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Alex McKnight #2
Winter of the Wolf Moon
Steve Hamilton's novels starring ex-cop and sometime-P.I. Alex McKnight have won multiple awards and appeared on bestseller lists nationwide. And when you start reading Winter of the Wolf Moon, you will instantly understand why. . .
When a young woman from the Ojibwa tribe asks McKnight for shelter from her violent boyfriend, McKnight agrees. But after letting her stay in one of his cabins, he finds her gone the next morning. His search for her brings on a host of suspects, bruising encounters, and a thickening web of crime, all obscured by the relentless whiplash of brutal snowstorms. From the secret world of the Ojibwa reservation to the Canadian border and deep into the silent woods, someone is out to kill―and McKnight is heading right into the line of fire.
When a young woman from the Ojibwa tribe asks McKnight for shelter from her violent boyfriend, McKnight agrees. But after letting her stay in one of his cabins, he finds her gone the next morning. His search for her brings on a host of suspects, bruising encounters, and a thickening web of crime, all obscured by the relentless whiplash of brutal snowstorms. From the secret world of the Ojibwa reservation to the Canadian border and deep into the silent woods, someone is out to kill―and McKnight is heading right into the line of fire.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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About the author
Steve Hamilton
53 books1,688 followersTwo-time Edgar Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of the Nick Mason series, The Lock Artist, and the Alex McKnight series. AN HONORABLE ASSASSIN (Mason #3) coming August 27, 2024!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 343 reviews
October 28, 2016
6/10
A nice easy mystery set in an isolated wintery location that doesn't test the brain but is satisfying nonetheless.
This is the second novel in this series and whilst it had been about a year since I read the first novel things come back quiet quickly. The main character is an ex-cop who gets caught up in trouble. With a woman taken from one of his cabins he feels a sense of duty to locate her however tricky this may be. This leads to beatings, drug dealing ice hockey players and stereotypical Russian mafia type figures entering the tale.
It's a short read at 250 pages and it zips by. It's nothing special but it's a nice palate cleanser for something a bit meatier later on.
A nice easy mystery set in an isolated wintery location that doesn't test the brain but is satisfying nonetheless.
This is the second novel in this series and whilst it had been about a year since I read the first novel things come back quiet quickly. The main character is an ex-cop who gets caught up in trouble. With a woman taken from one of his cabins he feels a sense of duty to locate her however tricky this may be. This leads to beatings, drug dealing ice hockey players and stereotypical Russian mafia type figures entering the tale.
It's a short read at 250 pages and it zips by. It's nothing special but it's a nice palate cleanser for something a bit meatier later on.
December 20, 2019
Alex McKnight is an ex-Detroit cop, retired to the woods of the Upper Peninsula. Last year, he was a private investigator on the side, and renting cabins full time. His first case was so out of control that he put private investigating behind him.
Trouble comes looking for him once again in the form of a Native American woman, looking to get away from her abusive boyfriend. What Alex doesn’t realize is that the problem is much deeper than domestic violence. She’s stolen drugs from a Russian drug lord from out of state. So, when she disappears under Alex’s watch, from one of his own cabins, he feels so guilty that he can’t let it go, even though he doesn’t know about the drugs at the beginning. He won’t rest until he finds her or gets himself killed.
Not only does he have to survive attacks from various bad guys, he also has to survive mother nature after those attacks. Winter in the Upper Peninsula is not to be trifled with.
This is a mediocre detective novel with a grumpy, old guy main character. The grumpiness is endearing but the nostalgia is what keeps me coming back. I’ve lived and adventured in the Northern parts of Michigan my whole life. My grandfather (now deceased) is the one who introduced me to this series and gave me several books in it, so I’m sure I’ll continue it.
Trouble comes looking for him once again in the form of a Native American woman, looking to get away from her abusive boyfriend. What Alex doesn’t realize is that the problem is much deeper than domestic violence. She’s stolen drugs from a Russian drug lord from out of state. So, when she disappears under Alex’s watch, from one of his own cabins, he feels so guilty that he can’t let it go, even though he doesn’t know about the drugs at the beginning. He won’t rest until he finds her or gets himself killed.
Not only does he have to survive attacks from various bad guys, he also has to survive mother nature after those attacks. Winter in the Upper Peninsula is not to be trifled with.
This is a mediocre detective novel with a grumpy, old guy main character. The grumpiness is endearing but the nostalgia is what keeps me coming back. I’ve lived and adventured in the Northern parts of Michigan my whole life. My grandfather (now deceased) is the one who introduced me to this series and gave me several books in it, so I’m sure I’ll continue it.
