What do you think?
Rate this book
PI Julie Collins #4
Snow Blind
The PI business is sluggish during the frigid winter months. When a young woman hires Wells/Collins Investigations to poke around at her grandfather’s assisted living facility, we expect a routine case. But my partner Kevin and I immediately spot major problems at the complex with lax security, unqualified healthcare personnel and a shady senior citizen volunteer agency.
Meanwhile, a blizzard traps me at the Collins ranch alone with my father, leaving me no escape from the biting cold and my bitter memories. After I return from snowbound hell, I learn that our client’s grandfather wandered off during the blizzard. Questions arise about who inherits the dead man’s sizeable estate, and Kevin and I fear we’ve been snowed.
As if that’s not enough to make my blood boil, a missing ranch hand’s body is unearthed on my dad’s land, forcing me to examine my family loyalty. And when Tony Martinez’s power struggles within the Hombres’ organization places us both in mortal danger, I question whether I’ve been blinded to the cold hard truths in my life by love or by hate.
As I plow through secrets and lies, my discovery chills me to the bone and I realize someone wants to put the past—and me—on ice permanently.
Meanwhile, a blizzard traps me at the Collins ranch alone with my father, leaving me no escape from the biting cold and my bitter memories. After I return from snowbound hell, I learn that our client’s grandfather wandered off during the blizzard. Questions arise about who inherits the dead man’s sizeable estate, and Kevin and I fear we’ve been snowed.
As if that’s not enough to make my blood boil, a missing ranch hand’s body is unearthed on my dad’s land, forcing me to examine my family loyalty. And when Tony Martinez’s power struggles within the Hombres’ organization places us both in mortal danger, I question whether I’ve been blinded to the cold hard truths in my life by love or by hate.
As I plow through secrets and lies, my discovery chills me to the bone and I realize someone wants to put the past—and me—on ice permanently.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
62 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Lori G. Armstrong
21 books279 followersLori Armstrong is the two-time winner of the Shamus Award given by the Private Eye Writers of America and a New York Times bestselling author of contemporary western erotic romance, written as Lorelei James. Her books have won the Willa Cather Literary Award and have been nominated for the High Plains Book Award and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She lives in western South Dakota - See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/L...
Series
* PI Julie Collins
* Mercy Gunderson Mystery
Series
* PI Julie Collins
* Mercy Gunderson Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 15, 2017
Rated 3.5 Stars
While I enjoyed Snow Blind parts of it left me dissatisfied, I wish those things had turned out differently. That said, I'm still going to miss this series and characters. It was a really enjoyable ride solving mysteries with Julie and watching her relationship with Tony progress.
ARC provided by author but that has not influenced my review
While I enjoyed Snow Blind parts of it left me dissatisfied, I wish those things had turned out differently. That said, I'm still going to miss this series and characters. It was a really enjoyable ride solving mysteries with Julie and watching her relationship with Tony progress.
ARC provided by author but that has not influenced my review
August 22, 2020
While I liked the premise behind this ( nursing home fraud and potential abuse), I did not like the characters, or most of their actions. I found them to be mostly superficial, and the relationships to be not real.
August 12, 2018
Trying to write reviews about Lori Armstrong’s PI Julie Collins’ Series is challenging even though I love every book. The books are so similar in their complexity, character development, intrigue and relationships that I tend to use the same superlatives to describe them all. Armstrong creates page turners every time. I devoured the whole series within a few days completing one books and jumping right into the next.
Snow Blind is everything I expect from this series. I grew up in Wyoming, not far from the Black Hills and have lived too many brutal winters exactly like the one that is the setting for this book. Armstrong describes the horrors of wind, cold and driving snow with amazing realism. I felt like I was living it again.
The weather is just one more problem is Julie’s already stressful life. Though she doesn’t want to take the case, she can’t do anything less than solve the mystery of the assisted living facility the client’s grandfather lives in. This case isn’t the only dilemma Julie is faces with is sadly the norm in her life. When she finds several dead bodies, under completely unrelated circumstances, case or not, she has to find answers.
