[.ca] The Delicate Storm: A John Cardinal Mystery (ISBN 0770429394)

A Flawed, Complex Cop and Secrets from the Past:
A warm front had moved into the northern Canadian town of Algonquin Bay on the day Ivan Bergeron's dog brought home a human arm, something Detective John Cardinal really didn't need in his life at this time, because he's got a lot on his plate, like dealing with his irascible father's deteriorating health, the impending release from prison of the drug dealer he'd stolen two hundred thousand dollars from and a tall tale from Robert Henry Hewitt - better known as Wudky, the World's Dumbest Criminal - about the murder of a local trapper who turns out to be alive and well. However he can't ignore the arm and a search turns up the rest of the corpse, well most of it, as the body had been doubling as bear food. Still the bears didn't do in the victim, so Cardinal has a real murder on his hands. Cardinal and and his partner Detective Lise Delorme, trace the remains to an American tourist ostensibly in town to check out the ice fishing. Now, because the dead guy was an American the case turns into sort of jurisdictional mess, then Cardinal is attacked, but by who? Meanwhile, Delorme is working on her own case - Dr. Winter Cates, a new arrival to Algonquin Bay - has gone missing and when he turns up in the woods naked and dead, the detectives realize their cases must be connected and during the course of the investigation they wind up digging in past, unearthing the dirty affair of a failed kidnapping and murder by members of the FLQ in the '60s. The Delicate Storm is a fascinating story that incorporates one of the most terrifying times of Canadian history. There are twists and turns a plenty, complex characters and an ending you won't easily forget. Sophie Cacique Gaul

Excellent:
This mystery is beautifully written, smooth and compact just enough details, the characters are credible and the plot appears to be derived from moments of Quebecs history and fiction.