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Special Agent Constance Mandalay #1
In the Bleak Midwinter
In 1975 the small town of Hulis was ground zero in a frantic search for 10 year-old Merrie Frances Callahan, as well as an intense manhunt for her abductor.
35 years later, it seems the FBI would like to pretend it never happened.
Special Agent Constance Mandalay didn’t get that memo…
THE SMALL TOWN OF HULIS IS HIDING A KILLER SECRET…
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER is based on the short teaser novella MERRIE AXEMAS: A Killer Holiday Tale, but it tells the whole story of ten-year-old Merrie Frances Callahan’s 1975 abduction, and the present day murders that are somehow intricately linked to that event.
SA Constance Mandalay is assigned what appears to be a 7-year-old cold case that echos the events of the 35-year-old child abduction. Unfortunately for all involved, the case heats up for a short time each year with a brutal murder that appears eerily staged, and occurs under impossible circumstances.
Undaunted, she faces the task with no backup, a mysteriously redacted case file, and the inevitable murder fast approaching.
Mandalay’s experience as the handler for an FBI occult/paranormal expert makes her the perfect choice for this investigation. However, even her brushes with the unexplained still cannot prepare her for the answer she was not supposed to discover…
35 years later, it seems the FBI would like to pretend it never happened.
Special Agent Constance Mandalay didn’t get that memo…
THE SMALL TOWN OF HULIS IS HIDING A KILLER SECRET…
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER is based on the short teaser novella MERRIE AXEMAS: A Killer Holiday Tale, but it tells the whole story of ten-year-old Merrie Frances Callahan’s 1975 abduction, and the present day murders that are somehow intricately linked to that event.
SA Constance Mandalay is assigned what appears to be a 7-year-old cold case that echos the events of the 35-year-old child abduction. Unfortunately for all involved, the case heats up for a short time each year with a brutal murder that appears eerily staged, and occurs under impossible circumstances.
Undaunted, she faces the task with no backup, a mysteriously redacted case file, and the inevitable murder fast approaching.
Mandalay’s experience as the handler for an FBI occult/paranormal expert makes her the perfect choice for this investigation. However, even her brushes with the unexplained still cannot prepare her for the answer she was not supposed to discover…
302 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2011
8 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
M.R. Sellars
20 books125 followersA member of the ITW (International Thriller Writers), M. R. Sellars is a relatively unassuming homebody who, in his own words, “tells pretty lies for a living.” Although his penchant for creating fiction began at an early age, he was eventually inspired to pursue a degree in journalism, an endeavor he describes as, “a good chase, even though it got away.” His career plans re-routed, he put a secondary talent – electronics repair – into play. However, this did not deter him from writing and he soon re-focused on his first love, fiction. While he had several short stories appear in minor publications, it wasn’t until 2000 that his first full-length novel, Harm None: A Rowan Gant Investigation, hit bookstore shelves, officially launching the acclaimed paranormal thriller series and its associated spinoff.
All of the current novels in Sellars’ continuing Rowan Gant Investigations saga have spent several consecutive weeks on numerous bookstore bestseller lists as well as a consistent showing on the Amazon.com Horror/Occult top 100. In 2010 a short e-novella featuring a supporting character from the RGI cast spawned a new series, The Special Agent Constance Mandalay Novels, the first full-length book being IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, which hit the streets November 2011. The second, INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE is slated for release 2018.
Sellars currently resides in the Midwest with his wife, daughter, and a houseful of rescued animals – a population which currently stands at one canine (Vicki the Wonder Dog) and three felines (Roxxy, Nachos el Tigre, and Mac the Klaw) – not to mention the myriad creatures inhabiting the Two-Acre Wood. He often describes the fluctuating menagerie as, “the competition.” At home, when not writing, taking care of the household, splitting firewood, or battling the insidious and invasive Asian Bush Honeysuckle, he indulges his passions for cooking and home brewing.
M. R. Sellars can be located on the web wherever there is a virtual bar serving virtual single malt Scotch, single barrel bourbon, good Irish whisky, and decent beer. In other words, look for him on the major social networking sites.
For more information contact wendy@willowtreepress.com
All of the current novels in Sellars’ continuing Rowan Gant Investigations saga have spent several consecutive weeks on numerous bookstore bestseller lists as well as a consistent showing on the Amazon.com Horror/Occult top 100. In 2010 a short e-novella featuring a supporting character from the RGI cast spawned a new series, The Special Agent Constance Mandalay Novels, the first full-length book being IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, which hit the streets November 2011. The second, INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE is slated for release 2018.
