The Ice House. Minette Walters

This book has a Elizabeth George flavor but better. The twists and turns of the mystery were wonderful. I understand why this book won so many awards. I can't wait to read more from this Author.

Minette Walters is a great mystery writer. The Ice House has everything you could want in a mystery. I could not put it down until I finished reading. I have read her next two books and have ordered more. You will not be disappointed.

Winner of Britain's John Creasey Award for Best First Crime Novel, this is the German text edition of the splendid debut novel by the author, "The Ice House". She weaves a marvelous mystery surrounding three women who live together in an English Country manor house, one of whom, Phoebe Maybury, is suspected of having murdered her bounder of a husband ten years ago. More recently, a corpse in found in an old icehouse on their property and rumors begin flying fast and furious about these three women. Ostracized by the community in which they live, these three women become larger than life in the minds of the local townsfolk. The charming and artistic Diana Goode and the earthy, no nonsense Anne Catrell hunker about their housemate, Phoebe, as the events of the past threaten to crop up again and overwhelm her. The police, led by Chief Inspector Walsh, a man with his own underlying agenda, seems intent upon putting the screws to these three women, fixating upon Phoebe Maybury. Only Sergeant Detective McLoughlin seems to be genuinely interested in discovering the truth. In order to do so, however, he must confront his own personal demons, as he finds himself drawn into a snare of deceit, good intentions gone awry, loyalty, and a secret that threatens to ruin the lives of three women. The author cleverly uses the discovery of the corpse as a catalyst for a voyage of self-discovery for some of her characters. Brimming with a cornucopia of subplots and one or two red herrings, the author grips the reader with a literate and compelling narrative. She is a welcome addition to the ever growing list of British mystery novelists. This author's work should appeal to those who enjoy mysteries written by Ruth Rendell.

THE ICE HOUSE is a sharp and compelling crime novel, and, in my opinion, Minette Walters best. I first read this several years ago but have since re-read it many times and always enjoy the sharp writing and twisted plot.The characters are a joy to read about. They are all developed well and interesting, but by far the two that stand out the most are Anne Cattrell and Andy McLoughlin. She is a darkly humorous and sarcastic journalist and he is a morose and troubled police detective. The dialogue they share is electric, and tempered with wit and anger, but sometimes they can be surprising understanding towards each other. They are more alike than they realise!The plot is remarkable and surprising. There are plenty of twists and you are kept guessing as to 'who done it' all the way through - we are not even sure if the 'good guys', in this case the three women accused of murder, are really as innocent as we'd like to believe. The final scenes are tense and exciting and deliver all the first three quarters of the book promise.Overall The Ice House is a spectacularly thrilling story with exciting characters and a wonderful ending. I believe that The Ice House is essential reading for everyone who loves crime novels.JoAnne

This book introduced me to Minette Walters, and since then I've bought every one of her books as soon as it has been released. The Ice House is a fine mystery, and the writing draws the reader into the time a place, making you feel involved all along the way. Descriptions of the ice house itself are thoroughly fascinating. The solution to the murder mystery was both surprising and a perfect fit! I found myself hoping that Ms. Walters would continue with stories about the main detective. I have not, however, been disappointed by the fact that every one of her novels since the Ice House has been entirely different and -- from that first one as well as from each other, and none have involved the same characters. She's a master of suspense, and she has developed some of the most interesting characters I have ever met.