The Dead of Winter: How Battlefield Investigators, WWII Veterans, and Forensic Scientists Solved the Mystery of the Bulge's Lost Soldiers

Book Description

Honor can never be left behind.

Sixty years ago, as Allied forces pushed across Europe, the Nazis launched a desperate, overwhelming attack that caught them unprepared, setting off what would become known as one of the bloodiest, most brutal battles in human history: the Battle of the Bulge. Then, more than half a century after the last shots of World War II were fired, a team of forensic scientists and relic hunters enlisted the aid of several veterans of the Bulge for one last mission: to return to the battle site and recover the lost remains of their brothers-in-arms, to ensure they would be buried with all the honors they deserve. Written by a member of the expedition, this is a story of loyalty and the bonds of war, a compelling scientific mystery, and a long-awaited homecoming for families who waited decades for the return of their loved ones. Also included is a CD/DVD with additional images from the expedition, as well as other supplemental materials.

CD-ROM INCLUDES:

Slideshow image collection of the search for missing soldiers from the Battle of the Bulge, including recovered artifacts, wartime photos, and profiles of the missing soldiers.

Customer Reviews:

Dead of Winter.......2007-10-10

Bill:
Great book and a great testament to the members of the greatest generation who gave all during the battle of the bulge. A easy read and very informative. Known Bill since we were both kids but it has been a long time since I seen him. Your tireless pursuit of closure to the families of the MIAs from the Bulge is commendable. Your portrayel of the compassion that many locals still feel for for the American GI in Europe is very neat. Keep it up and write another book.

Aftermath Of Battle.......2007-03-14

"The Dead Of Winter" by Bill Warnock, Subtitled: "How Battlefield Investigators, WWII Veterans, And Forensic Scientists Solved The Mystery Of The Bulge's Lost Soldiers". Chamberlain Bros. Penguin books, New York, 2005.

The subtitle sums up the entire book. Bill Warnock, however, has written a book that combines History with story-telling, with the science of forensics, with the lives of Americans and Belgians, and with the honor of being World War II veterans who had fought and bled in the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944. The book is excellent.

While serving with the United States Air Force, the author opts for an assignment in a small corner of Europe, near some of the more important battlefields of the Second World War. His life has not been the same since. His initial curiosity becomes what appears to be a life-long obsession, as Warnock and his Belgian friends search for the remains of those soldiers long since dead on the battlefield. But, it is not enough just to find the remains, Mr. Warnock follows through with modern techniques of identification of the deceased, and documents the entire process in an interesting and understandable fashion. While working on each individual solider, Warnock develops a story-book tale of how that individual lived prior to the war, how he entered the U.S. Army, and the probable cause of his death. It is surprising to me how many of the subjects of this book were members of ASTP, Army specialized Training Program. Further, I was surprised to see that my alma mater, Manhattan College (see page 238) had ASTP training. (Manhattan College is in the Bronx.)

Warnock's book is enjoyable and well documented. For example, Appendix B, entitled, "U.S. Army Dog Tags In world War II", had me pulling out my Navy dog tag (now fifty years old) for comparison. The dog tag had "...corners rounded and edges smooth" (page 286), with blood type and religion and service number, as in the appendix, but, in the left corner, mine had the term, "USN".

One little issue: page 118 had "... Camp Myles Standish near Taunton, Massachusetts." Myles Standish is about 30 miles, or so, from Taunton. The camp, now Myles Standish State Forest, IS located in the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, best known, I would think, for being the place where the Pilgrims came ashore in 1620.

Exceptional!.......2006-09-24

This brilliantly written story follows the efforts of a group of people who dedicated themselves to locating the lost remains of the men who served with the 99th Infantry Division at the Battle of the bulge. THE DEAD OF WINTER begins with an introduction of two Belgian artifact hunters, Jean-Louis Seel and Jean-Philippe Speder who, in 1988, stumbled upon the remains and dog tags of an American soldier.

