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Detective Bernadette Callahan Mystery #1
Polar Bear Dawn: A Detective Bernadette Callahan Mystery
Detective Bernadette Callahan of the RCMP is trying to link multiple murders in Northern Canada to ones in Alaska.
332 pages, ebook
First published October 19, 2013
5549 people are currently reading
1969 people want to read
About the author
Lyle Nicholson
37 books58 followersLyle Nicholson was born in British Columbia Canada. His is the youngest of three sons born to a father who was a cook and mother who was a waitress.
His father, who died when Lyle was 15, was a story teller, something that Lyle adopted at an early age. His life would lead him to travels in Europe, then 5 years in a Monastery. He found he was not a good Monk, as poverty was easy - it was the chastity and obedience that was a stumbling block.
He left the Monastery in 1979, and met and married his wife in 1982. He would spend a few years working for companies, getting fired, starting business's that failed, until he finally started a sales agency that was a success. Lyle retired in 2011.
Retirement didn't work well for Lyle. His mind wanted to explore the regions he's experienced in both meditations and his extensive travels. This has resulted in the publication of one Novella, two Novels, and several free lance articles for magazines in Canada.
Lyle now resides in a small city in Western Canada where he continues to write his thrillers and mysteries with a twist.
His father, who died when Lyle was 15, was a story teller, something that Lyle adopted at an early age. His life would lead him to travels in Europe, then 5 years in a Monastery. He found he was not a good Monk, as poverty was easy - it was the chastity and obedience that was a stumbling block.
He left the Monastery in 1979, and met and married his wife in 1982. He would spend a few years working for companies, getting fired, starting business's that failed, until he finally started a sales agency that was a success. Lyle retired in 2011.
Retirement didn't work well for Lyle. His mind wanted to explore the regions he's experienced in both meditations and his extensive travels. This has resulted in the publication of one Novella, two Novels, and several free lance articles for magazines in Canada.
Lyle now resides in a small city in Western Canada where he continues to write his thrillers and mysteries with a twist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
March 12, 2024
A polar bear found eating the body of an oil worker leads to a vast conspiracy.
A cabal of Wall Street traders try to manipulate the oil markets by utilizing the scientifictional "polywater."It's kind of like Ice 9. It makes all water it touches like jello. Oil won't float on it, so the oil won't come to the surface.
The plot requires a radical professor, black ops, and a number of murders.
A bit complex, but not bad.
A cabal of Wall Street traders try to manipulate the oil markets by utilizing the scientifictional "polywater."It's kind of like Ice 9. It makes all water it touches like jello. Oil won't float on it, so the oil won't come to the surface.
The plot requires a radical professor, black ops, and a number of murders.
A bit complex, but not bad.
August 13, 2024
Polar Bear Dawn is an action thriller that includes murders committed to advance an elaborate plot to enrich Wall Street investors. There are other murders and deaths and many complex plots and counter-plots, and a large cast of characters that are woven together over a long and winding novel. The author tells us that this is the first book in a series featuring detective Bernadette Callahan of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but very little of this book is told from Bernadette's perspective, and without the author's supertitle on the cover, it's hard to tell while reading it that Bernadette is the "main" character.
The story starts out as the investigation into a murder, actually two murders, at an Arctic oil sands facility. One of the victims is partially eaten by a passing polar bear, which accounts for the title. The plot quickly moves to the conspiracy to interrupt the oil processing, staged by shadowy figures working for unethical Wall Street Barrons who want to make millions by manipulating the price of crude. There are several investigators picking at pieces of the puzzle in Alaska and Canada, Bernadette being only one of them.
On the positive side, the books action and plot development in the first half is pretty good, and it is easy to get involved with the story early. The science around the sabotage plot is a bit far fetched, but the reader can go with it to a point. It's an engaging story and parts are well-written. The book is worth reading and includes many interesting characters. Particularly if you love long complex plots and far flung conspiracies, combined with sporadic action, you will enjoy this read.
On the negative side, the book is WAY too long and drags considerably after the fist third. There are no real mysteries left after the halfway mark and the protagonist and his band of soldiers are not particularly sympathetic. There are far too many convenient circumstances, including how the heroes have unlimited access to all information due to their computer hacking prowess, and they have unlimited funds and an omnipotent network of allies anywhere in the world. It's just too easy. The author is going for suspense, but it is lacking
The book is also riddled with copy editing errors, which become a distraction. I stopped noting them after the first 40. The writing generally is loose and wandering. The book would be much better if a good editor cleaned it up and cut a hundred pages or so. But, this is what we have.
At the end of the long story, I am not a fan of Bernadette and I will not be spending any time reading the next book in the series. (There is a long preview at the end of this book) The author just didn't make me care enough about her or convince me that the next book's plot and writing will be worth my time. But, your interest level may vary.
The story starts out as the investigation into a murder, actually two murders, at an Arctic oil sands facility. One of the victims is partially eaten by a passing polar bear, which accounts for the title. The plot quickly moves to the conspiracy to interrupt the oil processing, staged by shadowy figures working for unethical Wall Street Barrons who want to make millions by manipulating the price of crude. There are several investigators picking at pieces of the puzzle in Alaska and Canada, Bernadette being only one of them.
On the positive side, the books action and plot development in the first half is pretty good, and it is easy to get involved with the story early. The science around the sabotage plot is a bit far fetched, but the reader can go with it to a point. It's an engaging story and parts are well-written. The book is worth reading and includes many interesting characters. Particularly if you love long complex plots and far flung conspiracies, combined with sporadic action, you will enjoy this read.
On the negative side, the book is WAY too long and drags considerably after the fist third. There are no real mysteries left after the halfway mark and the protagonist and his band of soldiers are not particularly sympathetic. There are far too many convenient circumstances, including how the heroes have unlimited access to all information due to their computer hacking prowess, and they have unlimited funds and an omnipotent network of allies anywhere in the world. It's just too easy. The author is going for suspense, but it is lacking
The book is also riddled with copy editing errors, which become a distraction. I stopped noting them after the first 40. The writing generally is loose and wandering. The book would be much better if a good editor cleaned it up and cut a hundred pages or so. But, this is what we have.
At the end of the long story, I am not a fan of Bernadette and I will not be spending any time reading the next book in the series. (There is a long preview at the end of this book) The author just didn't make me care enough about her or convince me that the next book's plot and writing will be worth my time. But, your interest level may vary.
September 17, 2018
Enjoyed reading this book. I liked the way the main character was presented, sensible and aware of the difficulties a woman faces in a very masculine world and balances working around these problems or, when she feels it necessary, crosses lines. I very much prefer the touch the author has with the police procedural ... no major sex scenes, no stupid 'go in without backup' scenes and especially, a main character that is not addicted to alcohol, drugs, dealing with PTSD flashes or some weird physical problem. She is sensible, intelligent, work oriented and very much dealing with reality, my kind of character, and the supporting characters, some with major roles, were well developed as well for the most part.
There were some formatting issues which were a bit troubling, but I find those easier to ignore than lack of characterization and poor storyline. The final "confrontation" with the villains was a bit over the top but I also suspect a bit tongue in cheek as well, which again, I can deal with.
Overall, a good read especially for a free download and I have already purchased the next book in the series.
There were some formatting issues which were a bit troubling, but I find those easier to ignore than lack of characterization and poor storyline. The final "confrontation" with the villains was a bit over the top but I also suspect a bit tongue in cheek as well, which again, I can deal with.
Overall, a good read especially for a free download and I have already purchased the next book in the series.
November 30, 2021
4 for trying. Way too long. Too much of a slug. So great to hear familiar names of places. Sad to read about a successful oil industry, when the future is unknown. The main character, whom I could really relate to, isn't mentioned enough, nor is the polar bear for the enormous length and wordiness of the book. Cover grabbed me like clickbait, since I had just heard so much about my roommate's work in Churchill, Manitoba with polar bears and they are dear to us Canadians! Quite a few spelling errors. Ending is mystical but near impossible, given the age of our military machinery. It is worthy of a good edit. I will read the sequels (3 in total) or possibly one or two shorter stand-alones because I admire the writer's effort. Bravo!
May 7, 2020
Two sets of double murders at Oil Camps in Alaska and Canada, involving employees of the same company. Coincidence? Hardly. That the cases are connected quickly becomes obvious, but detectives Frank Mueller of Anchorage PD and Bernadette Callahan of the RCMP have their hands full trying to figure out the reasons behind these deaths.
