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Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski #2
Cold Fear
When her ten-year-old daughter vanishes on a family camping trip, a full-scale search is launched, and as her daughter struggles to survive in the harsh wilderness, she must race against time to find her before someone else does--someone evil from the past. Original.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
3892 people are currently reading
4461 people want to read
About the author
Rick Mofina
66 books1,323 followersRick Mofina is a former journalist who has interviewed murderers on death row in Montana and Texas, flown over L.A. with the LAPD and patrolled with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near the Arctic. He's also reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait's border with Iraq. His true-crime freelance work has appeared in The New York Times, The Telegraph (London, U.K.), Reader’s Digest, Penthouse, Marie Claire and The South China Morning Post, (Hong Kong). He has written more than 20 crime fiction thrillers that have been published in nearly 30 countries.
His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Louise Penny, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Lisa Unger, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper.
The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award, a four-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.”
Series:
* Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski
* Jason Wade
* Jack Gannon
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2003): Blood of Others
His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Louise Penny, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Lisa Unger, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper.
The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award, a four-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.”
Series:
* Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski
* Jason Wade
* Jack Gannon
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2003): Blood of Others
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 897 reviews
August 13, 2014
I actually finished this last night, but if I had written the review then it would've been a lot meaner, so I waited. I'll try to not be too mean, but there was just so much wrong with this book.
Why is everyone so beautiful and perfectly attractive and in such amazing shape? Yeah, that's realistic.
The math! A character has a traumatic event at 15. Then moves away and lives in Kansas for a year. Then bounces around to many different locales for an unspecified amount of time. Then moves to California, where she is left with her aunt. A year after moving in with the aunt, she gets more traumatic news. She is 16 at this time. Can someone please explain to me how that works??
The perspective changes are incredibly jarring. I feel like no editing was done on this book at all. You bounce around from point of view to point of view but there's no clear indication of the switch, so from sentence to sentence you're in one person's head then another's. At first it'll just switch mid chapter, with no warning, but as the book goes on it just gets worse and worse. If you're in a room with four people the perspective bounces around from one to the other, never with any warning or indication. In one scene we're in a man's head, then the very next sentence we're in a woman's head, then the very next sentence we're back in the man's head. It's insane!
The mystery...oh, the mystery. There wasn't one, really. Every attempted misdirection is so obviously a misdirection, often because you've already read something that proves the attempted misdirection is wrong.
This may just be a personal thing, but from early on in the book I had the strongest feeling that the author had read Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and thought to himself "I could write that better. I'll make it a mystery and drag it out as long as I can." Except no. Don't do that.
If you have a burning desire to read a book about a little girl lost in the woods/mountains, go get the The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It's much, much better.
I will leave open the possibility that I somehow accidentally received a first draft of the book, as yet unglimpsed by an editor, and somewhere out there is a perfectly edited version of this story that reads so much better. I'm completely boggled by all the rave reviews on the book jacket and in the book. Maybe it's a conspiracy and someone mangled my copy so I'd hate it. Either way, this is it for me. I don't care what famous author says these are good, I'm not falling for that again.
Why is everyone so beautiful and perfectly attractive and in such amazing shape? Yeah, that's realistic.
The math! A character has a traumatic event at 15. Then moves away and lives in Kansas for a year. Then bounces around to many different locales for an unspecified amount of time. Then moves to California, where she is left with her aunt. A year after moving in with the aunt, she gets more traumatic news. She is 16 at this time. Can someone please explain to me how that works??
The perspective changes are incredibly jarring. I feel like no editing was done on this book at all. You bounce around from point of view to point of view but there's no clear indication of the switch, so from sentence to sentence you're in one person's head then another's. At first it'll just switch mid chapter, with no warning, but as the book goes on it just gets worse and worse. If you're in a room with four people the perspective bounces around from one to the other, never with any warning or indication. In one scene we're in a man's head, then the very next sentence we're in a woman's head, then the very next sentence we're back in the man's head. It's insane!
The mystery...oh, the mystery. There wasn't one, really. Every attempted misdirection is so obviously a misdirection, often because you've already read something that proves the attempted misdirection is wrong.
This may just be a personal thing, but from early on in the book I had the strongest feeling that the author had read Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and thought to himself "I could write that better. I'll make it a mystery and drag it out as long as I can." Except no. Don't do that.
If you have a burning desire to read a book about a little girl lost in the woods/mountains, go get the The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It's much, much better.
I will leave open the possibility that I somehow accidentally received a first draft of the book, as yet unglimpsed by an editor, and somewhere out there is a perfectly edited version of this story that reads so much better. I'm completely boggled by all the rave reviews on the book jacket and in the book. Maybe it's a conspiracy and someone mangled my copy so I'd hate it. Either way, this is it for me. I don't care what famous author says these are good, I'm not falling for that again.
January 23, 2014
Just okay--lots of typos and editing mistakes. And too many characters to try to keep track of. Not the best use of my reading time.