Julie must also face problems within the Hombres which have Tony on edge. Since he won’t talk to her about it, she has no idea why he’s being so possessive and in typical Julie fashion she gets her back up and fights the protection he’s put on her. When Tony is hurt, she’s easily persuaded to help his men find the assailant. It also brings Julie to finally admit how much she cares for Tony. I cheered when they admitted their relationship was permanent.
There’s tons more stress with her dad and her step-family, including one of the dead bodies, that Julie must deal with too.
Watching Julie confront and pursue all the different problems in her life, again makes for a -page-turning-while-you-sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-thriller. The only negative I can say about this book is that it was the end of the series. I was pleased when the follow-on novellas came out but still wish for much more Julie and Tony!
Snow Blind is everything I expect from this series. I grew up in Wyoming, not far from the Black Hills and have lived too many brutal winters exactly like the one that is the setting for this book. Armstrong describes the horrors of wind, cold and driving snow with amazing realism. I felt like I was living it again.
The weather is just one more problem is Julie’s already stressful life. Though she doesn’t want to take the case, she can’t do anything less than solve the mystery of the assisted living facility the client’s grandfather lives in. This case isn’t the only dilemma Julie is faces with is sadly the norm in her life. When she finds several dead bodies, under completely unrelated circumstances, case or not, she has to find answers.
Julie must also face problems within the Hombres which have Tony on edge. Since he won’t talk to her about it, she has no idea why he’s being so possessive and in typical Julie fashion she gets her back up and fights the protection he’s put on her. When Tony is hurt, she’s easily persuaded to help his men find the assailant. It also brings Julie to finally admit how much she cares for Tony. I cheered when they admitted their relationship was permanent.
There’s tons more stress with her dad and her step-family, including one of the dead bodies, that Julie must deal with too.
Watching Julie confront and pursue all the different problems in her life, again makes for a -page-turning-while-you-sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-thriller. The only negative I can say about this book is that it was the end of the series. I was pleased when the follow-on novellas came out but still wish for much more Julie and Tony!
September 7, 2023
If you can’t be good, have fun being bad.
September 11, 2022
"I don’t want the life everyone else leads. Not because I’m cool, or a rebel, but because I like the way I live."
Fourth and final book in the series, gotta say I really liked this book.
I love Julie. She's smart, but admits her mistakes when she makes them. She is fearless, but knows how to rely on others when needed. She is strong, but can recognize her weak points and admit them. She is a very tough girl, but has this vulnerability that makes her so relatable.
I really liked her relationship with Tony, even though I'm not a big fan of two love interests who are both alpha characters. Tony is great and his love for Julie is so pure. They both deserve good things.
What I didn't like about this book was that it tried to bite more than it could chew. There were so many things going on: the murder of an elderly man, the dead body that was found in Julie's dad's back yard, Julie's problems with her family and then Tony's problems with Jackal, former Hombres's enforcer.
I think my favorite part was when Julie admitted to herself that keeping her dad in her life was not good. Everybody says that you should cut from your life a toxic relationship or friendship, but nobody says anything about family, because "blood is thicker than water". I liked that Julie saw her family from what they really were and realized that she deserved better.
This book was a great conclusion to a series. I'll miss Julie, Tony, Kevin and the entire gang.
Fourth and final book in the series, gotta say I really liked this book.
I love Julie. She's smart, but admits her mistakes when she makes them. She is fearless, but knows how to rely on others when needed. She is strong, but can recognize her weak points and admit them. She is a very tough girl, but has this vulnerability that makes her so relatable.
I really liked her relationship with Tony, even though I'm not a big fan of two love interests who are both alpha characters. Tony is great and his love for Julie is so pure. They both deserve good things.
What I didn't like about this book was that it tried to bite more than it could chew. There were so many things going on: the murder of an elderly man, the dead body that was found in Julie's dad's back yard, Julie's problems with her family and then Tony's problems with Jackal, former Hombres's enforcer.
