Winter House

The Kathleen Mallory Series AND Judas Child have been some of the best fictional books I've ever read! I don't agree with the readers who insist that they don't know who Mallory is. PAY ATTENTION!!!!! In every book, you find out more and more about her. She refuses to show love or affection because she keeps losing everything and everyone she cares about. In every story, there is an act by Mallory to bring you up close and personal with her. Some of my favorites are when she visits the magician, whose lost his memory, (I believe his name was Malachi)in prison regularly to tell him over and over how much he loved his wife and killed to avenge her murder. She even takes a sketch of her to him. Then she visits Sparrow in the hospital as she's clinging for her life and reads to her. She gets Riker out of the room with her tough persona and once inside she whispers to her "It's me, Kathy" and begins to read to her. Just like when she was a kid. Who is Mallory? She is a tough, strong, independent, heroine! She's unforgiving when it comes to the bad guys but there is nothing she wouldn't do for the people she cares about. She may be a little rough about getting things done but what do you expect from a kid who lived on the streets of New York and then grew up in the police department. Carol O'Connell is fantastic! I love her work. Through her words I have hurt for Mallory, fallen in love with Charles and high fived Riker. I take her books with me everywhere and if I have three minutes at the drive thru, I catch up! I would like to see a sequel to Judas Child. More than anything, though, I would like to see Charles just take Mallory in his arms and deliver a big wet one!

I have read all of Carol O'Connell's books. Kathy Mallory is one scary lady and I dont know how she does it. It scares me to death that such a creature might exist, but I LOVE Charles Butler and this story features him in a big way. The disfunctional family is memorable. Each has a good reason for the way they are and it is terribly sad. Riker is right in the fray and he, believe it or not, stabilizes Mallory and Charles, but in the end it is Mallory and Charles who feel the most of this terrible crime. I wait for each of Ms. O'Connell's books. They dont come soon enough.

With great relief to report that Carol O'Connell's latest novel, Winter House, has the top form we have come to expect from her. While the story deals with a mass murder 50+ years ago, one of the siblings disappeared at that time, and the fascination of the book is the respective relationships Mallory and Charles Butler to Neddy (Red) Wright. Charles is charmed by her, but the subtle interest is Mallory's interaction with the woman who disappeared when she was a child. This is close to Mallory's story-being an enigmatic street child, saved by Louis Markowitz, a cop, who brings the child home, and Helen, his wife who decided Mallory was a birthday present. Mallory grows up to be a cop herself. All characters who were featured in previous books that helped raise and love Mallory are included in this book. There is also a hint of magic or occult as Mallory is guided by an old radio playing music of Red's era. Well written, crisp, it is a must read. O'Connell has evolved into a snappy writer, and in her last 2 novels, has set the bar very high...keep it going, please!!

I started to read the Mallory series with "Shell Game", and within a month, I had read all of Carol O'Connell's books. Now, she comes out with this masterpiece! "Winter House" starts off simple enough: murder of a man, with an ice pick. But like a Russian matryoshka doll, O'Connell gives the mystery layer after layer until the reader is almost overwhelmed with the story. She keeps the reader guessing until the last shot. We get quite a bit of Charles Bulter (like we did of Riker in the last Mallory book "Dead Famous") and we get more insight into Mallory's character. The usual gang shows up (constant readers will be glad to hear that the poker games are still around). All in all, "Winter House" is a wonderful book...recommended to all Mallory fans. I simply cannot wait until the next instalment of the Mallory series. ~~~First time readers beware: Begin this series with "Mallory's Oracle". You won't be disappointed.

The latest Mallory book begins with the dead body of a burglar, apparently killed in self-defence. Except the corpse had been carrying an ice-pick in a house that long ago witnessed the massacre of a family.....all killed with an ice pick. This book is brilliant, and though I think the whole series is truly amazing, it still stands out. "Winter House" sees a strong return to the almost supernatural feel of the earlier books and features Charles Butler heavily (which is always a good thing as far as I'm concerned). Also all of the members of the poker group make a welcome appearance. The book feels like it is firmly rooted into its place in the series (which one or two of the others haven't) and contains subtle references to events in previous books. Mallory's own emotions are very much in evidence, again giving lie to the idea of a restrained sociopath. And, as this is Carol O'Connell, the plotting is easily equal to the standard set by her stunning writing style. I read it straight through and then again two days later. It really is exquisite and I cannot recommend it enough, or give it enough stars. And though it's been said many times before, Carol O'Connell really does transcend the genre and her books are as hard to pigeon hole as Mallory, herself. If you have never read Carol O'Connell or a Mallory book then start with the first ("Mallory's Oracle") and work your way through the series of, now eight. They are worth every moment you will spend reading them and more.