Sellars currently resides in the Midwest with his wife, daughter, and a houseful of rescued animals – a population which currently stands at one canine (Vicki the Wonder Dog) and three felines (Roxxy, Nachos el Tigre, and Mac the Klaw) – not to mention the myriad creatures inhabiting the Two-Acre Wood. He often describes the fluctuating menagerie as, “the competition.” At home, when not writing, taking care of the household, splitting firewood, or battling the insidious and invasive Asian Bush Honeysuckle, he indulges his passions for cooking and home brewing.
M. R. Sellars can be located on the web wherever there is a virtual bar serving virtual single malt Scotch, single barrel bourbon, good Irish whisky, and decent beer. In other words, look for him on the major social networking sites.
For more information contact wendy@willowtreepress.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 3, 2024
The book starts off with Merrie’s POV this time and the events just preceding the incident in 1975, and later it switches between the viewpoints of Merrie, Deputy Carmichael and Agent Mandalay.
The first thing I noticed is that the formatting errors were fixed in this book so that the italicized words don’t run into one another as they did in the short story.
Sellars does a great job evoking the atmospheric conditions in his writing (which really adds overall to the story.) The section where Deputy Carmichael is scanning the parking lot in the snow and darkness was particularly effective in its intensity due to Sellars description of the light and shadows.
There’s obviously large sections that are the same or very similar from the original short story, but Sellars seamlessly weaves in the old with the additional text to create a fully fleshed out story. Things briefly mentioned in passing are now expounded upon, such as Constance’s previous work with the paranormal consultant, Rowan Gant. It also gives the reader more insight to the town’s inhabitants and even pushes the original plot in interesting new directions.
**Partial Spoiler**
I really like the premise that a traumatic event could fracture a personality so severely that it would take on a physical manifestation to relive the trauma. I partially figured out the ending, although there was a twist to it that I didn’t see the twist coming which was nice. I also didn’t mind that it wasn’t neatly wrapped up because not everything can be put to rights, some things are messy and will always remain that way.
The first thing I noticed is that the formatting errors were fixed in this book so that the italicized words don’t run into one another as they did in the short story.
Sellars does a great job evoking the atmospheric conditions in his writing (which really adds overall to the story.) The section where Deputy Carmichael is scanning the parking lot in the snow and darkness was particularly effective in its intensity due to Sellars description of the light and shadows.
There’s obviously large sections that are the same or very similar from the original short story, but Sellars seamlessly weaves in the old with the additional text to create a fully fleshed out story. Things briefly mentioned in passing are now expounded upon, such as Constance’s previous work with the paranormal consultant, Rowan Gant. It also gives the reader more insight to the town’s inhabitants and even pushes the original plot in interesting new directions.
**Partial Spoiler**
I really like the premise that a traumatic event could fracture a personality so severely that it would take on a physical manifestation to relive the trauma. I partially figured out the ending, although there was a twist to it that I didn’t see the twist coming which was nice. I also didn’t mind that it wasn’t neatly wrapped up because not everything can be put to rights, some things are messy and will always remain that way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2017
Constance Mandalay is one of my favorite characters that M. R. Sellars writes about. I love everything that he has written. This novel gives us a insight into Constance. I would recommend this book.
January 20, 2018
Tedious, poor police procedures, silly towards the end (I didn't finish the book)
November 7, 2011
I am in awe of M.R. Sellars. This is a riveting read, and I highly enjoyed it, especially the many twists and turns in this “whodunit” murder mystery.
The first section of the novel deals with events as they are happening in 1975, yet most of the novel is spent in 2010, and I thoroughly enjoyed that the novel remains in the present tense throughout both timeframes. This allows the reader to actually become a part of the story, becoming privy to background knowledge that not all the characters in 2010 are privy to. It also allows the reader to make pertinent connections between the past and the present as much of what happens in 2010 revolves around what happened in 1975.