I think my favorite part was when Julie admitted to herself that keeping her dad in her life was not good. Everybody says that you should cut from your life a toxic relationship or friendship, but nobody says anything about family, because "blood is thicker than water". I liked that Julie saw her family from what they really were and realized that she deserved better.
This book was a great conclusion to a series. I'll miss Julie, Tony, Kevin and the entire gang.
February 21, 2011
I really enjoyed all 4 Julie Collins books and I can't pick a favorite because they are all unique in their storyline. This series kept me guessing who the bad guy was up until the end of each book. I hate that this was the last one. I am going to miss Julie, Tony, Kevin and the rest of the motely cast of secondary characters.
Whether she is writing as Lori Armstrong or Lorelei James, L has the ability to put her readers right there in the story, all of her stories are fresh, different and addicting. The way she writes her books makes her readers feel as if they are right there in the story. The descriptions of the scenes and areas are so vivid. The cast of secondary characters are amazing and they all play a part in the books to draw you into the story even more.
Now to wait for Dark Mercy, book 3 of the Mercy series, written as Lori Armstrong. I am alsos waiting with bated breath for Saddled and Spurred and Chasin Eight, the next installments in the Blacktop Cowboys and Rough Riders series, respectively, written as Lorelei James.
Whether she is writing as Lori Armstrong or Lorelei James, L has the ability to put her readers right there in the story, all of her stories are fresh, different and addicting. The way she writes her books makes her readers feel as if they are right there in the story. The descriptions of the scenes and areas are so vivid. The cast of secondary characters are amazing and they all play a part in the books to draw you into the story even more.
Now to wait for Dark Mercy, book 3 of the Mercy series, written as Lori Armstrong. I am alsos waiting with bated breath for Saddled and Spurred and Chasin Eight, the next installments in the Blacktop Cowboys and Rough Riders series, respectively, written as Lorelei James.
January 13, 2010
As sorry as I am to see this series end, this book leaves things in a good place. There's room for another book if she comes back to it, but if not, the series is strong and solid with a satisfying conclusion. (I will, of course, hope that Julie Collins turns up again somewhere, sometime.)
May 8, 2011
I absolutely loved this series. I only wish that Lori had written more about Julie. She was the toughest badass around and I loved her. These books gave me great pleasure and they made it to my list to read over and over again. Please bring Julie back. I want more!
March 15, 2017
This is the fourth book in the Julie Collins Series and it did not disappoint. The book follows a rather grumpy woman who with her best friend Kevin works as private investigators but nearly always bad luck follows her, even though she has all good intentions to help.
The last book in this series put some of Julie’s old demons to bed when she discovered who actually murdered her half-brother and now Julie should be able to be at rest but no she is more lost than ever. Until one day in walks Kevin and says that he has taken on a case regarding a Nursing Home, one of the resident relatives believes that something is not right within the four walls of the complex. Julie is not too keen on taking this assignment but Kevin has never steered them wrong before she knows it, she agrees to help him in the investigation.
It all goes to plan until the relative comes bounding into the office and Julie is flabbergasted that Kevin would have choose this case to get a bit of action, the blonde flounces into the office and is instantly flirting with him as the case goes on Julie is more worried about Kevin as his feels get more and more for the client and at one point his professionalism is brought into question. While investigating the nursing home, Julie gets a call from her father, their relationship has not been the best but when her step mother pleads to help her father as he has been charged with murder, Julie decides to go to the ranch.
As the story continues Julie gets snowed in the ranch and uncovers secrets from the past from her family and other families around trying to uncover the truth regarding the body of the ranch hand they have found. Her relationship with Martinez becomes strained as he is starting to pull away from her but other forces are at work as he is trying to navigate a power struggle within the Hombre’s and explains that he is trying to keep her safe but Julie has never opted for the safe option and will this affect the relationship with the only man she has ever truly loved.
