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Sgt. Windflower Mysteries #14
Better Safe Than Sorry
Sgt. Windflower Mysteries Best Selling and Award-Winning Light Mysteries# 1 Best Selling Cozy Mystery on AmazonWinner of the Bony Blithe Award for Best Light MysterySilver Medallist at Reader’s Choice AwardsShort-Listed for LOLA 2024 Must Read Book of the YearWhen danger threatens Grand Bank, will Sgt. Windflower step back into the line of fire?Winston Windflower is sort of enjoying his retirement from the RCMP in Grand Bank, Newfoundland, happily spending time with his young family, but feeling a little restless. Corporal Eddie Tizzard is running the Marystown detachment and struggling with the demands of the role while his own family grows. When a new kind of drug threatens the community, a body (the wrong body) is found dead in a hearse, and then another drug-connected mysterious death occurs, Tizzard knows he’s dealing with a deadly menace in their quiet, close-knit community. Windflower finds himself inexorably and not unhappily drawn back into the action, first in an unofficial role to help snare the dealers and then back to active duty in a community that desperately needs his steady hand and good judgement.Our favorite Mountie, Sgt. Windflower and his fellow courageous cops in small-town Grand Bank, Newfoundland are back to fight a new threat in this compelling page-turner. Award-winning author, Mike Martin once again brings us a stirring story, blending down-home Newfoundland charm with the warmth of family life.
- GenresMystery
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2024
22 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 2, 2024
Drugs and Outlaw Biker Gangs!
A spate of deadly drugs, “Green Monsters” are spreading across Newfoundland and now are in the vicinity of Grand Bank and Marystown. It’s vital that they be stopped. Already someone’s died. The tension of the threat ratchets up. Time is of the essence.
Windflower is the community safety officer for Grand Bank in Newfoundland. He becomes involved with the menace from this angle.
Outlaw biker gangs have joined forces to deal drugs. Their pipeline is being investigated.
Windflower has his hands full. He’s seconded back to the RMCP but it’s a very different Windflower now.
At some level community safety officer is not really a job that makes use of all his skills. Sure, he’s successfully kept kids out of trouble but he misses being a police officer. Working in Grand Bank does however give him time with his family—his wife Sheila and their two daughters Stella and Amelia Louise. Both girls are now in school. Sheila has developed a co-op for Newfoundland crafts which are being exported across Canada and beyond.
Always in the background is Windflower’s spiritual life, steeped in the lore of his people, including his dreams. Interpreting them is key. Windflower’s spirit guides are constantly present.
It’s his literary discussions and repartee with Superintendent Ron Ron Quigley and Acting Inspector up in Marystown, Eddie Tizzard, that give a measured reflection of Windflower’s sense of humor and attitude to life. Eddie has developed the habit of using quotes now to make a point. More often than not it’s his father’s Mark Twain observations, or his own home grown wisdom. The community and people around Windflower have matured.
Windflower’s love of music is legendary At the moment he’s exploring Brahms.
His musical discussion with a biker, Bernard Thibeau, whom he’s working with undercover, is a beautiful moment of accord. They listen to each other’s taste in music, finding a common appreciation. Thibeau is into rap. This is Windflower’s gift. Finding a point of contact with people.
Once again I’m drawn into the seasons of Sergeant Winston Windflower’s life.
I’m struck by his sense of self, his spirituality, his appreciation for people, for the everyday activities with family and friends, be it sledding with the children, or the sharing mouth watering meals. This is what he treasures, and I must admit I treasure him.
Many thanks to the author for this ARC
A spate of deadly drugs, “Green Monsters” are spreading across Newfoundland and now are in the vicinity of Grand Bank and Marystown. It’s vital that they be stopped. Already someone’s died. The tension of the threat ratchets up. Time is of the essence.
Windflower is the community safety officer for Grand Bank in Newfoundland. He becomes involved with the menace from this angle.
Outlaw biker gangs have joined forces to deal drugs. Their pipeline is being investigated.
Windflower has his hands full. He’s seconded back to the RMCP but it’s a very different Windflower now.
At some level community safety officer is not really a job that makes use of all his skills. Sure, he’s successfully kept kids out of trouble but he misses being a police officer. Working in Grand Bank does however give him time with his family—his wife Sheila and their two daughters Stella and Amelia Louise. Both girls are now in school. Sheila has developed a co-op for Newfoundland crafts which are being exported across Canada and beyond.
Always in the background is Windflower’s spiritual life, steeped in the lore of his people, including his dreams. Interpreting them is key. Windflower’s spirit guides are constantly present.
It’s his literary discussions and repartee with Superintendent Ron Ron Quigley and Acting Inspector up in Marystown, Eddie Tizzard, that give a measured reflection of Windflower’s sense of humor and attitude to life. Eddie has developed the habit of using quotes now to make a point. More often than not it’s his father’s Mark Twain observations, or his own home grown wisdom. The community and people around Windflower have matured.
Windflower’s love of music is legendary At the moment he’s exploring Brahms.
His musical discussion with a biker, Bernard Thibeau, whom he’s working with undercover, is a beautiful moment of accord. They listen to each other’s taste in music, finding a common appreciation. Thibeau is into rap. This is Windflower’s gift. Finding a point of contact with people.
Once again I’m drawn into the seasons of Sergeant Winston Windflower’s life.
I’m struck by his sense of self, his spirituality, his appreciation for people, for the everyday activities with family and friends, be it sledding with the children, or the sharing mouth watering meals. This is what he treasures, and I must admit I treasure him.
Many thanks to the author for this ARC
July 16, 2024
If this book [Better Safe Than Sorry — Ottawa Press] were a movie this might be the opening scene.
Viewed from a flying crow’s perspective, an automobile heading for The Ferry terminal in Port-aux-Basque, drives though snowy weather on the west coast of Newfoundland. The crow swoops, and peeps through car windows allowing viewers to see a Cop at the steering wheel, a Criminal as passenger, and a Casket in the back.
The crow’s-eye camera penetrates the coffin and reveals a Corpse lying in repose within the satin lining.
A quick cut to the outside shows that the automobile is a Cadillac hearse.
What is not known yet is that inside the coffin there’s Cash concealed in a secret Compartment.
Cop. Criminal. Casket. Corpse. Cash Compartment. Cadillac hearse.
