Death in a Cold Hard Light

Detective Merry Folger fans will enjoy this novel. The pace is good, the descriptions (both of things physical and of things emotional) are vivid and true. We learn more about Merry and her relationships. The many references to the "Osborne case" (a case in a previous book) got under my skin a bit and took away from whatever moment was happening in the story. A must read for those who want to grow with all the characters in the series.

Jay Santorski's body has been pulled out of the frigid waters near Nantucket Island by the Coast Guard. Though anyone who knows the deceased could not accept the probable cause of death, John apparently is the victim of an accidental drowning. The Nantucket Chief of Police John Folger recalls his daughter, police detective Meredith, who is on a much needed vacation with her fiancé Peter Mason, to oversee the investigation. Over the irate objections of John, she flies home in a nasty storm to take charge of the official inquiry. Meredith quickly realizes that the character of the victim remains out of focus as there are two conflicting opinions about the man. She soon discovers a possible heroin connection and subsequently two more suspicious deaths follow. Leads stop cold or go down the wrong path. Many of these are fed to Meredith by her own father, who may be covering up the disappearance of a fellow officer that possibly is tied to the Santorski case. Though she constantly argues with her father and her lover, Meredith continues to seek the truth behind the Santorski death. DEATH IN A COLD HARD LIGHT is a great addition to a top rate series. The fourth Folger book has a strong premise that is brilliantly developed into a fine story line. However, what makes this particular novel so good is the insight into Meredith's relationships with her loved ones, especially her father. This reviewer strongly recommends all the novels in this series and the Francine Mathews' Jane Austen mysteries(under the name Stephanie Barron) for anyone who enjoys fine characterization, atmospheric mystery, and a fun to read plot.Harriet Klausner