June 12, 2021
Alex McKnight plays goalie for his friend's hockey team. The opposing team is a bunch of obnoxious goons. The captain of the other team's girlfriend asks McKnight for a place to stay. he lets her stay in one of his cabins. This causes all sorts of problems as people come looking for her, and she disappears. McKnight gets his butt kicked a lot due to not paying attention.
March 27, 2016
Hamilton sure is tough on his main characters. It was a pretty good story, but the writing wasn't as tight as I would have liked. There were some pretty long sections of self-absorption by the MC & everyone was rather dense. I didn't care for some of the character interactions, either. There were certain attitudes & dialogue that was poorly crafted to elicit certain responses. They just didn't feel real. Only a couple were really bad, but a few more were certainly noticeable.
Great setting to read about - the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I wouldn't live there as I'm not that fond of snow or cold. Fun to read about, though. Well narrated by Dan John Miller. Very well done.
I've got another to listen to, but I'm not in a rush.
Great setting to read about - the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I wouldn't live there as I'm not that fond of snow or cold. Fun to read about, though. Well narrated by Dan John Miller. Very well done.
I've got another to listen to, but I'm not in a rush.
June 2, 2015
So much did I enjoy the first book in the Alex McKnight series - A Cold Day in Paradise - that I just couldn't wait to start this one, the second. But while I enjoyed it enough to give it a 4-star rating, I have to say that if I were to be super-honest, it's probably closer to a 3.5; it just didn't quite measure up to its predecessor.
Mostly, I think, that's because the story just didn't excite me very much. Yes, former cop McKnight still lives in the remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan - one of my all-time favorite places to visit. But this one takes place in the dead of winter (I like cold weather and even snow, but winter weather here in Ohio is a walk in the park compared with what happens up there, where, we were told, UPS deliveries to Mackinac Island come by way of the frozen lake - a more direct route than the roads ). My other complaint, though relatively minor, is that while I love tough guys who can both dish it out and take it, there are limits on what any human body can withstand - and anything that exceeds those limits becomes (to me) unbelievable.
The story begins as winter sets in with a vengeance, and a woman from the local Ojibwa tribe seeks out McKnight's help in getting away from an abusive boyfriend - a nasty guy who had a run-in with McKnight when they played ice hockey on opposing teams a day or two earlier (McKnight's friend Vinnie LeBlanc, also an Ojibwa, recruited him to serve as goalie). McKnight lets the woman stay in one of the cabins he rents out to fishermen (and presumably women) and snowmobilers; but the next morning, she's nowhere to be found.
Unhappy that he didn't do more to help her, McKnight sets out to find her - with help from his new "partner," Leon Prudell, who's hell-bent to pair his name with McKnight's on a jointly owned private investigation firm. McKnight isn't at all amenable to that concept, but getting rid of Prudell turns out to be almost as difficult as finding the woman and the abusive boyfriend. Their relationship does, though, provide a bit of much-needed comic relief from the cold and physical tribulations that plague McKnight throughout the book.
All in all, this is an enjoyable book and certainly didn't change my mind about reading all 10 books in the series. Still, I'm hoping the third one will be on a par (or better than) the first. We'll see!
Mostly, I think, that's because the story just didn't excite me very much. Yes, former cop McKnight still lives in the remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan - one of my all-time favorite places to visit. But this one takes place in the dead of winter (I like cold weather and even snow, but winter weather here in Ohio is a walk in the park compared with what happens up there, where, we were told, UPS deliveries to Mackinac Island come by way of the frozen lake - a more direct route than the roads ). My other complaint, though relatively minor, is that while I love tough guys who can both dish it out and take it, there are limits on what any human body can withstand - and anything that exceeds those limits becomes (to me) unbelievable.
The story begins as winter sets in with a vengeance, and a woman from the local Ojibwa tribe seeks out McKnight's help in getting away from an abusive boyfriend - a nasty guy who had a run-in with McKnight when they played ice hockey on opposing teams a day or two earlier (McKnight's friend Vinnie LeBlanc, also an Ojibwa, recruited him to serve as goalie). McKnight lets the woman stay in one of the cabins he rents out to fishermen (and presumably women) and snowmobilers; but the next morning, she's nowhere to be found.
