A Cold Day for Murder, by Dana Stabenow

This novel introduces hero Kate Shugak as the first of a series.  The setting is Alaska; Shugak is an Aleut who left her village for an education and career in law enforcement, and who ended up back home.  She's there to hide from the world, sulk and deal with her personal issues, but a case of missing lawmen pulls her out of her cabin to solve the mystery.

This is a very good novel, with a great setting; I also find it educational about the Aleuts and their issues.

A Cold Day for Murder (Kate Shugak #1)