The hearse disappears inside a blinding snow dwigh …
Fade out.
Fade in to SOME DAYS EARLIER.
Some days earlier in Grand Bank, Winston Windflower, erstwhile Sgt. Windflower of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is bored spitless as the community’s safety office.
Meanwhile, miles away in Marystown, Acting Inspector Eddie Tizzard — Tonto to Windflower’s Lone Ranger — is losing his religion while struggling to juggle the responsibilities and demands of office.
The latest pin tossed into the cycle of items Tizzard tries to keep in spin is the new drug in town. Said drug is a mixture of fentanyl and Xanax called the Green Monster (No connection to the left field wall at Fenway Park. See b’ys, I can talk baseball.). This concocted Green Monster has caused overdoses — close calls, and death.
Oh, to chuck a spanner into the works, the local undertaker comes knocking on the Detachment door. He reports that a casket shipped from North Sydney contains the wrong corpse. The unexpected, dead female body has become so because of gunfire.
Frustrated, Tizzard contacts his superiors and requests that they bring Windflower back into the RCMP fold. Considering the dryness of his salivary glands, Windflower is not opposed to pitching in.
Meanwhile (yes, another meanwhile) the aforementioned snowstorm is brewing, and, on the domestic side, Windflower’s two daughters hope for a snow day holiday from school and the possibility of laying a stock of storm chips.
(An interrogative aside: When did storm chips become a thing?)
Back to the Cadillac hearse.
The cop driving is reinstated — kinda — RCMP office Wince Windflower. His passenger is small-time hoodlum Bernard Thibeau who aims to infiltrate — sorta — a biker gang in Nova Scotia and thus earn brownie points with the Mounties. Together, Wince and Bernie — and the hearse, I s’pose — haul the corpse and the cached cash to Cape Breton …
… where, not quite according to plan, unforeseen stuff happens.
Do plans ever proceed as plotted?
As Granny in her infinite wisdom was wont to opine: “Man plans. God dis-a-plans.”
On a sad note — spoiler be damned — Windflower’s Uncle Frank goes to the Happy Hunting Ground. (Can I even say Happy Hunting Grounds nowadays without offending someone?)
But death is not the end. Uncle Franks returns as a moose — a dream moose, not a real moose like the one that causes an accident on the highway between Grand Bank and Marystown. But a moose, nonetheless.
B’ys, I forgot to mention that Tizzard’s wife, Constable Evanchuk — by novel’s end Corporal Evanchuk — is pregnant again. Fans of Eddie and Carrie and sweet little babies will be tickled about this development, no doubt.
As always, author Mike Martin leaves his readers wanting more adventures in the continuing saga of Sgt Windflower and his posse.
That in mind, I’ve been considering a title for the next Windflower saga — Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here.
That might work, eh Mike?
Thank you for reading.
Viewed from a flying crow’s perspective, an automobile heading for The Ferry terminal in Port-aux-Basque, drives though snowy weather on the west coast of Newfoundland. The crow swoops, and peeps through car windows allowing viewers to see a Cop at the steering wheel, a Criminal as passenger, and a Casket in the back.
The crow’s-eye camera penetrates the coffin and reveals a Corpse lying in repose within the satin lining.
A quick cut to the outside shows that the automobile is a Cadillac hearse.
What is not known yet is that inside the coffin there’s Cash concealed in a secret Compartment.
Cop. Criminal. Casket. Corpse. Cash Compartment. Cadillac hearse.
The hearse disappears inside a blinding snow dwigh …
Fade out.
Fade in to SOME DAYS EARLIER.
Some days earlier in Grand Bank, Winston Windflower, erstwhile Sgt. Windflower of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is bored spitless as the community’s safety office.
Meanwhile, miles away in Marystown, Acting Inspector Eddie Tizzard — Tonto to Windflower’s Lone Ranger — is losing his religion while struggling to juggle the responsibilities and demands of office.
The latest pin tossed into the cycle of items Tizzard tries to keep in spin is the new drug in town. Said drug is a mixture of fentanyl and Xanax called the Green Monster (No connection to the left field wall at Fenway Park. See b’ys, I can talk baseball.). This concocted Green Monster has caused overdoses — close calls, and death.
Oh, to chuck a spanner into the works, the local undertaker comes knocking on the Detachment door. He reports that a casket shipped from North Sydney contains the wrong corpse. The unexpected, dead female body has become so because of gunfire.
Frustrated, Tizzard contacts his superiors and requests that they bring Windflower back into the RCMP fold. Considering the dryness of his salivary glands, Windflower is not opposed to pitching in.
Meanwhile (yes, another meanwhile) the aforementioned snowstorm is brewing, and, on the domestic side, Windflower’s two daughters hope for a snow day holiday from school and the possibility of laying a stock of storm chips.
(An interrogative aside: When did storm chips become a thing?)
Back to the Cadillac hearse.
The cop driving is reinstated — kinda — RCMP office Wince Windflower. His passenger is small-time hoodlum Bernard Thibeau who aims to infiltrate — sorta — a biker gang in Nova Scotia and thus earn brownie points with the Mounties. Together, Wince and Bernie — and the hearse, I s’pose — haul the corpse and the cached cash to Cape Breton …
… where, not quite according to plan, unforeseen stuff happens.
Do plans ever proceed as plotted?
As Granny in her infinite wisdom was wont to opine: “Man plans. God dis-a-plans.”
On a sad note — spoiler be damned — Windflower’s Uncle Frank goes to the Happy Hunting Ground. (Can I even say Happy Hunting Grounds nowadays without offending someone?)
But death is not the end. Uncle Franks returns as a moose — a dream moose, not a real moose like the one that causes an accident on the highway between Grand Bank and Marystown. But a moose, nonetheless.
B’ys, I forgot to mention that Tizzard’s wife, Constable Evanchuk — by novel’s end Corporal Evanchuk — is pregnant again. Fans of Eddie and Carrie and sweet little babies will be tickled about this development, no doubt.
As always, author Mike Martin leaves his readers wanting more adventures in the continuing saga of Sgt Windflower and his posse.
That in mind, I’ve been considering a title for the next Windflower saga — Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here.
That might work, eh Mike?
Thank you for reading.
May 27, 2024
You can take Winston Windflower out of the RCMP, but you can't take law enforcement out of one who is called to the The Job.