Readers will gain a true respect for the difficulty involved in researching, reconstructing and execution of actual artifact hunting undertaken by the dedicate group to find and identify the remains of American soldiers lost for half a century. For each of the soldiers that the team finds, Warnock gives the reader a detailed synopsis of his life (including excellent pictures of the soldiers and their surviving family members). Next he recreates how the soldier died on the battlefield and how he paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country. It is certainly a fitting tribute to these men and their accomplishments.

The author also gives an excellent overview of the contributions of the 99th Infantry to the Battle of the Bulge. The overview is supported by numerous first hand accounts. This covers the Bulge from the tactical, logistical and personal levels. Thanks to Warnock and his teams efforts, many lost members of the 99th Infantry have found their rightful place and final tribute.

The book is exceptionally well written and will be greatly appreciated by history lovers.

Bill Warnock's Magnum Opus.......2006-07-26

Bill Warnock has written a spectacularly detailed and wonderfully crafted tale of which he is a main protagonist -- a selfless American who has dedicated the last 20 or more years of his life to reuniting the dead heroes of World War II with their families. I must admit to the favoritism I feel toward Bill because he and I met on the Ardennes battlefield back in the early 1980s while I was researching my first book, The Key to the Bulge. Many of the people in this great work are close friends of mine. Even with this foreknowledge, I cannot help but stand in awe of Bill's skillfully written and masterfully researched chronicle of his team's efforts to discover and return to their homes the lost heroes of the Battle of the Bulge. This book is more than a simple tale of how a group of dedicated Americans and Belgians sought the final resting places of those men who went missing during the Bulge. Instead, it is a tale of devotion, Herculean persistance, and selfless dedication. The only reward that Bill and his team sought for their actions was the satisfaction of recovering the remains of our dead heroes and giving closure to families whose pain remained unhealed for 50 or more years. This book is a gem and a lasting testimony to those who truly appreciate the sacrifice of America's fighting men and women. Thanks, Bill. Well done.

Emotionalism At It's Purest Level.......2006-05-05

When I first started reading The Dead Of Winter I thought it would be another one of those books where there would be more boring facts and figures than personal, intimate, and emotional first hand accounts of infantrymen doing all they could do to survive the first few days of The Battle Of The Bulge. Bill Warnock, has done an outstanding job of resurrecting the fate of several infantrymen of the 99th Infantry who were killed and left behind after their positions in Belgium were overrun by the German jauggernaut of 16 December 1944. I became intimately attached to David Read, Mike Larson, Ewing Fidler, 2nd Lt Holloway, Sgt Frederick Zimmerman, and many of the others who died and were left behind to be buried in lonesome graves on the battlefield of Belgium and the Ardennes Forest. Thanks to the perserverance, tanacity, and cooperation of Carl Seel, Mr. Speider, Hans Honen, Ed Whithead, Mr. Swanson, and many others, these lost souls were found and brought home to their families, or given descent burials alongside their comrades who fought and died on the battlefields of World War II. Mr. Seel, and Mr. Speider who initially started this episode are the real heroes here too, because, as honest, caring, and loving men who cared about the American soldiers who liberated their country from the Nazi's, they took it upon themselves to try to locate, identify, and bring attention to these men who had died so gallently, but had to be left behind in the heat of battle. This is an awesome book, very well written, exactingly documented and recorded with all the facts of the men who were killed in action, and is well worth reading. I strongly urge everyone who loves freedom, history, and this great country to read this book. The men who were lost back in 1944, and the families they left behind, is a poignant reminder of just how fragile and important freedom is.

Average customer rating:

THE DEAD OF WINTER
A Super mystery with lots Snow. Can't beat that!
CHIILLED ME TO THE BONE!
Dead On!
dead of winter

Dead Of Winter
P.J. Parrish
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786011890

Customer Reviews:

THE DEAD OF WINTER.......2007-10-07

I HAVE READ THE TOTAL SERIES AND HAVE ENJOYED THEM TOTALY..BEING FOR THE AREAS OF BOTH MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA YOU CAN ENVISION THE AREA THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IN EACH BOOK. CAN HARDY WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK TO COME OUT TO SEE WHERE IT WILL TAKE ME NEXT.

