Cold Skin

Burruga is a small mining town located in Australia. The most exciting thing that happens are the fights at the local pubs. That is, until a local girl, Colleen, is found murdered. Now, among the townspeople there lives a murderer. The question is who? Could it be Albert Holding, a man who refuses to go to the mine? Or maybe the murderer was one of his sons, Eddie or Larry? Perhaps the murderer is Mr. Butcher, who mysteriously disappears every weekend. Or what about Mayor Paley, who loves talking about his victory. Then again, no one else wanted the position of mayor. Cold Skin is a story told in verse. This helps create an intense atmosphere that goes perfect with the storyline. Another thing to know about Cold Skin is that there are about 8-10 different point of views. Each point of view was about a short 1-2 pages. For a book that's less than 300 pages, that can seem like too much in a little amount of space, but Herrick effectively incorporated them in the book. The many point of views helps readers get an idea of what Burruga and its people are like. Herrick did a great job creating Burruga. Not only is Burruga a realistic town, but it's also distinctive which really sets it apart from other fictional towns. The different point of views also meant that guessing the murderer was hard. Once the murderer was revealed, I was shocked! I was not really shocked at who the murderer was, but rather how the murderer was caught and who caught him/her. While overall, the many point of views and the verse worked effectively, there were a few problems. Following the different point of views could be confusing. Several times I had to go back and remember exactly who was who. Because of the verse, several parts of the book have to read slowly and carefully. Otherwise, readers will miss important details. Having said that the pros of using different point of views and verse greatly exceeded the cons.

Cold Skin is a quietly riveting novel in verse. Herrick builds tension by alternating points of view; each character has a vested interest in the outcome of the murder that shakes up the town, and not one sees things in the same light as another. In that regard, Eddie stands out in the crowd, provoking sympathy with his protective, simple ways. A solid mystery, Cold Skin is also a story about family ties, and facing the consequences of one's actions. I was irrevocably drawn in from page one and never thought of putting it down until all had been resolved. Bravo to Front Street for producing a book that has a relevant cover, and for the quality of the book itself.

Set in a small Australian town and the area surrounding it, COLD SKIN is the story of brothers Eddie and Larry Holding, their parents, friends, and townspeople. What ties them together besides community connections is the disappearance and murder of a young girl. Eddie Holding is on the edge of adulthood. He'll be finished with school soon, and his dream is to put his size and strength to good use by working in the mines. It's a dangerous occupation and his father disapproves, but for years Eddie has watched the local young men leave school to work the difficult job and make a decent wage. His father, on the other hand, fought hard in the war and then came home to do a boy's job working at chore-like jobs for a neighboring farmer. Eddie has never understood why his father puts up with ridicule from the locals about his cowardly job. An observer of people, Eddie watches those around him. He watches as his older brother Larry drinks himself into a stupor each night at the local bar and then comes home to vomit in the garden and snore in bed until morning. There's the local mayor who never got a chance to fight in the war with the rest of the town's men. He spends his time bragging about his uncontested victory and gathering votes to assure he continues as leader of the town. Mr. Butcher, a high school teacher, leads a mysterious double life. During the week he teaches at the local high school and each weekend heads to the city. Eddie decides to follow his teacher one weekend and discovers he has a fondness for young girls. And speaking of young girls, Eddie experiences his first love with Sally and, at the same time, fantasizes about Colleen, whose disappearance and death tear apart the town. Author Steven Herrick tells the story of Burruga, Australia, in prose verse. The alternating view points give readers a glimpse into the minds and hearts of all the characters. Young Eddie guides the fast-paced story and provides the connections necessary to understand the people of this tiny town. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"