Budget cuts caused the closing of the local detachment and the former staff were reassigned. Except for Windflower. He gave up law enforcement to be better father and husband and to run the inn that he and his wife operate. He is also a consultant to the town and is at the forefront of the new positive changes to local policing. But when his friends and former coworkers get overwhelmed it seems that he is needed in law enforcement again, but now in a limited capacity that will not impact his family the way that full time does. It's drugs again and the scourge covers an even larger area with even deadlier consequences.
It's good to see the collection of essential characters again and to know that their values and friendships have not changed. I confess that I am addicted to this series and the characters who people it.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!
Budget cuts caused the closing of the local detachment and the former staff were reassigned. Except for Windflower. He gave up law enforcement to be better father and husband and to run the inn that he and his wife operate. He is also a consultant to the town and is at the forefront of the new positive changes to local policing. But when his friends and former coworkers get overwhelmed it seems that he is needed in law enforcement again, but now in a limited capacity that will not impact his family the way that full time does. It's drugs again and the scourge covers an even larger area with even deadlier consequences.
It's good to see the collection of essential characters again and to know that their values and friendships have not changed. I confess that I am addicted to this series and the characters who people it.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!
April 28, 2024
Faith, family, friends, good food – all important to Winston Windflower, as is his job as community safety officer for Grand Bank and a number of other surrounding communities. When his local RCMP detachment closed because of budgetary concerns, he decided to leave the Mounties and accept this new position. He’s happy spending more time with family and friends, and the job is okay. But only okay? Well, maybe better than okay, but he misses the challenge of running the station, protecting the public, solving crimes. I daresay he might even miss the excitement of a fast-paced, active investigation. He’s an active, vigorous young man, and as we’ve gotten to know him more and more through this wonderful series, we can recognize that Windflower is starting to get a little stir-crazy.
As a community service officer he is well-known, well-liked, and competent. He’s in a good routine. But that’s the problem, Windflower isn’t satisfied with routine. He looks forward to the occasional RCMP request to consult, fill in, offer his opinion and advice. The problem, though, is that serious crime hasn’t left Newfoundland or St. John’s alone but has popped up in Marystown and Grand Bank as well. This is a darker world than we are used to seeing Windflower in; he’s had some close calls and narrow escapes in the recent past.
And his wife Sheila worries about that. Windflower would never go against Sheila’s wishes and makes that clear to his temporary superiors. On the other hand, Sheila knows how important being a Mountie was to Winston, how it’s in his very bones, his passion. She sees a man that is a little more mature and a whole lot less reckless today and she doesn’t want to stand in the way of his dreams, his calling if you will. Some tough decisions coming up.
A new drug has found its way to Marystown, and as the temporary head of the RCMP detachment there it’s Windflower’s long-time friend Eddie Tizzard’s job to deal with that as well as a number of recent crimes and a short-staffed disgruntled workforce. Eddie is perfectly capable, but temporary is the key word here: Eddie has a young family of his own and a wife who is also in law enforcement. He doesn’t want the responsibility, stress or time demand leading the detachment requires.
Sgt. Windflower is brought back in first an unofficial position, then a temporary official one, and the carrot for a permanent position is always dangling. Once again, he’s in his element being back in the thick of things, using his brain to solve problems and outsmart criminals. Leadership comes naturally to him. And he will need all of his skills in this current situation.
Better Safe Than Sorry is the darkest, sharpest, edgiest story yet in the series. It feels like crime is rampant; the criminals are bolder, more reckless, more desperate. The detachment is understaffed and morale is low and rebellious. Some members of upper management aren’t exactly giving off a trustworthy vibe. Combine that with the distribution, sale, and deadly use of the new drug, the wrong body in a hearse and more mysterious deaths and life is no longer calm and serene. The pace picks up. The danger is larger and closer. Better Safe Than Sorry is full of intrigue, suspense and many suspects.
If author Mike Martin has shown us a darker side of Marystown and Grand Bank and a Sgt. Winston Windflower who has to rise to the task, he’s also done what he always does so well: balanced that with the Winston whose core treasures are faith, family, friends and good food. When he’s home with the family he is immersed in that life and fully present.
It’s always a pleasure and a welcome change of pace to catch up with this side of his life. Sheila’s business is successfully growing in her capable hands. The girls are growing too: Stella is now six and a half and Amelia Louise is four. Amelia Louise has always been a little character and she is still delightfully so. Stella was such a welcome addition to their family and she’s adorable with her interests and activities and her interaction with her little sister. I look forward to reading about their outdoor fun, movie nights, pancake breakfasts in every book. Lady the dog and Molly the cat, with their unique contributions, round out this warm, loving family. The detailed descriptions of the delicious food and Winston’s preparations of it always make my mouth water and make me want to mark my place in the book and start cooking. Old friends, family and co-workers pop up in abundance. And at his center is Winston’s faith. The smudging, the dream weaving and the communication with and insight from ancestors, some of whom have only recently departed this life, is always a welcome glimpse into something a little otherworldly and fascinating.
Thanks to author Mike Martin for providing an advance copy of Better Safe Than Sorry. This is a series I have enjoyed from the very start, watching Winston Windflower grow, mature, struggle, find happiness, make hard choices. I recommend every book in this series without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
As a community service officer he is well-known, well-liked, and competent. He’s in a good routine. But that’s the problem, Windflower isn’t satisfied with routine. He looks forward to the occasional RCMP request to consult, fill in, offer his opinion and advice. The problem, though, is that serious crime hasn’t left Newfoundland or St. John’s alone but has popped up in Marystown and Grand Bank as well. This is a darker world than we are used to seeing Windflower in; he’s had some close calls and narrow escapes in the recent past.
And his wife Sheila worries about that. Windflower would never go against Sheila’s wishes and makes that clear to his temporary superiors. On the other hand, Sheila knows how important being a Mountie was to Winston, how it’s in his very bones, his passion. She sees a man that is a little more mature and a whole lot less reckless today and she doesn’t want to stand in the way of his dreams, his calling if you will. Some tough decisions coming up.
A new drug has found its way to Marystown, and as the temporary head of the RCMP detachment there it’s Windflower’s long-time friend Eddie Tizzard’s job to deal with that as well as a number of recent crimes and a short-staffed disgruntled workforce. Eddie is perfectly capable, but temporary is the key word here: Eddie has a young family of his own and a wife who is also in law enforcement. He doesn’t want the responsibility, stress or time demand leading the detachment requires.
