Wednesday 29 March 2017

In The Shadow of Denali by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

Their Future Depends on Unlocking the Secrets the Mountain Holds From the Past
Cassidy Ivanoff and her father, John, work at the new and prestigious Curry Hotel near the foot of Mount McKinley--Denali as it's still called by the natives. John is the wilderness and exploration guide for the wealthy tourists while Cassidy works in the kitchen as Cook's assistant. The entire staff buzzes with excitement during the busy days preparing for the President's imminent visit. His historic trip to dedicate the new national park on his way to driving in the golden spike to officially complete the Alaska Railroad will be the beginning of a new era for all of them and place The Curry at the heart of Alaska. 
 
Allan Brennan travels to the Curry Hotel to be an apprentice to the seasoned Alaska mountain guide, with hopes of discovering the truth about his father's death on the mountain years earlier. His father's business partner blames the guide for Henry Brennan's untimely death, but Allan cannot be at peace until he knows for sure. He finds an unlikely ally in Cassidy, and as the two begin to look into the mystery, they suddenly find that things are much less clear, and much more dangerous, than either could ever imagine.

Review:  First of all.... what an appealing cover. I love the mix of eras present in the art. A little history and a little present day - it blends into a beautiful piece that really is an accurate portrayal of the story itself. 

Allan Brennan travels to Alaska nearly a decade after his father's untimely death on the unforgiving slopes of Mount Denali. Although a fair amount of time has passed he is no where near over his father's death and he has questions. Lots of them. Most importantly, he has questions for his father's mountain guide, John Ivanoff. Determined to hear exactly what happened that faitfull day, Allan finds a job at the Curry Hotel as an apprenticing mountain guide. Unknown to him, his boss is none other than John Ivanoff. 

Confused and angry, Allan tries to sort out the facts. The incompetent man he was told about by his father's business partner does not at all match the outstanding individual he is reluctantly getting to know. As time passes, instead of finding answers to his father's demise, Allan's questions grow. As Allan and John's daughter Cassidy begin to dig deeper they unknowingly stir up a danger that is very much alive, but will they realize what they've done before it's too late?

This was a very well researched novel and you can tell that both authors have a deep love and appreciation for the history and the beauty of Alaska. The descriptions and the reverence within these pages for the USA's most northern state is clear. In addition to being a great tribute to Alaska, this novel is a wonderful faith promoter. Neither Tracie Peterson or Kimberley Woodhouse shy away from sharing the gospel nor do they miss an opportunity to teach a faith lesson. This is a very nice novel with solid characters, a sweet romance, and an interesting plot. 


Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and Baker Publishing House for a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. 

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