Cold

                                           



Cold by Stella Cameron introduces Alex Duggins (aka Alex Bailey-Jones) as she deals with a series of horrific events taking place in the normally peaceful and picturesque village of Folly-on-Weir.  A grim discovery embroils Alex in a murder investigation that threatens the peace of mind that she has sought to regain after her personal tragedy yet it also forces her to interact with others, among them a personable veterinarian named Tony Harrison and a couple of delightful canines.  As events continue to intensify, Alex discovers that there is a chilling purpose to all of the villain’s actions, and she seems to be the focus of that person’s attentions.   Will the investigators Detective Inspector O’Reilly and Detective Sergeant Lamb be able to get past the insular villagers’ distrust in time to solve the case?  Or will Alex have to take matters into her own hands?

This entertaining mystery evokes the charm of a small village in the Cotswolds yet cloaks it in the chilling aura that this author creates so well.  The action nicely escalates yet is tempered by the vignettes that feature the four-footed companions of various characters.  It would be nice to have a bit more depth to the main characters but I suspect that the gradual exposition of their pasts will take place over the course of several novels in the series.  There are plenty of fascinating secondary characters who provide great color and background to the story and the snippets of information revealed such as the artistry that goes into creating lace are enlightening both in terms of the mystery itself and as a way of detailing some of the fascinating resources that can be found in these quiet villages.  An enjoyable light read that will make one grateful for a way to warm blanket to snuggle into.

© Night Owl Reviews

I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.

Cold, Introducing Alex Duggins  (Amazon link)






Additional note:  It is my understanding that the author is hard at work on the next book in the series so stay tuned for more of Alex's adventures!