn't spoil my enjoyment of story and I continue to be a fan of this series. For the most part it can be read as a standalone but I recommend starting with the first book, A Solitude of Wolverines, which gives more insight into Alex's relationship with some of the secondary characters.
Of course with a plot like that readers will be engulfed in the traditional feud between loggers and environmentalists. The suspense storyline includes a woman who is missing and when a body is discovered in the woods, it leads to FBI and local police involvement.
I really enjoyed this Informative and suspenseful wilderness thriller. I learned a lot about the process wildlife biologists use in tracking animals and the peril of endangered species. From a suspense standpoint, the action was well written. The author is quite passionate about our environment and her research and experience definitely show in every book.
My only complaint is that Alex always falls into being one of those TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) heroines. She refuses to tell anyone about the mysterious lights that appear at night and risks danger by staying out at night to investigate them herself. That didn't spoil my enjoyment of story and I continue to be a fan of this series. For the most part it can be read as a standalone but I recommend starting with the first book, A Solitude of Wolverines, which gives more insight into Alex's relationship with some of the secondary characters.
January 19, 2023
Alice Henderson's Alex Carter series is one of my favorites -- I loved A Blizzard of Polar Bears, calling it an "unputdownable, a fast-paced delight of an adventure." While I enjoyed A Ghost of Caribou, it didn't quite measure up to the first two books in the series.
This one's set in Washington state, where Alex is hoping to find a mountain caribou after one may have been spotted on a remote camera -- extinct in the contiguous U.S., it would be a big deal if one's come down from Canada, in part because it would help pro-conservation groups petition the government to disallow clearcutting.
Naturally, Alex's time in the woods quickly becomes anything but peaceful.
Alex and I are kindred spirits; I love Henderson's inclusion of her low-fuss vegetarian diet and concerns for the planet. At the same time, I felt like some of the eco descriptions were needlessly repetitive (clearcutting's impact on caribou discussed 3+ times) while others could have been made clearer (e.g., connection between no-meat diet and greenhouse emissions). (I wouldn't be surprised if this book had a different editor or shorter editing period than the last two.)
I still recommend A Ghost of Caribou to fans of the series, and I hope there'll be a fourth book (especially to provide some clarity on what the deal is with Casey).
I won a copy of this title in a Goodreads giveaway but as it hadn't arrived 3 weeks after pub. day, I read this book via library copy.
This one's set in Washington state, where Alex is hoping to find a mountain caribou after one may have been spotted on a remote camera -- extinct in the contiguous U.S., it would be a big deal if one's come down from Canada, in part because it would help pro-conservation groups petition the government to disallow clearcutting.
Naturally, Alex's time in the woods quickly becomes anything but peaceful.
Alex and I are kindred spirits; I love Henderson's inclusion of her low-fuss vegetarian diet and concerns for the planet. At the same time, I felt like some of the eco descriptions were needlessly repetitive (clearcutting's impact on caribou discussed 3+ times) while others could have been made clearer (e.g., connection between no-meat diet and greenhouse emissions). (I wouldn't be surprised if this book had a different editor or shorter editing period than the last two.)
I still recommend A Ghost of Caribou to fans of the series, and I hope there'll be a fourth book (especially to provide some clarity on what the deal is with Casey).
I won a copy of this title in a Goodreads giveaway but as it hadn't arrived 3 weeks after pub. day, I read this book via library copy.
November 29, 2023
This has been my favorite of the series so far. I thought the mystery case was interesting and well paced. There was a bit of over explaining when it came to the animals and climate change, but overall it was a fun book.
Alex Carter is back on the wildlife preservation case, and of course, it's not going smoothly. She's in Washington state hoping to find traces of caribou in the area. She's also dealing with a few missing women, an insane logger, and a forest squatter who has set a ton of traps. When someone close to her goes missing, things will all come together in an exciting conclusion.
I love a good wildlife focused series, and this one has been decent so far. I think this book took it to the next level with the addition of a serial killer and the suspense that it brought to the story. The last 40% of this book was heart pounding and action packed! There are times the book gets a little bogged down in explaining what climate change is doing to certain animals and environments, and it feels a little bit like I'm in a classroom instead of reading a thriller. I feel like the author is just so passionate about the subject that she doesn't know when it's too much. I also love Alex as a character, although I wish her personal story lines would come along just a bit more in each book. I'd love to get more Ben on the page.
I will definitely continue on with this series. It's a great palate cleanser when I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for.
