Book Review: Tainted Trail

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Tainted Trail     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Wen Spencer
Class/Genre:   Science Fiction   Mystery   Private Investigator
Series: Ukiah Oregon # 2
Roc, June 2002, $6.99, 320 pp.

There is nobody in the world quite like Ukiah Oregon. His genetic make-up is that of an alien sire and an Earth woman. He has heightened senses, which make him an excellent tracker, is almost impossible to kill and is more than two centuries old. Ukiah’s earliest memories were that of growing up and being raised by wolves until he was caught in a trap and adopted by two women who set the non-lethal snare.

He works with private detective Max Bennett who is one of the few humans privileged to know about Ukiah’s background. Their latest case takes them to Oregon where a hiker has gone missing. Her uncle has hired them to locate her but when Ukiah picks up the trail, he discovers that she is the victim of a kidnapping. While trying to locate her despite the attempts of the kidnappers to stop him, Ukiah also tries to follow a promising link to his mother’s family which, in turn, leads him to his father’s enemies.

Containing elements from the mystery and science fiction genres, TAINTED TRAIL is a unique and highly entertaining reading experience. It is easy to believe that the hero is a lovable half- breed alien, which makes the underlying premise for this work easy to accept. The mystery is a tightly woven cerebral puzzle that is almost impossible to figure out until the author reveals the final clues. Hopefully Wen Spencer will continue to write about Ukiah Oregon (the person, not the place).

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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