Heart of Ice by P.J. Parrish – a Review

Heart of Ice by P.J. Parrish is my first time reading this series, as well as the author.  This series is a detective mystery, with each book about the hero, Louis Kincaid.  Other then the In-Death series, I have not been reading too much of this type of books this year.  However, I have to say I totally enjoyed this book, and was very very impressed with the two sisters writing team that makes up P.J. Parrish.

Description:
Florida PI Louis Kincaid wants to wear a badge again. But before he can, he must return home to Michigan— and some unfinished business. He hopes to bond with ten-year-old Lily, the daughter he only recently learned existed, and reunite with girlfriend Joe Frye. But new clues to an unsolved murder put his plans on ice. A trip with Lily to enchanting Mackinac Island turns grim when the child falls on a pile of old bones; the dangerous discovery reopens the cold case of Julie Chapman, a teenager from one of the wealthy summer families, who vanished two decades ago. And when Louis is forced to cooperate with a tough state investigator who once worked with Joe, tensions skyrocket. Now, what was supposed to be a time of building lasting ties splinters into disturbing fragments, personally and professionally, as Louis pursues a mystery entangled in dark family secrets and twists even he can’t predict

Review:

Right from the start, we meet our hero, Louis Kincaid, who is a former cop, and now a Private Investigator.  Louis is determined to get his badge back, but before he applies, he takes his newly discovered young daughter, Lily, on a trip to Mackinac Island in Michigan, to have some quality time with her.  This is Louis first time alone with his daughter, and he is very nervous.  While they are taking a bicycle ride around the island, Lily goes further ahead, and Louis can’t find her.  He discovers that she went into an old cabin, and finds that she fell through the rotted floor boards, on top of some old bones.  Lily turns out ok, with a broken arm, but Louis now gets himself involved with a murder mystery from 20 years ago. 

Lily leaves to go back home to her mom, and Louis, being an experienced former cop, and PI, is asked by the local police chief for his help, and stays on the island.  We are also introduced to Rafsky, the investigator sent to handle this high profile cold case.

Parrish does a wonderful job creating such interesting and real characters.  Kincaid, though having his own insecurity issues, is a compassionate and thorough investigator.  We meet his girlfriend, Joe, who is also a sheriff in another town.  Rafsky is a troubled and burned out detective, who comes across as withdrawn, unfriendly, and causes friction between him and both Kincaid and the police chief; not to mention he knows Joe, from another case many years ago.

But the main part of this story, besides the great characters, is this murder mystery;  Twenty years ago, Julie Chapman disappeared, and everyone concludes the bones found belong to her. What ensues is a mystery of trying to solve a cold case, with so many twists along the way.  You will be guessing who the murderer is, and change your mind often.  Julie came from a wealthy powerful family, which makes the case that much harder.  At every step, something new is found, bringing in more suspects, as well as misleading evidence. 

We learn a lot more of Julie Chapman, and why she was in the cabin in the woods.  This was a fantastic story, and from the beginning you are hooked.  It is impossible to read this, and skip anything, because if you do, you may miss something that could change the game, and there are so many twists.  I will not give out any spoilers, only to say the end was an exciting & fantastic finish, with amazing surprises along the way.  The wonderful writing team of P. J. Parrish does such a wonderful job with this book, as it is so well done, with the story flowing so smoothly.  If you want a good mystery, that has you pushing to finish and find the resolution, then Heart of Ice is perfect for you.  I am happy to have discovered this author, and will continue this series. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher