Death and the Icebox

Linda Berry's DEATH AND THE ICEBOX is a cozy cold case mystery with a fun sleuth and an intriguing look into the past of a small southern town. Ogeechee, Georgia police officer Trudy Roundtree visits Eric and Stacy Riggs while they are clearing land on site for their new home. When the old icebox is finally moved, the door opens to reveal the body of a young woman. Forensic science places the death some thirty years or so ago. In order to solve the case, Trudy must dig into small town history. With a population of 3412 people, nothing passes by the residents of Ogeechee and yet the the paucity of clues comes close to matching the almost non-existent physical evidence left at the crime scene of the town's dump. Between old newspaper clippings and the memory of the present day residents, will Trudy be able to garner enough clues to unearth the dark secrets of the past without placing herself or others at risk? Written in first person narrative through the eyes of Trudy Roundtree, DEATH AND THE ICEBOX achieves a unique cozy small town and yet progressive tone through the character of the sleuth. Trudy's feminism and the game of horrorscopes she plays with her friends add a flair to this mystery as she assesses her boss and cousin, Henry Huckabee, and the other town residents who she and Stacy label and describe according to southern items like Vidalia Onions and Sugar Cane. The look at a small town's past through old newspapers and memories adds a wonderful sense of nostalgia that never turns too sweet on account of the cold murder case that underpins the search. Even as Trudy narrows in on the culprit and the motive, the reader discovers a new twist towards the end. Throughout this mystery, Linda Berry creates characters and subplots that intrigue. To the mystery buff's delight, the final clues are not thrown in at the end but in plain site but through inference throughout the narrative. Fortunately for the reader whose interest in the past and present Ogeechee residents grows, Linda Berry does not just drop her story once the murder is solved. Instead, without resorting to a quick epilogue to tie threads together, Linda Berry adds new insights and an intriguing glimpse into the current day ramifications of this solved cold case and her search for clues.

Trudy Roundtree, young and recently widowed is back in the small town of Ogeechee, Georgia, where she grew up. Her cousin, Police Chief Henry Huckabee under some pressure from his relatives, has hired Trudy as one of two full time police officers in Ogeechee. Trudy is determined to come to terms with the double grief of losing her young husband and her beloved grandmother by doing a bang up job on the police force. So just after returning from homicide school, when the body of a young woman is found in an abandoned icebox, Trudy is faced with solving her first solo decades-old murder. Hen lets her have a free rein with the case, since he is too busy, and he also "knows" that this murder is too old to be solved easily. Trudy interviews the town librarian and looks at back issues of the Ogeechee newspaper and notices that in 1969 a Donnie Burkhalton died in an automobile accident. She also discovers that his fiancée left him and disappeared on the same day. Dental records show that Donnie's fiancée is the victim. Although the case is over 30 years old, Trudy is determined to see justice done by catching a killer although she is hampered both by the lack of clues and physical evidence. This series is rapidly getting to be one of my favorites. Trudy is a likable feisty southern young woman, who thinks it's her duty to raise the male consciousness of her cousin Henry, this results in some very funny dialog. DEATH AND THE ICEBOX gives an accurate depiction of what life is like in a small southern town. Trudy is independent, upbeat and believes police work is what she is meant to do. The mystery itself is complex and there are plenty of suspects, Linda Barry does a wonderful job depicting the people and the small town southern sensibilities of Ogeechee, Georgia.

Small towns in the U.S. are riddled with strange murders in mystery books. Ogeechee, GA, is no exception. What IS exceptional is Trudy Roundtree, the only female police officer, constantly balancing the delicate relationships between herself and family and friends with the objectivity and scientific skills required by her job. In the latest of Trudy's adventures, happenstance reveals a decades-old murder of a young, unknown woman. While Trudy solves the puzzle, she also unwittingly and almost unwillingly strips away the barriers, excuses and self-defenses a number of neighbors have raised around themselves. A sensitive view of the unforeseen human consequences of crime, peopled with characters and an atmosphere in a town you wish you could visit yourself.

Ogeechee, Georgia with its population of 3,412 is just right for Trudy Roundtree who returned home after the death of her husband. She is the only female police officer in Ogeechee. She visits friends clearing a dump when an old icebox flies open and the body of a dead woman is found stuffed inside.The autopsy shows that a blow to the head murdered the victim at least twenty years ago. Trudy has no idea of the identity of the woman but as she looks at back issues of the Ogeechee Beacon she notices that in 1969 a Donnie Burkhalton died in an automobile accident. She later discovers that his fiancée dumped him and disappeared on the same day. Dental records show that Donnie's fiancée is the victim. Although the case is over three decades old, Trudy is determined to see justice done by catching a killer.DEATH AND THE ICEBOX is a cozy police procedural that gives an accurate depiction of what life is like in a small southern town. The heroine is independent, upbeat and believes police work is her calling. The mystery itself is complex and intricately woven into the story line and there is a plethora of suspects but the stumbling block in figuring out who the killer is comes down to motive. Nobody, at least on the surface, had any reason to see the woman dead. So Trudy has to delve deeper and recreate events that happened years ago. Using people's unreliable memories, Linda Berry knows how to keep her readers' interested so that they finish the book in one sitting.Harriet Klausner