R.D. Reger is a distinguished geologist who has dedicated his career to understanding Alaska’s recent and ancient geological history. His work with the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys spans glaciers, permafrost, and glacial formations. He’s authored guidebooks for the Richardson and Glenn Highways and the Kenai Peninsula, and his research on cryoplanation terraces and the glacial history of the Cook Inlet region has shaped how we understand this incredible landscape.

To Peggy:

Thanks for asking me to review Murder On the Rocks, Talkeetna Alaska, an inaugural mystery novel by Melissa Saulnier. Talk about a world-class-coincidence!! It turns out that the first post-retirement contract I had with the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys was as a member of the DGGS team evaluating the mineral potential of the Petersville (Yentna) Mining District, which includes the Cache Creek placers, at the end of Petersville Road west of Talkeetna. I mapped the glacial and other surficial deposits and proposed the late glacial history for our helicopter-supported group. Linked is a 2000 DGGS newsletter article that summarizes our investigations. NL 2000-1 - Alaska GeoSurvey News - Geologic mapping and placer potential of the Petersville (Yentna) mining district 

In addition, I knew Roberta Sheldon, who published a book about the 1939 Cache Creek murders. We used to sit together and visit Dr. Ivar Skarland's geography class at UA Fairbanks, and when we were working out of Talkeetna, I met her and her children one day in the street. She was a very nice person.

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In my opinion, Melissa Saulnier is an excellent writer, who thoroughly researched the mining history of the Talkeetna-Petersville district. Her writing style and character development are outstanding. In this first mystery novel (BOOK ONE) of an anticipated future series, she introduces several interesting personalities and places them in a complex plot. The two main protagonists are Emma Stone, a senior detective in the Anchorage Police Department with a reputation for solving difficult cases and a natural talent for playing jazz piano. Jeremiah Steele is a senior FBI agent assigned to work closely with Detective Stone to solve the double killings on federal lands near Talkeetna. He is well known for his strong organizational and analytical skills. Initial tensions between local and federal law-enforcement representatives gradually dissolves as these two consummate professionals pursue the known evidence, and they are professionally and even cautiously emotionally drawn together.

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Three antagonists gradually emerge as the plot proceeds: one is the killer of the two initial victims, who had discovered rich placer gold deposits near Talkeetna. A second antagonist is the Alliance, a group of dedicated militaristic survivalists, who occupy a fenced compound in the boreal forest, where they provide their own needs. A third antagonist is a wealthy land developer with a mysterious source of revenue., who develops a fixation on Detective Stone. The rich antagonist manipulates conditions in Anchorage to attract and ultimately dominate Detective Stone through her jazz piano talents. The author skillfully transitions from the Talkeetna killings to developing federal investigation of the wealthy antagonist, likely leading to a second novel with this exceptional author. 

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I strongly recommend that you stock this novel and future offerings by Melissa Saulnier. I plan to grab one whenever I find it here.

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Very best wishes

Dick Reger

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