Under Cold Stone

A Constable Molly Smith Mystery

By: Vicki Delany

Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie

They're an unlikely couple: Lucky Smith, passionate environmentalist and old-time hippie, and Paul Keller, chief constable of Trafalgar, British Columbia. Their weekend getaway to a Scottish-inspired castle in the Rocky Mountains is a chance to explore their fledgling late-in-life relationship and indulge themselves at the famous Banff Springs Hotel.

Trouble interferes when Lucky, strong willed and sometimes too stubborn for her own good, stands up to two bullies in the local coffee shop. To his horror, Paul recognizes one of the young men as his estranged son, Matt.

In the early hours of the following morning, a frantic Matt calls his father for help. Lucky and Paul arrive to find a body on the apartment floor, but Matt has gone.

Matt Keller is an experienced wilderness adventurer. All signs indicate that he has escaped into the backcountry. To Sergeant Eddie Blechta of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, running is all the proof of guilt he needs. Paul Keller can do nothing but watch the investigation from a distance, terrified that Blechta is right.

Lucky's daughter, Constable Molly Smith of the Trafalgar City Police, abandons her chaotic Thanksgiving kitchen to offer her mom support. She has no intention of meddling in the police investigation, but she is as good in the wilderness as Matt, and when his sad, shy girlfriend asks for her help, Molly finds herself not only interfering but putting herself on the wrong side of Edward Blechta.

©2014 Vicki Delany (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Marvelous storytelling…I love this series!”

(Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author)

“Delany’s engaging seventh Constable Molly Stone mystery takes Molly from Trafalgar, British Columbia, to Banff, Alberta…Her colleague, Sgt. John Winters, remains in Trafalgar to face a potentially ugly protest against a new development, Grizzly Resort, which poses an environmental threat to the wilderness area…Molly and John both display compassion and intelligence as they each deal with a host of distinctive and obstructive characters.”

(Publishers Weekly)

“Delany’s Constable Smith series shines again with a fine mix of believable police officers coupled with believable cases. The author’s ability to neatly dovetail her subplots makes for an engaging procedural, this being case number seven. Recommend for armchair travelers, Nevada Barr fans, and those favoring ensemble casts.”

(Library Journal)

“Environmentalist and free spirit Lucky Smith goes on vacation to Banff National Park, Alberta, with the chief constable of Trafalgar, British Columbia, Paul Keller…Drawing heavily on the atmospheric setting in the wilderness of Banff National Park, the story weaves environmentalism, family relationships, and Lucky and Paul’s budding relationship through what is a satisfying series entry.”

(Booklist)

Coincidence

Funny that I started the book while considering a trip which includes Banff and Calgary. Nice to hear about places in the area. The plot was well written. The theme was timely.

Superb storytelling

Fantastic story: superb writing; appealing character developments with surprising and believable nuances, showing the complexity of folks; and inspired plotting. This is the best of the Constable Molly stories (though I have one to go). I couldn't stop reading, it was so well-done. Highly recommended! Vicki Delany is an exceptional storyteller. Carrington MacDuffie delivers the narration to perfection.

If you prefer nuance to action.

Ms. Delany appears to be an excellent writer; this story flows the characters are nuanced and details abound. However for me a selection from the mystery section must contain more action than this book did. If you're a fan of Lee Child, or Michael Connelly; or for that matter Stephen White or Johnathan Kellerman even Marcia Muller this work might not be what you're looking for. If you don't mind a slower pace this one is an excellent choice.

5 Stars

Vicki Delaney continues to create entertaining and engaging characters and storylines. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one.