[.ca] A Colder Kind of Death (ISBN 0771014953)

Amazon.ca:
A Colder Kind of Death introduces Gail Bowen's amateur detective Joanne Kilbourn in a most inventive and intriguing murder mystery debut. Fortysomething Joanne, single mom and university professor, still hasn't quite come to terms with the murder of her husband when politician Andy Boychuk, a family friend and one of her husband's closest colleagues, is murdered at a picnic celebrating his election as leader of his party. Even though there seem to be few other suspects, Kilbourn is determined to clear Boychuk's wife, Eve, on whom all suspicions seem to be falling. But Joanne discovers that there are hidden secrets in Andy and Eve's past that someone doesn't want revealed, even if it means killing again. In Joanne Kilbourn, Bowen has created an engaging amateur detective whose personal life as a working single mother is as intriguing as the mysteries she becomes embroiled in. Bowen adds to the mix a strong sense of life on the Canadian Prairies, the complexities of urban life and work, and often uneasy connections with a vibrant Native community. Readers who find themselves intrigued by Joanne Kilbourn will want to investigate other books in the series, including Verdict in Blood, A Killing Spring, and The Wandering Soul Murders. --Jeffrey Canton

Quite Refreshing:
This was my first time reading this author and I thoroughly enjoyed her. It helps because she writes about the Regina, Saskatchewan area and I actually was born around there. Reading about streets that I had visited and roads I had travelled was kind of fun. Ms. Bowen is a good mystery writer. She has a strong story line and here characters are real. Definitely worth a visit.

An Exploration of Joanne's Past...:
The first time I read "Deadly Appearances," I was struck by the fact that Joanne Kilbourn's husband had died before the series had even begun, and in a random act of violence, no less. It was enough to raise an eyebrow, and now here, in "A Colder Kind of Death," the past comes to haunt Joanne again. When her husband's killer is himself killed in prison, Joanne Kilbourn picks up her Nancy Drew ways and delves into the life of her husband's life, the lives of his friends, and finds more and more things that don't add up, and secrets that might better remain in the past. As she uncovers a conspiracy that might cast a very dark shadow on who her husband was (and even how solid their marriage was), Joanna is solid in her determination to find out the truth. As always, Gail Bowen's strength is in her characters. Joanne is a very well-written character, with solid history and plausible emotionality. She is active and intelligent, something you rarely see in an over-forty female character, and moreover, this is done in a believable, important way. Pick this one up - though it might be best to read the Joanne Kilbourn series in order, starting with "Deadly Appearances." This is definitely one of the best in the series. 'Nathan

A Superior Mystery Story:
Written in good, unpretentious prose, this book seems simple at first, but quickly gets the reader involved. The characters are interesting and well developed. The story is interesting and complicated enough to be intriguing. It is very well written and well edited. I prefer the author's style to that of many better known writers.