Cold Front

Tory Bauer Mystery #5

by Kathleen Taylor

Delphi, South Dakota is a dusty little prairie town, the kind people drive through on their way to bigger cities. But as Tory Bauer, middle-aged, widowed, overweight, cranky waitress might say, “Everything that happens in big towns, happens here too. We just don’t look as good naked.”

In Cold Front, the fifth of six mysteries featuring the crew at the Delphi Café, a New Year's Eve blizzard turns deadly when a snowy trip into the countryside turns up a frozen body. With her personal life in turmoil, Tory finds herself snowbound and, once again, smack in the middle of an investigation.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy, Fiction

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Kathleen Taylor is a freelance knitwear designer and a prolific writer. She is the author of the popular book Knit One, Felt Too, and her knitting designs have appeared in more than 50 different magazines. She lives in Redfield, South Dakota.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A blizzard upturns many plans in tiny Delphi, South Dakota, and waitress Tory Bauer is thrown together with her old lover in a stranded car, which threatens to disrupt her budding relationship with a friend. A dead man provides some distraction as theft and possible murder confuse the situation.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is an entertaining series, this was my least favorite in it. I don't know if I was just getting tired of the formula, or if the plot really was that thin. But suddenly Tory's negativity just really got me down. And I didn't realize how busy everything always is. When Tory has to do something, anything, three people want to talk to her all at the same time.

Also, a minor subplot was that her grandmother (who we found out about in the first book) was dying. And Tory barely thinks about it, or her mom who is out there. Spoiler alert - grandma dies. And Tory never really calls to check or ask if there's anything that she can do.

To be fair, she is wrapped up in the case of Ian O'Hara who showed up and then died. And, as usual, it's all very complicated. A lot of these stories hinge on timelines. It's Taylor's bread and butter - that once you learn the timeline, you can figure it all out. But they continue to get complicated.

Also, will someone genuinely punish Presley? Every book, he is getting into hijinks. I mean, all the time. And he gets grounded. And two pages later, he gets to do whatever he wants because no one is actually disciplining this kid.

No one is nice to Tory. The books are full of smart aleck comments, glares, and abuse towards her. And for some reason, this book, I was just tired of it. I was mad at Tory for continuing to take it and everyone else for it.

I do plan to read the last book and finish the series, but I just wasn't as into this one.

[Elaine Nickolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first "Tory Bauer" mystery. I found that I really liked the authors writing style and totally loved the protagonist, Tory Bauer. The author blends humor and sarcasm into the story, an automatic plus in my book.
A brutal winter storm hits the little town on New Years Eve. An online date is coming to town, the diner is trying a new thing by opening over night to try and make some muchly needed income, a cook comes to apply for the job out of nowhere, and lots of people are not upholding their wedding vows. Throw in a robbery and a body and the ride is just beginning.
50 State Challenge- South Dakota- 34th state- check

[L.A. Starks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had more of a pre-9/11 feel (it was published in 2000) than I expected. While I admire Kathleen Taylor's work ethic--she has five books out previous to this one--I found the protagonist and the endless self-talk too precious, too regional, too consciously manipulative, and too overwrought. It was hard to become invested in the plot or the people.

Taylor does an outstanding job of describing weather so cold it kills and it is worth reading the book for this alone. Alas, the weather was by far the most interesting character.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have lived through storms followed by many days of no power, no running water no warm food and I don't even want to relive the experience vicariously! Other than that the plotting and myatery were pretty good.

[Mary Kenyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her description of a SD blizzaard and how it affects a small town on absolutely accurate! And the mystery isn't solved until the very last few pages. I love her characters, I think I have met these people! A great read and the fact that it is a series makes the enjoyment go on and on.