Death in Dutch Harbor (#1595)

 

Death in Dutch Harbor is apparently a debut novel by D. MacNeill Parker, and what a banging beginning for this author. As I searched for more information about the author and Dutch Harbor, I learned that there had been five deaths in this small Aleutian outpost in the first several months of 2023, but this book was probably well underway by that time. It’s just another example of life and literature mirroring each other. The novel will be available for purchase in the third week of October 2023.

 

Nonetheless, Dutch Harbor is a tiny place for so many deaths. The protagonist, a veterinarian in Dutch Harbor, Dr. Maureen “Mo” McMurtry, had just interviewed for a new position at an animal hospital in Anchorage where she would have access to new equipment and a team of experienced vets, as compared to her underbudgeted one-person clinic in Dutch Harbor. She also had a relationship with a boat captain in Dutch Harbor, Arlo, but they had not yet committed to a long-term relationship, and she loved living in the relatively isolated town of Dutch Harbor, located on the island of Unalaska. Her four-year contract was up and she needed to decide whether to re-up for Dutch Harbor or go to a much more lucrative position in Anchorage.

 

The book began with a weather-challenged landing by a small aircraft at Dutch Harbor, just a part of living in such a remote outpost. Mo immediately ran into an old acquaintance, Kate, a marine biologist who was on her way to investigate the mysterious death of sea lions. Mo went along, and that led to the discovery of a man’s corpse who had been shot and was tangled in the same seaweed as the dead sea lions which had also been shot. The man was tentatively identified as being a hopeless substance abuser from Dutch Harbor because he only had one eye. Despite being a veterinarian, the police chief engaged Mo to help him identify the cause of death and the time of death of One-Eye Ben. The chief complained that when he turned over such matters to the State authorities or the FBI, they took over full control of the investigation and cut him out of that effort. Mo was able to do as the chief requested.

 

Then, the author talked about the struggle between fishermen and the environmentalists. It was a young environmentalist, Casey, who suddenly appeared in the midst of these problems, and wound up dead in the process. His body was disposed of in a crab pot which had a serial number identifying it as coming from Arlo’s boat. The crab pot with the body was caught in a fisherman’s net, and that led to the discovery of Casey’s body.

 

Parker successfully tied together the multiple themes with strong characters, especially the women, with a believable and exciting plot. I recommend this book and look forward to Parker’s next novel.