Although the book is part of a series the book can be read as a stand-alone and it’s sad to see this is the last at the moment in the series, I would love to know what happens Jimmer and the rest of the players in the last four books. I love the writing of Lori Armstrong and have downloaded the novellas to read shortly.
The last book in this series put some of Julie’s old demons to bed when she discovered who actually murdered her half-brother and now Julie should be able to be at rest but no she is more lost than ever. Until one day in walks Kevin and says that he has taken on a case regarding a Nursing Home, one of the resident relatives believes that something is not right within the four walls of the complex. Julie is not too keen on taking this assignment but Kevin has never steered them wrong before she knows it, she agrees to help him in the investigation.
It all goes to plan until the relative comes bounding into the office and Julie is flabbergasted that Kevin would have choose this case to get a bit of action, the blonde flounces into the office and is instantly flirting with him as the case goes on Julie is more worried about Kevin as his feels get more and more for the client and at one point his professionalism is brought into question. While investigating the nursing home, Julie gets a call from her father, their relationship has not been the best but when her step mother pleads to help her father as he has been charged with murder, Julie decides to go to the ranch.
As the story continues Julie gets snowed in the ranch and uncovers secrets from the past from her family and other families around trying to uncover the truth regarding the body of the ranch hand they have found. Her relationship with Martinez becomes strained as he is starting to pull away from her but other forces are at work as he is trying to navigate a power struggle within the Hombre’s and explains that he is trying to keep her safe but Julie has never opted for the safe option and will this affect the relationship with the only man she has ever truly loved.
Although the book is part of a series the book can be read as a stand-alone and it’s sad to see this is the last at the moment in the series, I would love to know what happens Jimmer and the rest of the players in the last four books. I love the writing of Lori Armstrong and have downloaded the novellas to read shortly.
April 8, 2022
3.5 stars. Julie Collins, a tough, foul mouthed PI is back in this last book (?) in the series. She and partner, Kevin are tasked with checking into nursing homes for neglect and abuse. In the meantime, a body is found out at her estranged father’s ranch and her boyfriend, tough guy Tony Martinez (head enforcer of the Hombres) is targeted for death. Julie has a lot on her plate but of course wraps it all up in the end. I think there’s a couple novellas out there pertaining to this series that I may pursue but other than that I think the series is done.
February 21, 2017
Since I don't typically venture outside of romance I really didn't know I was setting in store for myself with this series but Oh My Gosh! This series was OUTSTANDING. I'm sad to see it end. There are 2 follow-up novellas that I do plan to read but hopefully Ms. Armstrong will decide to continue with the series and write new Julie novels.
March 15, 2017
I really enjoyed reading all 4 of the Julie Collins books. I thought that book 4 was a great ending to the series. Although there were points in the book that left me a bit unfulfilled, it was still a wonderful series. I had mixed feelings about Julie in Tony in the previous books but in book 4 I was happy with the turnout. I am looking forward to the other series written by Lori Armstrong.
March 17, 2017
The culmination of the Julie Collins story with this twisting and turning mystery romance series. Julie is a survivor in so many ways you don't want to miss how it ends! Always love Lori Armstrong aka Lorelei James check out this one and all her work. Amazing!
February 18, 2017
Another great book in the Julie Collins series. These books just grab you and you can't put it down. Fantastic story.
May 6, 2017
This is a pretty dark mystery romance. It is the 4th book in the series and continues well from the others. Very good.
May 12, 2017
was the afterward added to make me sad or to set us up for #5?
June 11, 2017
A 5 star most excellent read!
October 11, 2017
What a fantastic series. Wish Lori would write more.
November 5, 2017
great ending to the series. well worth the read
November 28, 2017
I read this out of order but I still enjoyed it.
June 19, 2018
4.25 overall stars
Couple 4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Plot 4.25🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
Story 4.25🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
Sex 4.0🌟🌟🌟🌟
Series 4.0🌟🌟🌟🌟
Couple 4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Plot 4.25🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
Story 4.25🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
Sex 4.0🌟🌟🌟🌟
Series 4.0🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 13, 2020
Exciting situations and a heroine who is smart and relentless.