A Super mystery with lots Snow. Can't beat that! .......2007-09-28

My long time friend gave this book to read. She knew I enjoy a good mystery and according to her view this book was just a super read. When I finished the book I was a bit sad that the main character Detective Louis Kincaid had left me. I'll just have to read more of P.J. Parrish's books to find out what he has been up to. I thought that the author kept all different scenarios that were taking place in a logical order and that made the read a very enjoyable experience. If you are like me and enjoy a mystery that revolves around freezing winters, snow then this author will make you feel like you are right in the midst of Michigan's cold climate. The story moved along at a brisk pace and before I knew it I was finished. Overall, just like my neighbor told me, this book is a super read.

CHIILLED ME TO THE BONE!.......2006-08-12

I picked this up at a book sale and am so glad I did. The author(s) was unfamiliar to me. I could not put the book down.

Louis Kincaid is a hero searching for the truth in life. It is a police procedural, well thought out, well planned and excellently executed. The book takes place in the cold of winter and does indeed chill one to the bones! Vividly portrayed in every sense. The ending was a surprise; yet it wasn't.

Finally discovered (I always look at a book's copyright) that P. J. Parrish is two sisters. Well, I think I have found me a new author(s). I will read their first written novel and continue from there.

Dead On!.......2005-08-21

After becoming persona non grata in Mississippi, Louis Kincaid finds what he hopes will be a home in the sleepy town of Loon Lake, Michigan. He goes to work for the local police force, replacing an officer who was shot down in cold blood, killer unknown. Louis begins to investigate the murder and finds that things may not be all they seem in Loon Lake, from the Socrates quoting police chief to the mysterious woman who comes into his life. A solid and enjoyable read.

dead of winter.......2005-01-14

Dead of Winter Review
Throughout the entire book, Dead of Winter, the author, P.J. Parrish, does an incredible job of keeping the reader in complete and utter suspense. The book is set in Loon Lake, Michigan, at the beginning of December, 1984. It begins mysteriously with the incident of the perplexing murder of one of Loon Lake's finest investigators, Thomas Pryce.
It continues with Detective Louis Kincaid, who is a man who has come north, looking for a safe haven and new job in a new police department, so he can put all the terrors of his precedent life behind. Instead, he becomes trapped inside yet another investigation that is really just a case of whodunit.
After Detective Kincaid is hired into the LLPD, he is hooked onto the investigation of Pryce's murder. His new chief, Chief Gibralter is more or less a very special individual. He is extremely well-educated and should own a bigger police department than Loon Lake's, but peculiarly does not. He makes it clear that he was the boss and only whatever he says, goes by intimidating Kincaid with a few rigorous words to the new guy: "These are the rules, and listen good...We have a motto here: Gens una sumus...'We are one family.'"
Detective Kincaid meets many new people, but after a long time, his favorite one is Jesse Harrison, even though they do not find one another quite that appealing, at first. Jesse Harrison was fairly close to Thomas Pryce, so they begin to investigate the murder, when the late ambiguity of a retired Loon Lake officer's murder arises.
As the investigation continues, Detective Kincaid starts to find incredible and amazing new evidence to further the investigation. They make a list of suspects and start to narrow down the possibilities of who is guilty.
If I told anymore of this story, I'd basically give the ending away. Parrish is an amazing writer, in my opinion. I have never been as interested in a new suspense novel as I was while reading this one. I loved the way he ended each chapter differently. The very first chapter ends with, "'Merry f***ing Christmas, Officer Pryce,' he said.'" This begins one's curiosity to keep on reading to find out who the actual murderer is.
At the end of Chapter 26, it ends with "Gibralter's eyes softened, taking on an almost paternal warmth. 'Sit down, Jess, I'll tell you,' he said." He keeps the reader wanting more because I know I wanted to know what Gibralter says to Jess and why he is so kind outside of the department, considering how Gibralter acts to others when he is at work.
Parrish does a phenomenal job of keeping Kincaid an interesting male protagonist, as well. He gives him a possible love interest and fatal background of his life that could possibly explain Kincaid's behavior throughout the book. I thought these were extremely strong points, because the more details there were, the better one could understand what was going down.
I didn't find any weak points in this book. I think I couldn't because I enjoyed it so much. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into suspense or thriller. I have never really been too into those types of novels, but this book did a divine job of altering my thoughts and opinions. He also keeps it interesting by integrating quotes and lines from historical folks.
It had my palms sweating for quite some time, and I found my adrenaline rising in full. The books ends so suddenly, yet satisfactorily, not a typical, sappy ending. It ends unexpectedly, ironically, and lethally. Let's just say there's a reason why the title is, "Dead of Winter."