The excellently rendered settings are probably the strongest part of this book. The problem, for me at least, was that it couldn't quite seem to decide what it wanted to be and ended up somewhat all over the place. The story starts out as a murder mystery - and a murder mystery is what I was in the mood to read. But all the puzzle pieces are quickly spread out before the reader, with the obvious consequence that there really isn't a lot of mystery to be found in this mystery. Instead, the plot moves into a convoluted, longwinded and rather farfetched tale of a scheme to sabotage the oil industry that suffers from too many characters and POVs to really keep track of anything and I eventually lost interest.
The excellently rendered settings are probably the strongest part of this book. The problem, for me at least, was that it couldn't quite seem to decide what it wanted to be and ended up somewhat all over the place. The story starts out as a murder mystery - and a murder mystery is what I was in the mood to read. But all the puzzle pieces are quickly spread out before the reader, with the obvious consequence that there really isn't a lot of mystery to be found in this mystery. Instead, the plot moves into a convoluted, longwinded and rather farfetched tale of a scheme to sabotage the oil industry that suffers from too many characters and POVs to really keep track of anything and I eventually lost interest.
July 6, 2020
The mystery regarding sabotage and murder while trying to manipulate oil stocks started off well enough. It takes place mainly in Alaska and Canada. Interesting premise, but it was soon bogged down by plot holes, way too many characters and side stories, and lots of spelling errors in the Kindle edition. Why does a professional hit team think they need to bring in outside help to kill an elderly professor on a remote island? At that point in the book, McAllen's military history was completely unknown to them. Which also reminds me that professional killers that fail to do their homework on their targets probably don't last very long. I honestly never really connected to any of the characters, and there were plenty from which to choose. My favorite was the polar bear, but he wasn't destined for a happy ending...
April 21, 2019
I really enjoyed this thriller set in the frozen north. I thought the concept was very good and loved the characters. Loved detective Callahan. The author struck the right balance between tough cop and a woman with her own feminine worries. Unlike other female protagonists, Callahan doesn`t set out to prove that she is as tough or tougher than the boys. She uses her intelligence and not her gun to stalk her prey. I would recommend this as a good read for any thriller fan.
January 9, 2017
"Chilling thriller"
Action adventure of high quality. Fast-paced, with good characterisation.
Action adventure of high quality. Fast-paced, with good characterisation.
February 18, 2023
Detective Bernadette Callahan Mystery book #1
Multiple murders in the high Arctic have police searching for answers. Two detectives, one in Alaska, one in Canada are given the case. They find similarities in the murders that will lead to a chilling conclusion. Detective Callahan knows she is right but her superiors are intent on silencing her before she can prove that the murders are connected. They want her to wrap up the case in a tidy murder/suicide. But doing so is not in Bernadette’s DNA.
There are so many characters in this drama that I found it took time to get into the swing of things but once I pieced everything together I started to enjoy the story better. It is a tale of corporate terrorism and manipulation with a mad professor held bent to case trouble with the aid of his sidekick “Margaret”, they intend to deploy his invention: a chemical treatment to disrupt oil production in Alaska and Alberta. This wouldn’t be an Artic saga without mention of a polar bear and yes we have one to play havoc with the oil workers.
Although this story may be a bit unrealistic and over the top it is nevertheless quite engaging, of course if you don’t mind some editing and formatting issues that can be somewhat distracting. I did find the plot to be convoluted and keeping track of all the characters challenging. Hey, who doesn’t like a mystery with terrorist attacks, brutal murderers, conspiracy plans, a few plot twists thrown in to keep your attention at bay?
It is an easy reading story I didn’t mind spending with.
Multiple murders in the high Arctic have police searching for answers. Two detectives, one in Alaska, one in Canada are given the case. They find similarities in the murders that will lead to a chilling conclusion. Detective Callahan knows she is right but her superiors are intent on silencing her before she can prove that the murders are connected. They want her to wrap up the case in a tidy murder/suicide. But doing so is not in Bernadette’s DNA.
There are so many characters in this drama that I found it took time to get into the swing of things but once I pieced everything together I started to enjoy the story better. It is a tale of corporate terrorism and manipulation with a mad professor held bent to case trouble with the aid of his sidekick “Margaret”, they intend to deploy his invention: a chemical treatment to disrupt oil production in Alaska and Alberta. This wouldn’t be an Artic saga without mention of a polar bear and yes we have one to play havoc with the oil workers.
