Death in a Cold Hard Light

Rating:
Summary: Formulaically Nebulous
Review: Apparently "Death in a Cold Hard Light" was named because the words 'cold hard light' where stated 5 times in the first chapter. The book was formulaic but attempted to avoid being by casting nebulous and dark shadows over the characters motivations and thought processes. Merry, who is previous books was a clear bright spot in the otherwise overlong scenic descriptions of nantucket, in this book, she is written in with such abstraction that you have no idea what she is even thinking. It's always been my opinion that characters in sequels or series should be basically true to thier own nature, unfortunately this doesn't seem to be the case with poor Merry. I get the distinct feeling that "Death in a Mood Indigo" was the pinicale of this series. I can say without hesitation I won't be reading any more of this series and I won't miss it at all.

Rating:
Summary: Great addition to earlier books in the series
Review: Detective Merry Folger fans will enjoy this novel. The pace is good, the descriptions (both of things physical and of things emotional) are vivid and true. We learn more about Merry and her relationships. The many references to the "Osborne case" (a case in a previous book) got under my skin a bit and took away from whatever moment was happening in the story. A must read for those who want to grow with all the characters in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Real good mystery read
Review: Jay Santorski's body has been pulled out of the frigid waters near Nantucket Island by the Coast Guard. Though anyone who knows the deceased could not accept the probable cause of death, John apparently is the victim of an accidental drowning. The Nantucket Chief of Police John Folger recalls his daughter, police detective Meredith, who is on a much needed vacation with her fiancé Peter Mason, to oversee the investigation. Over the irate objections of John, she flies home in a nasty storm to take charge of the official inquiry.

Meredith quickly realizes that the character of the victim remains out of focus as there are two conflicting opinions about the man. She soon discovers a possible heroin connection and subsequently two more suspicious deaths follow. Leads stop cold or go down the wrong path. Many of these are fed to Meredith by her own father, who may be covering up the disappearance of a fellow officer that possibly is tied to the Santorski case. Though she constantly argues with her father and her lover, Meredith continues to seek the truth behind the Santorski death.

DEATH IN A COLD HARD LIGHT is a great addition to a top rate series. The fourth Folger book has a strong premise that is brilliantly developed into a fine story line. However, what makes this particular novel so good is the insight into Meredith's relationships with her loved ones, especially her father. This reviewer strongly recommends all the novels in this series and the Francine Mathews' Jane Austen mysteries(under the name Stephanie Barron) for anyone who enjoys fine characterization, atmospheric mystery, and a fun to read plot.

Harriet Klausner