On Dangerous Ground

Underwood's experience editing and writing for outdoor magazines serves him well in this convincing first novel. The storyline cuts back and forth between a wounded grizzly bear in the Alaska backwoods and a New York City publisher's offices where much in-fighting is centered on the destiny of In Wilderness, a fledgling nature and wildlife periodical. Encounters between the killer bear and unfortunate humans who cross his path are especially gripping; less engaging are the boardroom and bedroom scenes, although the New York cutaways effectively heighten the tension by making the reader wait while the grizzly keeps getting closer to a family who has forsaken corporate publishing for a back-to-nature lifestyle.