Product Description

In July of 1897, the S.S. Portland sailed from Skagway, Alaska, to Seattle, Washington, carrying two tons of Yukon gold--its arrival setting off the famed Klondike Gold Rush. Now, a hundred years later, amid great fanfare and publicity, another ship is recreating the fabled voyage. But this time Death is on board.

A true Gold Rush buff, Alex Jensen is thrilled to be representing the Troopers on the Spirit of '98's historic journey down Alaska's spectacular Inside Passage even though it means having to dress up in an uncomfortable period costume and keeping an eye on the ton of gold the ship carries below. But as long as his lady love, the famous "musher" Jessie Arnold, is at his side, this leisurely trip through a giant maze of scenic straits, sounds, harbors and inlets is as close a thing to heaven as the quiet, serious policeman can imagine. That is, until an unexplained rash of shipboard robberies--followed by the strange disappearance and probable death of a crew member--pulls Alex rudely back to Earth.

Meanwhile, a stolen ketch sails north out of Douglas Island harbor in the Southeast Alaska Panhandle--silently cutting through the black waters of Gastineau Channel under cover o darkness, with a two-man crew and the bound I dead body of an innocent woman in the hold heading toward a fateful encounter that could write a grim new chapter in Alaska's history.

The only law officer in the vicinity, it is now Alex's duty to unravel the twisted skein of lies greed and lethal secrets that entangles the crew and passengers on this historic cruise, before Death once again hails the Spirit somewhere along the Inside Passage.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #117175 in Books
• Published on: 1998-08-01
• Released on: 1998-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 352 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780380788637
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
YA. Alaska State Trooper Alex Jensen and his friend Jessie are onboard the ship Spirit of '98 as it reenacts a historic moment from the Klondike Gold Rush. However, the fact that it is not truly a vacation becomes obvious as the officer must deal with a series of severe crimes: robberies, a disappearance, murder, major theft, and a bomb. The challenges intensify before any of the mysteries are fully solved. Historical and geographical details are skillfully woven into the plot. The map and diagram help to identify the location of each scene. The cover art of a large glacier looming over the ship is symbolic of the intensity of the climax.?Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Alaska state trooper Alex Jensen and girlfriend Jessie Arnold (Sleeping Lady, LJ 8/96) cruise down the Inside Passage as part of the 100th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush. When robbery and death strike the ship, Alex must investigate. More good stuff.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
To celebrate the Alaskan gold rush centennial, the Spirit of '98, a 200-foot-long passenger vessel, is sailing the Inside Passage to Seattle with a ton of gold on board. State Trooper Alex Jensen and his girlfriend, Jessie, are along as representatives of the state. But nearby, shadowy figures are pirating a sailboat, and mutineers have infiltrated the passengers and crew. Alex and Jessie discover thefts and two murders; then they realize these crimes are just a prelude to the main event: someone intends to steal the gold. In this fourth Alex Jensen mystery, Henry refreshingly blends classic mystery devices (a missing passenger, double identities, and locked rooms) with frontier and nautical history and the great beauty of Alaskan glaciers, mountains, night skies, and wildlife. In addition, Henry's enjoyable, well-paced novel displays little gratuitous violence and contains an intriguing mix of real and fictional characters. Death Takes Passage does for Alaska what Hunt for Red October did for submarines. John Rowen

Customer Reviews

Passage to Adventure
I took almost the same voyage with the Cruise West's Spirit of Endeavor from Juneau to Seattle a few years ago. This book relives that Inner Passage voyage with the Spirit of 98 brilliantly. Each town is described excellently. Mystery was inventive. I recognized so many real people in this book. The author must have enjoyed writing this immensely and it shows. A wonderful series. Got out all my pictures from that voyage to enjoy once again. Great adventure!

Great Read
This book is great! It is one of my favorite Sue Henry books. She made clear images in my mind of the scenery. Ms. Henry did a wonderful job at keeping me guessing who did it until the end.

Pirates of the Inside Passage
This book proves to be rather interesting and somewhat entertaining murder-mystery. Its part of Sue Henry's Alex Jensen and Jessie Arnold series. This time around, Jessie is without any doggies to help her around, a changed of pace for her. Most of the story take place aboard a ship and the story - which proves to be somewhat unoriginal - still was well written and paced.

I thought due to the fact that it take place aboard a cruise ship, this was one of Sue Henry's lesser Alaskan atmospheric books. Tidbits of Alaskana flavors is shown but this proves to be rather a run of a mill thriller. This book is more of an Alex Jensen book with Jessie Arnold playing somewhat of a second fiddle.

Despite of this rather lackluster endorsement, I still thought that the book was a page turner and the plot ended up working out pretty well. But overall, Sue Henry readers may regard this book as one of her lesser works.