Average customer rating:

Charming
Beautiful book (but the paperback binding sucks!)
Brilliant Illustrations, Accurate Story
A Beautiful Tribute to a Mexican Holiday

Day of the Dead
Tony Johnston
Manufacturer: Voyager Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152024468

Book Description

Above a small town in Mexico, the sun rises like a great marigold, and one family begins preparations for an annual celebration, El día de los muertos, the Day of the Dead. Soon they will go out into the night, join their neighbors, and walk to the graveyard to welcome the spirits of their loved ones home again. Framed by decorative borders and peppered with Spanish words, Day of the Dead is a glorious introduction to a fascinating celebration. A note at the end of the book provides factual information about the holiday.

Customer Reviews:

Charming.......2007-03-30

This book feels as though it is illustrated using papel picado techniques, with its geometric colorful shapes that are symmetrical and have black-colored backgrounds. This book charmingly uses lots of Spanish language to teach vocabulary to readers. It uses lots of words that have to do with the customs of Día de los Muertos. The narrative of the story leads the reader from the preparations for the fiesta all the way through the procession and celebration. The book is attractively small and square, which will also attract younger readers without intimidating them, but offers more than enough information for these younger readers to get a comprehensive view of Día de los Muertos.

Beautiful book (but the paperback binding sucks!).......2005-10-27

This is an absolutely magical, lovely book, both in the text and illustrations.

However, the paperback I bought has a flimsy binding that started to fall apart after just one reading. I'm going to get it in hardback.

Brilliant Illustrations, Accurate Story.......2001-10-31

This lively story tells the meaning of Dia de los Muertos--honoring loved ones--with beautiful illustrations, a good mixture of English and Spanish text, and accuracy. Great teaching tool.

A Beautiful Tribute to a Mexican Holiday.......2000-01-14

I have read this book to my 6 year-old daughter ab out a dozen times in the last 2 weeks. The colorful and rich illustrations are awe-inspiring and capture the spiritual side of this Mexican holiday. The story reflects the anticipation of the children as their parents prepare for this day of feasting and honoring passed souls.

Another plus in this book is the use of the Spanish language. Scattered throughout the book in short phrases, the words can be interpreted by context for the non-speaker.

Book Description

Detective Mac Taylor is a dedicated and driven crime-scene investigator who believes that everything is connected and everyone has a story. He and his partner, Detective Stella Bonasera, lead a team of experts through the gritty and kinetic world of New York City. These skilled investigators, who see New York in a unique light, follow the evidence as they piece together clues and eliminate doubt to ultimately crack their cases.

The body of a middle-aged man is found in the elevator of a ritzy doorman building on the Upper East Side. Mac Taylor and Aiden Burn's initial investigation yields no bullets, no DNA evidence, and no motive. Could this be the perfect crime? Meanwhile, only a few blocks away, Stella Bonasera and Danny Messer investigate the murder of a witness being held in protective custody. The law enforcement officers on duty swear that the victim spent the night in a locked hotel room -- only to be found dead in the morning. From the heart of midtown to the outer boroughs, the New York CSI team must piece together the evidence and solve two puzzling crimes in the city that never sleeps.