Sgt. Windflower is brought back in first an unofficial position, then a temporary official one, and the carrot for a permanent position is always dangling. Once again, he’s in his element being back in the thick of things, using his brain to solve problems and outsmart criminals. Leadership comes naturally to him. And he will need all of his skills in this current situation.
Better Safe Than Sorry is the darkest, sharpest, edgiest story yet in the series. It feels like crime is rampant; the criminals are bolder, more reckless, more desperate. The detachment is understaffed and morale is low and rebellious. Some members of upper management aren’t exactly giving off a trustworthy vibe. Combine that with the distribution, sale, and deadly use of the new drug, the wrong body in a hearse and more mysterious deaths and life is no longer calm and serene. The pace picks up. The danger is larger and closer. Better Safe Than Sorry is full of intrigue, suspense and many suspects.
If author Mike Martin has shown us a darker side of Marystown and Grand Bank and a Sgt. Winston Windflower who has to rise to the task, he’s also done what he always does so well: balanced that with the Winston whose core treasures are faith, family, friends and good food. When he’s home with the family he is immersed in that life and fully present.
It’s always a pleasure and a welcome change of pace to catch up with this side of his life. Sheila’s business is successfully growing in her capable hands. The girls are growing too: Stella is now six and a half and Amelia Louise is four. Amelia Louise has always been a little character and she is still delightfully so. Stella was such a welcome addition to their family and she’s adorable with her interests and activities and her interaction with her little sister. I look forward to reading about their outdoor fun, movie nights, pancake breakfasts in every book. Lady the dog and Molly the cat, with their unique contributions, round out this warm, loving family. The detailed descriptions of the delicious food and Winston’s preparations of it always make my mouth water and make me want to mark my place in the book and start cooking. Old friends, family and co-workers pop up in abundance. And at his center is Winston’s faith. The smudging, the dream weaving and the communication with and insight from ancestors, some of whom have only recently departed this life, is always a welcome glimpse into something a little otherworldly and fascinating.
Thanks to author Mike Martin for providing an advance copy of Better Safe Than Sorry. This is a series I have enjoyed from the very start, watching Winston Windflower grow, mature, struggle, find happiness, make hard choices. I recommend every book in this series without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
June 20, 2024
THIS CLEVER TANGLE OF A MYSTERY IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!
While Grand Bank, New Foundland has never been noted for non-stop excitement, ex-Mountie Winston Windflower has been hoping for just that. He’s changed careers and that has left things quiet—more quiet than he’s used to—and he’s dying to sink his teeth into something more adventurous. As the adage goes: “Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it,” but because he does not heed the warning, Windflower ends up performing this exact trick. So when a friend offers him work due to an understaffed detachment, Windflower grabs the opportunity. Before he can say, “What did I do?” two crimes roll across his desk—one more sinister than the next. The first involves a narcotic called the Green Monsters. The new drug is a mixture of fentanyl and Xanax, and with fatalities from its usage on the rise, the spread of it needs to be stopped. The second concerns a corpse arriving at a mortuary for embalming. While the mortician was expecting a body, it wasn’t the one that’s delivered to his doorstep. With the funeral director insisting the dead bodies were switched, it’s up to Windflower to find out what happened and if the allegation is true.
All of the above is a taste of what Winston Wildflower walks into in this clever tangle of mystery entitled BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. It’s number 14 and a perfect addition to the SGT. WINDFLOWER MYSTERY SERIES. The writing deft, I absolutely meant it when I called this series ‘addictive’. Inventive plots, unexpected twists, unique and original storylines, they’re mysteries you can get lost in. There’s also the in-depth study that each character is treated to. We get to know them, and that’s where the magic comes in.
If you’re one of those readers who don’t want vulgarity or profanities lacing the books you purchase, the Mike Martin series is perfect for you. There’s a real dignity and mutual respect for family, neighbor and community blended in rather nicely between the pages. It’s this humanity that the series features, but not in an overtly shrill manner. No lectures, no intimidation into being better citizens of the world, it’s just there … intertwining the main characters’ personal lives, with jobs they are sworn to uphold, and holding them to high standards. It makes family gatherings and friends getting together to shoot the breeze particularly inviting. You can just sit back and sink into the beauty of what happens when bonds are kept and friendship treasured. And it’s not just me noticing this. The word “charming” comes up quite often when discussing this author’s work, and this is what that word is referring to.
So if you love murder mysteries that are well-crafted, majorly entertaining, and interesting enough to keep you reading way past your bedtime, I can recommend trying the latest Sgt. Wildflower Mystery Series BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. Five stars given and I know you’ll enjoy.
While Grand Bank, New Foundland has never been noted for non-stop excitement, ex-Mountie Winston Windflower has been hoping for just that. He’s changed careers and that has left things quiet—more quiet than he’s used to—and he’s dying to sink his teeth into something more adventurous. As the adage goes: “Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it,” but because he does not heed the warning, Windflower ends up performing this exact trick. So when a friend offers him work due to an understaffed detachment, Windflower grabs the opportunity. Before he can say, “What did I do?” two crimes roll across his desk—one more sinister than the next. The first involves a narcotic called the Green Monsters. The new drug is a mixture of fentanyl and Xanax, and with fatalities from its usage on the rise, the spread of it needs to be stopped. The second concerns a corpse arriving at a mortuary for embalming. While the mortician was expecting a body, it wasn’t the one that’s delivered to his doorstep. With the funeral director insisting the dead bodies were switched, it’s up to Windflower to find out what happened and if the allegation is true.
All of the above is a taste of what Winston Wildflower walks into in this clever tangle of mystery entitled BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. It’s number 14 and a perfect addition to the SGT. WINDFLOWER MYSTERY SERIES. The writing deft, I absolutely meant it when I called this series ‘addictive’. Inventive plots, unexpected twists, unique and original storylines, they’re mysteries you can get lost in. There’s also the in-depth study that each character is treated to. We get to know them, and that’s where the magic comes in.