Although this story may be a bit unrealistic and over the top it is nevertheless quite engaging, of course if you don’t mind some editing and formatting issues that can be somewhat distracting. I did find the plot to be convoluted and keeping track of all the characters challenging. Hey, who doesn’t like a mystery with terrorist attacks, brutal murderers, conspiracy plans, a few plot twists thrown in to keep your attention at bay?
It is an easy reading story I didn’t mind spending with.
May 31, 2020
This book is a thriller. The plot: a conspiracy by a number of bad parties to get a lot of money by turning water into gel so that the oil beneath it cannot be drilled out.
How do they make money? No oil, production shut down, stock price down, they buy the shares. The plan was to release and sell the antidote to get the water ungelled, then sell back the shares at higher price.
Hmmm. Hope I get that right.
The good guys were a rebellious female detective and her many contacts (new and old) in the world of law enforcement and private security.
This is the first book in a series. Available for free (legally) in Kobo.
Would I purchase next books in the series? Not now.
How do they make money? No oil, production shut down, stock price down, they buy the shares. The plan was to release and sell the antidote to get the water ungelled, then sell back the shares at higher price.
Hmmm. Hope I get that right.
The good guys were a rebellious female detective and her many contacts (new and old) in the world of law enforcement and private security.
This is the first book in a series. Available for free (legally) in Kobo.
Would I purchase next books in the series? Not now.
December 13, 2020
The setting is what attracted me to this novel: cold and remote. The story delivered on that end. I also enjoyed the oil business aspect. However, the plot develops too slowly and there are way too many characters. In addition, the book is in dire need of editing: typos, spelling errors and major punctuation errors. I must say I laughed out loud when I read "The screen showed a navel destroyer." Many of the errors should have been picked up at editing.
July 3, 2021
Among the worst books I have ever not finished. The writing was atrocious, the female characters clearly written from a male perspective and the plot stupid. I don’t think I’ll trust a good reads rating again. I chose it because it scored above a 4. Unbelievable.
May 4, 2020
I liked this book and I needed a break from reading all the post apocalyptic books that I have been reading since this COVID 19 outbreak.
August 19, 2017
Just getting interesting?
What a fascinating world Canada has become. The concept of polywater seems possible, even probable. How to solve the problem seems to be found in plain old scientific methods, not in some high-falutin scheme.
What a fascinating world Canada has become. The concept of polywater seems possible, even probable. How to solve the problem seems to be found in plain old scientific methods, not in some high-falutin scheme.
March 10, 2017
A great, fast paced thriller with engaging characters.
September 13, 2020
The story opens with a dead man falling unto the snow at an oil field in the far north and a polar bear who thought he found a meal. Shortly after two more are dead and then another. Lots of characters in Polar Bear Dawn. Who is trying to sabotage the oil fields and why. The person who puts it together is Bernadette Callahan of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She was told to stand down but Bernadette couldn't let it go. This is the first in a series by Lyle Nicholson.
September 26, 2016
I had a chance to read “Polar Bear Dawn” by Lyle Nicholson and found it to be quite enjoyable. It’s a thriller/mystery that brings in aspects of technology, detective work, military involvement as well as the harsh realities of life in the frozen wilderness of Canada. An organization has devised a plan to throw the oil business into anarchy. People and equipment are put into place to carry out the plot, but things start to go sideways. Detective Bernadette Callahan from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is given the task to derail the "terroristic" plan and bring those responsible to justice. I am intentionally trying to be vague with my description here because this is a mystery and I don’t want to tip you off to any of the surprises. There are a variety of characters in the story, so pay close attention to who is doing what. And keep your eyes open for hints in the storyline that twist themselves together into some “Ah Ha!” moments. One of the characters that reveals itself as the story goes on, is the frigid cold of the region. Life in such a frozen place has certain nuances that folks in warmer climates have never experienced or even thought about. I found this aspect of the story likeable and interesting. Mr. Nicholson does a nice job of leading us through the story and since this book is a part of a series, wraps it up realistically, but with us still wanting more.
July 22, 2019
The book wasn't too bad for a free book.
However, none of the characters had any depth to them (including the so called main character Bernadette Callahan) nor could I relate to any of them.
Moreover, the book is meant to be a mystery not a Sci Fi story. This book was neither.
The story wasn't well thought out, it seemed to be a vehicle for gun fights as in'the expendables', some sci fi, some policing and mystery mixed in, throw a shaman in there who can turn a stone cold cartel head into a relaxed person in a matter of days, and you get the gist of this story.
No more from this writer for me, even if it's for free.
However, none of the characters had any depth to them (including the so called main character Bernadette Callahan) nor could I relate to any of them.
Moreover, the book is meant to be a mystery not a Sci Fi story. This book was neither.
The story wasn't well thought out, it seemed to be a vehicle for gun fights as in'the expendables', some sci fi, some policing and mystery mixed in, throw a shaman in there who can turn a stone cold cartel head into a relaxed person in a matter of days, and you get the gist of this story.
No more from this writer for me, even if it's for free.
October 4, 2016
Fantastic Read
I could not put this book down. The intrigue was captivating and all the characters were some of the most captivating folks you could ask for in a mystery novel. Even the bad guys were captivating. The action was constant from page one and continued throughout. It had the best plot I've read in a long time and the ending was exactly what I hoped for especially regarding the instigator in the whole plot who was just great. You have got to read this book so of course I'm recommending it. Put it at the top of your must read list.
I could not put this book down. The intrigue was captivating and all the characters were some of the most captivating folks you could ask for in a mystery novel. Even the bad guys were captivating. The action was constant from page one and continued throughout. It had the best plot I've read in a long time and the ending was exactly what I hoped for especially regarding the instigator in the whole plot who was just great. You have got to read this book so of course I'm recommending it. Put it at the top of your must read list.
February 21, 2014
I found it difficult to follow the story line initially, with the first impressions coming from the point of view of the polar bear who then dies within the first few chapters. After overcoming this obstacle, I enjoyed the banter between the characters and the insight into the law enforcement process in areas far separated from my own. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime literature.
April 18, 2020
Thrilling drama
What a great start to the series of Bernadette Callahan mystery stories. In an action packed series of events we are led through an attempt at disabling oil production in an Aretha was in Canada. The plot thickens very quickly and in the thick of it all stands our heroine, Detective Bernadette Callahan, fighting to control the situation. A thoroughly entertaining story and great introduction for the following books in the series.
What a great start to the series of Bernadette Callahan mystery stories. In an action packed series of events we are led through an attempt at disabling oil production in an Aretha was in Canada. The plot thickens very quickly and in the thick of it all stands our heroine, Detective Bernadette Callahan, fighting to control the situation. A thoroughly entertaining story and great introduction for the following books in the series.
August 1, 2017
Pretty good book, Dude
VERY nice! Fast paced and good story content. Characters were personable and believable. I read 3 or 4 books a week and this one was a pleasure! Doom and gloom and graphic sex was kept to a minimum which I appreciated. Looking forward to others
VERY nice! Fast paced and good story content. Characters were personable and believable. I read 3 or 4 books a week and this one was a pleasure! Doom and gloom and graphic sex was kept to a minimum which I appreciated. Looking forward to others
October 10, 2016
This was the first book I've read by this author. I found it fast reading that held my attention. I will look for more by this author.
December 7, 2016
Great story
Well this story had everything. Murder, Canadian mounties, polar bears, navy, the list goes on. A really good way to pass a few hours, well written and very enjoyable.
Well this story had everything. Murder, Canadian mounties, polar bears, navy, the list goes on. A really good way to pass a few hours, well written and very enjoyable.
December 11, 2016
Very well written. My kind of heroine.
Very well written with just the right cadence of both sides of the equation at just the right juncture to move the story forward
Very well written with just the right cadence of both sides of the equation at just the right juncture to move the story forward
January 14, 2017
Good yarn!
A little overboard but a good development of the main characters. All in all, even with the few slow spots, a fun read!
A little overboard but a good development of the main characters. All in all, even with the few slow spots, a fun read!
February 21, 2017
Tricky
The characters are 3 dimensional and complete with flaws. New author that I am going to follow . Check it out
The characters are 3 dimensional and complete with flaws. New author that I am going to follow . Check it out
October 25, 2017
Excellent
This is a really,really good novel. It moves at a good pace, it holds your attention throughout. Looks like I'll have to read more by Mr Nicholson
This is a really,really good novel. It moves at a good pace, it holds your attention throughout. Looks like I'll have to read more by Mr Nicholson
January 30, 2018
Wow!
I like reading a crime story and this one certainly fills the bill. Drama and excitement on every page. Great read. Thanks.
I like reading a crime story and this one certainly fills the bill. Drama and excitement on every page. Great read. Thanks.
Want to read
September 19, 2019TheFussyLibrarian
Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews