Rating: 
Summary: Award winning first novel rather a letdown.
Review: I suppose allowances should be made for this being a first novel but generally I found it rather unsatisfactory. The characters all tend to be unsympathetic ( Someone is murdering bookies, Like who cares?) The hero is a walking cliche, a P.I. who an ex sport figure, ex cop with a bad experience (the violent death of his partner) and who is also, quite frankly, a bit of a whiner. The few attempts at wisecracking dialogue are rather feeble and the explanation of the intriguing premise of how someone is a high security prison is leaving taunting messages for the hero is rather a letdown. I did like the setting, a small town in Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior, the wintry descriptions and the interplay with the local characters as they sit in the tavern drinking their *imported* Canadian beer.
Rating:
Summary: A Cold Day in Paradise
Review: I thought the character development was terrific, the locale believable and the writing skilled. The only problem I had was with the plot. I did not find the instant animosity of the chief of police credible. I also was able to correctly guess what had happened to Edgar. But I'm a sucker for great characters and look forward to this author's next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a "formula" private-eye novel!
Review: I tried to write a formula private eye novel -- you know, with the wise-cracking PI sitting in his office, waiting for the client to come in (either the rich guy or the beautiful blonde). There's nothing wrong with that formula -- it still works to this day. But I couldn't do it. So instead I just tried to tell a good story, with a main character you can really care about, some suspense, some dark humor, and a sense of what it's like to live next to the coldest, deepest lake in the world. If you read it, I hope you like it, and I hope you let me know about it!
Rating:
Summary: A Big Disappointment
Review: I wanted to like this novel---I really, really did, because it had apparently received rave reviews and the beginning of the book was promising. But if you're an avid reader like me who is always looking for something new and exciting, you'll be as disappointed in this book as I was. The characters were flat, unimaginative and two-dimensional. The writing was about as exciting as the back of a cereal box. The plot was strange and unbelievable. Sometimes a book with these flaws can be saved by stellar prose, but that wasn't the case with this novel. The writing was blunt, plain and unevocative. Imagine someone without much personality---say an insurance salesman or someone who fixes air conditioners for a living---sitting you down and telling you a story about four or five uninteresting people. That's the level of excitement that this book generated for me. If you want well-developed characters, poetic prose and interesting plots, look elsewhere. This was a halfway decent effort from a first-time writer, but I'm stunned and amazed that so much praise has been heaped upon such an average effort.
Rating: 
Summary: Edgar and Shamus Awards for Best First Novel
Review: It has the mysterious murders, the plot twists, the maniacal killer (maybe), the dame, quirky small town citizens and the hard-boiled former cop turned UP detective. I don't normally read mysteries, but I was drawn to this one at the bookstore. I have to say it was worth the price; I finished it in one sitting. Hamilton kept my interest, and I loved unwinding the mystery along with Alex McKnight (our reluctant hero). I'm now a fan and can't wait to read the latest McKnight adventure!
Rating: 
Summary: A Cold Day in Paradise
Review: Loved it, Loved it, Loved it.
Rating:
Summary: He has really been there!
Review: Mr. Hamilton is familiar with the territory in this book. He knows the Upper Peninsula and has written a first rate book about the people, the special places, and a crime that is so convoluted that it kept me guessing until the end. I live in the U. P. and am familiar with his various locales. He brings a new twist to what could have been an old story. And he makes one feel the anguish Alex goes through as he fights his fears and finally faces them. I just finished this book today, came home from work, and ordered his second one immediately. That is how impressed I am with Mr. Hamilton's writing.
Rating:
Summary: I was right there - very readable, believable.
Review: Mr. Hamilton's debut novel was delicious. Being from Michiganand having visited parts of the UP, I can vouch for the accuracy ofhis descriptions of Lake Superior and the kind of folks that choose that frontier lifestyle or who want to get away from it all. Mr. Hamilton's writer's voice is developed, calm and clear and I look forward to more books. A good read to me is when the characters come alive and I care about them, no matter what side of the line they are on. Mr. Hamilton wrote for the reader. Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: Great new author...great P. I.
Review: Steve Hamilton comes at you from several different directions in his first novel, A Cold Day in Paradise. That's Paradise, Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior in the upper peninsula. The setting and local color are terrific. Alex McKnight, ex-minor league baseball player, ex-Detroit cop with a bullet still lodged in his chest and now a private investigator, works his way through two murders, a missing person case and a monster killer from his past that leave you guessing until the very end of the book. Good characters. Tight plot. A real page-turner. This is a book you won't be able to put down. Steve Hamilton's got a real winning combination here.
Rating:
Summary: A well written, highly entertaining book!
Review: Steve Hamilton has produced an excellent work of fiction. A Cold Day in Paradise immediately draws you into Alex McKnight's world and does not let you out until the end. The pace and tension continue throughout the book. The twists and turns provided through the plot keep you guessing, just when you think you have it figured out, Hamilton pulls the rug out from under you! Hamilton's writing style is clear and concise but full enough to paint the entire picture for the reader. This book is an excellent read and will provide any reader with the satisfaction of a story well told.
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