Eye of the Wolf - Marie Zhuikov

Eye of the Wolf

by Marie Zhuikov

Wolves have lived on Isle Royale for over half a century. But, because they have lived in isolation on the island national park surrounded by Lake Superior for so long, their genetic diversity has suffered. It's gotten so bad that pups are stillborn. In other words, the wolves of Isle Royale are slowly dying out.

The alpha wolves of the island's largest pack have decided to do something about it. They know what will save their pack -- they must escape from the island, mix their blood with other wolves -- and the only way to do this is by boat. Of course, wolves can't run boats. People can, though. How can the wolves communicate this to the humans? The alphas know a way, and lure key humans into supernatural bondage as werewolves.

All of this doesn't take into account that Isle Royale is replete with scientists and volunteers studying the island ecology, friends of the people turned to werewolves who are searching for them, odd boat schedules, the pack's own internal power dynamics, vagaries of wind and weather, and myriad other problems causing the balance between survival and extinction to teeter back and forth. Will the wolves escape? Will they survive?


BIOGRAPHY

Marie Zhuikov spent two memorable college summers as a waitress on Isle Royale National Park, which alerted her to the plight of the wolves. An award-winning writer specializing in environmental and medical topics, she has published hundreds of articles and publications, many about her beloved Lake Superior. Marie’s poems have appeared in several anthologies and community projects. She lives in Duluth, Minn.

UPCOMING READINGS

• Barnes and Noble in Duluth on January 28 (time to be determined)

WEBSITE
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eye-of-the-Wolf/106576686113839

PURCHASE
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, and North Star Press of St. Cloud


PUBLISHER
North Star Press of St. Cloud

KILLER INSTINCT - Michael Allan Mallory

KILLER INSTINCT

by Michael Allan Mallory
and Marilyn Victor

As arguments rage across the country over the federal protection status of the gray wolf, an unknown hunter in northern Minnesota declares open season on the disputed animal. After zoologist Lavender “Snake” Jones and her old friend Gina Brown, a wolf biologist, discover four wolf carcasses in the woods near the town of Wolf Lake, Snake is taken aback as an enraged Gina swears vengeance against the shooter. Events take a dark turn when a cantankerous local man with outspoken anti-wolf sentiments is murdered and Snake fears Gina has acted upon her threat. Snake comes to grips with the killer in the dark interior of Superior National Forest, where she finds herself in a desperate struggle for her life.

“[Victor and Mallory] skillfully capture the subtle nuances of human and wolf behavior in their newest Snake Jones charmer. Killer Instinct is a page-turning delight, the perfect blend of mystery and wildlife. Highly recommended for both crime fiction and wilderness enthusiasts”

-- Anne Frasier, USA Today bestselling author


“Killer Instinct is both a great entertainment and a compelling mystery, with a strong sense of place (fans of Kent Krueger take note) and really cool, interesting characters.”

-- Crimespree Magazine


BIOGRAPHY
Michael Allan Mallory introduced mystery’s first zoologist sleuth in Death Roll (with co-author Marilyn Victor), which revealed what goes on behind the exhibits of a major metropolitan zoo. Zookeeper Snake Jones returns in Killer Instinct, research for which Michael volunteered at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota.

His short stories have appeared in several mystery anthologies, including the recently released Why Did Santa Leave A Body? and the forthcoming Deadly Treats (September 2011). He has degrees in English Literature and Electronics, and has worked in the Information Technology field for longer than he cares to remember.

Michael has studied and taught Wing Chun kung fu and is an avid lover of wildlife and nature. He is a member of Mystery Writers of America, the American Association of Zoo Keepers, and is the immediate past president of the Twin Cities chapter of Sisters in Crime, a national organization of authors and readers of crime fiction. Michael lives in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, with his delightful wife and an elderly but bodacious pure bred Maine Coon cat.

WEBSITE
www.snakejones.com

BLOG
http://zoofari.blogspot.com

SIGNINGS
Launch Party

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

7:00 - 8:30 PM

Once Upon A Crime Mystery Bookstore

604 W. 26th St., Minneapolis, MN 55405
www.onceuponacrimebooks.com

BACKLIST
Death Roll , 2007
Death Roll is available as an e-book on Kindle and Smashwords

PUBLISHER
Five Star Publishing, a division of Gale/Cengage
http://mlr.com/fivestar/