This first-rate murder mystery has as a considerable added bonus its authentic Arctic setting. In this book state trooper Nathan Active (star of the series) returns to Chukchi from Anchorage to confront a memorable cast of characters -- and figure out why two young men have killed themselves. Jones weaves serious cultural issues into his thoroughly engaging story. Nathan Active, a likeable guy born in Chukchi but raised in Anchorage, dances between native and transplanted cultures, skeptical of both.  (ALA164, $13.00)

A Nathan Active Mystery