July 30, 2022
This is the 2nd book in the Tom Reed & Walt Sydowski series. It's a great one! It starts with a couple and their daughter taking a holiday in Glacier National Park, Montana, where the mother is determined to work through some trauma she has held since childhood. The daughter goes missing in the vast mountains where bears are commonly seen. Since the family is from San Francisco, Reed, a journalist, and Sydowski a detective, go to Montana to cover the story of the missing girl.
Enter the drama of a man on death row in the same area. He's due for execution that same week but at the 11th hour he tells his lawyer he's innocent and wants to tell his story, which also takes place in the mountains of the same park.
The two plots come together, driven by so much suspense and action.
The narrator, Christian Rummel, is the same narrator for the first book (and for the whole series). He was great!
I liked the story and pacing. There was no dead air or slow moments. I did find the mother, Emily, particularly annoying but I admit it's probably a realistic portrayal of any mother in this kind of distress.
I do wish there was more interaction between Reed and Sydowski, but I suppose that would be unrealistic. We learn a bit more about Reed and his family. We see Sydowski being vulnerable and trying to dip his toe into the dating world while feeling guilty, because he thinks often of his wife who passed away before book #1.
Author, Rick Mofina, does such a great job of establishing the characters and eliciting empathy from the reader very quickly. I had developed strong feelings for all characters, right away.
The ending was very satisfying. I really had no idea how it would end, although I was hoping for a happy ending.
I love this series! Onto book #3.
Enter the drama of a man on death row in the same area. He's due for execution that same week but at the 11th hour he tells his lawyer he's innocent and wants to tell his story, which also takes place in the mountains of the same park.
The two plots come together, driven by so much suspense and action.
The narrator, Christian Rummel, is the same narrator for the first book (and for the whole series). He was great!
I liked the story and pacing. There was no dead air or slow moments. I did find the mother, Emily, particularly annoying but I admit it's probably a realistic portrayal of any mother in this kind of distress.
I do wish there was more interaction between Reed and Sydowski, but I suppose that would be unrealistic. We learn a bit more about Reed and his family. We see Sydowski being vulnerable and trying to dip his toe into the dating world while feeling guilty, because he thinks often of his wife who passed away before book #1.
Author, Rick Mofina, does such a great job of establishing the characters and eliciting empathy from the reader very quickly. I had developed strong feelings for all characters, right away.
The ending was very satisfying. I really had no idea how it would end, although I was hoping for a happy ending.
I love this series! Onto book #3.
August 11, 2014
Cold Fear had so many great reviews I could not wait to pick it up. The story is about a young girl that gets lost in the mountains and her parents struggle to find her.
I was very disappointed, and struggled to get through the book however. There were a lot of characters in the book that had nothing to do with the story, and seemed to be there just to add more words. I got a little tired of Paige almost getting attacked by bears and getting away suddenly, at least add a new threat in there somewhere. The police work seemed way off to me and often made no sense at all.
The author makes a note at the end about dramatic license. I respect this, but this story was just to far off the mark to even feel real at all. I rolled my eyes most of the time and really struggled to get through it. I should have skipped some of it as there would really be nothing missed.
I was very disappointed, and struggled to get through the book however. There were a lot of characters in the book that had nothing to do with the story, and seemed to be there just to add more words. I got a little tired of Paige almost getting attacked by bears and getting away suddenly, at least add a new threat in there somewhere. The police work seemed way off to me and often made no sense at all.
The author makes a note at the end about dramatic license. I respect this, but this story was just to far off the mark to even feel real at all. I rolled my eyes most of the time and really struggled to get through it. I should have skipped some of it as there would really be nothing missed.
April 6, 2016
Aside from the lack of editing, this book was not great. It can basically be summed up as:
Mom: I have a secret but instead of telling you, I'm going to cry.
Dad: I'm so angry at everything, I yell and see red
Daughter: hiding, running through forest with dog
Searchers: gosh we can't find her anywhere
Guy on death row: I'm going to die for something I didn't do
And a bunch of flashbacks.
I didn't care about any of the characters and there was no tension. I only finished it to see what happened to the dog.
Mom: I have a secret but instead of telling you, I'm going to cry.
Dad: I'm so angry at everything, I yell and see red
Daughter: hiding, running through forest with dog
Searchers: gosh we can't find her anywhere
Guy on death row: I'm going to die for something I didn't do
And a bunch of flashbacks.
I didn't care about any of the characters and there was no tension. I only finished it to see what happened to the dog.
June 6, 2019
Another edge of your seat psychological thriller from Mr. Mofina! A little girl is on vacation camping in Glacier National Park with her parents. They want to get away from it all, and hope to relax, enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the great outdoors, and relishing in some much needed family time. What unfolds almost immediately is told in terrifyingly vivid detail, and without a doubt, is one of the worst nightmares I can imagine ever experiencing.
Fast paced and gripping.
Fast paced and gripping.
June 16, 2020
This is without doubt one of the most exciting books I've read in a long time. The ending was explosive and very satisfying. It just built up and up until the final moments when you were truly unsure what would happen! It was a true cliff hanger in more than one way!
Most of the time when I read books they don't make me excited or really feel very much (although a few have made me cry)... But this book actually made me feel...a bit annoyed at the author. I was so eager to find out about Paige (the missing 10-year-old girl) and it kept going on about FBI agents talking to the parents!! So I was thinking "come on! Enough with the agents! Tell us what's happening out in the park with Paige!!" And I normally don't do this at all! So you know it has to be an incredible well written and powerful story to do this! Of course I do love stories about nature and those man versus nature stories too! So do take that into consideration. But I actually cared about Paige and was eager to see if she was ok! And in this book we actually spend a lot more time with the parents so Paige is almost a side character, her and her little beagle. And yes, I was worried about her dog too. There are hungry bears out there! I cannot imagine being out somewhere and meeting a real bear! It's mind boggling.
I liked the FBI agents in this book and the other characters too. They were written with personalities and they just seemed very human. Paige's mother is dealing with a big problem from her past and she has never told her husband what it is so it's causing much trouble in their house. I believe her feelings is called survivor's guilt. In many ways that is at the heart of this story. Her past trauma and how she just simply cannot forget it. It haunts her. And now she has to deal with Paige being lost.
Hmm...thinking about it, I believe her mother also has signs of PTSD. The book never stated that but thinking about it now it's obvious. That's why she can't forget what happened.
There's also a murderer in here too. Someone from the mothers past. Now while I was reading I did have an idea about this guy and my idea actually turned out right! But then I was wrong about a different thing about him. The way he thinks, once I realized it, was a bit shocking.
I would love to read more books by this author and about the agents in this one. They seem very real. And I love the writing style too. The story flows very smoothly but yet it's well thought out and has good details. It's a real page turner. The huge teams assembled for the search and with the news reporters seemed realistic too.
The only little flaw is I suppose I would have liked to spend more time with Paige out in the park..(because I love nature) but I guess then it would not have been that suspenseful? The way it was written was superb!
Most of the time when I read books they don't make me excited or really feel very much (although a few have made me cry)... But this book actually made me feel...a bit annoyed at the author. I was so eager to find out about Paige (the missing 10-year-old girl) and it kept going on about FBI agents talking to the parents!! So I was thinking "come on! Enough with the agents! Tell us what's happening out in the park with Paige!!" And I normally don't do this at all! So you know it has to be an incredible well written and powerful story to do this! Of course I do love stories about nature and those man versus nature stories too! So do take that into consideration. But I actually cared about Paige and was eager to see if she was ok! And in this book we actually spend a lot more time with the parents so Paige is almost a side character, her and her little beagle. And yes, I was worried about her dog too. There are hungry bears out there! I cannot imagine being out somewhere and meeting a real bear! It's mind boggling.
I liked the FBI agents in this book and the other characters too. They were written with personalities and they just seemed very human. Paige's mother is dealing with a big problem from her past and she has never told her husband what it is so it's causing much trouble in their house. I believe her feelings is called survivor's guilt. In many ways that is at the heart of this story. Her past trauma and how she just simply cannot forget it. It haunts her. And now she has to deal with Paige being lost.
Hmm...thinking about it, I believe her mother also has signs of PTSD. The book never stated that but thinking about it now it's obvious. That's why she can't forget what happened.
There's also a murderer in here too. Someone from the mothers past. Now while I was reading I did have an idea about this guy and my idea actually turned out right! But then I was wrong about a different thing about him. The way he thinks, once I realized it, was a bit shocking.
I would love to read more books by this author and about the agents in this one. They seem very real. And I love the writing style too. The story flows very smoothly but yet it's well thought out and has good details. It's a real page turner. The huge teams assembled for the search and with the news reporters seemed realistic too.
The only little flaw is I suppose I would have liked to spend more time with Paige out in the park..(because I love nature) but I guess then it would not have been that suspenseful? The way it was written was superb!
June 28, 2022
I hate not finishing a book and I often push myself to read a book. Reading should be enjoyable, right? I couldn't make it past 18%. There were at least 20 characters in that 18% and based on other reviews, there were a lot more on the way. I just couldn't continue reading this.
April 16, 2016
I had read When Angels Fall by Rick Mofina & had Cold Fear on my kindle for a year or so i am glad i finally decided to read this edge of your seat thriller.
Paige Baker & her parents Doug & Emily go on a camping trip in the Glacier National park when suddenly Paige disappears looking for her dog kobee she goes further into the woods & gets lost her parents try desperately to find her but to no avail.
Doug & Emily are far from perfect their marriage is on tender hooks as Emily hears voices in her head 22 years ago she was in the same national park where her sister Rachel is killed & Isiah Hood is put on death row for her supposed killing but he denies any involvement.
