The Delicate Storm (Marian Wood Book)

Rating:
Summary: Oh Can-a-da!
Review: A fascinating, well-paced plot, plus interesting historical details concerning the French separatist movement in Canada make this a very worthwhile read. Blunt's Cardinal and Delorme characters take a big leap forward in terms of character development and overall detective skills. Likewise, the narrator's voice appears much more at ease in this second book of the series, and as a result, Blunt displays an excellent sense of humor in addition to the nicely calibrated dialogue. Lots of false leads, twists and surprises in this one, although some of them are telegraphed in advance. Still, this is an excellent read, particularly for anyone interested in a Canadian setting, and I look forward to the next book in this series.

Rating:
Summary: A Flawed, Complex Cop and Secrets from the Past
Review: A warm front had moved into the northern Canadian town of Algonquin Bay on the day Ivan Bergeron's dog brought home a human arm, something Detective John Cardinal really didn't need in his life at this time, because he's got a lot on his plate, like dealing with his irascible father's deteriorating health, the impending release from prison of the drug dealer he'd stolen two hundred thousand dollars from and a tall tale from Robert Henry Hewitt - better known as Wudky, the World's Dumbest Criminal - about the murder of a local trapper who turns out to be alive and well. However he can't ignore the arm and a search turns up the rest of the corpse, well most of it, as the body had been doubling as bear food. Still the bears didn't do in the victim, so Cardinal has a real murder on his hands.

Cardinal and and his partner Detective Lise Delorme, trace the remains to an American tourist ostensibly in town to check out the ice fishing. Now, because the dead guy was an American the case turns into sort of jurisdictional mess, then Cardinal is attacked, but by who?

Meanwhile, Delorme is working on her own case - Dr. Winter Cates, a new arrival to Algonquin Bay - has gone missing and when he turns up in the woods naked and dead, the detectives realize their cases must be connected and during the course of the investigation they wind up digging in past, unearthing the dirty affair of a failed kidnapping and murder by members of the FLQ in the '60s.

The Delicate Storm is a fascinating story that incorporates one of the most terrifying times of Canadian history. There are twists and turns a plenty, complex characters and an ending you won't easily forget.

Sophie Cacique Gaul

Rating:
Summary: A solid follow-up to John Cardinal's debut
Review: Not as graphic as 'Forty Words for Sorrow' but with the weight of a once-in-a-century ice storm covering the investigation into a pair of seemingly unrelated murders, this story is just as compelling. Cardinal remains an interesting figure, not a perfect man, but a decent man, and there are ups and downs in his life and the investigation that mirror reality in its long-on-pain/short-on-bliss manner. If you're looking for that happy-ever-after ending, this is not the book for you. But if you like salt and grit layered in 3 inches of ice, this is one fine police procedural. I only wish I knew if Cardinal ever recommended Kiki B. for a job with Deckard!