Thursday, February 27, 2014

A Cold and Lonely Place by Sara J Henry - REVIEW


Description

Troy Chance returns in another riveting novel from the author of the critically acclaimed Learning to Swim
Freelance writer Troy Chance is snapping photos of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival ice palace when the ice-cutting machine falls silent. Encased in the ice is the shadowy outline of a body--a man she knows. One of her roommates falls under suspicion, and the media descends. Troy's assigned to write an in-depth feature on the dead man, who, it turns out, was the privileged son of a wealthy Connecticut family who had been playing at a blue collar life in this Adirondack village. And the deeper Troy digs into his life and mysterious death, the murkier things become. After the victim's sister comes to town and a string of disturbing incidents unfold, it's clear someone doesn't want the investigation to continue. Troy doesn't know who to trust, and what she ultimately finds out threatens to shatter the serenity of these mountain towns. She must decide which family secrets should be exposed, what truths should remain hidden, and how far her own loyalty can reach.

A Cold and Lonely Place, the sequel to Learning to Swim, follows Troy on a powerful emotional journey as she discovers the damage left by long-hidden secrets, and catches a glimpse of what might have been.
My Take:
5 Stars!
I LOVED this book! I loved the main character, Troy. I really felt connected to her through the book. This was an excellent investigative murder mystery, yet learning more so about Tobin's life than anything. The description of this book states this is Book Two, a sequel to Learning to Swim, which I have not yet read. That did not seem to matter for myself. Although I wished I knew it at the time, as I would have read that book first, I was still able to pick this book up and start reading it as a stand alone all on it's own. I'm sure there are probably some things that would have helped had I read the first book, but I don't think I missed anything to, to important. From what I understand, this book will be part of a series of books which I look very much forward to reading and getting to know more about Troy.
While working on building an Ice Palace on Sarnac Lake in the Adirondack mountains for a festival they have each year, while digging and scraping with the machinery, up pops a dead body in the ice. Tobin, a local. Troy Chance, working for the local newspaper, and lives in Lake Placid, is an excellent photographer/investigative reporter for the local newspaper and friend to the victim, Tobin, as his girlfriend, Jessamyn, rooms in her home with her. Troy rents out rooms, usually to athletes who are training for the Olympics every year at Lake Placid, she took a chance renting out a room to Jessamyn, but it turned out okay. Troy knows the victim rather well because of this, or so she thinks, until she starts digging further into the investigation. I really liked Troy. Troy unfolds the story throughout the book. We always knew what she was thinking, doing, going to do, and eat! She loved to eat! LOL! She is very detail oriented, never missing a beat. Even with her investigating, still, I could NOT figure out who the killer was, but this book was not so much of a murder mystery than that of learning about Tobin's life. She even put her own life at risk while investigating this death, as well. Someone did not want anyone finding out they did it. This was a slower moving investigation than what I'm used to, maybe not slower, but again, very, very detailed. This still kept me glued to the pages flipping through them quickly. It was very difficult to put down. Once the victim's sister, Win, finds out it's her brother who is the one who was murdered and left stuck under the ice, she comes out to there to see if she can help find the killer of her brother, too. At this point, everyone is a suspect. I didn't even trust the victim's sister. She ended up spending a lot of time with Troy, almost every step of the way. The entire investigation took place during the heighth of Winter, in the cold, dark, snow, and iciness. This book is one of relationships, how they work together, the who, and togetherness or not. I highly suggest reading this book. 
The author is an extremely talented writer, and had me on the very first page! 

I received this book for FREE from the Publisher, Crown Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange to read and write a review about it. It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but of my own honest opinion. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

At first I could not find the author's website, and you'll see comments down below my great friend Elaine left a comment with Sara J Henry's website.
After that, the author, Sara J Henry came by and left a comment with her website! Same one that Elaine had for me! I am honored to have Sara J Henry come by! Her website is: http://www.sarajhenry.com just like her name! Don't forget her middle initial of J.
At her website you will find the latest on her books, signings, and more! Enjoy!
Thank you, Sara, for stopping by! As I said, it's an honor to have you here! Excellent book, by the way!