In comes the FBI agents Frank Zander & Tracy Bowman they suspect both parents for Paige's murder frank asks Doug to take a polygraph test to prove his innocence which he happily obliges, although Emily is hiding something.
Frank Zander & Tracy Bowman look into Emily's past by visiting her sister villa she tells Zander that Emily tried to kill Rachel but did she?
David Cohen Hoods lawyer tries to stop his execution then isaiah fakes an illness & ends up back at Glacier National Park he is there for a reason to get into Emily & Doug's Psyche.
what happens next is a twist that will turn things upside down i loved the banter between Zander & bowman made for an enjoyable read
Paige Baker & her parents Doug & Emily go on a camping trip in the Glacier National park when suddenly Paige disappears looking for her dog kobee she goes further into the woods & gets lost her parents try desperately to find her but to no avail.
Doug & Emily are far from perfect their marriage is on tender hooks as Emily hears voices in her head 22 years ago she was in the same national park where her sister Rachel is killed & Isiah Hood is put on death row for her supposed killing but he denies any involvement.
In comes the FBI agents Frank Zander & Tracy Bowman they suspect both parents for Paige's murder frank asks Doug to take a polygraph test to prove his innocence which he happily obliges, although Emily is hiding something.
Frank Zander & Tracy Bowman look into Emily's past by visiting her sister villa she tells Zander that Emily tried to kill Rachel but did she?
David Cohen Hoods lawyer tries to stop his execution then isaiah fakes an illness & ends up back at Glacier National Park he is there for a reason to get into Emily & Doug's Psyche.
what happens next is a twist that will turn things upside down i loved the banter between Zander & bowman made for an enjoyable read
July 31, 2017
A young girl goes missing while on a family camping trip. An inmate on death row whose lawyer believes here has an innocent client. An FBI agent with an emotional investment in making sure some one pays for the crime he believes has been committed.
The number of major and minor characters along with the resultant back stories can be confusing. But pay attention and it all comes together. I found this story to be nicely put together and the drama tightly woven. There were some heart-pounding moments. There would have been more, but the editing or the lack of it posed some distractions.
While this is part of a series, it stood nicely on it's own.
The number of major and minor characters along with the resultant back stories can be confusing. But pay attention and it all comes together. I found this story to be nicely put together and the drama tightly woven. There were some heart-pounding moments. There would have been more, but the editing or the lack of it posed some distractions.
While this is part of a series, it stood nicely on it's own.
December 8, 2018
A family in crisis make a pilgrimage into one woman’s past in the vast forests of Montana’s Glacier National park. What started as a chance to regroup and strengthen their relationship, will become a parent’s worst nightmare for Doug and Emily Baker when their daughter goes missing and the clock runs down to find her alive.
There is more than meets the eye in this riveting suspense as Rick Mofina takes us deep into the wilderness of life, lies, secrets and razor-taut tension in COLD FEAR.
Woven into the search for the lost child, is the story of a man on death row with only hours to live, how do they intersect? What could a convicted murderer who claims he is innocent have in common with a ten-year-old child? The past will collide with the present, will it continue one person’s dark nightmare or shed light on a hidden truth? There is a missing link, but will it be found by the law or the press? Will it be in time to save the lives that hang in the balance?
Intense, nerve-shredding reading told in a gripping and mesmerizing way! Great character interactions, realistic emotions!
Series: Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski - Book 2
Publisher: Carrick Publishing (December 8, 2012)
Publication Date: December 8, 2012
Genre: Suspense
Print Length: 448 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
There is more than meets the eye in this riveting suspense as Rick Mofina takes us deep into the wilderness of life, lies, secrets and razor-taut tension in COLD FEAR.
Woven into the search for the lost child, is the story of a man on death row with only hours to live, how do they intersect? What could a convicted murderer who claims he is innocent have in common with a ten-year-old child? The past will collide with the present, will it continue one person’s dark nightmare or shed light on a hidden truth? There is a missing link, but will it be found by the law or the press? Will it be in time to save the lives that hang in the balance?
Intense, nerve-shredding reading told in a gripping and mesmerizing way! Great character interactions, realistic emotions!
Series: Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski - Book 2
Publisher: Carrick Publishing (December 8, 2012)
Publication Date: December 8, 2012
Genre: Suspense
Print Length: 448 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
May 13, 2013
Cold Fear jabs you like a red hot poker!
The very first sentence made me gasp. Then I smiled, because I knew this was going to be a thrilling roller coaster of a ride. I was right. Rick Mofina doesn't disappoint.
A child is lost in Glacier National Park, a remote wilderness area where temperatures plummet to nearly freezing at night, and grizzly bears roam by day. According to the parents, she ran off...or did she? The father, Doug Baker, sporting a cut hand, falls under suspicion. The mother can't explain why they made the trip to such a forbidding area. And the FBI agent heading the investigation, Frank Zander is still haunted by a previous case in which a similar tragedy occurred. He's determined not to let it happen again, and he pegs the parents as guilty early on. His single minded focus and arrogance is tempered by his partner, Tracy Bowman, who shows a lot more humanity and sympathy...and Frank Zander wastes no time in urging her to get closer to the mother, Emily, in hopes of learning the true fate of the lost child, Paige Baker. Zander would like nothing more than to obtain a confession from the traumatized parents. The interaction between the two agents is fun to watch.
Running just below the surface of this red hot news story is the pending execution of a convicted killer, Isaiah Hood. His links to the missing girl and Paige's mother Emily will shock and surprise you. The reporter investigating the disappearance, Tom Reed, is the key to learning the true story behind Isaiah's horrendous crime. After persistent digging he also learns the real reason Emily Baker dragged her family to this remote wilderness.
This is a non-stop page turner, where tempers run hot and fear penetrates like a cold steel blade.
The very first sentence made me gasp. Then I smiled, because I knew this was going to be a thrilling roller coaster of a ride. I was right. Rick Mofina doesn't disappoint.
A child is lost in Glacier National Park, a remote wilderness area where temperatures plummet to nearly freezing at night, and grizzly bears roam by day. According to the parents, she ran off...or did she? The father, Doug Baker, sporting a cut hand, falls under suspicion. The mother can't explain why they made the trip to such a forbidding area. And the FBI agent heading the investigation, Frank Zander is still haunted by a previous case in which a similar tragedy occurred. He's determined not to let it happen again, and he pegs the parents as guilty early on. His single minded focus and arrogance is tempered by his partner, Tracy Bowman, who shows a lot more humanity and sympathy...and Frank Zander wastes no time in urging her to get closer to the mother, Emily, in hopes of learning the true fate of the lost child, Paige Baker. Zander would like nothing more than to obtain a confession from the traumatized parents. The interaction between the two agents is fun to watch.
Running just below the surface of this red hot news story is the pending execution of a convicted killer, Isaiah Hood. His links to the missing girl and Paige's mother Emily will shock and surprise you. The reporter investigating the disappearance, Tom Reed, is the key to learning the true story behind Isaiah's horrendous crime. After persistent digging he also learns the real reason Emily Baker dragged her family to this remote wilderness.
This is a non-stop page turner, where tempers run hot and fear penetrates like a cold steel blade.
June 13, 2014
Good, suspenseful book. Several errors and inconsistencies but a good read if you aren't too distracted by the technical.
November 22, 2014
An emotionally draining thriller, "Cold Fear", runs the gambit of fear, betrayal, hopelessness, and optimism. Paige Baker just age 10 caught between her parents vocal argument sets off onto a desolate trail with her dog Kobee. The scene is Glacier National Park in Montana. High up in the Rockies were few folks go to hike.Along on this trip with Paige are parents, Doug who is an English teacher, and football coach, and her Mother Emily, a renowned photographer. This family has it's fair share of arguments and disagreements. Paige has gone unnoticed for several hours before she is known to be out wandering the rocky trails. Trails filled with dangers galore such as ten foot tall bears. The Park Ranger service calls in the FBI for help in search. The FBI is sure that Paige's parents are not telling the complete story. The Baker's come from San Francisco. When the S.F. Star picks this search up on AP it dispatches top reporter Tom Reed. Since a domestic violence call had been logged at the Baker home, the SFPD dispatch veteran detective and top homicide investigator Walt Sydowski. FBI agent in charge Frank Zander is convinced there is foul play in this case. In near by Deer Park Prison, Issiah Hood awaits his execution. 20 years prior in very same area of park Paige is lost within, Hood had murdered a little girl. Reed and Hood's lawyer David Cohen know there is a connection here. But what ? A very difficult book to put down anywhere within the pages, this one plays on your emotions and sympathies. Throughout reading this book there was a lump in my throat. Not knowing if Paige would make it, or was she dead all along made it tough to read through. How did Hood's case keep coming into the story was a real mystery to be sure. What about weird Emily's background. Does she see things and hear voices ? Why is Emily such an emotional mess beyond her missing daughter. Intensity and suspense never let up for a single page. The characters were wonderfully built and descriptive. Fantastic dialog wrapped this one into a very neat package. I thoroughly enjoyed this book cover to cover. I was emotionally spent reading this book. Author Rick Mofina has crafted a truly excellent thriller here. 5 stars out of 5. "Cold Fear" is the second book I've read from author Mofina. I'll be glad to jump into several more after reading this one. Highly recommended- Do not miss "Cold Fear" , experience this emotional adventure and enjoy it.
May 21, 2016
10 year old Paige Baker is on a camping trip with her parents when she goes missing. Will she be found in the remote Glacier National Park? Will a cold fear grip Paige or her parents? How will the multi-agency response handle her disappearance? Will the reader feel a cold fear or is this book like drinking cold tea?
Rick starts his novel by casting doubts on the parents. He develops a mystery surrounding their back story. He brings in lots of characters who are on the trail of finding Paige. He follows the news media as they report the disappearance and the search. He slowly reveals what happens to Paige after she has gone missing.
Rick’s writing style is that of a newspaper reporter in that his novel is bite-sized and snappy. I found this book shallow and under-developed. The mystery elements are okay and make you wonder how this story will pan out. But the search for Paige and the plot of this novel are mundane. It is all rather run of the mill and nothing was outstanding or radically different. Rick does try to develop a mystery of the dark secrets held within the Glacier National Park to give the reader a chill factor but fails as this is not cold fear but like drinking cold tea.
Cold Fear is an okay read with nothing special. It is very much like following an everyday newspaper story of a missing child. My reading pleasure was very limited and I took nothing away from this book. The ending was very far fetched and unrealistic. Rick did not develop social issues and did not have an attitude or message. There was no real darkness to this novel and overall it was very light. The plot, mystery, dialogue, character development and entertainment were all light.
Cold Fear is a disappointment for one simple reason. Rick tried to instill a fear that within the Glacier National Park there lurks an evil. To tell a tale that gives you the creeps and makes your mind wander when walking your dog, takes great skill but can be done. Cold Fear for me was like cold tea, an okay read that I will vote the middle score of 3 stars. If you want a 5 star novel that employs the hidden darkness and evil held within a landscape, then I can recommend Black Wood by S.J.I. Holiday. She can teach Rick a thing or two about writing a good novel.
Rick starts his novel by casting doubts on the parents. He develops a mystery surrounding their back story. He brings in lots of characters who are on the trail of finding Paige. He follows the news media as they report the disappearance and the search. He slowly reveals what happens to Paige after she has gone missing.
Rick’s writing style is that of a newspaper reporter in that his novel is bite-sized and snappy. I found this book shallow and under-developed. The mystery elements are okay and make you wonder how this story will pan out. But the search for Paige and the plot of this novel are mundane. It is all rather run of the mill and nothing was outstanding or radically different. Rick does try to develop a mystery of the dark secrets held within the Glacier National Park to give the reader a chill factor but fails as this is not cold fear but like drinking cold tea.
Cold Fear is an okay read with nothing special. It is very much like following an everyday newspaper story of a missing child. My reading pleasure was very limited and I took nothing away from this book. The ending was very far fetched and unrealistic. Rick did not develop social issues and did not have an attitude or message. There was no real darkness to this novel and overall it was very light. The plot, mystery, dialogue, character development and entertainment were all light.
Cold Fear is a disappointment for one simple reason. Rick tried to instill a fear that within the Glacier National Park there lurks an evil. To tell a tale that gives you the creeps and makes your mind wander when walking your dog, takes great skill but can be done. Cold Fear for me was like cold tea, an okay read that I will vote the middle score of 3 stars. If you want a 5 star novel that employs the hidden darkness and evil held within a landscape, then I can recommend Black Wood by S.J.I. Holiday. She can teach Rick a thing or two about writing a good novel.
March 23, 2015
I honestly enjoyed this book. After reading some of the other reviews I felt compelled to write my own. Let me start by addressing some of the concerns of other reader.
1. If you are extremely sensitive to editing errors, then I would not recommend this book. Yes there are errors, but if you are like me you notice them and move on. They were not in every paragraph or even on every page.
2. Yes there are a lot of characters in this book and at times it becomes difficult to keep them all straight. I actually enjoyed this because you got to experience the story from so many different angles. Usually, in a "mystery" you only get the cop and the family POV. In Cold Fear you also get the experiences of the journalist, lawyer, politicians, search and rescue, medical personnel, pilots, students, and strangers.
3. The timeline is a little off in this book. Yes, I as well noticed the math just doesn't add up. This goes along the same lines, to me, as the editing. I acknowledge the errors and move on because in the end they didn't effect the overall story.
4. Would I call this story a "mystery", probably not. Since the beginning of the book details the events leading to Paige's disappearance and you are given updates on her status, I would be more inclined to call this story a drama.
Overall i enjoyed this story. It was intriguing enough to keep me reading without having to second guess every characters actions since I already know who does what. Would I recommend this book to a friend? Yes, especially since I got it for free from Amazon.
1. If you are extremely sensitive to editing errors, then I would not recommend this book. Yes there are errors, but if you are like me you notice them and move on. They were not in every paragraph or even on every page.
2. Yes there are a lot of characters in this book and at times it becomes difficult to keep them all straight. I actually enjoyed this because you got to experience the story from so many different angles. Usually, in a "mystery" you only get the cop and the family POV. In Cold Fear you also get the experiences of the journalist, lawyer, politicians, search and rescue, medical personnel, pilots, students, and strangers.
3. The timeline is a little off in this book. Yes, I as well noticed the math just doesn't add up. This goes along the same lines, to me, as the editing. I acknowledge the errors and move on because in the end they didn't effect the overall story.
4. Would I call this story a "mystery", probably not. Since the beginning of the book details the events leading to Paige's disappearance and you are given updates on her status, I would be more inclined to call this story a drama.
Overall i enjoyed this story. It was intriguing enough to keep me reading without having to second guess every characters actions since I already know who does what. Would I recommend this book to a friend? Yes, especially since I got it for free from Amazon.
June 22, 2016
Normally I don't like series, but this one manages to end up free on my kindle, so why not...first one was decent enough. I suppose this one is decent enough too, but it never rises above that. Mofina seems to be adamant about writing thrillers, not mysteries and to me the best part about reading crime fiction is the not knowing and trying to figure out. In all fairness here, unlike in his first book, the author has actually tried to introduce some mystery aspect, but failed quite thoroughly. Not enough momentum, not oomph, just some obfuscation that he himself clears up entirely too soon. The maybes aren't enough, there are too many facts. That combined with the flatness of characters really holds Mofina's books down at a certain level. Mind you, perfectly readable, well paced procedurals...but no wow factor. Makes you ponder the legal process and the horrendous way the victims can be treated even in the innocent until proven guilty society. Makes you rethink a camping trip. Which you should anyway, camping is freaking terrifying, inconvenient and dirty. But I digress. Also, quick read for the page count. No long words or intricate characterizations to stumble though to be found.
August 7, 2015
I finally started skipping over some of the boring part especially about the newspaper man. He could have left that whole part out and I wouldn't have cared. I actually liked the story line and felt it should have been about the Paige the little girl and what she was thinking and going through. Those parts were few and far between. I realize he had to get the bad guy out of prison to get to the little girl but I didn't like the way he did it. Also I don't know why the San Francisco dick was there. Did he really need to be there? That part wasn't believable...I mean really don't they have enough of there own crimes in San Francisco to process? This book was filled with a lot of meaningless filler and it really could have been a great book had he limited the number of people it was about and more about what the little girl was going through along with her parents. I know if it had been my child no way would someone stop me from looking for her!!!
February 13, 2016
I wasn't very impressed with Mofina's first Sydowski/Reed book, but his second is much worse. We get a biography on even the most minor characters; this does nothing but add bulk to the story and make you want to skim over half of the book. It has the most ridiculously coincidental plot with the only mystery being how anyone could rate this 4-5 stars. Any seasoned reader will know exactly how this plays out at less than 1/3 of the way in, and by the end will be rolling their eyes. Also, Mofina desperately needs a better editor; commas were invented for a reason, buddy. After two chances to impress me, I think it's time to move on. If you enjoy unbelievable plotlines and sweet, fairytale endings, read Rick Mofina....I think I prefer to find an author who is not afraid to be more gritty, shocking and realistic.
August 24, 2014
Overall, this is one of the best books I have ever read. However, either the author did his own proofreading and editing, or he needs to hire a new editor. I began tracking writing errors at chapter forty-three, and I found no fewer than twenty-five. Most of the errors included sentence fragments, repeated words in places they shouldn't have been, and words that had been omitted. Occasionally, the wording of some sentences made them difficult to understand. I found this distracting, as I am somewhat of a perfectionist, when it comes to the English language.
The plot, however, was fantastic! This is the story of a 10-year old girl, Paige Baker, who becomes lost in Glacier National Park. Soon, a search party is organized, consisting of the park rangers, local police, the FBI, and various SAR volunteers. Instead of the search becoming the main focus, authorities are convinced that foul play was involved, and Paige's parents, Emily and Doug become suspects of a plot to kill their daughter. Because of the psychological games the FBI play with Emily and Doug, they begin to question whether it's possible that the other had a hand in their daughter's death. Paige, however, is alive and well, at this point in time. Will the SAR volunteers find Paige, before she starves to death or is killed by a bear? There are several twists and turns in this story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I won't mention them here, though, as it would spoil your read.
The plot, however, was fantastic! This is the story of a 10-year old girl, Paige Baker, who becomes lost in Glacier National Park. Soon, a search party is organized, consisting of the park rangers, local police, the FBI, and various SAR volunteers. Instead of the search becoming the main focus, authorities are convinced that foul play was involved, and Paige's parents, Emily and Doug become suspects of a plot to kill their daughter. Because of the psychological games the FBI play with Emily and Doug, they begin to question whether it's possible that the other had a hand in their daughter's death. Paige, however, is alive and well, at this point in time. Will the SAR volunteers find Paige, before she starves to death or is killed by a bear? There are several twists and turns in this story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I won't mention them here, though, as it would spoil your read.
January 3, 2015
This work of fiction should be required reading for every law enforcement officer, every criminal defense attorney, every politician, and every journalist reporting on crime/suspected crime. While it IS a suspense novel it's something even better: a whopper of a cautionary tale about judgement without hard evidence and the dangers of tunnel vision when trying to get to the truth. It was not what I expected but I was very pleasantly surprised.
