Death Trap - An Alaska Mystery

Death Trap – An Alaska Mystery (2004)
By Sue Henry — Avon
ISBN: 0380816865, Condition: Used, as sold by Crappy Old Books

If you’ve ever thought, “You know what this cosy evening is missing? Sub-zero temperatures, suspicious behaviour, and the possibility of dying in the wilderness,” then Death Trap is very much your aesthetic.

Sue Henry has a well-established habit of taking the already dramatic scenery of Alaska and adding murder, which frankly feels greedy—but works beautifully. In Death Trap – An Alaska Mystery, she once again proves that the landscape alone is not enough of a threat; you also need humans making terrible decisions in remote places with limited phone signal.

This particular copy, re-homed by Crappy Old Books with more enthusiasm than structural integrity, arrives in Used condition, which here means:

• A gently creased spine that suggests at least one previous reader said, “Just one more chapter,” and then absolutely did not stick to that.

• Edges slightly scuffed, as though this book has been in at least one bag that also contained loose keys, a half-eaten snack, and life’s general chaos.

• Faintly tanned pages, the literary equivalent of frost-kissed cheeks—only warmer and much more pleasant to hold.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Alaska, being its usual overdramatic self: vast, cold, remote, and absolutely not designed for people who misplace their gloves.

• A murder (or several) tucked neatly into the snow, ice, or general wilderness, as if nature wasn’t quite lethal enough on its own.

• Characters who may or may not survive their proximity to the plot, depending on their life choices and their ability to recognise a bad idea when they see one.

Henry weaves together:

• Mystery – Who did it? Why did they do it? And why, exactly, did anyone come out here in the first place?

• Atmosphere – Snow, silence, isolation, and the occasional thing lurking where it really shouldn’t be.

• Alaskan detail – Enough local colour to make you feel you’ve visited, without needing to buy thermal underwear or bear spray.

As for the Crappy Old Books experience, this used copy may also feature:

• A tiny bend or curl in the cover, like it tried to weather an Alaskan storm and survived mostly intact.

• The odd mysterious faint mark on a page margin—possibly from coffee, possibly from hot chocolate, possibly from someone gasping at a twist with a pen in hand.

• That lovely second-hand-book scent: part paper, part time, part “I outlived at least three other titles on this shelf.”

You’ll appreciate this book if:

• You adore crime fiction but feel that mild suburban settings simply don’t threaten your survival enough.

• You enjoy the idea of investigative work where “hostile environment” refers equally to the weather and the people.

• You find great comfort in the fact that you can read about Alaskan danger while safely swaddled in a blanket, far from wolves, crevasses, and suspicious neighbours with snowmobiles.

There’s something quietly satisfying about reading a book called Death Trap in a format that looks like it’s already escaped several dangers itself. This paperback has endured being read, transported, possibly dropped, maybe even briefly abandoned, only to be rescued by Crappy Old Books, who specialise in giving such survivors a second life.

Take it home. Let the Alaskan chill seep off the page while you follow the trail of clues, motives, and bad decisions across the icy wilds.

Because if there’s one place you really don’t want to stumble into a death trap, it’s Alaska.
But in a used paperback from Crappy Old Books? That’s the safest thrill you’ll get all winter.

Keep browsing: See more Crime books Other books by Sue Henry