Dead of Winter

Officer Louis Kincaid is looking for a refuge. Drawn to the stark serenity of the Michigan wilderness, he thinks he's found just the place in Loon Lake, gateway to the Winter Wonderland. But behind the facade of pines and gingerbread lurks a killer taking his vengeance. His first victim is a local policeman, shot dead in the middle of the night, a playing card left by his body. Next, facedown and frozen under the ice near the shoreline, another policeman is found dead, another card at his side. Suspicions are rife, the atmosphere increasingly claustrophobic as Kincaid leads the local police force in a desperate bid to protect their own. Scared for his life, frustrated at every turn, Kincaid seems to be a pawn in another man's plan. But in the hands of a master, the endgame can have any number of outcomes.From Publishers WeeklyLanding a job with the police force in Loon Lake, Mich., a resort town "winter wonderland," sounds idyllic to Louis Kincaid, but when he meets his chief, ex-military man Brian Gibralter, he realizes that he has much to learn about small-town proceedings. Gibralter is all spit and polish, a taskmaster who preaches absolute loyalty to the force. Although Louis's fellow officers are friendly, he begins to question Gibralter's motives for hiring him when he learns that his predecessor, also a young African-American, was murdered, a mysteriously scrawled playing card found beside him. One murder is disturbing enough in the peaceful area, so when a former cop is found frozen with a bullet in him, fear that a psychopath is stalking the department spreads. The brutality of the acts suggests revenge, but Louis quickly realizes that the killer must have studied his victims closely. As Louis investigates further, he becomes cautious even with partner Jesse Harrison and the enigmatic Zoe Devereaux. Parrish (Dark of the Moon) deftly depicts the empty winter landscape and the relentless intensity of the killer's pursuit. A suspenseful tale of a man who must question his principles and loyalties, Parrish's latest will appeal to those seeking a fast-paced thriller propelled by a cast of charismatic characters. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.About the AuthorPJ Parrish has worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, arts reviewer, blackjack dealer and personnel director in a Mississippi casino. The author currently lives in Southaven Mississippi and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.