Alex Carter is back on the wildlife preservation case, and of course, it's not going smoothly. She's in Washington state hoping to find traces of caribou in the area. She's also dealing with a few missing women, an insane logger, and a forest squatter who has set a ton of traps. When someone close to her goes missing, things will all come together in an exciting conclusion.
I love a good wildlife focused series, and this one has been decent so far. I think this book took it to the next level with the addition of a serial killer and the suspense that it brought to the story. The last 40% of this book was heart pounding and action packed! There are times the book gets a little bogged down in explaining what climate change is doing to certain animals and environments, and it feels a little bit like I'm in a classroom instead of reading a thriller. I feel like the author is just so passionate about the subject that she doesn't know when it's too much. I also love Alex as a character, although I wish her personal story lines would come along just a bit more in each book. I'd love to get more Ben on the page.
I will definitely continue on with this series. It's a great palate cleanser when I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for.
June 21, 2023
In this third installment, we follow Alex Carter (wildlife biologist) to the border of Washington and Idaho to find a reclusive species that was thought to be extinct in the lower 48, the mountain caribou. This book brings back characters from the first novel, and I was especially excited to see that Kathleen was back. I really enjoyed the educational bits throughout the novel, and, overall, I had a great time reading this one.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the three current installments in the Alex Carter series. I am not one who normally reads thrillers, but I have read each of these in one sitting. I love how engaging each story is, and how each novel follows a different endangered animal. While the book is a work of fiction, Henderson weaves into the story facts, statistics, and other very real information on the animal that is the focus of Alex’s (the main character) research. There are also other very real implications of the books as they explore other wildlife and conservation related issues such as poachers, deforestation, politics, and activism. While you can read this book as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading the second book before because the ending, and a couple other brief references in the book, will not make sense if you aren’t familiar with what happened in the prior novel.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the three current installments in the Alex Carter series. I am not one who normally reads thrillers, but I have read each of these in one sitting. I love how engaging each story is, and how each novel follows a different endangered animal. While the book is a work of fiction, Henderson weaves into the story facts, statistics, and other very real information on the animal that is the focus of Alex’s (the main character) research. There are also other very real implications of the books as they explore other wildlife and conservation related issues such as poachers, deforestation, politics, and activism. While you can read this book as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading the second book before because the ending, and a couple other brief references in the book, will not make sense if you aren’t familiar with what happened in the prior novel.
December 5, 2022
I can't believe I have read all three of the books in this Alex Carter series in just two months! They have all been great stories full of interesting characters and references, and I have learned so much.
In this installment, environmentalist/biologist Alex is working in the Selkirk Mountains of northeastern Washington State. Mountain caribou (different from the barren ground caribou of Arctic Alaska and Canada) became extinct in lower 48 states years ago, when two remaining females were sent to Canada to live with another herd. Alex's task is to determine if a mountain caribou has wandered down from Canada to live in the protected old-growth forest of the mountains. If it's true, the discovery could be monumental. Throw in a murder and a couple of disappearances, and Alex has her hands full.
I really enjoy Alex's character. She's smart, resourceful, passionate and supremely competent while maintaining her compassion for others. When she stumbles upon one of the missing women who is in shock and disoriented, Alex becomes even more entangled in the mystery as well as the brewing conflict between the logging company and a group of protesters trying to save the old trees and forest. I was hoping to see and learn more about Casey, so I'm hoping the next book will amp up his character and story arc.
I also paired this with a Thoughts from a Page podcast where Cindy Burnett interviewed author Alice Henderson about the book and her writing. It was a fascinating discussion and Alice is as passionate about the environment as her heroine Alex. Henderson's notes and references at the end of the book are equally enlightening.
Thank you, William Morrow Books, for the ARC of A Ghost of Caribou and for feeding my obsession with these stories!
In this installment, environmentalist/biologist Alex is working in the Selkirk Mountains of northeastern Washington State. Mountain caribou (different from the barren ground caribou of Arctic Alaska and Canada) became extinct in lower 48 states years ago, when two remaining females were sent to Canada to live with another herd. Alex's task is to determine if a mountain caribou has wandered down from Canada to live in the protected old-growth forest of the mountains. If it's true, the discovery could be monumental. Throw in a murder and a couple of disappearances, and Alex has her hands full.
I really enjoy Alex's character. She's smart, resourceful, passionate and supremely competent while maintaining her compassion for others. When she stumbles upon one of the missing women who is in shock and disoriented, Alex becomes even more entangled in the mystery as well as the brewing conflict between the logging company and a group of protesters trying to save the old trees and forest. I was hoping to see and learn more about Casey, so I'm hoping the next book will amp up his character and story arc.
