Book Description:

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When trappers begin encountering illegal bear traps near their traplines, it seems that someone may be purposefully attempting to trap trappers—but why? As one trapper attempts to remove himself from a potentially lethal snare, two major snowstorms start pummeling the Central Cascades.

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Stranded hunters and a fugitive killer looking for a place to ride out a blizzard have Luke McCain and his yellow Lab, Jack, working overtime to help get everyone safely out of the mountains. It can only be described as the most challenging 72 hours he has ever spent on the job as a Washington State Fish and Wildlife enforcement officer.

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Praise for Trapped in the Cascades:

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"Fast-paced and engaging, Trapped in the Cascades converges three separate storylines, each ripe with malicious intent and life-threatening repercussions. These are woven into a nail-biting finale with Luke McCain and his faithful companion, Jack, fighting off dangerous weather conditions and the ticking timer towards death if they are unsuccessful. A five-star read!"

     --J.C. Fuller, author of The Rockfish Island Mysteries

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"I kept turning pages in Trapped in the Cascades long after I should have been doing other things, but as I followed Luke and Jack through biting winds and snow, smelling pine crushed underfoot and hearing the pop of pine sap from the fire, I couldn’t put the book down. Phillips is a great storyteller who can weave clever mysteries and plot twists that particularly appeal to people who love the outdoors but will please anyone who likes a good thriller."

     --Dalyn Weller, author of the Apple Valley Ranchers series and other titles

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Praise for Creature of the Cascades:

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"I had almost given up reading novels...then I picked up Creature of the Cascades. Here is something you don't see every day. A wordsmith with depth who has not only lived the outdoor life; he's an observer of the critters and the characters of the Northwest. Rob Phillips writes real places into this page-turner, and he is not averse to taking risks with humor, suspense and wordplay. I was hooked from the first jump."

     --Gary Lewis, TV host and author of Fishing Central Oregon, Fishing Mount Hood Country, and John Nosler Going Ballistic

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"Rob Phillips takes you on another fun romp into the wilds of Washington State as Luke McCain works on arresting poachers who are stealing young raptors.... McCain also struggles to figure out who or what is killing pets, livestock, and wild game in the South Cascades. Is it Sasquatch as some believe or is it something else? Read Creature of the Cascades, the latest Luke McCain novel and find out!"

     --John Kruse, host of Northwestern Outdoors and America Outdoors Radio

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Praise for Cascade Manhunt:

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"Cascade Manhunt is the fifth book of Rob Phillips’ Luke McCain series, and I believe it to be his best work. The book follows Washington State game warden Luke McCain as he works undercover to apprehend a group of hardcore poachers and then feverishly hunts down a fugitive wanted in several states. As a retired Washington State undercover Fish and Wildlife detective, I found Rob’s book to be spot-on. I simply couldn’t put Cascade Manhunt down and am already thirsting for Rob’s next book."

     --Todd Vandivert, retired Washington State Fish and Wildlife detective and author of the Wildlife Justice series

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"Like Rob Phillips' earlier books in the Luke McCain series, unique characters make Cascade Manhunt come alive. A plotline that twists and turns through the backcountry woods of central Washington keeps your attention until the very end."  

     --Dennis Dauble, author of Bury Me with My Fly Rod and Chasing Ghost Trout

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"Thieving poachers, a corrupt cop, a psychopathic serial killer—multiple intriguing, fast-paced plots skillfully written to move along separate but parallel storylines toward an epic conclusion master-minded by Washington Fish and Wildlife police officer Luke McCain. That all three plots flow singularly and seamlessly from chapter to chapter in narratives rich with accurate outdoor expertise without confusing this reader is a testament to Rob Phillips' wordsmithing skills. Cascade Manhunt, the latest edition to the Luke McCain thriller series leaves me wanting more."

     --Terry W. Sheely, author and writer

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Praise for Cascade Kidnapping:

 

"Poaching big game . . . check. A loveable yellow Lab . . . double check. Computer hackers from India . . . WHAT!

That last item is the big checklist twist in outdoor writer Rob Phillips’ latest novel, Cascade Kidnapping, the fourth in his Luke McCain series. As in all of Phillips’ books, Cascade Kidnapping reinforces healthy respect for the outdoors and laws that protect it. Conversational narrative writing as well as the Cascade Mountains’ sense of place reward readers. Recurring characters -- especially that Lab, Jack -- anchor each book."

      --Bob Crider, retired editor and publisher, Yakima Herald-Republic

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"Rob Phillips, award-winning outdoor writer, has given readers the 4th installment in his most entertaining Luke McCain mystery series! Cascade Kidnapping has Washington State game warden Luke McCain and his yellow Lab Jack arresting salmon poachers, investigating a serial elk killer and dealing with administrative duties. While finally on a few days off, McCain and Jack are asked to help locate and rescue two young kidnapping victims being held in the rugged wilderness of north central Washington. They race against time and the elements to save the boys before they can be hurt or worse . . . Phillips' writing displays a real knowledge of the outdoors, as well as the duties and responsibilities of game wardens. A very enjoyable book!!"

     --Rich Phillips, book reviewer for the International Game Warden Magazine

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Praise for Cascade Predator:

 

"Luke McCain is back in action! The iconic Washington game warden and his canine partner, Jack, are tearing around Washington’s central Cascade Mountains in search of an escaped – and maybe dangerous -- Bengal tiger! A fast-paced story, third in a series, that will challenge you to figure out how, and even if, Luke and Jack can pull the loose ends together and nail this case shut. I didn’t want to put the book down."

     --Bob Mottram, author and outdoor writer  

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"Lions and tigers in a conifer-canopied mountain forest, trouble lurking around every corner, an intuitive fish and game cop, and a fast-paced plot that twists from one suspenseful surprise to the next. Cascade Predator is a well-blended stew of Northwest icons, a reflection of Rob’s intimate knowledge of wildlife, outdoor realism, and page-turning curveballs that is just flat tough to put down. This latest edition to the Luke McCain series confirms Rob Phillips's standing as a skilled mystery writer. Already I want to read another."

      --Terry W. Sheely, northwest author and writer

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Praise for Cascade Vengeance:

 

"Cascade Vengeance takes readers on a thrill ride through the dual worlds of drug dealing and big-game hunting deep in Washington’s Cascade mountains. Rob Phillips uses his extensive knowledge of the region to tell the fast-moving tale of game warden Luke McCain and his yellow Lab Jack, as they face down poachers, murderous drug cartel members, and feral dogs on the way to the story’s harrowing and heartbreaking conclusion."

     --Scott Graham, National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of Mesa Verde Victim

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“Rob Phillips delivers another page turner. Cascade Vengeance is full of murder, intrigue and suspense. And just when you think the case is solved, Phillips throws you a curve ball. If you enjoyed The Cascade Killer, you’ll love Phillips’s latest in the Luke McCain series.”

     --Pat Hoglund, Publisher of Western Hunting Journal, Traveling Angler, and Salmon & Steelhead Journal

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"Cascade Vengeance, the second book in the Luke McCain series, is another hang-onto-your-hat, nonstop action episode with Luke, a Washington State Fish and Wildlife officer, his FBI girlfriend Sara, and Jack his loyal yellow Lab. I felt like I was riding shotgun in Luke’s Ford pickup, bouncing along forest service roads where very bad guys might be lurking."

     --Susan Richmond, owner of Inklings Bookshop

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“Another fast-paced, exciting chapter in the Luke McCain series that remains true to the Pacific Northwest. Phillips leaves readers with a splendid conclusion, helping us wonder when the next Luke McCain volume will be out. I am truly a fan of Luke and Jack!”

     --Vikki J. Carter, Host & Producer of Authors of the Pacific Northwest Podcast 

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"Rob’s knowledge of the outdoors, his attention to detail, his main characters -- Luke McCain, FBI Agent Sara Sinclair and their yellow Lab, Jack -- all come together for another quick-paced, fun, hard-to-put-down novel."

     --Steve Raabe, author of Patrolling the Heart of the West: True Tales of a Nevada State Trooper

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"Rob Phillips has done it again! Cascade Vengence is a compelling who-dun-it that pulls you ever forward like great mysteries can do. Luke McCain . . . must unravel a seemingly endless number of potential motives to find the culprits. A great read that leaves you begging for more."

     --T.J. Tao, bestselling author of Burn Scar, Stone Scar, and The Vault of Adon

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Praise for The Cascade Killer:

 

"Rob Phillips' intimate knowledge of Washington State's outdoors scene and recent newsworthy events is on full display in this fast-paced novel.  Featuring a smart, hard-working fish and wildlife officer, a demented serial killer, an attractive FBI agent and a scene stealing Labrador retriever, this is a great read and if you are like me you'll have a hard time putting this book down!"   

     --John Kruse, Host and Producer of Northwestern Outdoors Radio 

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“Phillips tells a masterful tale that is engaging, endearing and suspenseful. It is rich with local knowledge of central Washington and the Cascade Mountains, two places the author is intimately familiar. Once I started, it was hard to put the book down. A page-turner for sure.”

     --Pat Hoglund, Publisher of Western Hunting Journal, Traveling Angler, and Salmon & Steelhead Journal

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"Weaving experiences that will be familiar to any hunter or angler into a murder mystery plot, The Cascade Killer is a criminal thriller with a unique outdoor twist that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat the whole time. Phillips is clearly an experienced outdoorsman himself and the story he tells is authentic, realistic, and enjoyable. If you’re looking for an enjoyable read out in deer camp or for just sitting next to your fireplace, then The Cascade Killer is a definite winner."

     --John McAdams, author of The Big Game Hunting Blog & host of The Big Game Hunting Podcast

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“Yakima outdoor writer Rob Phillips knows his woods, waters and wardens, and it shows as he weaves them into this fast-paced, gripping murder mystery. You can practically smell the ponderosas and pack horses among pages that seem to leap straight out of the gazetteer. Mixing good old fashioned game wardening with current events, Phillips highlights the complex, often lonely and very vital work Washington fish and wildlife police perform, and a modern national travesty, the high number of missing or murdered native women.

     Buckle up and enjoy the plot twists and turns as they take you up mountain passes, along trout streams and down dusty logging roads as Phillips' woodswise WDFW Officer Luke McCain and trusty Lab Jack race to stop a serial killer from striking again. I don't read fiction, let alone crime thrillers, but this one has me demanding more Luke McCain novels, Rob, please!"

     --Andy Walgamott, editor, Northwest Sportsman magazine

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“Real! Captivating! Once you start, you can’t put it down! The Cascade Killer is VERY well done! "

     --Scott Haugen, host and producer of The Hunt and author of numerous outdoor books

 

"Rob Phillips is a well-respected outdoor writer who has turned his talents to writing an excellent mystery book.  Using current day events, The Cascade Killer, is fast-paced and entertaining.  Women of similar physical characteristics disappear and their bodies are found in the mountains of Eastern Washington.  Game Warden Lucas McCain is called when a legal bear hunter discovers a human ear in the stomach of a harvested bear.  The investigation twists and turns while more bodies are discovered, while McCain and local authorities race to find the killer before more women disappear.

     The Cascade Killer checks all the boxes of a good book.  It is entertaining and fast-paced.  It also provides a glimpse into the world of today's Game Warden, from the routine to the spine tingling.  This book has it all!"

     --Rich Phillips, book reviewer for the International Game Warden Magazine

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"The author’s knowledge and love of the outdoors and the bounty it provides shines through in this fast-paced, fun and thrilling story.  The Cascade Killer captures many of the attributes important to those within the rural, outdoor community wrapped into a murder mystery where a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife game warden finds himself entwined, solving, and eventually capturing the person responsible for the murder of several young woman. This book gives you a glimpse of a game warden’s life, how he often deals with sportsmen who break the law, the cooperative relationship carried on between various enforcement agencies, and how relationships, life, jobs and romance are often connected. In addition, it takes you into the mind of a psychopathic killer who thinks payback should involve innocent, young women."

     --Buzz Ramsey, author, outdoor personality and Hall of Fame angler

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“The Cascade Killer is a fun, adventurous, entertaining story.  I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying Wildlife Officer Luke McCain, his Yellow Lab Jack and FBI Agent Sara Sinclair as they pursued a serial killer in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. A great story!"

     --Steve Raabe, author of Patrolling the Heart of the West, True Tales of a Nevada State Trooper

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“Phillips knows the Pacific Northwest's Cascade Mountains, the wildlife that inhabit the region, and the daily routines of wildlife officers. Luke McCain and his lovable sidekick, Jack the yellow Lab, are hard not to love in this fast-paced mystery that you may not be able to put down. I cannot wait for more!”

     --Vikki J. Carter, Host & Producer of Authors of the Pacific Northwest Podcast 

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