Constance and Clovis are two wonderful characters that really add to the story. I enjoyed them very much, especially as Constance is such a strong female lead, and Sheriff Carmichael is a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Watching FBI agent Constance unravel the mystery was a lot of fun, and I’ll admit that at times I had chills; Sellars is able to transport the reader to Hulis through his prose, and at times it felt very real; almost too real…
I also thoroughly enjoyed that this novel is a true murder mystery. While we quickly learn what really happened to Merrie in 1975, the fact that it’s happening all over again, without the key players, creates an eerie foundation for the novel; one that I enjoyed very much. The story itself flows very well and is extremely believable, though Sellars does throw in some supernatural aspects at the end, which caught me off guard. As it was such a believable novel for the majority of the read, I have to admit that I struggled a bit with comprehending the ending, but in retrospect, so do Constance and Sheriff Carmichael, so I almost feel as if this were intentional on Sellar’s part.
All in all, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Yet, reader beware, this story does deal with a pedophile, which I wish I had known going into the story as I thoroughly dislike reading about things such as that. However, while this portion of the story has strong bearings on the novel as a whole, it’s thankfully not flaunted in the face of the reader. In other words, the pedophile’s actions aren’t explicitly written into the text, which is great, because I honestly wouldn’t have been able to read the story otherwise, and I’d have missed out on a fantastic story...
To read my full review (11/28):
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
The first section of the novel deals with events as they are happening in 1975, yet most of the novel is spent in 2010, and I thoroughly enjoyed that the novel remains in the present tense throughout both timeframes. This allows the reader to actually become a part of the story, becoming privy to background knowledge that not all the characters in 2010 are privy to. It also allows the reader to make pertinent connections between the past and the present as much of what happens in 2010 revolves around what happened in 1975.
Constance and Clovis are two wonderful characters that really add to the story. I enjoyed them very much, especially as Constance is such a strong female lead, and Sheriff Carmichael is a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Watching FBI agent Constance unravel the mystery was a lot of fun, and I’ll admit that at times I had chills; Sellars is able to transport the reader to Hulis through his prose, and at times it felt very real; almost too real…
I also thoroughly enjoyed that this novel is a true murder mystery. While we quickly learn what really happened to Merrie in 1975, the fact that it’s happening all over again, without the key players, creates an eerie foundation for the novel; one that I enjoyed very much. The story itself flows very well and is extremely believable, though Sellars does throw in some supernatural aspects at the end, which caught me off guard. As it was such a believable novel for the majority of the read, I have to admit that I struggled a bit with comprehending the ending, but in retrospect, so do Constance and Sheriff Carmichael, so I almost feel as if this were intentional on Sellar’s part.
All in all, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Yet, reader beware, this story does deal with a pedophile, which I wish I had known going into the story as I thoroughly dislike reading about things such as that. However, while this portion of the story has strong bearings on the novel as a whole, it’s thankfully not flaunted in the face of the reader. In other words, the pedophile’s actions aren’t explicitly written into the text, which is great, because I honestly wouldn’t have been able to read the story otherwise, and I’d have missed out on a fantastic story...
To read my full review (11/28):
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
January 5, 2012
If you think you have read this story because you read "Merrie Axemas", the short story M.R. Sellars put out last year for the holidays, STOP! This incorporates "Merrie Axemas", but takes it to a whole new level. I admit (reluctantly) that I actually looked up the town to see if it existed (had I read the back of the book first I would not have bothered). OK! I did, but I can see where he got his small town from after taking the long way home from a trip to see family in the suburbs of Chicago. It could be any number of small towns we went through.
I really like the small town concept. The sheriff of Hulis was truly believable. Having come from a very small town in central Illinois, the small town "vibe" was dead on. Everyone does know everyone, and it can be like one large family. I know where I grew up if I did something I shouldn't have on the other side of town, my mom would know by the time I got back home.
Constance Mandalay -- I love her in the Rowan Gant books, and she truly comes to life in this story. She has always come across as a voice of reason in the RGI novels. In In The Bleak Midwinter, she needs to use all of her skill to solve this coldest of cold cases. Although she has been the voice of reason in the past, her experience has taught her that reason alone is not always the way to solve a case. Mr. Sellars adds enough twists and turns that it keeps you riveted till the very last page.
One of the principal underlying themes is child abuse. Child abuse is a major "squick" for me. While it was difficult at times to read even the indirect action, it is handled so well that I was able to enjoy the story.
If you like psychological thrillers laced with paranormal events, if you enjoy great writing, then whether or not you have read the short story the novel is based upon, you will thoroughly enjoy every moment of this book.
I really like the small town concept. The sheriff of Hulis was truly believable. Having come from a very small town in central Illinois, the small town "vibe" was dead on. Everyone does know everyone, and it can be like one large family. I know where I grew up if I did something I shouldn't have on the other side of town, my mom would know by the time I got back home.