If you’re one of those readers who don’t want vulgarity or profanities lacing the books you purchase, the Mike Martin series is perfect for you. There’s a real dignity and mutual respect for family, neighbor and community blended in rather nicely between the pages. It’s this humanity that the series features, but not in an overtly shrill manner. No lectures, no intimidation into being better citizens of the world, it’s just there … intertwining the main characters’ personal lives, with jobs they are sworn to uphold, and holding them to high standards. It makes family gatherings and friends getting together to shoot the breeze particularly inviting. You can just sit back and sink into the beauty of what happens when bonds are kept and friendship treasured. And it’s not just me noticing this. The word “charming” comes up quite often when discussing this author’s work, and this is what that word is referring to.
So if you love murder mysteries that are well-crafted, majorly entertaining, and interesting enough to keep you reading way past your bedtime, I can recommend trying the latest Sgt. Wildflower Mystery Series BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. Five stars given and I know you’ll enjoy.
May 14, 2025
Better Safe Than Sorry is the latest book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series by Mike Martin and if you are a fan, you know that you are in store for an entertaining and captivating story. With fourteen books in this series you know Martin is doing something right !!
The Sgt. Windflower Mystery series follows Winston Windflower who works for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, his family and friends in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. As the series progresses there are a lot of changes in Windflower's life, some good, some bad and others great.
In Better Safe Than Sorry Windflower who is now the community safety office in Grand Banks and the surrounding areas is informed that there is a new deadly drug being distributed called Green Monsters. He begins to circulate and get the word out about this drug and the dangers of using it. And Windflower's close friend who is currently the Acting Inspector, Edward Tizzard, is looking into a dead body in a hearse. Once the hearse arrived to the funeral home, the funeral directed found out that it wasn't the body he was expected. The body, which is a young woman, has also not died of natural causes.
The office that Windflower works out of in Grand Bank was actually closed and the new detachment office is in nearby Marytown. The Marytown office is where Tizzard is stationed along with his wife Office Carrie Evanchuk. And things are going to get complicated and exciting soon with Tizzard having to look to Windflower for help .... lots of help. Unfortunately Windflower and his wife Sheila have a comfortable life with their two young daughters, Stella and Amelia Louise, and the bed and breakfast that is open in season and Windflower is safe in his new career.
Windflower will do anything for the law and his Mountie family as long as he isn't in danger and Sheila has given the green light on whatever he is being dragged into. And in Better Safe Than Sorry he is going to be dragged right into the middle of everything as his drug concerns will intertwine with things going on in Marytown with Tizzard.
Readers cannot get enough of Windflower and this series ...whether it is when Windflower is just walking around town with his dog, Lady or playing with the girls, or making dinner, or deep into a case and is on the job, you are HOOKED !!! You fall in love immediately with everything and everyone !! You will love the relationships, the cases, the town and when they talk about food ... and there is a lot of food mentioned. So I highly encourage you to grab a snack and a drink, go to your comfy seat and dig in .....
The Sgt. Windflower Mystery series follows Winston Windflower who works for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, his family and friends in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. As the series progresses there are a lot of changes in Windflower's life, some good, some bad and others great.
In Better Safe Than Sorry Windflower who is now the community safety office in Grand Banks and the surrounding areas is informed that there is a new deadly drug being distributed called Green Monsters. He begins to circulate and get the word out about this drug and the dangers of using it. And Windflower's close friend who is currently the Acting Inspector, Edward Tizzard, is looking into a dead body in a hearse. Once the hearse arrived to the funeral home, the funeral directed found out that it wasn't the body he was expected. The body, which is a young woman, has also not died of natural causes.
The office that Windflower works out of in Grand Bank was actually closed and the new detachment office is in nearby Marytown. The Marytown office is where Tizzard is stationed along with his wife Office Carrie Evanchuk. And things are going to get complicated and exciting soon with Tizzard having to look to Windflower for help .... lots of help. Unfortunately Windflower and his wife Sheila have a comfortable life with their two young daughters, Stella and Amelia Louise, and the bed and breakfast that is open in season and Windflower is safe in his new career.
Windflower will do anything for the law and his Mountie family as long as he isn't in danger and Sheila has given the green light on whatever he is being dragged into. And in Better Safe Than Sorry he is going to be dragged right into the middle of everything as his drug concerns will intertwine with things going on in Marytown with Tizzard.
Readers cannot get enough of Windflower and this series ...whether it is when Windflower is just walking around town with his dog, Lady or playing with the girls, or making dinner, or deep into a case and is on the job, you are HOOKED !!! You fall in love immediately with everything and everyone !! You will love the relationships, the cases, the town and when they talk about food ... and there is a lot of food mentioned. So I highly encourage you to grab a snack and a drink, go to your comfy seat and dig in .....
May 19, 2024
My collection of books by Mike Martin grew to one more recently with the addition of the book Better Safe Than Sorry, the 14th book in the mystery series about Sgt. Winston Windflower.
Sgt. Windflower is now the community safety officer for Grand Bank in Newfoundland. He has retired from the Mounties, but is he truly happy in his new role? He is successful in this new job, but does he want a bit more?
A new lethal drug, Green Monsters, is spreading rapidly across Newfoundland and other provinces. Windflower in his community officer role attempts to get the word out about how unsafe this drug is.Tizzard, now acting Inspector, is facing all sorts of challenges, and this new drug is just one of them. He doesn’t want the responsibility or stress of running the detachment. He loves his family, and has just found out that Carrie is expecting their second child.
The new drug, a death, and the wrong body in a coffin are some of the challenges facing him. Morale is low in the detachment which leads to Tizzard requesting more help.
Windflower takes on an unofficial position to assist with the work involving the latest drug. Sheila isn’t really happy about this, and before he takes on a temporary position he needs to get her approval.
A lot of thought goes into the offer of a new permanent position with the Mounties. Will he accept the terms?
I love reading about Winston’s family, his indigenous culture, his pets, his friends, his love of good food, and there is always a quote from famous people to go with each situation.
Close calls, his understanding of the people, his love of being a Mountie, and the fact that everyone works together to tackle this situation, makes this a great read. It is the perfect example of the quote “There is no I in team”
I prefer to read books in the order they are written to get familiar with the people and places. This book can certainly be read without knowing the rest of the series, but I think you will be hooked and want to read all of them.
Thanks Mike for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. If it isn’t on your reading list, you need to add it and move it to the top. I highly recommend this series by a Canadian author and set in one of Canada’s most beautiful provinces.