Customer Reviews:

most boring of all the CSI books...so far.......2007-06-08

*Dead of Winter* was the most boring CSI book for me...so far. I have enjoyed reading the other books (CSI and CSI:Miami). This is the first that I've read of CSI:NY and just did not enjoy it at all. Maybe it was just the topics involved: an author suspected of killing a fellow tenant and a witness in protective custody killed.

Maybe I'm being nit-picky..........2006-10-26

There were quite a few issues with this book for me. There were grammatical and punctuation errors and even mistakes on who's who! In one scene, Danny and Flack are interchanged, causing serious confusion for those less familiar with the characters. The storyline isn't bad, but the errors make it a difficult read.

Good story, but poor editing makes for a disappointing read........2005-12-16

This book doesn't hold a candle to the other CSI novels, by Max Allan Collins (this book is written by a different author, Stuart M. Kaminsky). The reason it is not as good is that it has punctuation errors, gramatical errors, and two massive editorial errors: one error was a serious breach in chain of custody, where the CSI really should have known better than putting evidence in the hands of a non-law-official (a cab driver) (this means that the evidence would not hold up in court), on page 167. Seriously not plausible, in a series about CSIs and doing things 'by the book'. The other huge error was on page 242, where CSIs Aiden Burn and Mac Taylor were talking on the phone. Aiden is talking to Mac, then hangs up the phone. Mac then says something to Aiden, who replies, even though they had already hung up.
I really liked the story, but the bad editing made it annoying to read. Simon & Schuster should use better editors. Surely an editor read this story, right? If so, why did no-one pick up on such obvious mistakes? I am disappointed with this book. Clearly not of the usual CSI -book calibre. Unfortunately.

Excellent.......2005-10-17

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest of CSI. Mac and CO. haven't let us down. Keep it up. A must.

Only for the completist collector.......2005-09-17

This was my first foray into anything written by Kaminsky, and I really wasn't that impressed despite the Edgar Award he'd won. It lacked the feel of the previous eight books written by Max Allan Collins, who was able to duplicate the visual style verbally. In fact, it came off like Kaminsky had taken one of his own novels and just written in Mac and Stella and the rest of the gang into it to turn it into a CSI:NY book without even watching the show beforehand, much like how OCEAN'S TWELVE started life as two original screenplays that were merged together and had the previous characters dropped into it. Hopefully Collins is brought back in to do the next CSI:NY book.

Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book

Average customer rating:

Terrifico!

Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book
Jeanette Winter
Manufacturer: Voyager Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152059067

Book Description

Every year Don Pedro and his family make papier-mâché skeletons, or calaveras, for Mexico's Day of the Dead fiesta. From the Angel and Doctor to the Mariachi and Unicornio, there's a special calavera for each letter of the alphabet. Come dance with them!

Includes a glossary of Spanish words and an author's note.

Customer Reviews:

Terrifico!.......2007-01-05

This book is wonderfully illustrated, and kids love it. It has a great deal of re-read value for kids because the illustrations are so detailed. The Spanish is easy and many of the words listed are very similar to their English counterparts. El Dia de los Muertos is fun anytime of the year, and this book is a visual treat...

The Dead of Winter (Thieves' World, Book 7)

Average customer rating:

Another Quality Outing
A good book for fantasy fans

The Dead of Winter (Thieves' World, Book 7)
Robert Asprin
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0441140890

Customer Reviews:

Another Quality Outing.......2003-09-22

It's taken seven books, but it is becoming clear that the Thieves' World series deserves the praise it has received from the fantasy cognoscenti. Volume seven continues the tale of a city in decay, this time, mercifully, with an index of characters. Most of the usual suspects contribute here, including Asprin, Abbey, C.J. Cherryh, Andrew Offut, Diana Paxson, Janet Morris, and Diane Duane. Duane's story is the highlight, as she sends three characters and a dog on journey to Hell. Duane provides a wonderful example of what the Russians call "ostranyenye" or "estrangement", as she gives us the dog's perspective on life, death, and society in general.

