Glare ice

Wisconsin winter weather plays as important a role as any individual in this nicely paced tale of domestic abuse and murder. Claire Watkins is still adjusting to life in little Fort St. Antoine when she notices the bruises and stiff gait of a local woman named Stephanie Klaus. Small town or big city, Claire knows the signs of abuse when she sees them.Stephanie, however, won't talk, even when her new boyfriend, Buck, is tied into his car, driven out on the treacherous ice of Lake Pepin and left there to sink and drown.When Stephanie, accompanied by Buck's delightful dog, Snooper, tries to leave town, she is once again beaten; this time, she barely survives . . .From Publishers WeeklyWisconsin winter weather plays as important a role as any individual in this nicely paced tale of domestic abuse and murder. Police officer Claire Watkins, last seen in Dark Coulee (2000), is still adjusting to life in little Fort St. Antoine when she notices the bruises and stiff gait of a local woman named Stephanie Klaus. Small town or big city, Claire knows the signs of abuse when she sees them. Stephanie, however, won't talk, even when her new boyfriend, Buck, is tied into his car, driven out on the treacherous ice of Lake Pepin and left there to sink and drown. When Stephanie, accompanied by Buck's delightful dog, Snooper, tries to leave town, she is once again beaten; this time, she barely survives. Still she won't identify her attacker. Claire, in between Thanksgiving details involving her daughter, her sister, her boyfriend, Rich a teensy bit tiresome in his devotion and Rich's mother, tracks down Stephanie's creepy parents, ex-husband, brother and a police officer full of attitude. Claire still can't identify the culprit, but Stephanie has some protection in the form of her neighbor Sven Slocum, a retired executive with a generous heart. As a massive snowfall begins to pile up, visibility is practically nil, but Claire at last begins to see things clearly. The finale is not as fully developed as it might be, but a powerful sense of place and good clean writing greatly enhance this somewhat unremarkable plot. In addition, Claire Watkins is an appealing heroine who, in a refreshing break from the standard modern female protagonist, leaves her political agenda at home. Agent, Jane Chelius. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From BooklistThe third entry in a popular series continues the saga of deputy sheriff Claire Watkins, living and working in western Wisconsin with her daughter, Meg. Claire is settling into a relationship with Rich Haggard, a local farmer, and preparing for the long winter ahead when she is awakened one morning by a mysterious and abruptly disconnected phone call from a distraught woman. After running into Stephanie Klaus at the post office and noting her battered face, Claire is fairly certain that she has identified the caller. Before she can act, another local resident is killed when his car falls through the ice of a frozen lake--Stephanie's boyfriend, Buck. As Claire works to determine whether Stephanie's bruises and Buck's death are related, all the while planning holiday festivities with her family, Stephanie struggles with the secrets that are placing her in grave danger. An atmospheric mystery whose engaging subject matter makes up for somewhat awkward dialogue and an unrelated, unnecessary subplot concerning a little old lady. Recommend to fans of J. A. Jance's Joanna Brady series. Carrie Bissey

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