Shadows in Death-David Sundstrand

Shadows in Death
David Sundstrand
Minotaur, Mar 17 2009, $25.95
ISBN: 9780312537586

In the Mojave Desert, Bureau of Land Management Agent Frank Flynn investigates the murder of two poachers; near their corpses are dead wild burros that give the crime scene the appearance of someone who assassinated the two men for murdering the wild animals. Frank believes a radical animal rights group MDG led by Seth Parker killed the victims to end their shooting the burros as sport. Whereas he understands the extreme of the Parker crowd, FBI Agents Ellis and Novak assume Frank is an idiotic bureaucrat as they believe those opposed to hunting for sport are anti-American "animal rights terrorists."

Flynn thinks the opening of an affluent hunting club with imported prey will prove a fetching challenge to Parker. Although he emphasizes with the radical’s goal, he abhors the means. Each takes steps closer to a final conflict as Parker, dying from an illness, plans to change the exotic hunting target to "The Most Dangerous Game"; collateral damage is acceptable.

With homage to the great Richard Connell short story, readers are hooked from the first carcass to the last in one of the most exciting thrillers of the winter. The story line is action-packed and never slows down. Parker and Flynn come across as genuine individuals making the anticipated High Noon that much better; while the FBI agents are a bit stereotyped. With a strong sense of place and purpose, SHADOWS IN DEATH is a great thriller that sill send newcomers seeking Flynn’s previous BLM tale (see SHADOW OF THE RAVEN).

Harriet Klausner