A Colder Kind of Death

By Gail Bowen

Book Overview

When a prisoner is shot to death in a Saskatchewan penitentiary, Joanne Kilbourn finds herself haunted by a part of her past she wished had never happened. The dead prisoner is Kevin Tarpley, the man who six years earlier had brutally killed her politician husband, Ian, in a seemingly senseless act.

The haunting takes on a more menacing cast several days later when Tarpley's wife, Maureen, is discovered dead with a brightly coloured scarf wound tightly around her neck, a scarf that belongs to none other than Joanne Kilbourn. Soon this single mother, author, university professor, and TV-show panelist is deemed the "number one" suspect in Maureen Tarpley's demise.

Joanne knows there has to be a connection between these two murders. But what is it? A cryptic letter sent to Joanne by Kevin Tarpley just days before his death intimates that Ian Kilbourn's killing may not have been as senseless as first assumed. In fact, there are hints that some of Ian's political colleagues may have been involved. But how deeply and in what way?

Then there's the faded photograph of a pretty young woman and her baby that Joanne finds tucked in the wallet of her dead husband. Does it offer any clue to Ian's murder, or to the deaths of the Tarpleys? Warily, Joanne Kilbourn is forced to follow a tangled trail deep into a heartbreaking past she never knew existed.

A Colder Kind of Death is the fourth novel featuring Gail Bowen's "reluctant sleuth," Joanne Kilbourn. With its deft mix of wry humour and mayhem, closely observed family scenes and gripping suspense, warm characterization and betrayal, it confirms Gail Bowen's stature as one of the greats of mystery fiction.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0771013175
• ISBN13: 9780771013171
• Release Date: June 2011
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

An Exploration of Joanne's Past...

The first time I read "Deadly Appearances," I was struck by the fact that Joanne Kilbourn's husband had died before the series had even begun, and in a random act of violence, no less. It was enough to raise an eyebrow, and now here, in "A Colder Kind of Death," the past comes to haunt Joanne again.When her husband's killer is himself killed in prison, Joanne Kilbourn picks up her Nancy Drew ways and delves into the life of her husband's life, the lives of his friends, and finds more and more things that don't add up, and secrets that might better remain in the past. As she uncovers a conspiracy that might cast a very dark shadow on who her husband was (and even how solid their marriage was), Joanna is solid in her determination to find out the truth.As always, Gail Bowen's strength is in her characters. Joanne is a very well-written character, with solid history and plausible emotionality. She is active and intelligent, something you rarely see in an over-forty female character, and moreover, this is done in a believable, important way. Pick this one up - though it might be best to read the Joanne Kilbourn series in order, starting with "Deadly Appearances." This is definitely one of the best in the series.'Nathan

A Superior Mystery Story

Written in good, unpretentious prose, this book seems simple at first, but quickly gets the reader involved. The characters are interesting and well developed. The story is interesting and complicated enough to be intriguing. It is very well written and well edited. I prefer the author's style to that of many better known writers.

Quite Refreshing

This was my first time reading this author and I thoroughly enjoyed her. It helps because she writes about the Regina, Saskatchewan area and I actually was born around there. Reading about streets that I had visited and roads I had travelled was kind of fun. Ms. Bowen is a good mystery writer. She has a strong story line and here characters are real. Definitely worth a visit.