I also paired this with a Thoughts from a Page podcast where Cindy Burnett interviewed author Alice Henderson about the book and her writing. It was a fascinating discussion and Alice is as passionate about the environment as her heroine Alex. Henderson's notes and references at the end of the book are equally enlightening.
Thank you, William Morrow Books, for the ARC of A Ghost of Caribou and for feeding my obsession with these stories!
January 2, 2023
Once again, a slow build-up yields a satisfactory conclusion to Alex’s latest outdoor adventure. The Pace is a little too slow as she does a bit more telling than showing in the first third in this 3rd in a series. As interesting as the history and biology of the caribou is, I would have liked more action in the first third of the book even though Henderson does a viable job building up the Tone and acclimating the reader to the environment. Again, Alex’s outdoor and biologist skills aid her and makes sense as she gets herself out of one predicament after another. Her knowledge of Jeet Kwae Do does not hurt either. All in all a decent third in a good series. I also had to wait too long for an appearance from a CH from the other books and alluded to early on in the novel but happy for the insertion. Less ST and more self-doubt in this one. I will read the 4th. See review of 1st two for other review points. Great outdoor action and environmental detail for those who enjoy, Nevada Barr, C.J. Box and Paul Dorion as well as a full list of environmental and Caribou resources as an appendix.
May 17, 2023
A very borderline 2.9-3 stars for the writing. The story was interesting while telling about the wildlife researchers responsibilities & duties and challenges. I thought it was a beautiful setting in Washington state, but the “thriller “ part was not quite tight enough to even begin to feel ‘real’. The heroine of the story, Dr Alex Carter could become the next Super Hero character in a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson movie, where even the unthinkable happens yet the main character will always come out alive, with nary a scratch to complain of, yet still goes through scary and painful moments. And remind me again what a caribou really has to do with this story??
Not having read the author’s first two books, I’m tempted, but not a priority.
Not having read the author’s first two books, I’m tempted, but not a priority.
November 27, 2022
This is the 3rd Alex Carter mystery and they just keep getting better and better. Alex is on the trail of the mountain caribou and if anyone can find it, she can. But there is more out in the forest than just elusive caribou. Something or someone doesn't want Alex to live through her latest adventure. And there are other women that have gone missing. Will she be able to solve this mystery and perhaps find the missing women before it's too late? In this third book, Alice Henderson highlights another endangered animal, the mountain caribou. In an instance of synchronicity, we are reminded that the author is a bioacoustician, among other things, and one of the other books that I am currently reading is all about bioacoustics and using it as a means of preserving all number of endangered species. I love it when the books I'm reading have a connection.
September 20, 2024
I love Alice Henderson’s series…you couldn’t ask for a stronger, smarter, or more fearless FMC to follow, and if you also love animals and the call of the wild, it’s even more of a bonus. This story transports you to the upper reaches of the PNW. A park ranger’s mummified body has been found, and other women hikers have recently gone missing. Strange lights appear in the night sky, and it’s evident that more than the precious few caribou are in danger within the woods. These are no cozy mysteries, as Henderson makes us brave the dark and depravity of human nature, all while teaching us about the delicate beauty of our natural world. I’m so happy she has a fourth book on the horizon!
July 22, 2024
4.5 Stars
Okay it’s official, I will read anything Alice Henderson writes!! I absolutely love the mixture of thriller and animal based research, though in this one we get a lot more thriller than her past ones. The settings are so eerie and create the best suspense. I love the main character and her continued growth. There are so many heart racing scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot is complex but revealed in such a way that is easy to follow. And it’s very twisty!
Okay it’s official, I will read anything Alice Henderson writes!! I absolutely love the mixture of thriller and animal based research, though in this one we get a lot more thriller than her past ones. The settings are so eerie and create the best suspense. I love the main character and her continued growth. There are so many heart racing scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot is complex but revealed in such a way that is easy to follow. And it’s very twisty!
January 9, 2023
A thriller set in a wild landscape with a female protagonist with crazy good skills counts as a crazy good formula for me. The author goes for the gusto - the story is crammed with action - with a nice balance created by description of Alex's friends and friendships and of nature. I was pulled along and enjoyed the suspense even though I found the story to be mostly farfetched.
December 2, 2022
Not as good as the first 2. A bit disappointed and I missed the Casey storyline tremendously.
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