I was impressed to finally read a freebie e-book that was worth reading. There were some periodic editing snafu's but nothing like I normally find. I would have given this book a full slate of stars but I had a problem with the way, chapter after chapter, the large cast of characters would be functioning within the same timeframe and then.... Whoa, the next chapter would throw us back to a much earlier point. I plan to read Mofina's other books so I hope his timelining skills improved after 2001, when the original print edition of Cold Fear appeared. But, yea... I liked this a lot. I'm especially pleased about Kobbe ;).
I was impressed to finally read a freebie e-book that was worth reading. There were some periodic editing snafu's but nothing like I normally find. I would have given this book a full slate of stars but I had a problem with the way, chapter after chapter, the large cast of characters would be functioning within the same timeframe and then.... Whoa, the next chapter would throw us back to a much earlier point. I plan to read Mofina's other books so I hope his timelining skills improved after 2001, when the original print edition of Cold Fear appeared. But, yea... I liked this a lot. I'm especially pleased about Kobbe ;).
May 26, 2015
On the edge of your seat
Enjoyed the writers style. Twists and turns kept me turning the pages. Great ending. Anxious to read the next book.
Enjoyed the writers style. Twists and turns kept me turning the pages. Great ending. Anxious to read the next book.
February 28, 2022
Normally when reading a missing person thriller, the anxiety comes from not knowing what happened to the victim. Here we knew what happened from the very first pages, with periodic cuts back so that we knew where she was. This time the stress came from watching the people who were supposed to be looking for her, hoping that they would figure out what we already knew. It felt like the equivalent of yelling, “Don’t go in the basement!” to the screen while watching a horror movie.
What made this split especially tense was knowing what the role the parents had actually played in the disappearance, and seeing those around them start to believe something completely different. And even knowing what had happened, I found myself second-guessing the parents at times, wondering if what I’d been told was accurate or not.
The only (minor) problem I had was the massive cast of characters. Since several different agencies got involved, I had to learn the representatives from each agency, and the press, and try to keep their relationships to each other straight. It wasn’t a huge issue, and (as far as I know) I didn’t miss anything in the plot from not being familiar with all the players. I didn’t realize when I started it that this was the second in a series, and although there are references to the first book, I was able to gather enough about what happened from those conversations that I didn’t feel lost.
Also, let me say that the “camera down the crevice” scene almost killed me.
What made this split especially tense was knowing what the role the parents had actually played in the disappearance, and seeing those around them start to believe something completely different. And even knowing what had happened, I found myself second-guessing the parents at times, wondering if what I’d been told was accurate or not.
The only (minor) problem I had was the massive cast of characters. Since several different agencies got involved, I had to learn the representatives from each agency, and the press, and try to keep their relationships to each other straight. It wasn’t a huge issue, and (as far as I know) I didn’t miss anything in the plot from not being familiar with all the players. I didn’t realize when I started it that this was the second in a series, and although there are references to the first book, I was able to gather enough about what happened from those conversations that I didn’t feel lost.
Also, let me say that the “camera down the crevice” scene almost killed me.
did-not-finish
March 4, 2019DNFed at 6%.
Reading this was like going to a neighbor's party because you know they're going to have fantastic wine and appetizers, then you have to listen to their 3-year-old tell you everything he knows about dinosaurs.
The only difference is being able to permanently end this particular pain without going to jail.
Reading this was like going to a neighbor's party because you know they're going to have fantastic wine and appetizers, then you have to listen to their 3-year-old tell you everything he knows about dinosaurs.
The only difference is being able to permanently end this particular pain without going to jail.
September 9, 2017
A very suspense filled, frightening tale of hidden past mixed with a current missing child search. The two tales are intertwined to keep the listener hanging on every word.
Christian Rummel narrates this book excellently, keeping the listener engaged.
Christian Rummel narrates this book excellently, keeping the listener engaged.
July 3, 2023
It was a good one, I just had some moments where I zoned out and needed to tune back in. The procedural part was great because it showed both (a) how investigators need to look at every angle and (b) they can have blind spots?
September 13, 2017
This was a really good book. I found parts difficult to read, in a good way, because of the intensity of the scene.
One thing - there were lots of characters to keep track of. Towards the end I didn’t bother keeping track of who was who.
One thing - there were lots of characters to keep track of. Towards the end I didn’t bother keeping track of who was who.
February 23, 2025
Rick Mofina never disappoints. Hard to believe this was his second book written
September 22, 2019
Long winded a bit. Seriously twisty and creative but there were about 7,000 characters and half that many points of view. Wow. Blah ending.
June 5, 2019
Wonderful
Perfect title for a perfect book lots of chills and thrills so many twists and turns. I hated Zander couldn't stand Emily and her reluctance to open up. Love it.
Perfect title for a perfect book lots of chills and thrills so many twists and turns. I hated Zander couldn't stand Emily and her reluctance to open up. Love it.
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