Snowfire

Snow Fire by Phyllis Whitney Linda Earle temporarily leaves her job in a lawyer's office in Philly to become a hostess at the Juniper Lodge in the Pocono Mountains. Her reason...the owner of the lodge, Julian McCabe and also renowned Olympic skier who lives in the mansion "Graystones" adjacent to the lodge, had befriended Linda's younger brother, Stuart Parrish, as his protégé, hoping he would reach Olympic heights. Julian's wife, Margot, who was wheelchair bound from an accident, blamed Julian for her state and was bitter toward everyone, but when she died under mysterious causes, Stuart is arrested and imprisoned for her murder. Linda knows her brother is innocent and will go to any lengths to prove it. After losing their parents to a fire, Linda raised her brother and knew him better than anyone and she is determined to free him and clear his name. Included in the scenario are Shan, Julian's sister, who is a bit off base; Julian and Margot's daughter, Aria, who feels responsible for her mother's death; Clay Davidson, Shan's estranged husband and manager of the lodge, and Emory Ault, caretaker and Julian's trainer on the slopes, and who was considered as a member of the family. Linda soon finds herself in the middle of danger and mystery. Who actually did kill Margot? She befriends Clay, who won't reveal much to her and tries to get her to leave before she's exposed as Stuart's sister, or another "accident" occurs. But Linda is stubborn and won't leave. She soon befriends Aria, and Julian, who is very cool, distant and frightening, hires her to tutor the little girl and help pull her out of her shell. Linda feels an unlikely attraction to Julian, but refuses to give in to it until she learns more about this strange family and what really happened to Margot. She is also frightened by Emory, who as per Stuart, was dangerous and disliked her brother. There are lots of twists and turns in this novel, and one will be kept guessing as to who the actual murderer is, but it all comes out in the end, after attempts on Linda's life. In the end, she succumbs to Julian's attraction, surprised he feels the same about her. This is a good book to read on a hot day, for all the scenes on the ski slopes and in blizzards will certainly cool one off, but the suspense will keep one hotly turning pages.

I've read Phyllis A. Whitney books since I was in 8th grade. I've read a lot of her books. So many in fact, that I seem to figure out who the murderer is (or at least I know 2 people who it could be) in some of the books before they end. I was rather disappointed in the middle of this book when I had thought I figured out who pushed Margot's chair and sent her to her death in the ravine. But I was wrong, so very wrong. And, to my surprise, you begin to suspect that Julian killed her. This is the first book I've read in which the 'hero' is a suspect. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I KNOW others will too.