Unhappy that he didn't do more to help her, McKnight sets out to find her - with help from his new "partner," Leon Prudell, who's hell-bent to pair his name with McKnight's on a jointly owned private investigation firm. McKnight isn't at all amenable to that concept, but getting rid of Prudell turns out to be almost as difficult as finding the woman and the abusive boyfriend. Their relationship does, though, provide a bit of much-needed comic relief from the cold and physical tribulations that plague McKnight throughout the book.
All in all, this is an enjoyable book and certainly didn't change my mind about reading all 10 books in the series. Still, I'm hoping the third one will be on a par (or better than) the first. We'll see!
September 5, 2024
How can you not like a crime novel that has snowmobiles, Canadian beer, and hockey elements in it? My only gripe is in the first Alex McKnight novel Hamilton has Alex being shot with a 9mm Uzi (with a full metal jacket). One of the three bullets get left in him. In the second novel the caliber switches to a .22. Kinda sloppy gun work. I know Wikipedia give you a couple different option but you probably need to stick to one story, otherwise the narrator becomes even more unreliable. Other than that this is a fine series set in the UP (upper peninsula) of Michigan.
January 26, 2024
As was my experience with book one, which I must’ve read before I was too active on here though I could’ve sworn I wrote a review for that, this is a difficult book to put down—Hamilton keeps it interesting and entertaining throughout, however this was a step up from the first book. The setting here is absolutely amazing! I’m already in love with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and these books just draw me to it more.
Will be back with a full review shortly
Will be back with a full review shortly
July 11, 2018
I love wolves so when I saw this title of course I had to look at it. The fact that I have read and enjoyed the first in the Alex McKnight series, A Cold Day In Paradise, although not quite as well as other Hamilton penned thrillers, led me to give this a try and I'm glad I did. McKnight isn't your typical macho hero. He's a lone, but not necessarily lonely character. He has friends; Vinnie the Ojibwa bachelor who lives down the road from him. Then there's Jackie, the owner of the Glasgow Inn where Alex makes a second home. And that's about it. Well there's the sheriff and the chief of police but the former is more of a respected acquaintance and the latter a less than respected antagonist. But things change.
McKnight has a heart, unimpeded by the bullet lodged too close to it to warrant operating, and his heart will at times get him into trouble. He's a sucker for a dame in distress as Raymond Chandler might tell us. I don't know that that's a bad thing except for when abusive boyfriends high on some sort of dope take offense at McKnight's attempts to help her out. And then there's the two goons who follow McKnight everywhere he drives. Russian mobsters? Most likely. You'll have to read the book to find out. But remember, things change.
This is not a hard read. It's got several twists and turns but overall it's believability factor would easily be a 4 out of 5. Let your imagination roam free and you can feel the cold, hear the crunch of fresh snow under your feet. You can feel the disappointment, the fear, the pleasure of overcoming odds in this book. It's an easy read but a good one nevertheless.
McKnight has a heart, unimpeded by the bullet lodged too close to it to warrant operating, and his heart will at times get him into trouble. He's a sucker for a dame in distress as Raymond Chandler might tell us. I don't know that that's a bad thing except for when abusive boyfriends high on some sort of dope take offense at McKnight's attempts to help her out. And then there's the two goons who follow McKnight everywhere he drives. Russian mobsters? Most likely. You'll have to read the book to find out. But remember, things change.
This is not a hard read. It's got several twists and turns but overall it's believability factor would easily be a 4 out of 5. Let your imagination roam free and you can feel the cold, hear the crunch of fresh snow under your feet. You can feel the disappointment, the fear, the pleasure of overcoming odds in this book. It's an easy read but a good one nevertheless.
August 22, 2019
Alex McKnight receives a request from Ojibwa woman Dorothy Parrish to help her out. She's trying to distance herself from her drug addict boyfriend Lonnie Buckman (who Alex has just played against in a hockey game), so he agrees to let her hole up in one of the cabins he owns. But the next morning, she's gone. Alex feels responsible, and sets out to discover what might have happened to her. Obviously, this drags him into all sorts of messes!
I had previously read The Hunting Wind and Blood Is The Sky in this series, and had really enjoyed the latter. Although this isn't quite as good as Blood Is The Sky, I still feel it's a 4 star story (perhaps 3.5 rounded up). While the plot is no great shakes and the pacing sometimes a bit too lackadaisical, it's still an involving, suspenseful story with some really well-realised characters. Alex is a sardonic but likable lead, and Leon Prudell, a private investigator who really wants to be partners with him, is entertaining and endearing. The writing style is crisp and to the point, and I occasionally laughed out loud at some of the humour. What more could you want, really?