August 13, 2022
Excellent Book!
It had lots of twists and turns. Plenty of action. A lot of romance thrown. The only downside was all the graphic language in the book.
It had lots of twists and turns. Plenty of action. A lot of romance thrown. The only downside was all the graphic language in the book.
March 18, 2017
Oh how I love this series! This isn't a sugary sweet romance series....Julie Collins is a tough, determined, smart ass who doesn't let anyone get in her way. Love her! The romance between Julie and Tony isn't all hearts and flowers....Tony lives in a violent world and due to her involvement with him and her PI cases, Julie finds herself in many life and death situations. This story is full of action, suspense, mystery, and so many twists and turns. The characters are great....I love Kevin, Jimmer, Tony, and Sheriff Richards. These men all play a big part in Julie's life. A great read and I want more of this series!
March 23, 2017
Another great book in the Julie Collins series. These books just grab you and you can't put it down. Fantastic story.
May 19, 2017
Poor Julie, she’s twisted up in this book trying to decide if her father is guilty of murder and if she should use her PI skills to help him prove his innocence or find out who the true murderer is. She’s also caught up in a web associated with her boyfriend’s motorcycle club. So sad this is the last one in the series, there are some tie ups to story lines from previous books. Another great read!!
March 14, 2017
Snow Blind – Julie Collins Book 4
With the most important mystery of Julie’s life behind her, one would hope she could settle into a more mundane existence. But Julie wouldn’t be Julie if that happened!
Julie’s business partner Kevin takes on a case that has Julie skeptical from the start. Dysfunctional families are again the heart of these mysteries and Julie and Kevin work to uncover wrongdoings at a retirement facility.
As Julie learns of another family’s inhumanity, she sees her own fractured family’s inhumanity. Despite the devastation of neglect and murder, Julie leaves this mystery with a renewed sense of self and commitment to her family of choice.
As always, the plot takes unforeseen twists and turns. Lori is a superb writer well suited for the genre of mystery. I sure hope there will be more Julie Collins stories!
With the most important mystery of Julie’s life behind her, one would hope she could settle into a more mundane existence. But Julie wouldn’t be Julie if that happened!
Julie’s business partner Kevin takes on a case that has Julie skeptical from the start. Dysfunctional families are again the heart of these mysteries and Julie and Kevin work to uncover wrongdoings at a retirement facility.
As Julie learns of another family’s inhumanity, she sees her own fractured family’s inhumanity. Despite the devastation of neglect and murder, Julie leaves this mystery with a renewed sense of self and commitment to her family of choice.
As always, the plot takes unforeseen twists and turns. Lori is a superb writer well suited for the genre of mystery. I sure hope there will be more Julie Collins stories!
March 15, 2017
Book 4 made me sad knowing it was the last book in the series. I want to read more about Tony and Julie and hope this isn't the end for them. This book has lots of twist and turns keeps you in suspense until the end. Julie gets pulled in all different directions while still maintaining her sassy attitude. Her relationship with her father will never be how she wants it to be and she comes to terms with that. This book will want you to keep turning pages so make time to read because you won't want to stop.
March 18, 2017
I'm so in love with Julie and Martinez! What a perfect match they have grown to be. She just can't help but find trouble around every corner and Martinez is there at every turn. Also totally in love with all of the West River South Dakota scenery and landmarks in all of these books. It takes me back to my youth and growing up there.
March 12, 2017
Julie Collins is one tough woman. She has had a heck of a time with dead bodys. She deals with it and keeps on going. While her and Tony have some hot chemistry I was hoping for her and Kevin to get together. But still loved this story to no ends. Will definitely be reading more of Lori Armstrong books in the future. I would definitely recommend this book to all my friends.
I received an ARC of this book and it has no way influenced by opinion of the book.
I received an ARC of this book and it has no way influenced by opinion of the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews