Cold Mourning

A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery

Brenda Chapman

Dundurn

ISBN: 9781459708020

Description:

It’s a week before Christmas when wealthy businessman Tom Underwood disappears into thin air — with more than enough people wanting him dead.

New police recruit Kala Stonechild, who has left her northern Ontario detachment to join a specialized Ottawa crime unit, is tasked with returning Underwood home in time for the holidays. Stonechild, who is from a First Nations reserve, is a lone wolf who is used to surviving on her wits. Her new boss, Detective Jacques Rouleau, has his hands full controlling her, his team, and an investigation that keeps threatening to go off track.

Old betrayals and complicated family relationships brutally collide when love turns to hate and murder stalks a family.

My View:

A well written and engaging police procedural that starts with an impressive hook that is guaranteed to set your heart racing whilst you chew on your finger nails; for a few pages I was unsure of whether I would be able to proceed any further so horrified was I by the heinous acts that were unfolding before me. I managed to hang in there and was rewarded with a narrative that flowed flawlessly and characters that were empathetic and engaging.  I did not guess the ending.

Kala Stonechild is a character I want to see more of. I loved the quiet yet determined manner she used to conduct her interviews and her public life; she was well meaning, competent, acted with grace, humility and determination. This does not mean that Stonechild is a pushover, in her work she is forthright and strong, has great intuition and people reading skills and is able to influence others – good traits for a detective.  In her personal life – she is learning to forgive herself for past misdemeanours.

Detective Jacques Rouleau is a respected police officer who is the victim of office politics; he deserves better and hopefully this is what he will get when the next books appear –  I am banking on this!

All in all a fast paced, action packed work of crime fiction that subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) raises many social issues for discussion, and I look forward to future books by this author.