Winter's Child (A Deborah Knott Mystery, 12)

Written so well I actually felt the winter chill, even here in Texas in the summer. Interesting plot and the Deborah Knott/Dwight Bryant partnership is the best. I can't say more without giving away the plot, but it is definitely a "must read".

Newly married Deputy Dwight Bryant gets landed with a chilling duo of murders to investigate. The first is the vexed question of who shot J.D. Rouse in his pickup truck, and there are a lot of suspects because he was a wife beater and a troublemaker. Then before he can come to grips with this, he gets a disturbing phone call from his son by his first wife. When he arrives in Virginia in the small town where his ex-wife grew up, he discovers the boy has been alone all night. He's both steamed and disturbed. Whatever her faults, his ex-wife was an excellent, careful mother. He reports her disappearance to the police and swings by her house to pick up clothes for his son. The boy lets his dog out and when Dwight is still checking the house for clues, the boy vanishes. This mystery is a little different from others in the Deborah Knott series in the split focus between the usual suspects in North Carolina and the chilling mystery that cuts very close to Deborah's heart in attacking her stepson and her new husband. Highly recommended.

Captivating with an intricate plot. A whodunit page-turner with an unsuspecting twist. This author does not need "sex" to sell this book: the mark of a rare, accomplished storyteller.

I enjoyed this book and author. I can't wait for a sequel. I would recommend this author to my friends.

I am so surprised by the negative reviews that this book has received. It is too bad when fans of a series want every book be the same basic story. I think it's great when an author takes a chance and shakes up the basic plotline. I hate to think that these negative reviews would discourage someone from reading this book. I really enjoyed this entry in the series (better than the last one) and was sorry when it was over. I thought the dialogue was very well written. The fabric of the characters lives has always been the reason why I love this series - not for intricate, shocking, solutions to the mysteries. I think that someone who never read another entry in the series could pick this one up without a problem. If you like books with strong female characters and a strong sense of family with a Southern feel, this book and series are for you.