A Cold White Sun
By Vicki Delany
ISBN: 9781464201585
A 20013 hardcover release
From Poisoned Pen Press
A fine, judicious blend of action, mystery, thoughtful
introspection and exploration of human conditions and motivations marks this
novel. The story is a part of the author’s continuing series about the
development of a young constable in the police force of a small community,
Trafalgar. The town is located in a prime tourist region of British Columbia.
That’s a province of Canada. The mountains offer prime skiing, the streams
fishing and the forests hunting of various animals. Tourism is big business but
that brings troubles as well.
Moonlight Smith, born of a hippie activist American couple,
a near-champion downhill skier, much to her mother’s initial consternation has
settled, at least temporarily, for a career as a cop. She’s bright,
good-looking and not entirely sure of her life direction. Delaney has set this
interesting character up with two bosses. She’s basically a patrol officer in
the small department, but because the head of murder investigations, John
Winters, recognizes her intelligence, Moonlight—Molly—Smith is frequently tasked
to participate in his investigations.
This time the crime is murder. Out for her daily walk, high
school English teacher Cathy Lindsay is slain, shot in the back. Subsequent
investigation can find no plausible reason. Why was she a target? Was it a
mistake?
As the investigation winds through Trafalgar, the author
takes the opportunity to examine relationships between her principal
characters, their family members, and members of the constabulary. Some of the scenes
are loving, some are rife with anger and tension. The pace is good and if the
threads occasionally fray and lose a little direction, that’s inevitable. This
novel has a lot of thoughtful observations and this reviewer felt enriched. I’d
award 4.75 stars if that was possible.