There is a world of difference between book seven and book one. One can read book one and think, as I did, that it's not a big deal, just a few loosely connected stories. The first book is just the prologue, however, and watching the characters, series, and, above all, Sanctuary, evolve is a disturbing delight. Disturbing because Sanctuary is not a nice place, and the people with very few exceptions are not nice people, but a delight because several talented authors are playing off each other, inspired by each other, and ultimately fusing their several parts into an intriguing whole. The series continues to be worth the price of admission.

A good book for fantasy fans.......1999-09-28

The Dead of winter is an anthology, with several writers exchanging character information. The stories themselves are interesting to say the least. The world in which it is set is as dark, dank and disturbed as anyone could imagine. Theft, murder and worse are common exoeriences here, and taken by the citizens in the same way that a new yorker takes a trafic jam at 5:30. The characters have developed a lot over the past 6 books in the series, and you get a real sense of their plight. Sanctuary the city the book is about is going strait down the toilet, and in many rather intresting ways. A new eliment of the world of sanctuary is the waring factions, which have made the city even more dangerous. Magic, ganges, political intreague, gods, and a pleasent trip to hell, this one has it all.

Average customer rating:

VERY GOOD READ
Enjoyable
Captivating

Dead of Winter
Patricia Parkinson
Manufacturer: Samhain Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1599981289
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Book Description

Murders don't happen in the cozy, mountain town of Windy Creek, Montana. Kate Madison is both overcome with grief and determined to find the killer who murdered Harley Wilson. When Kate was a child her real father ran off, leaving Kate and her mother to fend for themselves. But Harley Wilson stepped up to the plate, became her father of the heart. The local sheriff of Windy Creek doesn't like Kate playing detective. Sheriff Steve Lambert has been attracted to Kate since day one. Kate on the other hand acts as if she could care less until one day while Steve and she are searching for clues at Harley's house. Kate chalks up her sudden, powerful attraction to Steve Lambert as the life affirming thing. Soon after that their feelings for each other explode into a passionate affair. Their fragile relationship hangs in the balance because of a mistake Kate made in her past. When the killer starts stalking her, Kate realizes this isn't at all like her mystery writing career. It is the real thing. 4 Angels "You will not be disappointed!" ~ Contessa, Fallen Angel Reviews 4 Stars "Dead Of Winter is definitely one book that needs to be added to my collection. " ~ Sheryl, Ecataromance.com

Customer Reviews:

VERY GOOD READ.......2006-07-22

I am a big fan of romantic suspense and have been reading it for years.

I really enjoyed DEAD OF WINTER. I disagree with the reviewer from Joyfully reviewed about the romance being so subtle it is in the background. I had to visit Samhain's website to get a feel for this book. This book is not billed as erotica at the publisher's website, so I'm not sure why the reviewer compared it to the erotic books at Samhain. The publisher lists their erotic books under RED HOTS.

There was plenty of romance in the book to satisfy me. A relationship starts developing early on between Kate and Steve, and continues to grow throughout the book. No, they are not making out on every other page, but that's the norm for romantic suspense. Each time Kate was in danger, Steve went ballistic. I found Steve an attractive, appealing male hero, while I could relate to Kate because of her strength, her determination to find the killer of the man who helped raise her, and her vulnerability where Steve was concerned.

The characters are definitely quirky and three dimensional in this story. The author did a great job of giving the reader a feel for a small mountain community in Montana during the winter. This is one of the reasons this book caught my attention, since I live in Montana.

I would agree this is a plot driven book. There's mystery, suspense, romance, love, and sex all intertwined in this book. And that's what I look for when I buy romantic suspense. As a reader and not a professional reviewer I don't feel it's necessary to split hairs between mystery and suspense.

This is a really good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I was personally satisfied with the combination of romance, mystery, and suspense in DEAD OF WINTER.