I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series!
I had previously read The Hunting Wind and Blood Is The Sky in this series, and had really enjoyed the latter. Although this isn't quite as good as Blood Is The Sky, I still feel it's a 4 star story (perhaps 3.5 rounded up). While the plot is no great shakes and the pacing sometimes a bit too lackadaisical, it's still an involving, suspenseful story with some really well-realised characters. Alex is a sardonic but likable lead, and Leon Prudell, a private investigator who really wants to be partners with him, is entertaining and endearing. The writing style is crisp and to the point, and I occasionally laughed out loud at some of the humour. What more could you want, really?
I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series!
November 4, 2020
The first full moon of the year is a wolf moon.
Michigan - - it's cold and snowy. Alex McKnight lets a young woman who is trying to flee a domestic situation stay in one of his vacant cabins. By morning, she has disappeared. McKnight is convinced the man that she was trying to escape from has taken her. McKnight is riddled with guilt for leaving her alone.
If you don't know anything about this series, McKnight is a disability retired cop with a bullet still sitting near his heart. He owns a group of cabins for rent but maybe the cop in him has never died.
In this book from 2000, the author did a good job in describing the frigid conditions. Snow, snow, snow -- snowplows, snowmobiles, ice fishing. As I read, I wondered how may times can McKnight take a beating? Seems like he's always in that situation. I would like to read more books in this series soon.
Michigan - - it's cold and snowy. Alex McKnight lets a young woman who is trying to flee a domestic situation stay in one of his vacant cabins. By morning, she has disappeared. McKnight is convinced the man that she was trying to escape from has taken her. McKnight is riddled with guilt for leaving her alone.
If you don't know anything about this series, McKnight is a disability retired cop with a bullet still sitting near his heart. He owns a group of cabins for rent but maybe the cop in him has never died.
In this book from 2000, the author did a good job in describing the frigid conditions. Snow, snow, snow -- snowplows, snowmobiles, ice fishing. As I read, I wondered how may times can McKnight take a beating? Seems like he's always in that situation. I would like to read more books in this series soon.
July 26, 2013
Just discovered Hamilton, and inhaled his first two McKnights. They're both well written in their own way, but this is the one I liked more. As one who cut his hard-boiled-detective-fiction teeth on the likes of Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald, I must confess that at this stage in my life it has become a plus for me when detectives leave LA to lead their violent fictional lives elsewhere, and this one left Detroit for something next to utter wilderness. You may feel differently, yet I really liked that the setting was the upper peninsula of Michigan, in winter. There's a lot of dangerous outdoors in this novel. But what ultimately sold me on McKnight #2 was the involvement of Native Americans and their culture in the plot.
March 22, 2015
I had really liked Misery Bay (#8 in this series) by this author and thought I'd like this earlier entry in the series. Unfortunately, this book was less polished. The characters didn't seemed as well developed as they'd been in that later book, and the plot wasn't all that interesting. I got a little over half way through before I decided to abandon it. I might try a later book (after #8) by this author, but it'll be from the library. Too bad.
February 13, 2013
This is the second book in the series and I have high hopes for those that follow. This one is as good or better than the first. Our hero, Alex McKnight experiences fifty shades of cold in the book. It opens at a hockey game that Alex, at age 48, was promised would be a non-checking game. The cold continues with the relentless falling of snow in the Upper Penninsula. Alex plows, and plows, and wades through drifts and crawls under buildings, visits an ice fisherman's shanty and makes an unbelievable walk in the cold. This book also starts the partnership of Alex and Leon who had been rival PIs. We also learn a little about the Ojibwa Indian tribe and their traditions. As for Alex...he is a flawed hero, but he is aware of his shortcomings. That makes him so much more real and sympathetic. My next read will be set in Florida or the Caribbean...I need to warm up!
June 27, 2016
I liked the 1st book in this series, but don't bother with this one.
June 16, 2017
Just okay mystery, one of series by Hamilton before he began the more interesting Nick Mason series. I found the protagonist kind of dull and the plot kind of slow.
September 23, 2018
This is my second Alex McKnight novel to read, and I'm preparing myself to just go ahead and buy all of them. I love these stories!
McKnight needs a vacation, a rest, a longer hospital stay...the poor guy needs a life.
But you can't help pulling for him, and his side kick is almost as funny.
