Description
News of a missing Instagram celebrity brings Senior Investigator Shana Merchant to a frozen island community of just eight people. When the visit turns deadly, her hunt for a killer collides with a cold case she’ll never forget . . .
It’s February in the Thousand Islands and, cut off from civilization by endless ice, eight people are overwintering on tiny, remote Running Pine. Six year-rounders, used to the hard work, isolation and freezing temperatures . . . and two newcomers: social-media stars Cary and Sylvie, whose account documenting their year on the island is garnering thousands of followers, and thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury gifts.
The long-term islanders will tell you Running Pine can be perilous – especially for city slickers who’ll do anything to get the perfect shot. So when Cary doesn’t return from ice fishing one morning, his neighbors fear the worst.
With the clock ticking to find the missing influencer, a police team are dispatched to take the dangerous journey to the island . . . but Sylvie, his frantic partner, will only talk to one person: newlywed Senior Investigator Shana Merchant.
Where is Cary – and what is it that Sylvie’s not sharing? With aspects of the case reminding Shana of an unsolved homicide from her past that haunts her still, she risks her own safety to help. But little does she know that a storm is coming – and if she doesn’t solve both crimes soon, she may become the island’s next victim . . .
The latest taut, thrilling small-town mystery featuring New York State senior investigator Shana Merchant, and set against the beautiful backdrop of the Thousand Islands, is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Ruth Ware.
My Thoughts
A solid entry in Wegert’s Shana Merchant series, fans will eat this up and readers new to the series will want to go back and read the earlier entries, which are:
- Death in the Family
- The Dead Season
- Dead Wind
- The Kind to Kill
- Devils at the Door
As a New Yorker who spends a lot of time in the NYS North County, I adore Wegert’s settings in and around Alexandria Bay and the 1000 Islands, and this one is no different. Fans of fast-paced, semi-hard-hitting police procedurals will enjoy the ice-covered ride of this story.
Publication Date: November 5, 2024
Published By: Severn House
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
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