Tahoe Ice Grave

I don't know how Todd Borg learned so much about so many different places and activities, but Ice Grave is not only rich in plot and characters, but in ambiance! Owen is quite the Renaissance man. I never cease to be amazed at what Owen can explain. At one point, he explains, "scuba no decompression limits" to a local copper. The whole scene just came to life for me. All of a sudden, I wasn't just "watching" a scene with a diver chick and a couple of middle aged men standing on a beach in Tahoe, but I was standing there with them - listening to the conversation, feeling the chill air, smelling the lake. Todd Borg has a talent for drawing a reader into a story. An of course there's Spot. As the bookmark says, "Spot Rocks!" For most of the book, he's a bit more of a minor character than in Blowup, but he's still hanging about, drooling, lazing around, and making new friends. I'm happy with my purchase, and recommend this book to anyone that wants a quick enjoyable read.

Borg writes with a style that makes writing books seem easy. His characters are simple and interesting. The plot is unique, and the ending couldn't be better. My steaks burned on the grill because I was reading this book--no regrets.

Todd Borg is a Tahoe resident and small businessman. He also teaches part time at Lake Tahoe Community College. TAHOE ICE GRAVE is his third Owen McKenna and Spot mystery. Mr. Borg's first two novels in the series, TAHOE DEATHFALL and TAHOE BLOWUP, won several awards, including "Top 5 winner of Bay Area Independent Publishers Association" and "Librarian's Choice, Best Fiction 2001" by the Cincinnati Public Library.Thos Kahale's body is found naked near Rubicon Point in Lake Tahoe, his clothes neatly folded onshore and a bullet through his head. Thos's mother, Janeen Kahale hires Owen McKenna to look into the death. Thos was an upstanding young man with a successful business and a discreet nature, and there is no apparent reason for his death. Owen has to dig deep to find the reasons, and in the meantime the Kahale family seems to be dying at an alarming rate. All Owen has to go on is a suicide note left by Thos and his family history:"'Janeen, Thos's note says he was responsible for the deaths of three people. Jasper's father and brother have died in the last few weeks. Could they be two of he people Thos referred to?' 'Of course not. Jasper's father died of lung cancer. His brother in a car accident. Obviously, Thos could not have had anything to do with either death.'"One of the real strengths of the Owen McKenna series is the characterization. Mr. Borg has a knack for telling a "tall tale" with larger-than-life characters. Owen himself is 6'6", and his dog spot is a Great Dane who is perfectly tuned to Owen's commands. McKenna's girlfriend Street completes the triad; an entomologist (science of insects) who deals with the grisly forensic side of murder. Together the threesome make for a winning combination of grit, intelligence, strength, and tenderness that is captivating to the reader. But Mr. Borg's plots are also super-twisters that take the reader back and forth, into and out of the mountain scenery at a dizzying rate. TAHOE ICE GRAVE is as compelling as any of Todd Borg's tales to date. With each book his writing advances to a new level, much to the delight of his growing audience. A big thumbs up.

Todd Borg knows how to win fans...Taho Ice Grave is a well executed story thatprovides fast moving, compelling suspense.Owen and Spot pack the realism that all mysteryreaders enjoy. Add Todd Borg's name to your list of favoriteauthors!!!

Murder in the deep icy waters of Lake Tahoe; the search for a priceless manuscript and the ruthless killer who would do anything to get his hands on it; a frantic chase up frigid mountain cliffs to a hidden ice cave-Owen McKenna and his faithful Great Dane "Spot" are at it again."Tahoe Ice Grave," Todd Borg's third thriler in the Owen McKenna myatery series, is every bit as fast paced and spell binding as his first two, "Tahoe Deathfall" and "Tahoe Blowup." Borg's attention to detail and unique talent for character portrayal go a long way to make "Ice Grave's" people and places larger than life. A fast paced read that will keep you turning the pages 'till the wee hours of the morning.