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Cover of Cold Wind

Cold Wind

388 pages

A rugged, atmospheric mystery where a reluctant investigator must untangle a chilling murder tied to his own complicated family.

What it feels like

Reading this book feels like stepping into the biting chill of the Wyoming landscape, where the stark environment mirrors the cold realities of a complex murder investigation. The narrative moves at a steady, deliberate pace, grounding the reader in the pragmatic, everyday life of a game warden thrust into an uncomfortable position. There is a pervasive sense of tension and reluctance, driven by knotty family dynamics and the heavy burden of duty clashing with personal distaste. The prose is straightforward and unvarnished, perfectly suited to the rugged setting and the gritty nature of rural justice. It is an experience that will deeply satisfy readers who love atmospheric, outdoor mysteries anchored by conflicted, blue-collar protagonists navigating a web of uncertainty and suspicion.

Mood
  • rugged
  • tense
  • chilly
  • uncertain
Tone
  • pragmatic
  • suspenseful
  • conflicted
  • gritty
Pace
steady
Themes
complicated family dynamics · reluctant duty · rural justice · seeking the truth
The writing
Grounded and straightforward, capturing the stark reality of the Wyoming landscape and the practical mindset of a game warden.
The arc
The journey shifts from reluctant familial obligation to a tense, determined pursuit of the truth.
Who it's for
Readers who crave atmospheric, outdoor-set mysteries featuring pragmatic investigators tangled in messy family obligations.
Content notes
  • murder
  • corpse description

About the book

When Earl Alden is found dead, dangling from a wind turbine, it's his wife, Missy, who is arrested. Unfortunately for Joe Pickett, Missy is his mother-in- law, a woman he dislikes heartily, and now he doesn't know what to do --especially when the early signs point to her being guilty as sin. But then things happen to make Joe wonder: Is Earl's death what it appears to be? Is Missy being set up?

Description from Open Library.

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