Constance Mandalay -- I love her in the Rowan Gant books, and she truly comes to life in this story. She has always come across as a voice of reason in the RGI novels. In In The Bleak Midwinter, she needs to use all of her skill to solve this coldest of cold cases. Although she has been the voice of reason in the past, her experience has taught her that reason alone is not always the way to solve a case. Mr. Sellars adds enough twists and turns that it keeps you riveted till the very last page.
One of the principal underlying themes is child abuse. Child abuse is a major "squick" for me. While it was difficult at times to read even the indirect action, it is handled so well that I was able to enjoy the story.
If you like psychological thrillers laced with paranormal events, if you enjoy great writing, then whether or not you have read the short story the novel is based upon, you will thoroughly enjoy every moment of this book.
November 22, 2011
The small, Midwest town of Hulis, Missouri is in for another very cold winter and another very strange Christmas season, as Special Agent Constance Mandalay is assigned to solve a cold case murder that keeps repeating itself every Christmas Eve.
For the last seven years, the town of Hulis has been the scene of a horrific murder on Christmas Eve, but no one knows how or why it’s happening. Every year, Skip Carmichael, the town sheriff receives a blank Christmas card with no evidence he can use. Every year a dismembered body is found in a basement with no evidence as to the killer’s identity. The only thing that never changes is the yearly murder’s similarity to a murder that took place thirty-five years ago in Hulis, when a young girl was kidnapped and molested by the local department store’s hired ‘Santa’.
Now, Special Agent Mandalay must figure out how these crimes are happening, even though a long line of Special Agents have been sent each year to solve the murders, but none have.
M.R. Sellars has penned a superbly freighting story that will make the reader a little apprehensive about the joyous Holiday Season. His characters are true-to-life and the reader can feel the ‘creepy’ setting in from the very first page. That feeling builds to a hair-raising crescendo and the ending will leave you breathless and afraid to turn out the lights… for a long time.
In The Bleak Midwinter is a supernatural thriller with an edge and M.R. Sellars has earned a 5 spider rating from me. I will be looking forward to more from this fabulous author.
DJ Weaver
For the last seven years, the town of Hulis has been the scene of a horrific murder on Christmas Eve, but no one knows how or why it’s happening. Every year, Skip Carmichael, the town sheriff receives a blank Christmas card with no evidence he can use. Every year a dismembered body is found in a basement with no evidence as to the killer’s identity. The only thing that never changes is the yearly murder’s similarity to a murder that took place thirty-five years ago in Hulis, when a young girl was kidnapped and molested by the local department store’s hired ‘Santa’.
Now, Special Agent Mandalay must figure out how these crimes are happening, even though a long line of Special Agents have been sent each year to solve the murders, but none have.
M.R. Sellars has penned a superbly freighting story that will make the reader a little apprehensive about the joyous Holiday Season. His characters are true-to-life and the reader can feel the ‘creepy’ setting in from the very first page. That feeling builds to a hair-raising crescendo and the ending will leave you breathless and afraid to turn out the lights… for a long time.
In The Bleak Midwinter is a supernatural thriller with an edge and M.R. Sellars has earned a 5 spider rating from me. I will be looking forward to more from this fabulous author.
DJ Weaver
November 12, 2013
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER
By M.R. Sellars
This book touts itself to be a paranormal thriller and that it most definitely is. Sellars
drives you forward, having you so engrossed in the story you forget where you are.
Special Agent Constance Mandalay is sent to the very rural town of Hulis, Missouri to aid
in a hunt for an annual serial killer. Every Christmas for the last seven years, a body is found in
the same exact place and no one, neither the previous seven FBI agents who were sent there
over the years nor Deputy Addison “Skip” Carmichael can catch the killer in the act.
Constance notices the lack of information and evidence in the file and begins to question just who
is covering things up. She’s almost convinced the whole town is keeping secrets. And she vows to uncover them. Then she witnesses for herself just what is going on in Hulis.
This is one paranormal ride you will want to take with Sellars. This is engrossing, engaging, and thrilling and will make your heart beat wildly in your chest. Sellars is definitely on my list of MRAs (must-read authors).
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story”
By M.R. Sellars
This book touts itself to be a paranormal thriller and that it most definitely is. Sellars
drives you forward, having you so engrossed in the story you forget where you are.
