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Ivy Towers #1
In the Dead of Winter
Samantha "Ivy" Towers returns to Winter Break, Kansas, where she spent her summers as a child, to make funeral arrangements for her Aunt Bitty. While there, she begins to suspect her aunt's death, which resulted from a fall in her bookshop, wasn't an accident after all. Childhood friend Amos Parker, now sheriff of Winter Break, seems anxious to get Ivy out of town. A missing book, a message scrawled by an unknown person, and an extra coffee cup leave Ivy with more questions than answers.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2007
21 people are currently reading
627 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Mehl
61 books1,442 followersNancy Mehl is the bestselling author of over 50 books. She’s won the Daphne Du Maurier Award, as well as an ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award and a Carol award. She was also a finalist for the prestigious Christy award. Her short story, Chasing Shadows, was in the USA Today bestselling Summer of Suspense anthology. Learn more about her at www.nancymehl.com and on her blog, the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
October 14, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
A quick trip to Winter Break turns out to be more complicated than Samantha “Ivy” Towers ever imagined. With her parents overseas she is responsible for planning her Aunt Bitty’s funeral and tying up her legal affairs that may include selling her bookstore. Soon after she arrives she finds out that her aunt left everything to her with the exception of a few special gifts. But Aunt Bitty’s death is troubling and not just for Ivy. The investigation was quickly wrapped up and the body cremated a little too fast. She even finds an unsigned note that tells her it was not an accident. She knows most of the residents of Winter Break but someone is lying. She only has a few weeks off from college but she is not leaving until she finds out what really happened to her Aunt Bitty.
Winter in Winter Break sounds similar to winter in Wisconsin so I felt right at home. Like most small towns it is full of its share of quirky residents, but one thing is for sure everyone loved Aunt Bitty. She was a special lady and she will be missed. The author has created such wonderful characters. Hearing the people talk about Aunt Biddy made me really sad she was the victim of the horrible murder. Ivy though has a lot of the same qualities as her aunt, she just doesn’t realize it yet. Her upbringing was a bit unusual so there is a sense of insecurity. She evolved in this story but the author has left her plenty of room to grow.
We meet several of Winter Break’s finest including Amos, a deputy sheriff and old friend of Ivy’s and Ruby that owns the local diner with her signature burgers. A visitor in town lands squarely on Ivy’s suspect list, his arrival is just too suspicious and he is clearly hiding something.
The story had a couple of hitches for me, medical things mostly, but the mystery was well-plotted. It had plenty of twists but I picked out the murderer early on. It was interesting to read to the end to be sure I was right and the true motive for the crime.
The story does have a Christian theme and a clear message that blends with the mystery very nicely and does overpower it.
I found this to be a fine start for this series and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Bye, Bye, Bertie.
A quick trip to Winter Break turns out to be more complicated than Samantha “Ivy” Towers ever imagined. With her parents overseas she is responsible for planning her Aunt Bitty’s funeral and tying up her legal affairs that may include selling her bookstore. Soon after she arrives she finds out that her aunt left everything to her with the exception of a few special gifts. But Aunt Bitty’s death is troubling and not just for Ivy. The investigation was quickly wrapped up and the body cremated a little too fast. She even finds an unsigned note that tells her it was not an accident. She knows most of the residents of Winter Break but someone is lying. She only has a few weeks off from college but she is not leaving until she finds out what really happened to her Aunt Bitty.
Winter in Winter Break sounds similar to winter in Wisconsin so I felt right at home. Like most small towns it is full of its share of quirky residents, but one thing is for sure everyone loved Aunt Bitty. She was a special lady and she will be missed. The author has created such wonderful characters. Hearing the people talk about Aunt Biddy made me really sad she was the victim of the horrible murder. Ivy though has a lot of the same qualities as her aunt, she just doesn’t realize it yet. Her upbringing was a bit unusual so there is a sense of insecurity. She evolved in this story but the author has left her plenty of room to grow.