Sgt. Windflower is now the community safety officer for Grand Bank in Newfoundland. He has retired from the Mounties, but is he truly happy in his new role? He is successful in this new job, but does he want a bit more?
A new lethal drug, Green Monsters, is spreading rapidly across Newfoundland and other provinces. Windflower in his community officer role attempts to get the word out about how unsafe this drug is.Tizzard, now acting Inspector, is facing all sorts of challenges, and this new drug is just one of them. He doesn’t want the responsibility or stress of running the detachment. He loves his family, and has just found out that Carrie is expecting their second child.
The new drug, a death, and the wrong body in a coffin are some of the challenges facing him. Morale is low in the detachment which leads to Tizzard requesting more help.
Windflower takes on an unofficial position to assist with the work involving the latest drug. Sheila isn’t really happy about this, and before he takes on a temporary position he needs to get her approval.
A lot of thought goes into the offer of a new permanent position with the Mounties. Will he accept the terms?
I love reading about Winston’s family, his indigenous culture, his pets, his friends, his love of good food, and there is always a quote from famous people to go with each situation.
Close calls, his understanding of the people, his love of being a Mountie, and the fact that everyone works together to tackle this situation, makes this a great read. It is the perfect example of the quote “There is no I in team”
I prefer to read books in the order they are written to get familiar with the people and places. This book can certainly be read without knowing the rest of the series, but I think you will be hooked and want to read all of them.
Thanks Mike for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. If it isn’t on your reading list, you need to add it and move it to the top. I highly recommend this series by a Canadian author and set in one of Canada’s most beautiful provinces.
May 1, 2024
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” (The Godfather III)
Welcome back to Winston Windflower’s world, where he’s getting accustomed to his retirement from the RCMP, whilst still taking an active role in the safety of his little community of Grand Bank, Newfoundland. His family is happy, his cat tolerates him, and his dog is all too pleased to have many walks and treats.
His assistant, Betsy, still calls him Sergeant, and his former compatriots still come to him for advice; Eddie Tizzard, whose own family is about to grow, is finding it difficult to fill the shoes of the previous Inspector at the Marystown RCMP detachment.
An insidious new drug is making its way into the public - most worriedly, school children are being exposed - and Winston is drafted in as an undercover sting is being put in place to weed out the worst of the offenders - the traffickers.
By the time we reach the entirely satisfying and emotional end of Better Safe Than Sorry, change is once again in the air, setting up future adventures.
With superb characterizations and intricate plots, author MIke Martin continues the ever evolving story of Windfower’s family life, love of local food, music and friendships (and their lives, too).
As always, the book combines a subtle mixture of the characters’ internal and external lives - the spiritual and the material/physical, and individual characters’ storylines slowly meld as plot lines interconnect.
As much as this is a crime novel with an all-too-relatable plot, Mr. Martin always tempers the criminal with humour and down-to-earth characters.
Could be read as a standalone, but you really need to go back - maybe to the beginning, but definitely a few books previous - to prior stories to feel the full effect of the intertwined characters.
Welcome back to Winston Windflower’s world, where he’s getting accustomed to his retirement from the RCMP, whilst still taking an active role in the safety of his little community of Grand Bank, Newfoundland. His family is happy, his cat tolerates him, and his dog is all too pleased to have many walks and treats.
His assistant, Betsy, still calls him Sergeant, and his former compatriots still come to him for advice; Eddie Tizzard, whose own family is about to grow, is finding it difficult to fill the shoes of the previous Inspector at the Marystown RCMP detachment.
An insidious new drug is making its way into the public - most worriedly, school children are being exposed - and Winston is drafted in as an undercover sting is being put in place to weed out the worst of the offenders - the traffickers.
By the time we reach the entirely satisfying and emotional end of Better Safe Than Sorry, change is once again in the air, setting up future adventures.
With superb characterizations and intricate plots, author MIke Martin continues the ever evolving story of Windfower’s family life, love of local food, music and friendships (and their lives, too).
As always, the book combines a subtle mixture of the characters’ internal and external lives - the spiritual and the material/physical, and individual characters’ storylines slowly meld as plot lines interconnect.
As much as this is a crime novel with an all-too-relatable plot, Mr. Martin always tempers the criminal with humour and down-to-earth characters.
Could be read as a standalone, but you really need to go back - maybe to the beginning, but definitely a few books previous - to prior stories to feel the full effect of the intertwined characters.
June 15, 2024
This is the first time I have read this author. The book is a part of a long series. I believe it can be read as a stand alone, but might be enjoyed more if read with the other books in the series. The story is more of a light mystery. If you are not someone who handles graphic imagery well, I believe you will throughly enjoy this story. I liked the characters in the story. Their development and interactions with each other make me want to read more about them. I really enjoyed the native/Cree touches throughout the book. They add color and depth. The only thing which causes me to give it only 3 stars is due to the amount of time spent describing food throughout the book. It seemed there was more information given about what everyone was eating than the actual mystery. Most of the book is about the main characters family lives versus the mystery. Would I read the book again? Probably not. Will I read any of the other books in the series? Maybe. All in all, a good story just not what I thought it would be.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 4, 2024
Better Safe Than Sorry is the latest instalment of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series by Mike Martin, and it doesn't disappoint.
This time around we see Winston Windflower struggling to adjust to the quieter job of community safety officer, and when he gets the chance to return to the RCMP temporarily to help out with a complex case, we see how his time away has made him a more thoughtful and careful person at work and in his personal life.
The case he is drawn into deals with the difficult subject of drugs, and the high price everyone in a community pays for the presence of the illegal substances. Martin treats the complex subject with all of the consideration it deserves, through his wonderfully fledged out characters and active police procedural storyline.
As usual, the book provides an in depth look into indigenous culture that enhances the book. And bibliophiles will once again love all of the literary quotes embedded in the story.
I am happy to have been provided with an ARC of #BetterSafeThanSorry from the author and #NetGalley.
This time around we see Winston Windflower struggling to adjust to the quieter job of community safety officer, and when he gets the chance to return to the RCMP temporarily to help out with a complex case, we see how his time away has made him a more thoughtful and careful person at work and in his personal life.
The case he is drawn into deals with the difficult subject of drugs, and the high price everyone in a community pays for the presence of the illegal substances. Martin treats the complex subject with all of the consideration it deserves, through his wonderfully fledged out characters and active police procedural storyline.
As usual, the book provides an in depth look into indigenous culture that enhances the book. And bibliophiles will once again love all of the literary quotes embedded in the story.
I am happy to have been provided with an ARC of #BetterSafeThanSorry from the author and #NetGalley.
May 10, 2024
Windflower is back again in this new addition to the Winston Windflower Mysteries. Reading this series is like taking a deep cleansing breath and feeling relaxed and happy while visiting with Windflower and his family and workmates.
The Sargent is on a new case and pulled into his former position as his supervisor sees the need for Windflower’s expertise in solving crimes and catching the perpetrators in his calm and polished manner. He and Tizzard, his former employee, work together to bring some closure to drug problems and murders that are linked.
I love the food and recipes that Windflower uses throughout the book along with the different quotes of famous writers that added meaning and substance to each scene.
Mike Martin created another enjoyable book in this Windflower Mystery Series.
The Sargent is on a new case and pulled into his former position as his supervisor sees the need for Windflower’s expertise in solving crimes and catching the perpetrators in his calm and polished manner. He and Tizzard, his former employee, work together to bring some closure to drug problems and murders that are linked.
I love the food and recipes that Windflower uses throughout the book along with the different quotes of famous writers that added meaning and substance to each scene.
Mike Martin created another enjoyable book in this Windflower Mystery Series.
August 25, 2024
“Better Safe than Sorry: A Sgt. Windflower Mystery” follows Winston Windflower, a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer working as a community safety officer and spending time with his family in Newfoundland. This is book 14 in the series, but the review was performed as a stand alone.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I read this as a stand alone book and I thought the author did a nice job in drawing me into the characters in a short amount of time (having not become invested from the previous books). The story is told through two main POVs- Windflower’s and Tizzard’s. The two POVs were distinct and Windflower’s dream interpretation and connection to his deceased family were especially poignant. Find the full blog post at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I read this as a stand alone book and I thought the author did a nice job in drawing me into the characters in a short amount of time (having not become invested from the previous books). The story is told through two main POVs- Windflower’s and Tizzard’s. The two POVs were distinct and Windflower’s dream interpretation and connection to his deceased family were especially poignant. Find the full blog post at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
May 5, 2024
It is always a pleasure to return to Grand Bank, and meet up with now what feels like old friends. Better Safe than Sorry is the 14th book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, and as with all the previous books this author has the ability to pull you in and keep you turning the pages until the very end. I really enjoy how he interweaves the characters into the story line, and we feel like we know them personally. I most definitely would recommend this book to others.
I received an ARC NetGalley and the author, and I am leaving my review voluntarily and the opinion expressed here are my own
I received an ARC NetGalley and the author, and I am leaving my review voluntarily and the opinion expressed here are my own
July 7, 2024
I received this book as an ARC from the author and NetGalley.
I always enjoy following Sgt. Windflower’s adventures in Newfoundland. Now that he is retired from the Mounties, he appreciates being able to spend more time with his family, but he misses the excitement of the chase. When a new powerful narcotic starts causing death in his community, Windflower is asked to help find the culprits. He feels morally responsible to protect the people in his area.
This series combines police work with a view into Windflower’s family life and native Cree customs. I always look forward to his next investigation.
I always enjoy following Sgt. Windflower’s adventures in Newfoundland. Now that he is retired from the Mounties, he appreciates being able to spend more time with his family, but he misses the excitement of the chase. When a new powerful narcotic starts causing death in his community, Windflower is asked to help find the culprits. He feels morally responsible to protect the people in his area.
This series combines police work with a view into Windflower’s family life and native Cree customs. I always look forward to his next investigation.
May 21, 2024
Book takes place in Newfoundland. Winston Windflower, ex Mountie and now community safety officer for Grand Bank and a number of other surrounding communities has a female dead body that funeral home got instead of the dead male. Acting Inspector Eddie Tizzard has a very dangerous drug epidemic on his hands. Inspector Tizzard gets Wildflower for 30 days to help out with the deadly drugs. There were several different crimes to solve. It was an enjoyable book.
I received an advance review copy, ARC, for free, and I am leaving an honest opinion and voluntary review
I received an advance review copy, ARC, for free, and I am leaving an honest opinion and voluntary review
June 2, 2024
Like Windflower, sometimes I cry
I spent several years working in Labrador and recently spent 3 weeks in Newfoundland and the Maritimes. Reading this book, more than the previous ones, brings back many joyful memories and familiar scenes culminating in an emotional moment reading the Epilogue. I love the relationships that have developed through the series as well as the food, the scotch and the classical music descripions. As I read the final chapters, I had Brahms Symphony No. 4 playing in the background, although it eventually took over my reading.
I spent several years working in Labrador and recently spent 3 weeks in Newfoundland and the Maritimes. Reading this book, more than the previous ones, brings back many joyful memories and familiar scenes culminating in an emotional moment reading the Epilogue. I love the relationships that have developed through the series as well as the food, the scotch and the classical music descripions. As I read the final chapters, I had Brahms Symphony No. 4 playing in the background, although it eventually took over my reading.
June 20, 2024
If this were a video it would be a series rather than a movie. I would define it as a police procedural more than a mystery. I’d estimate that less than a third of the book is about the crime. Most of it is about the daily and family lives of the main characters.
I enjoyed the book because the characters are nice people that I could relate to. These folks could be my friends. The children were precious and a joy to read about. The family and marital relations are inspiring.
If this were a series, I’d keep watching.
I enjoyed the book because the characters are nice people that I could relate to. These folks could be my friends. The children were precious and a joy to read about. The family and marital relations are inspiring.
If this were a series, I’d keep watching.
November 19, 2024
Winston Windflower is feeling restless, now retired from the RCMP. Meanwhile, A/Inspector Eddie Tizzard is struggling with work at the Marystown detachment. When the "green monster" drug brings a new deadly danger to town, the police have to respond to several drug-connected incidents.
When a female body is found dead in a hearse, it's another weird death to investigate.
Windflower is slowly brought back into action to help Tizzard with the growing dangers.
This was another solid entry in the Sgt Windflower mystery series.
When a female body is found dead in a hearse, it's another weird death to investigate.
Windflower is slowly brought back into action to help Tizzard with the growing dangers.
This was another solid entry in the Sgt Windflower mystery series.