Enjoyable.......2006-07-07

February in the Montana mountains: 36 hours of unending snow, piling up to 18 inches and more. A rural home without smoke rising from the chimney is a sure sign; something here is wrong, very wrong. Kate's sensing something is wrong; she last saw Harley three nights ago, and realized then he was troubled. Just an hour ago, he had not answered his phone.

Kate owes Harley for helping enable her to grow up in an emotionally stable environment. After her biological dad disappeared when Kate was only two, Harley had stepped in, becoming the father of her heart. He and his wife Grace befriended Kate and her mother and treated Kate as much like their daughter as they did their own child.

Kate's suspicions are correct; she finds Harley dead behind the woodpile in back of the house and notifies Deputy Sheriff Steve Lambert. Steve has long admired Kate Madison from afar, but assumes her divorce turned her against males in general. Kate's in her early forties and writes mysteries, supplementing book royalties with part time work at the local café. To Steve, she seems to be a self-sufficient woman with time only for her writing, her work at the Pine Branch Café, and her sixty-pound mutt, Sunny.

Romance isn't the heartbeat of Dead of Winter; rather, the plot and some character development are. I found this story intriguing and it kept me reading along to solve the mystery. Dead of Winter is simply not the erotic-laden type of story I've become accustomed to reading lately. Since the plot is the engine driving the story, I would have billed it as Mystery, not as Romantic Suspense. The romance is included, but it's so subtle as to be nearly in the background. I've always enjoyed mysteries, so I didn't find this a problem, but it was a little surprising coming from a publisher of erotic romance, and readers who desire erotica in the foreground of the suspense might be disappointed. I found Dead of Winter captivating. Kate's dedication to her "father of her heart," Harley, is compelling, far exceeding that of the man's own daughter, or the friendships of the townspeople for Harley. As I've mentioned, the mystery is suspenseful and drives the plot engine. I enjoyed it and recommend it as a Mystery.

Annie
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Captivating.......2006-05-28

Average customer rating:

Great series....

The Dead of Winter
Patricia Hall
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312151489

Customer Reviews:

Great series...........2001-04-08

I had some difficulty locating this book and ended up buying a copy of IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER from Alibris. The DEAD OF WINTER is the U.S. title of the book sold in the Britain as IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER and the two books are 99% alike. My understanding is that the U.S. editors change words, phrases, etc. they think Americans won't understand, which is silly because one of the reasons many Americans read British mysteries is because they LIKE the Brits and want to learn more about them. For example, would you understand "the labors of Causabon"? Hint--has to do with MIDDLEMARCH.

Patricia Hall has been developing a lovely series about her two protagonists Michael Thackerey and Laura Ackroyd and this is the 3rd or 4th book in the series. If you're following the Thackery-Ackroyd relationship, you will want to read this book since it provides insight into Thackery's struggles with his past. I know a man like Thackery, dealing with the death of his child, and I have to believe that Hall must also. In addition, Thackery is what some call a "fallen-away Catholic" and being in that category myself, I understand some of his angst.

Hall also has a political message--though her main characters are relatively neutral given their professions of news reporter and cop--and since I am of the liberal persuasion and agree with her message, I enjoy her books. Social conservatives won't like her books. A few of us Anglophiles are also of a socialist leaning however, and for us she is pure gold. What sort of people can deny the poor health care!!!

In the DEAD OF WINTER/IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER a number of folks need health care. There's plenty of murder and mayhem including angry parents who stage protest rallies to block eco-bashing trucks from destroying the peace and quiet and safety of a small village. There's not a lot of humour in this book but I love the names of the greedy corporate types--Cheetam and Moore.

This is a great book. Find it and read it.