Special Agent Constance Mandalay is sent to the very rural town of Hulis, Missouri to aid
in a hunt for an annual serial killer. Every Christmas for the last seven years, a body is found in
the same exact place and no one, neither the previous seven FBI agents who were sent there
over the years nor Deputy Addison “Skip” Carmichael can catch the killer in the act.
Constance notices the lack of information and evidence in the file and begins to question just who
is covering things up. She’s almost convinced the whole town is keeping secrets. And she vows to uncover them. Then she witnesses for herself just what is going on in Hulis.
This is one paranormal ride you will want to take with Sellars. This is engrossing, engaging, and thrilling and will make your heart beat wildly in your chest. Sellars is definitely on my list of MRAs (must-read authors).
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story”
January 29, 2012
Simply put, this is one of the BEST books I have read in quite a while. Constance Mandalay is one of my favorite characters from the Rowan Gant Mysteries and in this story, she shines.
This book will take you on a ride. I'd read more than half of it and couldn't put it down until it was finished and I got the whole story. A great way to start off a Sunday morning, let me tell ya. Smart, sharp-witted, and compelling.
If you're expecting this to be exactly like the RGM's, you will find that they're actually quite different and told from a brighter perspective (that's a day and night comparison, not an intelligence comparison). I look forward to more books in this series, as it is sure to be incredibly successful.
If you're on the fence about whether or not to read this, just do it. Even if you haven't read a single RGM book, you can still pick this up blind and enjoy it.
This book will take you on a ride. I'd read more than half of it and couldn't put it down until it was finished and I got the whole story. A great way to start off a Sunday morning, let me tell ya. Smart, sharp-witted, and compelling.
If you're expecting this to be exactly like the RGM's, you will find that they're actually quite different and told from a brighter perspective (that's a day and night comparison, not an intelligence comparison). I look forward to more books in this series, as it is sure to be incredibly successful.
If you're on the fence about whether or not to read this, just do it. Even if you haven't read a single RGM book, you can still pick this up blind and enjoy it.
January 3, 2013
After reading a mini version of this book called "Merrie Axemas" by M.R. Sellars which ending with such an abrupt ending leaving me thinking what happened next what happened to Merrie, Constance and Skip. Well in the book "In The Bleak Midwinter" it takes you back to the beginning back to 1975 at the time of the original abduction of Merrie though parts of the book made me think had I read this before so if you have read Merrie Axemas parts of this book may seem familiar but there are a lot of additions and a few substrations of the mini book. This book answers all questions that you may have been left with and a few more. The book a good read with awesome twists and turns kept me hooked since page 1.
December 14, 2012
FBI Agent Constance Mandalay has had more than her share of encounters with things that go b ump in the night, one of which almost killed her when she was protecting a consultant during an earlier case. This story finds her sent to a tiny town a few days before Christmas to investigate a case in which a new person is killed every year. The murders are patterened after one that took place years earlier when a young girl was kidnapped on Chrismas Eve and the new murders are taking place every year despite the fact that the location is guarded and there is no way in or out of the building without someone seeing the perpetrator. Good Story.
December 24, 2016
I’ve been a M.R. Sellars (and Rowan Gant) fan since I picked up my first copy of Harm None many moons ago. I am so happy that SA Constance Mandalay got her own story (and soon-to-be-series :) I can’t wait for Book 2: INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE!!).
Full review posted HERE.
Full review posted HERE.
January 19, 2013
This is a greatly expanded story, loosely based on Sellars' "Merrie Axemas." It tells the story of the abduction and rape of a 10-year-old girl in 1975, and the aftermath that is still happening today. Very good but definitely creepy.
Want to read
December 10, 2015added from M.R.'s blotter
January 6, 2012
Absolutely brilliant!
October 8, 2012
Excellent read! keeps you guessing until the end, well written great characters that you care about.
December 25, 2012
WTF?! I'm still in shock.
Horrible, horrible, horrible Christmas story. But great story for other times.
Horrible, horrible, horrible Christmas story. But great story for other times.
March 25, 2013
Review to follow. What an extraordinary book. Read it's novella, Merrie Xmas, first-then this.
October 20, 2013
What can I say TOOOO LONG Between BOoks Love this writer ,Love his work
July 15, 2016
very creepy paranormal mystery... ghosts...tragedy , haunting in more ways than one.
October 25, 2016
Read the audiobook ...
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews