Cold Mourning - Part 1

Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery #1/ Part 1

by Brenda Chapman

It's a week before Christmas when wealthy businessman Tom Underwood disappears into thin air -- with more than enough people wanting him dead.

New police recruit Kala Stonechild, who has left her northern Ontario detachment to join a specialized Ottawa crime unit, is tasked with returning Underwood home in time for the holidays. Stonechild, who is from a First Nations reserve, is a lone wolf who is used to surviving on her wits. Her new boss, Detective Jacques Rouleau, has his hands full controlling her, his team, and an investigation that keeps threatening to go off track.

Old betrayals and complicated family relationships brutally collide when love turns to hate and murder stalks a family.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook

70 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 30, 2013

About the author

I'm an Ottawa author with 18 published novels in the mystery genre, both adult and YA. I am currently writing two adult mystery series: The Stonechild and Rouleau police procedurals from Dundurn include Cold Mourning (2014), which was shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for crime novel of the year, Butterfly Kills, Tumbled Graves, Shallow End and Bleeding Darkness. Turning Secrets, 6th in the series, will be released spring 2019.

The Anna Sweet mysteries are novellas from Grass Roots Press for adult literacy or those wanting a quick read. My Sister's Keeper and No Trace were both shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis award and The Hard Fall and No Trace were shortlisted for the Golden Oak award.

Previous published fiction includes: the Jennifer Bannon mysteries for ages 10+, a full length adult murder mystery In Winter's Grip (Dundurn 2010), and a Rapid Reads mystery The Second Wife (Orca 2011), which was shortlisted for a Golden Oak award. Second Chances, a YA novel for ages 13+ was released by Dundurn in September 2012.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Excerpt:
"She took a seat and watched Hunter pour water from a jug into a kettle. He measured coffee grounds into filter that fit into a clear coffee pot on the stove. Then he poured milk from a carton into a small pitcher and set it on the table with teaspoons and mugs. His fingers were long and his hands strong and tanned. When the water boiled, he poured it carefully through the filter. The coffee dripped steaming dark and rich into the waiting pot."

Translation:
"Hunter made coffee for Kala."

This book would have been 150 pages instead of 392 if the author left out all the excessive dribble.

Then there was a character named Bennett and a character named Benny that sometimes was spelled Bennie. Did the author run out of names?

I only completed the book because it was chosen for our book club. It was a complete was of my time.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good audio book for the car

[Sandra VonniessenApplebee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved that it was set in Canada. Wish the author would have done more on the residential schools in character development . Enjoyed it

[Lynda B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is set in Ottawa, Canada, with lots of detail about the streets, rivers and geography thereabouts which added to its interest for me, as I have family there and have visited several times. All that may serve as mildly annoying extraneous detail to uninterested readers. I loved that the protaganist and hero is a native (First Nations) woman from a northern Ontario reserve too! Add to that her early background snd that she beat the odds that background often predicts and you have an interesting story of hope, not merely a murder mystery. I liked that the characters were well developed and it was nit "preachy" or pointedly political either. The reading could be improved upon by providing pauses for scene/character changes, but overall I recommend this as a worthwhile listen.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This rating is low because as an audiobook the reader is devastatingly bad. If you’re interested in this book read it don’t listen to it. It may actually be a good book but the reader is monotone, rarely gives any inflection to the various characters and it is often difficult to tell when the dialogue has switched from one person to the other because of her monotonous tone.
The character development was interesting, but a bit slow for me and it was too challenging to continue the audio version after a time.

[Patti B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 or so. I liked the characters and the story, but thought the ending was a little over the top, especially since it takes two months to find the killer. I listened to it on audio and found that it was hard to keep track of some of the minor characters and there are many extraneous details (e.g., driving directions that Waze would be proud of; longer than needed descriptions for everyday activities, such as making coffee) and she used "confetti" to describe snow too many times.

[Sarah Knits · Rating 2 out of 5]

Main characters Stonechild and Rouleau are likable.
However, the story starts with an introduction depicting graphic sexual violence and it reappears as a theme later in the book. Toughed it out as it was an audiobook and the story moved along well enough. Ending was disappointing and many passages are facile and cliched blurring into a pseudo-romance mystery.
I read one book further into this series and it was worse. Best thing about this was the audiobook reader, Michelle St. John.

[Karen Glass · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyable mystery

Tom Underwood found dead. Kala Stonechild is a new member of the specialized Ottawa Police unit searches for the killer. she also is looking for family members.

Her story unravels slowly in between pieces of the mystery

[Mary Mccullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good mystery, taking place in Ottawa. Definitely an interesting read.

[Nicole Beyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't help but admire Stonechild's directness and her ability to make something of herself. She has a lot of things going against her but makes her way in a male dominated career- coming out on top

[Nancy Hollingsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disturbing start. Steady pace. Good start to a series. 3.5

[Ted Cartier · Rating 5 out of 5]

good rad

[Julie Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read from an ARC
Cold Mourning is a contemporary murder mystery set in Ottawa that I enjoyed. Why? The characters are well defined and believable; the tension and pace are good; and the plot twists are welcome.
I nearly didn't continue with the novel though because I found the first chapter too distressing and wondered if that story of brutal sexual assault was the main thrust of the book. Soon I realized that it was essential back story of the protagonist and the story actually revolved around the family of the murdered man and the police.
No question, there are dark moments in Cold Mourning but they worked well and kept me turning the pages. The plot satisfied me, as did the resolution.
Recommended for mystery addicts

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. The characters are complex and compelling, the cold, snowy Ottawa setting beautifully rendered and the plot riveting. My first reaction on reading the book was that if it had been written by a Swede or American it would be on best-seller lists. First in what promises to be an cracking police procedural series that -- at the same time -- tackles some of Canada's tough (and often hidden) social issues.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read this is a book that I would be happy to read over and over. Cold mourning is a book that I would be happy to keep on my keep forever book shelf and there are not many on it. Love love love this book. I would recommend this book to everyone great book Brenda looking forward to reading more books from you.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very well written murder mystery. I usually figure out who did it quickly. This book kept me guessing for close to 2/3 of the story. I would definitely recommend it.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book as it sounded like a great mystery and had a good first chapter. I finished it but didn't see where all the high reviews came from. Not a fan.