A Cold and Lonely Place: A Novel by Sara J Henry
ebook: $ 9.99
print:  $11.98

11 comments:

  1. Try this web page: http://sarajhenry.weebly.com/
    It does sound like a very good book. Thanks for the review!

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    1. Hi Elaine!
      That is IT! Thank you!! What would I do without you? I thought that was the strangest thing that an author would NOT allow their Readers to visit their page! THANK YOU, lifesaver!!! I'll go change what I wrote!
      You're the BEST!
      Laurie <3

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    2. Hi, Laurie and Elaine - www.SaraJHenry.com is my web address, which reaches the site on the weebly domain! Thanks.

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  2. Hi, sorry, my website is always open! It is www.SaraJHenry.com. What I think you saw was a link to my former blog, which I shut down but did yet not delete (making it closed to people seemed to be the easiest way to make it invisible) - I didn't realize there was a link to it on my Amazon page - I'll go remove it. Thanks, and thanks for the review. (Possibly you could change the passage above that says my website is closed to readers, which it never has been.)

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    1. Hi Sara!
      Thank you!!! One of my friends/Readers, Elaine Klingbeil left a comment with your website of: http://sarajhenry.weebly.com/, but I'll add the website you just gave me as well! Yes! I was SO disappointed!! Not anymore! THANK YOU!! I am VERY anxious to read your next book! I enjoyed this one SO MUCH that I want to keep reading your writing!! That's okay, though, because I'm going back to your first book that I didn't know you had written! I'll read that one next, and wait for your next book!
      It's TRULY and HONOR to have you stop by and let us know your website address! A HUGE THANK YOU!
      Yes! I AM changing what I have written up above! Right now I crossed it out, but I'll just delete it entirely!
      Again, I truly love your writing! I love the character, Troy Chance! She is great! Hope to see more of her in your future works!
      Congratulations on such wonderful books! Much luck to future books! Have fun with all of your signings!
      Grateful,
      Laurie

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    2. I've searched my author page, and cannot find a link to my blog or to my website, although my bio mentions my web URL, www.SaraJHenry.com. If you can let me know where you saw the bad link, I would much appreciate it. Thanks.

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    3. The web domain is www.SaraJHenry.com, which redirects to the weebly address, but easiest just to remember the URL that is my name! Thanks.

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    4. Sure can! It was on your Author page at Amazon from the Kindle link. Now it's GONE! LOL! You fixed it!! I don't see your website at Amazon, only your Twitter link now. It 'was' at the top talking about signings this weekend. When I clicked on it, well, you know the rest! Now it's gone, including your author website, though. I don't know if you want to include your author website on Amazon? Some authors don't. It DOES show on Goodreads, as I just looked there. Hope that helps! Thanks!! :)
      Laurie.

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    5. OK, I think that was must have been the feed from my old blog - I had left the feed, since it left the old posts up (which was fine) but I hadn't realized it included a link. So I deleted the old feed and added the new one. Thanks much, again!

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    6. No! Thank YOU! Now we can visit your website and keep up-to-date on your writing, signings, and more! I'm excited! I LOVED the character Troy Chance and would LOVE to see more with her in your books! Excited for your next book, but I do want to read your first book, as I was unaware of it until I posted the NetGalley Description! Now I can have more of Troy! Such a joy to read your works! Thank you for your LOVE of writing!
      Laurie

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  3. Hi Sara, again!
    Yes, aren't feeds just lovely? NOT!!! I have a feed that split the name of my blog into two separate names all on it's own! Ugh! Thank gosh for Bloglovin! that fixed it! I still have one feed that I cannot fix no matter what I do! It's from 4 years ago, then that one fixed itself when I changed the name of this blog. When I changed this blog's name, that made it split into 2 feeds, one wrong and one right. I'm afraid to try to fix it. One day I'll have to be brave enough and try it on my own. I wish there was a phone number we could call for support! Unfortunately, no. Bummer! Wish me luck! I noticed I had the name of your book wrong. Freudian slip! It's nighttime! BAD excuse, but I already corrected it! Thank YOU!!!
    Laurie

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I LOVE Comments so please leave one! After I review the comments and make sure they are NOT SPAM - I HAVE BEEN BOMBARDED WITH SPAM - YOUR COMMENTS WILL BE PUBLISHED HERE! Thanks SO MUCH for your patience and for leaving a comment!!! Comments are ALWAYS welcomed, YET THEY WILL NOT LINK TO GOOGLE+ EITHER DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF SPAM!!! When I say this blog is experiencing SPAM, we are talking 30+ comments PER DAY that are spam! Please understand!! Again, thank you!!