We meet several of Winter Break’s finest including Amos, a deputy sheriff and old friend of Ivy’s and Ruby that owns the local diner with her signature burgers. A visitor in town lands squarely on Ivy’s suspect list, his arrival is just too suspicious and he is clearly hiding something.
The story had a couple of hitches for me, medical things mostly, but the mystery was well-plotted. It had plenty of twists but I picked out the murderer early on. It was interesting to read to the end to be sure I was right and the true motive for the crime.
The story does have a Christian theme and a clear message that blends with the mystery very nicely and does overpower it.
I found this to be a fine start for this series and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Bye, Bye, Bertie.
July 26, 2008
another new and great author to me! need to track down more of her's, especially if they're in this series!
fast moving, but warm fuzzy feelings, DESPITE the murder. love the whole small town feeling that THIS book portrays. wish there were more places and people like it
fast moving, but warm fuzzy feelings, DESPITE the murder. love the whole small town feeling that THIS book portrays. wish there were more places and people like it
October 2, 2021
I don't usually read Christian Fiction. The book blurb intrigued me, and by the time I realized this wasn't just an absorbing mystery written very well by an author who loved the characters and setting she had created, I was too hooked not to just skip over the religious passages. I had an idea of who did the deed, but wasn't sold on my selection until about three quarters of the way through the book, which is pretty good for this mystery writer. The setting brought a keen sensation of those really cold winter days and even colder nights in that part of the country, and the characters were well-drawn and quirky, just the way I like them.
December 30, 2020
Ivy Towers is summoned to Winter Break, Kansas when her great-aunt Bitty, who she dearly loved, is found dead inside her Bygone Bookstore. Supposedly Bitty fell off her library ladder, but Ivy feels like things just don't add up to an accident but rather to murder. This is book 1 in an early cozy mystery series by Nancy Mehl. It is thoroughly enjoyable as several mysteries all tie in to the death of Aunt Bitty.
It is nice to go back and read an early series from Mehl since I love her current action filled suspense novels.
It is nice to go back and read an early series from Mehl since I love her current action filled suspense novels.
December 16, 2020
Was so disappointed in this book. It started off so well too. Good mystery, a little romantic interest, then a little over half-way through the book, it took a downward spiral. The MC became snarky, and the flavor of the book changed to a Christian/religious flavor. IMO the Christian references took over the book, the mystery was lost, and therefore, I lost interest. Went from 4 stars down to 2 stars for me. Will not continue with this series.
April 16, 2017
Loved this charming cozy! Great plot!!!!
November 20, 2009
I thought this was a great read - a sweet love story and murder mystery. Maybe I loved it so much because I can think of nothing better to inherit than a bookstore - how awesome that would be? I really want Ivy's bookstore.
May 12, 2015
Loved it! I couldn't put this book down to save me. I was totally pulled in. It contained 3 of my fav things. SNOW, BOOKSTORES and cats. I loved all of the characters, they were all full of personality. The book even had some spooky elements.
Going to read book 2 now, "Bye Bye Bertie"
Going to read book 2 now, "Bye Bye Bertie"
January 9, 2025
A fun cozy mystery with quirky minor characters and a strong Christian thread.
Ivy returns to Winter Break, Kansas to prepare for her great-aunt Bitty's funeral and to figure out what to do with her aunt's used bookstore. While there she suspects her aunt's death wasn't an accident. Ivy and childhood friend Amos, Winter Break's sheriff, investigate to find the murderer.
Ivy is unsure what God's plan is for her life. When she left for college, her parents sold their home and left for the mission field in China. Her mother firmly believes following God means to be in the ministry. She wants Ivy to assist them on the mission field and thinks that Bitty's life was wasted away because she wasn't serving in missions or active in ministry. With no home to go to after college and no idea what to do next, Ivy feels adrift.
