Two union organizers have disappeared and so Sage Adair begins a desperate search that takes him into the musty blackness of Portland's underground to confront mercenary shanghaiers, the pain of a lost friendship, and his own fears.This authentic depiction of the shanghaiing trade leaves the reader with a thorough knowledge of this despicable practice, its heroes and villains, and the role it played in the economic life of a West Coast city. "A fast-paced, well-plotted mystery...This engrossing tale is the first in what promises to be a worthy series." --School Library Journal "For those who like mysteries...it is hard to put down and the reader is rewarded with exciting drama as well as living and breathing characters." --The Portland Alliance "The novel is a page turner." --Southeast Examiner "In the search for truth, you'll often find more truth than the simple truth you're looking for. Land Sharks: A Sage Adair Historical Mystery is a riveting mystery from S.L. Stoner, following the protagonist Sage Adair who is charged with finding two lost individuals in 1902. Adair dives into the seedy side of Portland in order to find out what happened to them and what can be done. He may find them, but he finds so much more than that. Land Sharks is an exciting piece of historical fiction, recommended." --Midwest Book Reviews " Land Sharks is another gripping Susan Stoner tale of the struggles for decent treatment by American workers. Telling it in fact-based fiction makes it more interesting and personal." --Ross K. Rieder, President Pacific NW Labor History Association "Once again, Stoner has nailed the history, the bad guys and Portland's not so sterling upper class, while weaving a great read. Stoner's accurate portrayal of the working folks whose dedication and fearlessness helped bring the heinous practice of shanghaiing to a stop hits very close to my own heart. My grandfather, after sailing around the Horn as a cabin boy, arrived in Astoria, Oregon. There he was told, in no uncertain terms, by the First Mate that he was to lock himself in his room and answer to no one. Bad men were shanghaiing others to take to Australia to work in the mines. What a great way to learn history and enjoy a good read." --S. Frese, Headstart, Ret. "A unique mystery...enjoyed the flavor of the old Pacific Northwest." --Labor World "Combines rousing adventure with accurate back-to-the-past details." --Jim Stassmaier, Oral Historian, Oregon Historical Society, ret. Susan Stoner, writing as S.L. Stoner, is a native Oregonian who works full time as a labor union lawyer. Like that of her series hero, Sage Adair, her life has tended toward the adventurous. She has worked in skid road bars, Las Vegas casinos, free clinics and as a prisoners' advocate, psychology center videographer and federal judge's intern. Besides living in Portland, Oregon, Susan has also lived in a forest lean-to, a Sikh home in Singapore, alongside an alligator-infested Louisiana bayou, inside a sweltering Las Vegas tent, in a camper atop a 65 International pick-up truck as well as in a variety of more traditional abodes. She was a participant in Portland's original neighborhood movement and has since been involved in citizen activism, most recently by filing and winning a lawsuit to preserve Portland' s soon-to-be destroyed historical open reservoirs (one of those win the battle, lose the war experiences). She lives with her husband and dogs in Southeast Portland when they are not traveling or hanging out in the great Cascade forests. One of her passions is historical research, particularly that involving original source material. The third book in the Sage Adair series, Dry Rot , will be released in June 2013. The fourth book, Black Drop , awaits final editing and a fifth, Dead Line , is well on its way. All are based on true events in Pacific Northwest history. Used Book in Good Condition