Under Cold Stone

February 24, 2014
Delany’s engaging seventh Constable Molly Stone mystery (after 2013’s A Cold White Sun) takes Molly from Trafalgar, British Columbia, to Banff, Alberta. At a Banff restaurant, Molly’s widowed mother, Lucky Smith, and Lucky’s boyfriend, Chief Constable Paul Keller, who’s Molly’s boss, have a run-in with two abrasive men, one of whom turns out to be Paul’s estranged son, Matt Keller. Later, Matt goes on the run after he becomes a suspect in a murder. At Lucky’s request, Molly travels to Banff. 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. While the police search for Matt, Molly befriends Matt’s insecure girlfriend, Tracey McMillan, and questions his roommates, among others. Molly and John both display compassion and intelligence as they each deal with a host of distinctive and obstructive characters.

February 15, 2014
A chief constable's son is wanted for murder in the new procedural from Delany (A Cold White Sun, 2013, etc.). Paul Keller, chief constable of Trafalgar, British Columbia, and his lover, Lucky Smith, a widow who is devoted to environmental causes, have come to vacation in Banff, a town known around the world for its beauty. When Lucky has a run-in with two extremely rude young men, she has no idea that one of them is Paul's estranged son, Matt. At first, Matt snubs his father, but he's quick to call him with the news that he's returned home from his bartending job to find one of his roommates dead. Unfortunately, he takes off before Paul and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrive, thereby promoting himself to the most likely suspect. Lucky's daughter, Molly, a Trafalgar constable, quickly heads for Banff to support her mother and her boss, the latter of whom seems to be aging before her eyes. Matt's mother, who blames Paul for all of Matt's problems, also arrives on the scene, accompanied by her wealthy boyfriend. Despite the resistance of the local RCMP sergeant, Molly--who keeps her identity as a cop well hidden--starts asking questions of Matt's roommates and his girlfriend, Tracey. Meanwhile, back in Trafalgar, Sgt. John Winters has his hands full with activists protesting the building of a large resort, including some outsiders with radical backgrounds. While the RCMP searches for the missing Matt, Molly digs up information that leads to a surprising suspect. The glorious scenery of British Columbia upstages Delany's regular cast in this plausible tale.

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March 1, 2014

Molly's mom, Lucky Smith, is on vacation in Canada's Banff National Park with Molly's boss, Chief Const. Paul Keller, but it turns into a busman's holiday when a murder case opens up. Surprisingly, Paul's semiestranged son, Matt (who works in Banff), is the prime suspect, since he's the victim's roommate--and he's skipped town. Lucky calls Molly, and the clever constable is soon on the scene, flexing her detective muscles while posing as concerned daughter. A small-time crime ring leads Molly, Paul, and the locals into a more extensive investigation that nabs the real killer. Meanwhile, back in Trafalgar, BC, Sgt. John Winters holds down the fort while dealing with environmental demonstrators protesting a proposed resort complex. The action accelerates dramatically when ecoterrorists infiltrate the scene. VERDICT 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 (after A Cold White Sun). Recommend for armchair travelers, Nevada Barr fans, and those favoring ensemble casts.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2014
Environmentalist and free spirit Lucky Smith goes on vacation to Banff National Park, Alberta, with the chief constable of Trafalgar, British Columbia, Paul Keller, staying at the luxurious Banff Springs Hotel. While waiting in line for a latte, Lucky has a run-in with a couple of punks, one of whom, she discovers, is Paul's estranged son, Matt. When Matt finds his roommate's body, he calls his father for help, but by the time Paul and Lucky arrive at the apartment, Matt is gone, on the run. Lucky then calls on her daughter, Constable Molly Smith, also of the Trafalgar police, for support, and Molly drives to Banff to be with her mother, although she is uncomfortable with her mother's relationship with her boss. 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.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)