Average customer rating:

This is a beautifully written book and an engaging mystery

Should Become Thorton's first BEST SELLER!!!!

strong combination amateur sleuth and police procedural

Dead for the Winter: A Mystery
Betsy Thornton
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Whole New Life

The Cowboy Rides Away

Dead Wrong

ASIN: 0312333196
Release Date: 2004-10-14

Book Description

After a lonely spell, where only her work as a victims advocate in the small desert town of Old Dudley, Arizona, keeps her busy, Chloe Newcombe meets Terry Barnett. He is the most attractive man she has known since she and her lover mutually parted, and she is enjoying his company. Terry tells her she's easy to talk to and that he needs to confide in someone. But when she finds out he is married, she writes him off and decides to forget about him. Then she goes out one night on assignment and wishes she had listened. Terry has been murdered. Unbeknownst to her, there has been a witness to each of her encounters with the dead man, and the bulldog sheriff would very much like to hold her as a suspect. Eventually, her involvement with Terry and a problem with one of her cases affects her work, and her boss encourages (in reality, orders) her to take a vacation. With her job and reputation in danger, Chloe plunges herself into finding Terry's killer in order to prove her innocence.She seeks out the people he has left behind: his widow, who has gone into hiding; his estranged brother, who commissions Chloe's help; and an intimidating therapist with an ax to grind. But most intriguing of these is a "phantom" from Terry's past whom he mentioned just before his murder. Chloe's investigation leads her on a search for this woman who disappeared twenty years ago---a woman no one missed until now. As the details of Terry's life reveal his family drama and the unspoken fears leading up to his death, Chloe finds herself entangled in a story of obsession and betrayal.

Customer Reviews:

This is a beautifully written book and an engaging mystery.......2005-02-07

"Victim Advocate" Chloe lives in an old mining town (now a small artist's colony) in southern New Mexico. She has a brief relationship (a couple of dinners) with Terry, a charming man who tries to talk to her about something worrying him -- bur first confesses that he's married. She angrily walks out and thinks that her relationship with him is over, until her role as Victim Advocate results in her being called to the scene of a questionable death -- Terry's -- and she finds herself comforting the widow. Her relationship with Terry quickly gets reported, and her job is in jeopardy. She's told to take a vacation -- so she ends up using her free time to look into Terry and his death.

Chloe is an interesting, likeable character, and the New Mexico community described comes to life for the reader. Some of the secrets uncovered by Chloe were a bit obvious, but I did not guess the identify of the killer. I intend to read more by this author, and I think this book deserves to be nominated for some awards.

Should Become Thorton's first BEST SELLER!!!!.......2004-11-20

Thornton's hardwork over the years is really paying off. This finely crafted book is so enjoyably written! The characters are as engagingly quirksome as Martha Grimes' Jury, Plant, and company. And, yes, we see glimpses of our own humantiy throughout!! You don't want to miss this one.

A true joy to read. One of those books you are so sorry to finish.

Thank you Betsy Thornton!!!

strong combination amateur sleuth and police procedural.......2004-10-27

While on leave due to a case that left people dead, Cochise County, Arizona Victim Advocate Chloe Newcombe hires carpenter Terry Barnett to build a bookcase for her. However, with her former lover somewhere south of the equator, Chloe finds the charming Terry quite attractive and ponders a fling with him. Several observers watch her flirt outrageously with Terry, but the affair ends before it starts when he calmly mentions his artist spouse Heather; Chloe rejects the idea as not worth the complication.

Chloe must have had a prophecy because not long afterward, someone murders Terry. Besides Heather as a suspect, Chloe is also considered a strong person of interest by Detective Flynn. Unable to sit idly by as a prime candidate and especially when Terry's estranged brother Fred arrives from Ohio planning to prove his sister-in-law, whom he never met, killed his sibling, Chloe begins investigating. She quickly learns how the brothers had a falling out over April Matasky twenty years ago and follows up by digging deeper into the suddenly caring Fred.

The who-done-it is a well written combination amateur sleuth (in some ways competing sleuths between Fred and Chloe) and police procedural. The mystery resolution seems stretched, but readers will not care because what truly makes the tale and the series so powerful is Chloe. She is the poster worker of "to err is human" and though an excellent victim advocate makes misjudgment calls that prove costly to her clients. In other words, she is not perfect on the job or for that matter in her romances. Fans will appreciate this solid tale because of the fabulous lead female.

Harriet Klausner

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