These are very well written books, set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
I highly recommend them.
Note: There is some language that readers might find offensive.
McKnight needs a vacation, a rest, a longer hospital stay...the poor guy needs a life.
But you can't help pulling for him, and his side kick is almost as funny.
These are very well written books, set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
I highly recommend them.
Note: There is some language that readers might find offensive.
December 24, 2023
This fast-paced, intelligent, wintery mystery is exactly what I needed to weather the cold. I found the twist ending anticlimactic, but other than that, I enjoyed getting to know Alex McKnight and his world.
November 29, 2024
"Winter of the Wolf Moon" by Steve Hamilton is a gripping noir thriller that continues the adventures of ex-cop Alex McKnight (book 2 in the Alex McKnight series). Narrated by Dan John Miller, the audiobook plunges you into the desolate beauty of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling.
The story begins with Alex McKnight, now a part-time cabin owner and full-time retiree, reluctantly getting involved in a case when a young Ojibwa woman seeks his help. She's fleeing from her violent boyfriend, and Alex offers her shelter in one of his cabins. However, when she disappears the next morning, Alex is thrust into a dangerous search that reveals a web of crime involving drug trafficking, mysterious strangers, and brutal snowstorms. The harsh winter landscape, with its biting cold and treacherous snowstorms, provides a stark backdrop to the suspenseful plot.
Hamilton masterfully builds tension and suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The harsh winter setting is not just a backdrop but a character in itself, adding to the sense of isolation and danger. The audiobook's pacing is well-balanced, with moments of calm interspersed with heart-pounding action, making it a truly immersive experience. He paints vivid pictures of the desolate, snow-covered terrain and the isolated communities that call it home. The dialogue is sharp and realistic, and the characters are complex and well-developed. McKnight, in particular, is a compelling protagonist, a flawed and weary figure who is driven by a sense of justice.
Dan John Miller’s narration is superb. His voice captures the essence of the characters, bringing the story to life, and capturing the bleakness of the setting and the intensity of the characters’ emotions. His pacing is perfect, building tension and suspense with every word. Miller's ability to convey emotions through his voice enhances the storytelling, making you feel every twist and turn of the plot.
The audiobook also delves into the complex relationships between Native Americans and their white neighbors, adding depth to the narrative. Hamilton's insight into the politics of US/Canadian border crimes and the cultural dynamics of the region enriches the story, making it more than just a typical mystery.
Overall, "Winter of the Wolf Moon" is a well-crafted mystery that combines a thrilling plot with rich character development and evocative descriptions. It's a testament to Steve Hamilton's storytelling prowess and Dan John Miller's exceptional narration.
The story begins with Alex McKnight, now a part-time cabin owner and full-time retiree, reluctantly getting involved in a case when a young Ojibwa woman seeks his help. She's fleeing from her violent boyfriend, and Alex offers her shelter in one of his cabins. However, when she disappears the next morning, Alex is thrust into a dangerous search that reveals a web of crime involving drug trafficking, mysterious strangers, and brutal snowstorms. The harsh winter landscape, with its biting cold and treacherous snowstorms, provides a stark backdrop to the suspenseful plot.
Hamilton masterfully builds tension and suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The harsh winter setting is not just a backdrop but a character in itself, adding to the sense of isolation and danger. The audiobook's pacing is well-balanced, with moments of calm interspersed with heart-pounding action, making it a truly immersive experience. He paints vivid pictures of the desolate, snow-covered terrain and the isolated communities that call it home. The dialogue is sharp and realistic, and the characters are complex and well-developed. McKnight, in particular, is a compelling protagonist, a flawed and weary figure who is driven by a sense of justice.
Dan John Miller’s narration is superb. His voice captures the essence of the characters, bringing the story to life, and capturing the bleakness of the setting and the intensity of the characters’ emotions. His pacing is perfect, building tension and suspense with every word. Miller's ability to convey emotions through his voice enhances the storytelling, making you feel every twist and turn of the plot.
The audiobook also delves into the complex relationships between Native Americans and their white neighbors, adding depth to the narrative. Hamilton's insight into the politics of US/Canadian border crimes and the cultural dynamics of the region enriches the story, making it more than just a typical mystery.
Overall, "Winter of the Wolf Moon" is a well-crafted mystery that combines a thrilling plot with rich character development and evocative descriptions. It's a testament to Steve Hamilton's storytelling prowess and Dan John Miller's exceptional narration.