Ivy returns to Winter Break, Kansas to prepare for her great-aunt Bitty's funeral and to figure out what to do with her aunt's used bookstore. While there she suspects her aunt's death wasn't an accident. Ivy and childhood friend Amos, Winter Break's sheriff, investigate to find the murderer.
Ivy is unsure what God's plan is for her life. When she left for college, her parents sold their home and left for the mission field in China. Her mother firmly believes following God means to be in the ministry. She wants Ivy to assist them on the mission field and thinks that Bitty's life was wasted away because she wasn't serving in missions or active in ministry. With no home to go to after college and no idea what to do next, Ivy feels adrift.
November 30, 2017
In The Dead of Winter ( An IvyTowers Mystery-Book 1 )
By: Nancy Mehl
In The Dead of Winter is book one and the start of a new series An Ivy Towers Mystery by Nancy Mehl. This is a good clean mystery for all to read. The author drew me in right at the start and I was hooked. I caught myself trying to read faster to see what was going to happen next. I love the story and the characters. I am a fan of Nancy Mehl and she did not disappoint. Mehl writes about a small town and a woman , aunt Bitty ,that ran a bookshop and about everyone loved her. I would have love to have been able to have looked through the old books. Ivy Towers comes to her great aunt Bitty’s funeral. Things just did not add up for Ivy about her great aunt Bitty’s death. This was a fun , delightful, mystery ,romance, and God’s word.
By: Nancy Mehl
In The Dead of Winter is book one and the start of a new series An Ivy Towers Mystery by Nancy Mehl. This is a good clean mystery for all to read. The author drew me in right at the start and I was hooked. I caught myself trying to read faster to see what was going to happen next. I love the story and the characters. I am a fan of Nancy Mehl and she did not disappoint. Mehl writes about a small town and a woman , aunt Bitty ,that ran a bookshop and about everyone loved her. I would have love to have been able to have looked through the old books. Ivy Towers comes to her great aunt Bitty’s funeral. Things just did not add up for Ivy about her great aunt Bitty’s death. This was a fun , delightful, mystery ,romance, and God’s word.
June 20, 2017
Nancy Mehl has created a great set of interesting characters as well as fantastic setting. I really identified with the main character. On the down side, I thought Mehl pushed the Christian angle way too much and I also found issue with numerous tiny details which seemed inaccurate. Several times while reading along I stopped and thought, "That can't be right." For all mystery writers out there, when someone gets a concussion the hospitals or Doctors do not recommend aspirin or ibuprofen as they are blood thinners and there is some fear of a bleed in the brain. Nor do they recommend that the patient be left alone to sleep as stay with the patient and wake them every so often to insure they are fine.
July 20, 2021
This book was a very cute / sweet read. (Can that be said about a murder mystery?!). I loved the town that Mehl created. It made me long for that small town vibe. I would totally move there - even with the cold weather. My big problem with the book was with the main character and her constant annoyance with everyone around her. The character does talk about that somewhat (and how it fits in with her shift from Ivy to Sam), but her short temperedness was still annoying and often seemed unwarranted. It made me not like her as a character. Otherwise, this was a pleasant summer read.
January 1, 2024
Cozy Murder Mystery
I fell in love with the characters of Winter Break. I enjoyed all the quirky people in this little town. Ivy finally figured out where she belonged and helped to catch the person who murdered her aunt. This book does a great job of showing you can't judge a book by its cover and if you actually take a moment to get to know the people around you. You will get to see not everything is what it appears.
I fell in love with the characters of Winter Break. I enjoyed all the quirky people in this little town. Ivy finally figured out where she belonged and helped to catch the person who murdered her aunt. This book does a great job of showing you can't judge a book by its cover and if you actually take a moment to get to know the people around you. You will get to see not everything is what it appears.
January 6, 2025
I enjoyed this Christian cozy mystery quite a bit and look forward to reading more in the series.
This story had good faith elements, an interesting setting in a quaint town with quirky characters, a little romance, and a pretty decent mystery. I especially loved the humor in the story, which caused me to laugh out loud a few times.
This story had good faith elements, an interesting setting in a quaint town with quirky characters, a little romance, and a pretty decent mystery. I especially loved the humor in the story, which caused me to laugh out loud a few times.
October 28, 2017
No place like home.
Nancy Mehl is a delightful author. Her subtle sense of humor works it's way thru the story. Her ideas are simple but profound. The sweetness of the gospel rises up and challenges you too be more like Aunt Bitty. I have become a fan.
Nancy Mehl is a delightful author. Her subtle sense of humor works it's way thru the story. Her ideas are simple but profound. The sweetness of the gospel rises up and challenges you too be more like Aunt Bitty. I have become a fan.
March 4, 2018
Great book
Thank you Ms. Mehl for writing such a great book.
The characters are so awesome and the setting is wonderful.
Lot's of twists and turns.
Will recommend this book to lots of people.
Thank you Ms. Mehl for writing such a great book.
The characters are so awesome and the setting is wonderful.
Lot's of twists and turns.
Will recommend this book to lots of people.
March 13, 2019
Amazing!
I loved this book! Ivy/Sam (read it to find out what I mean) was so confused. It took the death of her favorite person in the world, and the mystery surrounding it for her to see clearly what God's plan for her was. I recommend this book!
I loved this book! Ivy/Sam (read it to find out what I mean) was so confused. It took the death of her favorite person in the world, and the mystery surrounding it for her to see clearly what God's plan for her was. I recommend this book!
June 17, 2025
Wonderful
What an incredible work of Christian fiction. It's a thriller and romance rolled into one amazingly written story.
I'm on to book 2 of the series and am sure that it's going to be just as exciting as this one.
I highly recommend it and you won't be disappointed.
What an incredible work of Christian fiction. It's a thriller and romance rolled into one amazingly written story.
I'm on to book 2 of the series and am sure that it's going to be just as exciting as this one.
I highly recommend it and you won't be disappointed.
November 3, 2018
First book in the Ivy Towers Mystery series. Cute Cozy Mystery book.
April 4, 2019
Good book about small town life
I enjoyed reading this book. I really got into the story and the characters. Nancy writes in the same fashion as Louise Penny.
I enjoyed reading this book. I really got into the story and the characters. Nancy writes in the same fashion as Louise Penny.
April 11, 2019
A very enjoyable read, hard to put down, loved the characters, a book I will probably read again.
December 4, 2020
3.5 stars. A nice cozy mystery with strong themes of religion and morality.
July 16, 2021
Book #1 in the Ivy Towers mystery series - I Loved It - Murder mystery and love story - Hard to put down
September 18, 2021
Okay romance and mysteries? Not a good mix
February 22, 2023
My first 5 star book of the year. Nancy Mehl never disappoints. What a great start to this series.
January 1, 2024
I love a good mystery.
October 19, 2025
A really good cozy mystery to read. The one who ended up committing the crime really took me by surprise!
December 23, 2021
Mystery not bad. Christian elements less to my reading tastes. Should have paid more attention to the blurb.
February 5, 2012
Cozy mysteries have recently become my genre of choice, and books like In The Dead of Winter are exactly why.
Ivy Towers arrives in Winter Break surrounded by a whirl of snow. Weather wise it is stormy and barely an opportune time to arrive in Winter Break as Winter Break holds onto snow with every last bit of its being. Thus the delightful name that rings icily true. The main issue is of course, Ivy is arriving to handle the estate and funeral arrangements for her dear great aunt whom she hasn't seen in quite a while.
Ivy spent summers there as a youth, but now she is a college student with a semester left before taking on the world. She is headed for a new and exciting future and uses her middle name, rather than Ivy, to claim it and leave behind the uncertain girl she once was. The problem is you really can't be the new you when you bring yourself to your old stomping grounds. Ivy is now in Winter Break where the population is tiny and everyone knows everyone's story and business.
Though things should be clear cut on aunt Bitty's demise, Ivy has been left a note that causes her suspicion, and despite knowing most everyone in the small town, there is no small list of suspects. Ivy has only a few short weeks before her final semester, but she isn't heading anywhere until she knows what happened to the woman who was just like a mother to her. As Ivy searches for answers, the reader is introduced to a town that despite its overwhelming amount of snow and ice, sounds utterly delightful. Delightful even as one is searching along with Ivy for answers. Perhaps I feel this way because of the time I spent in my own icy stomping grounds in Maine and Rhode Island.
In The Dead of Winter was a much needed break from everyday for me. I enjoyed the escape into the small town of Winter Break and all its residents whose varied eccentricities made each one more interesting than the next. The place was charming which is saying a lot for a town that is situated in just such a way that winter really likes to kick it and stick around.
I am usually rather good at guessing who the murderer is in cozy mysteries, but I did not get this one right away. I enjoyed Ivy's interaction with the other townsfolk and that Ivy was an average girl next door type and not your typical obvious beauty. She was flawed like the rest of us, but with a good heart, dreamer's mind, and a small dash of insecurity. This was so much more interesting for me than some of the typical heroines you find in books. I think that might be why I like cozy mysteries so much. People are a lot more normal even though their circumstances might not be. Some parts may have been tied up a little too quickly in the end, but it did not detract from the overall story. I enjoyed it a great deal, and I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series "Bye Bye Bertie" which I have already ordered.
I won this book a long time ago and was not remotely requested to do a review. These opinions are truly my own.
Ivy Towers arrives in Winter Break surrounded by a whirl of snow. Weather wise it is stormy and barely an opportune time to arrive in Winter Break as Winter Break holds onto snow with every last bit of its being. Thus the delightful name that rings icily true. The main issue is of course, Ivy is arriving to handle the estate and funeral arrangements for her dear great aunt whom she hasn't seen in quite a while.
Ivy spent summers there as a youth, but now she is a college student with a semester left before taking on the world. She is headed for a new and exciting future and uses her middle name, rather than Ivy, to claim it and leave behind the uncertain girl she once was. The problem is you really can't be the new you when you bring yourself to your old stomping grounds. Ivy is now in Winter Break where the population is tiny and everyone knows everyone's story and business.
Though things should be clear cut on aunt Bitty's demise, Ivy has been left a note that causes her suspicion, and despite knowing most everyone in the small town, there is no small list of suspects. Ivy has only a few short weeks before her final semester, but she isn't heading anywhere until she knows what happened to the woman who was just like a mother to her. As Ivy searches for answers, the reader is introduced to a town that despite its overwhelming amount of snow and ice, sounds utterly delightful. Delightful even as one is searching along with Ivy for answers. Perhaps I feel this way because of the time I spent in my own icy stomping grounds in Maine and Rhode Island.
In The Dead of Winter was a much needed break from everyday for me. I enjoyed the escape into the small town of Winter Break and all its residents whose varied eccentricities made each one more interesting than the next. The place was charming which is saying a lot for a town that is situated in just such a way that winter really likes to kick it and stick around.
I am usually rather good at guessing who the murderer is in cozy mysteries, but I did not get this one right away. I enjoyed Ivy's interaction with the other townsfolk and that Ivy was an average girl next door type and not your typical obvious beauty. She was flawed like the rest of us, but with a good heart, dreamer's mind, and a small dash of insecurity. This was so much more interesting for me than some of the typical heroines you find in books. I think that might be why I like cozy mysteries so much. People are a lot more normal even though their circumstances might not be. Some parts may have been tied up a little too quickly in the end, but it did not detract from the overall story. I enjoyed it a great deal, and I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series "Bye Bye Bertie" which I have already ordered.
I won this book a long time ago and was not remotely requested to do a review. These opinions are truly my own.
January 4, 2020
A fun Christian cozy mystery set in a small town in Kansas. Nice quick read. I read this following some heavy books and books I had to read for school, and it was a nice palate cleanser.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews