Sisters of the Midnight Sun

Named a Best Book of the Month by Amazon and People
A New York Times Book Review Most Anticipated Book of Summer
Oprah Daily, A Best Book of the Summer
Debutiful, A Most Anticipated Book of the Year

“I am completely gripped by Sisters of the Midnight Sun . . . The book is excellent.” —Jessica Grose, The New York Times

“[A] compelling account of a disturbing murder case.” —Barbara Spindel, The Wall Street Journal

“Stunning.” —People

“Sisters of the Midnight Sun is nothing short of gripping from the first page to the last. And for Stevens, it’s both an homage to a place she lived in and loved, and a chronicle of the slowly accumulating tragedies and cultural gulfs that eventually made it impossible for her to remain.” —David James, Anchorage Daily News

“Written with curiosity, empathy, and humility, this is true crime, second-act reinvention, and extreme-landscape immersion in one crystalline package.” —Charley Burlock, Oprah Daily

“Sisters of the Midnight Sun is both a gripping crime narrative and a self-portrait (Stevens declares herself an outsider.) Her descriptions are sharp and vivid throughout. And her depiction of setting is compelling, from courtroom scenes to the Alaskan landscape . . . Stevens has written a book that is singular and unflinching.” —Athena Waligore, Debutiful

“Part true crime, part memoir, Sisters of the Midnight Sun is a unique glimpse into a harsh and gorgeous landscape and a culture that unfortunately is all-too-little known or even considered.” —Sarah Rachel Egelman, Bookreporter

“A deeply human exploration of grief, purpose, and what happens when an outsider steps into a community with its own history, traditions, and understanding of justice . . . Set against the stark beauty of Arctic Alaska, where the endless daylight creates an atmosphere unlike anywhere else, the landscape becomes as unforgettable as the people living within it . . . This is true crime with remarkable depth that blends memoir, courtroom drama, and cultural history into a narrative that asks bigger questions about justice, belonging, and whose voices are heard.” —Teresa Brock, Best Thriller Books

“[A]n engrossing blend of memoir, travelogue, and courtroom drama about a double murder in the wilds of Alaska . . . The account culminates with courtroom fireworks, but it works equally well as a more modest fish out of water narrative. Readers will be rapt.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The heady mix of true crime and clashing cultures makes for a thrilling, thought-provoking read . . . [Stevens’s] talents as a writer shine through in scene after memorable scene that evoke Scandinavian noir. Potent, morally complex storytelling that gets under the skin.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“[T]his true crime book boasts an expansive view of the surrounding Iñupiat community.” — Michael Sawyer, Library Journal

“Stevens skillfully sets the scene, detailing the claustrophobia of a town where everyone is a witness and no one is a stranger. The writing is gripping as she describes the procedural hurdles specific to the region: having to take prop planes to inaccessible areas, the importance of oral testimony, and the gut-wrenching stakes for a community trying to get justice for people they had known their entire lives, slain and accused alike . . . Sisters of the Midnight Sun is for readers who grew up on the razor-sharp courtroom dramas of Scott Turow or the high-stakes atmospheric tension of John Grisham, delivering an extra bite that feels like a bracing breath of sub-zero air. It provides the satisfaction of a legal thriller while serving as an insightful investigation into a territory those in the Lower 48 rarely see clearly. This is a haunting, expertly crafted reminder that the law is only as strong as the people who uphold it.” —Elizabeth DeNoma, Shelf Awareness

“Sisters of the Midnight Sun is a marvelous offering to true crime fans everywhere, set in a complex native Alaskan community, with a compelling protagonist in Rebecca Wright Stevens, a Public Defender obsessed with justice for two sisters murdered during the long months of endless sun.” —James Dalessandro, author of 1906: A Novel and Citizen Jane

“We see many books involving interesting crimes and trials, but Sisters of the Midnight Sun stands by itself. Ms. Wright Stevens is an experienced public defender who finds herself representing a man for murder in an Alaskan Inupiat community. She develops ethical issues when she comes to doubt her client’s innocence. As an outsider, Ms. Wright Stevens skillfully and with great sensitivity explores the character of the community and how its culture and traditions might affect her perception and handling of the case. The ending is a satisfying conclusion to this compelling and beautifuly told story.” —Harry MacLean, author of Starkweather

“A harrowing literary journey into a stark, unforgiving, and breathtaking land on the edge of the Arctic frontier—where women and girls are murdered with alarming frequency and little notice. A gorgeously crafted fusion of true crime, murder mystery, legal thriller, and one woman’s passage from personal devastation to hard-won triumph. This will remind you why there is still nothing better than a great book.” —Peter Houlahan, author of Reap the Whirlwind

“The question of who killed the Ipalook sisters serves as a jumping off point for a fascinating exploration of a community, the limits of justice, the capacity for forgiveness, and one extraordinary public defender’s sojourn beneath the midnight sun.” —Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author

“Ms. Stevens shows the behind-the-scenes of criminal defense. Whether in the South Carolina Lowcountry, or 4,000 miles away in Arctic Alaska, it requires painstaking effort, courage, and a commitment to Constitutional fair play. And it is essential to American justice.” —Dick Harpootlian, Lead Counsel for Alex Murdaugh and author of Dig Me a Grave