January 9, 2017
This is another bad one. The plot is far-fetched, the dialog is unrealistic and unnatural, the protagonist keeps making the same sort of stupid mistakes over and over, there are inconsistencies in the story, etc. There's no two ways about it: Alex McKnight is not a very likable guy.
Inconsistencies are bothersome. On page #92, for example, Alex drops his gun to the floor where it is, presumably, picked up and taken by the bad guys before beating and almost killing him. Then, as if by magic, on page #115 the gun reappears in his coat pocket as he goes through Canadian Customs at the International Bridge between the US and Canada. How did it get there? The author doesn't say.
Even though it is abundantly clear from the story that Alex McKnight drives a truck, occasionally the author slips and refers to it as a car. In one case, the vehicle is specified to be a truck and a car on the same page (#108). On page #132 the author, again, refers to it as a car.
Most hilarious of all are the names the author chooses for the DEA agents in his story: Champagne and Urbanic. Never mind that the great University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Champaign–Urbana in the east-central part of the state. It is a large metropolitan area that is ranked the number 191st largest metropolitan area in the United States. Most Midwesterners would spot this in a heartbeat. How cheesy!
There are more editing errors than I would have expected to see, including the word "your" instead of the word "you," or the fact that one character's name morphs from Molinov to Molinoy (page #190). There is a period (full stop) in the middle of a sentence on page #188. Even more egregious is the critical acclaim to be found on page #193, where Library Journal says that "The isolated, wintry location jives well with Hamilton's pristine prose . . . " Does that mean that the author used music to guide his plot? Or should we suppose that the word should really be "jibes"?
I'm sorry, but I can't really recommend this one for sophisticated readers. It is just too amateurish. There are major loose ends left dangling at the end of the story (what ever happens to Molinov?)
Inconsistencies are bothersome. On page #92, for example, Alex drops his gun to the floor where it is, presumably, picked up and taken by the bad guys before beating and almost killing him. Then, as if by magic, on page #115 the gun reappears in his coat pocket as he goes through Canadian Customs at the International Bridge between the US and Canada. How did it get there? The author doesn't say.
Even though it is abundantly clear from the story that Alex McKnight drives a truck, occasionally the author slips and refers to it as a car. In one case, the vehicle is specified to be a truck and a car on the same page (#108). On page #132 the author, again, refers to it as a car.
Most hilarious of all are the names the author chooses for the DEA agents in his story: Champagne and Urbanic. Never mind that the great University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Champaign–Urbana in the east-central part of the state. It is a large metropolitan area that is ranked the number 191st largest metropolitan area in the United States. Most Midwesterners would spot this in a heartbeat. How cheesy!
There are more editing errors than I would have expected to see, including the word "your" instead of the word "you," or the fact that one character's name morphs from Molinov to Molinoy (page #190). There is a period (full stop) in the middle of a sentence on page #188. Even more egregious is the critical acclaim to be found on page #193, where Library Journal says that "The isolated, wintry location jives well with Hamilton's pristine prose . . . " Does that mean that the author used music to guide his plot? Or should we suppose that the word should really be "jibes"?
I'm sorry, but I can't really recommend this one for sophisticated readers. It is just too amateurish. There are major loose ends left dangling at the end of the story (what ever happens to Molinov?)
April 3, 2018
How can an ex-cop have so many friends who are willing to help him and bail him out when he is arrested, yet he berates them, insults them, does not pay back money that he owes them, and does not even appreciate that they risk their lives when they save him? Alex McKnight, as far as this book goes, is an unlikable, unsavory and unfriendly character who seems to begrudge all of the wrong turns that his life has taken but does not notice that there are many people who want to help him. This is a different character from the first book in the series when he at least had a sense of humor. However, I will give the author credit for making the miserable coldness of upper Michigan come alive, and I hope never to go there ever.
October 1, 2016
I have read a recent Steve Hamilton book concerning a new character. I also read A Cold Day in Paradise. I enjoyed both so I was anxious to read Winter of the Wolf Moon. To state the good points first. Hamilton is an expert at making one feel cold. It was helpful that I read most of it during the first raw day of fall. Also the first half to the book was good. The characters were interesting and the plot showed real promise. The second half was long chases. McKnight may be a powerful fellow but no one can take all the punishment that he took. The end was not satisfactory to me. Maybe it will be worth reading another one but it will be a while.
