Cold Water Burning

Cecil Younger is a private investigator in the town of Sitka, Alaska, and his greatest success as a defense investigator has left him suffering with nightmares of murder, fire and screaming children. Three years after the arson death of two adults and two children aboard a fishing scow, Cecil is still convinced Richard Ewers had nothing to do with the crime. But just as a raging storm heads straight for Sitka, Ewers, who was found innocent at a highly publicized trial, goes missing along with fifty thousand dollars and his wife Patricia asks Cecil to find him.Cecil agrees, but when he doesn't act fast enough for Patricia, she takes matters into her own hands. Her attempt to interrogate a couple of the suspects ends in tragedy, leaving Cecil looking like the town villain, responsible for yet another miscarriage of justice. With almost everybody against him, Cecil doggedly plods on with tension building until another tragedy strikes the town. In a terrific conclusion to this five star tale, Cecil must battle not only a personal enemy but also the deadly forces of nature.Reviewed submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

I will start out declaring my bias: I lived in Sitka, Alaska for 7 years (now in Juneau for the past 3) and know John and the people of Sitka well. It is for this reason actually I thought I would share something, possibily of interest, with readers or potential readers of John's work.It was quite obvious to me that John used his latest novel not only to entertain his readers, but to tip his hat to the people of Sitka who have provided him such good material and, more importantly, friendship over the past many years. Many of the positive side characters and a few of the main ones in this latest novel are John's friends and neighbors. If not in total, at least enough to convey a "tip of the hat" from John to them. While this is not unique to this book or John as a writer, he references so many local people and in such a way that reading the book was like watching him shake hands and pat the backs of his fellow Sitkans. I hope readers are able to pick up on this and that it allows them to feel perhaps even more immeresed in the Sitka by the Sea John describes so well.

I've been a fan of Straley's books after visiting Sitka, which is where he lives. I have read them all and without question this is the best yet! I love an unpredictable book, Straley does well in this fashion.

Cold Water Burning by John Straley is the latest foray of Cecil Younger the private eye. In this outing, our intrepid hero (who is on the wagon) is caught up in a nasty investigation involving a murder of a family. The more Younger digs, the more bodies turn up. An excellent tale that reaches heights of poetic expression without being corny. By far the best novel of Straley's to date. Though all good, this one is quite touching. The descriptions of the folks of Sitka could be like that of any small town America.

Every few pages there is a body. Even at book's end a skeleton shows up. Nevertheless, this is not a bloody book. It is a tightly constructed mystery with well delineated characters. It moves right along, with ravens, like a Greek chorus, checking on the action. Plenty of red herrings to mislead the reader. Recommendable.