Murder on the Yukon Quest by Sue Henry

In Murder on the Yukon Quest, Jessie is a musher competing with her team of dogs in one of the most difficult sled races, the Yukon Quest. When one of the other racers is kidnapped, Jessie becomes embroiled in the attempt to get the girl back alive. The rugged terrain, the numbing cold and the dangerous assailants threaten not only her life, but those of her dog team as well.

I loved this book. I learned a lot about dog-sledding, dogs and the areas in which the race took place, namely Yukon and Alaska. It gave me an appreciation for winter and although I won't be taking up sledding any time soon, I think I'll probably enjoy this winter just a little bit more because of Henry.

The book is a well-written mystery with plenty of suspects and motives. I breezed through this book in just a couple of sittings because I didn't want to put it down. I didn't think I'd enjoy it so much, but Henry's writing and descriptions drew me right in.

I loved many of her passages about the area, the wildlife and scenery. Her descriptions were wonderful and left me with many vivid images. They made me feel like I was really there, right down to the shivering. When Jessie was cold, so was I. Lately, I've become somewhat of a birdwatcher and really enjoy identifying birds in our backyard. Because of that, I particularly liked Henry's descriptions of the ravens:

Overhead several ravens danced on the wind, effortlessly revolving on the thermals in swoops and dives, like kites anchored to strings.

Highly recommended. I think dog lovers and winter adventurers would especially enjoy it. I'm so glad a I have a few more books by Henry on my bookshelf. I hope to get to them soon.