May 22, 2019
I'm a sucker for Michigan regional mysteries and the Alex McKnight series is no exception. The setting is the Upper Peninsula in Michigan and the private eye is a former Detroit cop. Steve Hamilton's description of the UP and the residents is spot-on and I think would appeal to Michiganders and non alike.
This novel incorporates more of the Ojibwa Indians living in the UP and McKnight's friendship with one of them. It is fast-paced and a lively read.
This novel incorporates more of the Ojibwa Indians living in the UP and McKnight's friendship with one of them. It is fast-paced and a lively read.
March 21, 2012
Always fun to read a story that takes place where I live in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The author does an amazing job of describing the cold, winter weather and the isolation that is a big part of living here. I have been to Paradise several times and always enjoy reading about the interesting characters there.
August 24, 2023
Reminded me of "JA Jance's" Beaumont and "Lawrence Blocks" Matt Scudder characters a bit. Low keyed type characters due to physical or other ailments. Was worth a read but looking forward to Hamilton's new character "Nick Mason".
August 13, 2017
Alex McKnight is my hero . . . on! to the 3rd book now.
October 6, 2023
Mystery/adventure stories are a sort of guilty pleasure for me. For relaxation, I sprinkle them in among perhaps more serious material, but before I can enjoy them the quality still has to be good. Last year I discovered author Michael Connelly, who I thought was a step up from Lee Child—or rather by that point I was pretty well done with Jack Reacher stories. I liked Connelly's characters, who were somewhat more relatable or realistic, but the quality was uneven and six of his books were enough. Now I may have found someone closer to my taste. Other readers say this one is is "nothing special," but for me the first exposure is promising.
Alex McKnight is a regular guy, a former Detroit cop and part-time private investigator now in his mid-40s who lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He inhabits one of six cabins built years ago by his father, rents the others to snowmobilers, and apparently lives on the modest income from that. His normal routine involves trading friendly insults with the proprietor at a local bar and grill and plowing snow off the private road leading past his cabins. There is by the way a great deal of snow and bitterly cold weather in this story. It's ever-present. I think some readers become tired of it; Alex is rather tired of it too (even before it becomes a threat to his life). That's just a big part of living where he does.
He also knows a thing or two about hockey, and that starts the chain of events that make this story. He reluctantly steps in to play substitute goalie on a friend's hockey team, after which one thing just leads to another. Repeatedly, he comes home to find his cabin trashed, or to be savagely beaten up. (I was reminded of the way the character in The Rockford Files was always getting roughed up in his mobile home.) In the course of the story this guy absorbs an incredible amount of abuse, more than Rockford ever did.
An acquaintance hoping to become a PI wants to partner with Alex, and gradually proves himself to be a more valuable asset than first impressions would suggest. (I particularly like the way that character is brought to life in the audio version of the story. He sounds just like a certain underachieving cousin I knew.) The bad guys inhabit concentric rings around Alex. First there's a very mean petty criminal named Lonnie Bruckman, but behind him are a pair of much more dangerous guys. And someone still worse is behind them. Alex does need help, and as is typical of stories in this genre the cops aren't good for much. In most instances, however, some degree of humor is not far away. That makes the danger and violence more tolerable.
This is just the sort of story to enjoy on one's daily commute.
Alex McKnight is a regular guy, a former Detroit cop and part-time private investigator now in his mid-40s who lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He inhabits one of six cabins built years ago by his father, rents the others to snowmobilers, and apparently lives on the modest income from that. His normal routine involves trading friendly insults with the proprietor at a local bar and grill and plowing snow off the private road leading past his cabins. There is by the way a great deal of snow and bitterly cold weather in this story. It's ever-present. I think some readers become tired of it; Alex is rather tired of it too (even before it becomes a threat to his life). That's just a big part of living where he does.
He also knows a thing or two about hockey, and that starts the chain of events that make this story. He reluctantly steps in to play substitute goalie on a friend's hockey team, after which one thing just leads to another. Repeatedly, he comes home to find his cabin trashed, or to be savagely beaten up. (I was reminded of the way the character in The Rockford Files was always getting roughed up in his mobile home.) In the course of the story this guy absorbs an incredible amount of abuse, more than Rockford ever did.
An acquaintance hoping to become a PI wants to partner with Alex, and gradually proves himself to be a more valuable asset than first impressions would suggest. (I particularly like the way that character is brought to life in the audio version of the story. He sounds just like a certain underachieving cousin I knew.) The bad guys inhabit concentric rings around Alex. First there's a very mean petty criminal named Lonnie Bruckman, but behind him are a pair of much more dangerous guys. And someone still worse is behind them. Alex does need help, and as is typical of stories in this genre the cops aren't good for much. In most instances, however, some degree of humor is not far away. That makes the danger and violence more tolerable.
This is just the sort of story to enjoy on one's daily commute.
September 29, 2018
The second Alex McKnight series book from author Steve Hamilton was even more intense and riveting than the first book of series. (Cold Day In Paradise). Having met author Steve Hamilton in March at this year's Tucson Festival Of Books, I happened to read the sixth book of this McKnight series over this now past summer. Intrigued I sought out and really enjoyed the opener of this series. The second book easily surpasses the first as a mystery suspense thriller. Published in and around 1999, Alex now 48 (Born 1950) is snookered into playing goalie for best friend Vinnie Leblanc's team in a "slow' hockey game. After tangling with Lonnie Bruckman, the other teams top scorer and top goon the game ends 2-2. Alex stopped Lonnie from getting a hat trick and win in final seconds of game. Set in the cold cold dark of Michigan's upper peninsula (The UP), guys like Lonnie view Indians like Vinnie and his team as second class citizens. A very sore and out of shape Alex is nursing his aching muscles at his favorite bar and eatery when Lonnie's girlfriend approaches asking for help. Dorothy (Also an Indian) fears for her life and heard Alex was a private eye, needs help getting away from Lonnie for good. Armed with an autographed puck by Gordie Howe and having a mysterious white bag over her shoulder Alex hides Dorothy in one of his empty log cabins. Before what Alex knows what's hit him Dorothy vanishes along with that white bag. Naturally every gangster, and federal cop in the U.P. is anxious to get their hands onto that white shoulder bag. Between stays in the hospital Alex manages to finally agree to partner with hapless P.I. Leon Prudell to be partners. It seems at every turn Alex makes he's beaten to pulp and hospitalized with Leon popping up to save his life. Alex the reluctant P.I. must track down Dorothy to save her life and find out what she did with the elusive white shoulder bag. A very hard hitting and relentless plot this one slows down for no one. Hard hitting and seemingly every page action packed. I read this thriller in just a couple sittings. Coming in at just under 300 pages, "Winter Of The Wolf Moon" gets five stars out of a possible five stars. without question a series not to be missed. Alex McKnight delivers. Although I've only read three of the eleven book series I know they all are going to be solid suspense thrillers. Check it out and soon ! Also remember the 'wolf' moon is the first full moon of the year. We all know the what the full moon seems do to normal people......
September 2, 2019
Finally getting back to this series. I'd picked up the first one for the husband who, of course, flew through them in record time. I read the first one and liked it, but also had other things I was wanting to read. And then there's that pesky needing-to-work-at-least-40-hours-per-week thing...you know, the thing that brings in the money so I can eat, keep a roof over our heads, etc. It really does cut into my reading time.
Anyway, 2nd day of a week-long vacation, and I've already finished 2 books. I think that says quite a bit, doesn't it?
In any case, very good read. And I know from my husband's reading ahead that poor Alex is going to keep getting beat up in just about each and every book. I feel sorry for him. And it was a bit surprising to read that he's 48 years old in this installment; I had forgotten how close the character is to being my age (I'm a few years ahead of him, but thankfully, not many). Nice to have an older "hero" to read about, one who knows all too well about dealing with cold weather as a middle-aged man, how it's harder to get out of bed in the mornings, all that stuff.
Wonder if I'll finish another book tomorrow? I know one thing - I'm definitely going to be looking for the next book in this series.
Anyway, 2nd day of a week-long vacation, and I've already finished 2 books. I think that says quite a bit, doesn't it?
In any case, very good read. And I know from my husband's reading ahead that poor Alex is going to keep getting beat up in just about each and every book. I feel sorry for him. And it was a bit surprising to read that he's 48 years old in this installment; I had forgotten how close the character is to being my age (I'm a few years ahead of him, but thankfully, not many). Nice to have an older "hero" to read about, one who knows all too well about dealing with cold weather as a middle-aged man, how it's harder to get out of bed in the mornings, all that stuff.
Wonder if I'll finish another book tomorrow? I know one thing - I'm definitely going to be looking for the next book in this series.
February 26, 2020
3.75☆
Good.. I think the next in series will be even stronger
Good.. I think the next in series will be even stronger
October 23, 2025
I liked it a lot. Stayed up late because I could not out it down. Fun for Michiganders as it takes place in the UP.
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