In Anthony-winner Henry's so-so fourth whodunit to feature Alaska widow Maxie McNabb and her dachshund, Stretch (after 2007's The Refuge
), Maxie and Stretch befriend John Walker, a lonely tourist. Later, in the room of the inn where he's staying in Homer, John apparently shoots himself in the head with a pistol. Earlier, John attended a supper party at Maxie's, where he'd shown no signs of being suicidal, though Maxie's visiting son had found him a little too vague about his past. Alaska state trooper Alan Nelson confirms that the victim was using a false name and enlists Maxie's skills in figuring out his true identity. The plot thickens after Maxie discovers someone broke into her home while she was visiting Anchorage, and a stranger shows up claiming to be John's sister. While Henry does her usual fine job of depicting the lovely Alaskan landscape, the rushed resolution and not knowing enough about John to care about his fate will dissatisfy some readers. (Nov.)
