Lost in the Stacks: Sisters of the Midnight Sun

Blame it on the midnight sun. As sunlit days blended into sunlit nights throughout the Arctic summer, it was easy to lose track of exactly what day it was. Add a liquor-fueled weekend with some drugs mixed in, and it was no surprise that few witnesses could say with certainty when they had last seen sisters Wanda and Bernice Ipalook alive. 

Yet it was crucial for public defender Rebecca Wright to know who was where in the small town of Utqiagvik, Alaska, in early August 1993. Her client, Amos Lane, a Native man, was out on a pass from a substance abuse treatment clinic that weekend. Law enforcement quickly identified Lane as a likely suspect in the double murder of Wanda and Bernice. If only Rebecca could get clear answers from witnesses and less dirty dealings from the detectives, she might be able to exonerate her client. 

If it weren't for the photos tucked into the middle, I could almost forget Sisters of the Midnight Sun wasn't a novel. All the elements are here: a scrappy public defender with a heart of gold, colorful locals in a unique setting, and a villainous detective taking the law into his own hands. Add a romantic subplot and a heartwarming dog rescue, and you'll think you're reading a gripping legal thriller. 

Still can't get enough nonfiction? Below are two more titles I recommend this month. You many also want to sign up for our monthly nonfiction email newsletter. We'll send you my picks of six fascinating books you might have missed.

All That's Unseen by Emilee Hackney

“There is so much to admire in Emilee Hackney’s brilliant memoir—vivid writing, the ability to tell a story well—but what sets it apart from so many depictions of Appalachia is her refusal to sentimentalize or demonize the people and its culture. Hackney vividly acknowledges instances of ignorance and small-mindedness in Appalachia, but she refuses to shirk how often the same attributes reside in Ivy-League academia. Instead, we are given a complex, in some ways transcendent, vision of how to love and honor a place and yet also realize we must leave it. All That’s Unseen is a marvel.” —Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author of The Caretaker and Serena

Up on Cove Mountain: Adventure, Tragedy, and a Quest for Meaning on the Appalachian Trail by Earl Swift

“Hiking the 2200 miles of the Appalachian Trail is an arduous adventure. Earl Swift did it as a young man, and it changed his life. But, a double murder along the way still haunts him. Thirty-five years later, he returned to the trail to rediscover lost youth and to search for answers. A fascinating story and A HELLUVA BOOK.” - John Grisham