May 17, 2024
I'll start by saying that, since this was book 6, I read the preceding five. I really like the series. I find it to be more about the people with crime happening along the way. I also enjoy reading about places I know. I certainly recommend this book and the series.
I received an advance copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 25, 2024
Canadian author, Mike Martin brings readers his 14th Sgt. Windflower Mystery in the series. Better Safe Than Sorry highlights the dangerous infiltration of the "Green Monsters" illegal drug into Newfoundland. A race is on to protect potential hospitalizations and death for those who buy and use the poisonous pills. Even though Windflower has 'retired' from the Mounties and has a new job, RCMP Eddie Tizzard needs his help. The wrong dead body has shown up at a funeral home, delivered by hearse. The gang presence and drug situation are taking a dangerous turn and Tizzard is overwhelmed by his current assignment.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my own personal opinion about it. It is a light mystery with a focus on the career and family of Winston Windflower. Tizzard, a colleague, is an important character in Windflower's life and the story. I like these two men and their interactions with one another, colleagues, family and community. There is a good look into the life of law enforcement officers in Canada. I also liked seeing the family life, indigenous culture and even pets sprinkled in. It's an enjoyable story. I really appreciate a story that can be told without foul language. The relationships with the men and their wives are realistic too.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my own personal opinion about it. It is a light mystery with a focus on the career and family of Winston Windflower. Tizzard, a colleague, is an important character in Windflower's life and the story. I like these two men and their interactions with one another, colleagues, family and community. There is a good look into the life of law enforcement officers in Canada. I also liked seeing the family life, indigenous culture and even pets sprinkled in. It's an enjoyable story. I really appreciate a story that can be told without foul language. The relationships with the men and their wives are realistic too.
May 31, 2024
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY is the fourth book in The Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series by Mike Martin but it is only the third book in The Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series that I have read. I have once again fallen in love with Sgt. Windflower & his family.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY drew me in from the first page and never let go as it had me racing to the end wanting to know it all as fast as I could get it. Sgt. Windflower kept me hanging on every word.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY kept spitting out surprising twists one after the other. It kept me guessing from one page to the other wondering how Tizzard’s and Windflower’s stories would play out.
Windflower has retired and moved to Grand Banks with his family. Windflower is getting bored with his little job in the town as there is little to keep him busy. He misses his old job in Marystown.
There is a new drug called Green Monster that is floating around and causing people to OD. A coffin with the wrong body in it shows up. Tizzard and Windflower work together to try and find out where the drugs are coming from and who is putting them out on the street.
I enjoy the relationship between Windflower, his wife, and his two little girls. I love seeing them in their home life. I loved seeing Windflower playing in the snow with his two little girls and their two pets, a cat and a dog. I could see it all playing out in my head as if I were part of it all.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY is filled with mystery and suspense. I can’t wait to read more about Windflower and his family in the next book in The Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series.
Pick up a copy of BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY or any book by Mike Martin today!
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY drew me in from the first page and never let go as it had me racing to the end wanting to know it all as fast as I could get it. Sgt. Windflower kept me hanging on every word.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY kept spitting out surprising twists one after the other. It kept me guessing from one page to the other wondering how Tizzard’s and Windflower’s stories would play out.
Windflower has retired and moved to Grand Banks with his family. Windflower is getting bored with his little job in the town as there is little to keep him busy. He misses his old job in Marystown.
There is a new drug called Green Monster that is floating around and causing people to OD. A coffin with the wrong body in it shows up. Tizzard and Windflower work together to try and find out where the drugs are coming from and who is putting them out on the street.
I enjoy the relationship between Windflower, his wife, and his two little girls. I love seeing them in their home life. I loved seeing Windflower playing in the snow with his two little girls and their two pets, a cat and a dog. I could see it all playing out in my head as if I were part of it all.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY is filled with mystery and suspense. I can’t wait to read more about Windflower and his family in the next book in The Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series.
Pick up a copy of BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY or any book by Mike Martin today!
June 1, 2024
I love this series and love Mike Marting storytelling. This is another well plotted and compelling mystery that kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
June 13, 2024
The first book I've read of the series. Well written story and clean. Captivating story line that builds to a climax and delivers as small clues are pulled together to make a complete puzzle.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 9, 2024
This story was okay, there were parts that I really liked but parts that just seemed out of no where so it was hard to stay into the box at those times.
June 8, 2024
Better Safe Than Sorry, Mike Martin's 14th Windflower mystery, is again a delightful and enjoyable read by this author. He never disappoints!
May 10, 2024
This is book 14 in the Sgt. Windflower series and it looks like it might be the last book I'm sorry to say. I've read most of the books in the series and it's been a wonderful journey with this Canadian Mountie and his family in the wilds of Canada. Winston has retired from service and is happy helping raise his daughters and keeping order in his Grandbanks community. When a dead body if found it looks like drugs are finding their way into his town. He is drawn into the investigation and discovers he has missed the work. A very satisfying read and a great end to fine series. (I hope I'm wrong and he and his family come back)
April 28, 2025
I met the author of this series at an independent bookstore when I was visiting Ottawa recently. He was setting up for an author talk, and although I couldn't stay for the event, we chatted for a while. He assured me that it would be fine to jump into the middle of the series, so I bought the book he was promoting, number 14 in the series. I quite enjoyed this cozy mystery. Set in Grand Bank, Newfoundland, it focuses on protagonist Winston Windflower, a Cree police officer originally from Northern Alberta and quite thoroughly transplanted to Newfoundland. Due to budget cuts, the RCMP detachment in Grand Bank has been closed, and Windflower is trying his hand at community policing, which he is not finding very challenging. An uptick in drug activity driven by biker gangs in the community results in his temporary return to the RCMP. I quite liked Windflower and his way of blending Cree spirituality with police work. The peripheral characters were great too, and I learned a bit about Newfoundland and its unique culture along the way. The writing is simple, but the plot is well thought out and fast paced. I think I'd like to read more of this series, but it isn't in my library system.
Update 28/4/2025 - it turns out that most of the books from this series actually are in my library system, so I have now read the previous thirteen and just re-read this one. It was great to read knowing the back story.
Update 28/4/2025 - it turns out that most of the books from this series actually are in my library system, so I have now read the previous thirteen and just re-read this one. It was great to read knowing the back story.
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