Dead of Winter

Too long. Plot overdone times two.

Dead of Winter Review Throughout the entire book, Dead of Winter, the author, P.J. Parrish, does an incredible job of keeping the reader in complete and utter suspense. The book is set in Loon Lake, Michigan, at the beginning of December, 1984. It begins mysteriously with the incident of the perplexing murder of one of Loon Lake's finest investigators, Thomas Pryce. It continues with Detective Louis Kincaid, who is a man who has come north, looking for a safe haven and new job in a new police department, so he can put all the terrors of his precedent life behind. Instead, he becomes trapped inside yet another investigation that is really just a case of whodunit. After Detective Kincaid is hired into the LLPD, he is hooked onto the investigation of Pryce's murder. His new chief, Chief Gibralter is more or less a very special individual. He is extremely well-educated and should own a bigger police department than Loon Lake's, but peculiarly does not. He makes it clear that he was the boss and only whatever he says, goes by intimidating Kincaid with a few rigorous words to the new guy: "These are the rules, and listen good...We have a motto here: Gens una sumus...'We are one family.'" Detective Kincaid meets many new people, but after a long time, his favorite one is Jesse Harrison, even though they do not find one another quite that appealing, at first. Jesse Harrison was fairly close to Thomas Pryce, so they begin to investigate the murder, when the late ambiguity of a retired Loon Lake officer's murder arises. As the investigation continues, Detective Kincaid starts to find incredible and amazing new evidence to further the investigation. They make a list of suspects and start to narrow down the possibilities of who is guilty. If I told anymore of this story, I'd basically give the ending away. Parrish is an amazing writer, in my opinion. I have never been as interested in a new suspense novel as I was while reading this one. I loved the way he ended each chapter differently. The very first chapter ends with, "'Merry f***ing Christmas, Officer Pryce,' he said.'" This begins one's curiosity to keep on reading to find out who the actual murderer is. At the end of Chapter 26, it ends with "Gibralter's eyes softened, taking on an almost paternal warmth. 'Sit down, Jess, I'll tell you,' he said." He keeps the reader wanting more because I know I wanted to know what Gibralter says to Jess and why he is so kind outside of the department, considering how Gibralter acts to others when he is at work. Parrish does a phenomenal job of keeping Kincaid an interesting male protagonist, as well. He gives him a possible love interest and fatal background of his life that could possibly explain Kincaid's behavior throughout the book. I thought these were extremely strong points, because the more details there were, the better one could understand what was going down. I didn't find any weak points in this book. I think I couldn't becaus

Dead of WinterBy P.J. ParrishPinnacle Books/Kensington PublishingJanuary 2001415 pagesMystery/Crime/SuspenseIn P.J. Parrish's second mystery/thriller, Detective Louis Kincaid transfers from Detroit to Loon Lake, Michigan hoping to find a place for himself, a good job and a little respect. What he first believes to be a town right out of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" shatters into a million pieces of reality after Chief Gibralter hires him. He's immediately handed the file of Thomas Pryce, the former Loon Lake investigator who was shot to death in his own home. Kincaid and his training officer, Jesse Harrison, explore every clue of the unsolved case beginning with visiting the scene of the crime, questioning witnesses, retracing the killer's steps and talking to Pryce's widow. Each shred of evidence leads to nowhere and more questions. As the days pass, more bodies surface and a calling card has Kincaid, Chief Gibralter, Harrison, Officer Dale McGuire and Sergeant Ollie Wickshaw fearing that the killer is going to take down a lot more Loon Lake residents before they slap cuffs on him. Kincaid's life becomes a living hell and for the life of him he can't figure out why Gibralter is on his case. Is he trying to bury him because of what he might find? Are the strange group of vets somehow involved? What do the scribbled notes in Pryce's notebook refer to and where does Duane Herbert Lacey, a lifetime local with a record a mile long fit into the bloody picture? Is it incompetency that leads Chief Criminal Investigator Mark Steele to Loon Lake or is it a hunch? Read the book and find out.DEAD OF WINTER is about justice, trust and how the truth can be veiled only so long. Parrish has created a page-turner with characters you give a damn about. You know their fears, their history and you wonder how everything that unfolds can possibly happen. Is justice blind? Can lifetime nightmares come to an end? A tiny bit of love interest here, but not without a price.Parrish began with "Dark of the Moon," then "Dead of Winter" and next year be on the look out for "Paint It Black." Ten-to-one you'll be a Louis Kincaid fan just like me. --Denise Fleischer, GWN Book Reviewer9/9/2001

I was very pleased to find a book that didn't follow in the footsteps of someone else. P. J. Parrish is making a big entrance in the world of fiction. I made the mistake of starting to read Dead of Winter at midnight. After several chapters and 3 hours elapsed, I finally had to put it down because I could no longer make out the pages. I was so entranced, I oftentimes forgot to blink. The characters are so real, I found myself getting angry when Gibralter wouldn't listen to Louis. This is one auther I am going to continue to read. I can't wait for the next one. Job well done, Parrish.

I am pleased that I also read P. J. Parrish's first book, "Dark of the Moon." With some authors it is difficult to follow a best seller with another one. No problem for P. J. Parrish. Dead of Winter continues the story of Louis Kincaid, a man who (although he has a strong academic backgound and other career choices) wants to continue his career in law enforcement as a cop. Go figure! Nevertheless, he brings to the job a deep sense of honor and integrity in the failed hope of finding those same traits amoung his fellow officers. Coupled with his mixed heritage, Kincaid quickly gets our support to keep trying and not give up on society or himself. Well, this is one Louis Kincaid fan who has no intention of giving up on the fictional character or the excellent writer, P. J. Parrish.

Police Officer Louis Kincaid lived a troubled childhood until special foster parents helped set him on the path that has led to his wearing a badge. Louis is half-black and half-white keeping a foot in both worlds, but not accepted by people in either of them.Louis serves as an officer in the bucolic town of Loon Lake, Michigan. Two weeks ago, someone murderd a police officer and the killer left behind a playing card left marked with numbers and a skull. Soon a retried officer is killed with a card also left at the scene. Apparently, an unknown assailant hates the Lake Loon police department for heinous crimes committed years ago.P.J. Parrish has written an exciting police procedural thriller that shows what it is like to serve as a police officer in a small community. The complex hero rarely allows his emotions to surface even though he seems to feel very deeply about honor and integrity. The reasons for the cop killings are tragic, but understandable, which makes DEAD OF WINTER a special tale worth reading by sub-genre fans.Harriet Klausner