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Whiteout
After a painful family drama, Toronto computer expert Joanna Hastings takes a cabin in the remote woods of Northern Ontario to make sense out of her life and her shattered relationship with her daughter. But the town of Hope River is not content to let her lick her wounds. The isolated community has its share of secrets...and strange stories. Joanna is drawn into the lives of her elderly neighbor and the woman's teenage granddaughter, Tiffany, a troubled girl in even more trouble when arson destroys an eccentric old man's shack. Joanna's quick thinking saves him, but days later, old Luke's body is found at the edge of her property, Tiffany's coat nearby. While the girl may be rebellious, Joanna knows she's not a killer. But trying to solve the mystery forces her into dark places within herself and others, and waiting among them is a killer.
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
1 person is currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Delany
62 books1,913 followers“It’s a crime not to read Delany,” so says the London Free Press.
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 29, 2023
Last year, I bought this book in a group lot on eBay with 49 other “mystery” novels. I set this one aside immediately as an “I’ll probably never read it.” However, I put it on my bookshelf and took it down last month when on my blog, the Mustache and the Beard, we had August Murders – Mystery Month. I checked out the back cover, and I saw that this was a unique find. It defied genre classification. It has a bland, innocuous white cover, and the title does not give away too much.
This is a ghost story. It is a novel about a women’s empowerment. It is about two people coming together to help each other through traumatic experience. It is told in an objective voice that gives nuance to living in a cabin alone. Whiteout is exceptionally good until the end where the author contrives the ending, but everything to the very end is extremely enjoyable. I envision revisiting this again, because the characters are so goodly fascinating. (That's right, goodly!) The misstep at the end did not impede my enjoyment in the least.
This is a ghost story. It is a novel about a women’s empowerment. It is about two people coming together to help each other through traumatic experience. It is told in an objective voice that gives nuance to living in a cabin alone. Whiteout is exceptionally good until the end where the author contrives the ending, but everything to the very end is extremely enjoyable. I envision revisiting this again, because the characters are so goodly fascinating. (That's right, goodly!) The misstep at the end did not impede my enjoyment in the least.
February 6, 2017
Five star book all of the way to the New York Times BEST...OK OK, its not a New York Times Bestseller but it was a 2001 EPPIE winner for the "Best Mainstream Novel".
Im gonna say this with total enthusiasm. This is the GREATEST book Ive read in years and years. It will always be one of my favs now. I would read this book again in the future. A must have for my personal library. I will think about this book for a long time to come too.
I had the hardest time setting this book down. I felt like I was watching a movie. I couldn't wait to get back to the story when I had to walk away. Fantastic writing, gorgeous descriptions of the Canadian setting and of the people in the story.
Im not giving a detailed account of what the book is all about, people can read the book for themselves. Id just like to let everyone know what I thought about the book. I loved the winter setting, the main character, a lady, living in the woods, just moving into an old cabin, snow to your hearts content, glass of wine, a black shape out in the trees, which could be a ghost and plenty of drama to go with it all.
Grade A awesome job Vicki Delany.
Im gonna say this with total enthusiasm. This is the GREATEST book Ive read in years and years. It will always be one of my favs now. I would read this book again in the future. A must have for my personal library. I will think about this book for a long time to come too.
I had the hardest time setting this book down. I felt like I was watching a movie. I couldn't wait to get back to the story when I had to walk away. Fantastic writing, gorgeous descriptions of the Canadian setting and of the people in the story.
Im not giving a detailed account of what the book is all about, people can read the book for themselves. Id just like to let everyone know what I thought about the book. I loved the winter setting, the main character, a lady, living in the woods, just moving into an old cabin, snow to your hearts content, glass of wine, a black shape out in the trees, which could be a ghost and plenty of drama to go with it all.
Grade A awesome job Vicki Delany.
May 22, 2012
She chintzed on the end. I hate it when an author puts someone in a difficult situation, and then jumps from that situation to having saved them.
June 13, 2017
3.5 stars
Joanne decides to leave Toronto and opt for a life of solitude in a small Northern Ontario town. She hopes to earn money from various computer jobs, an especially large job with the firm she just left.
While trying to come to terms with the reality of her new life, Joanne meets her neighbour, Maude, and Maude's granddaughter Tiffany. Tiffany is a very unhappy, rebellious teenager. Maude persuades Joanne to give a Tiffany some computer lessons. Through these meetings, Joanne and Tiffany develop an uneasy relationship.
There is a particularly nasty murder of a local man whose body Joanne finds on her property. Suspicion falls on Tiffany and Joanne defends her and becomes her advocate.
The story details the difficulty of trying to fit into a small rural community, whether you are middle aged or teenaged. The relationships between people who are destined to meet several times a week just by going through our daily routines and close proximity, is explored.
The author captures small town life very well. The story was entertaining and reasonably well written.
No conclusion was reached about the nebulous "dark cloud" nor Joanne's relationship with her estranged daughter.
Joanne decides to leave Toronto and opt for a life of solitude in a small Northern Ontario town. She hopes to earn money from various computer jobs, an especially large job with the firm she just left.
While trying to come to terms with the reality of her new life, Joanne meets her neighbour, Maude, and Maude's granddaughter Tiffany. Tiffany is a very unhappy, rebellious teenager. Maude persuades Joanne to give a Tiffany some computer lessons. Through these meetings, Joanne and Tiffany develop an uneasy relationship.
There is a particularly nasty murder of a local man whose body Joanne finds on her property. Suspicion falls on Tiffany and Joanne defends her and becomes her advocate.
The story details the difficulty of trying to fit into a small rural community, whether you are middle aged or teenaged. The relationships between people who are destined to meet several times a week just by going through our daily routines and close proximity, is explored.
The author captures small town life very well. The story was entertaining and reasonably well written.
No conclusion was reached about the nebulous "dark cloud" nor Joanne's relationship with her estranged daughter.
April 10, 2024
I really like Vicki Delany’s works. It took me a while to find this one, but I want to read all her books. It was nice to read one that wasn’t a cozy-mystery-formula, although it was a small town. I never did get straight how her cabin was oriented; did the “front door” face the driveway or the lake?? I do wish the story of the young pregnant girl from long ago had been finished tho. Did she get back home? Did her father kill her? Did she have the baby, in which case what happened yo the baby? Did she freeze to death in the storm? Who of the current townfolk are the descendants of that family?
December 2, 2022
Our heroine is what I would call a "flighty" woman. At times I couldn't see why she was having such a strong reaction to things or why she was throwing a tantrum. Otherwise the story was kind of interesting. Some subplots probably should have been developed more but seemed to fall by the wayside. I don't think I will be reading any more books by this author.
November 13, 2025
this book has a few good things going for it but it was just overshadowed by the not so good. first was all the typos, which had it just been that whatever. however the book just didn't know if it wanted to be a feel good book, murder mystery or sci-fi and it didn't really clear much up at the end. maybe it's the first book by this author I don't know but they needed a little more guidance.
March 1, 2025
What a great read! I fell in love with this story right away. Now I think (know) I want my own cabin in the woods! I sure do love camping in Algonquin and Muskoka area :) this was a random book grab for me but I am so happy I took a chance with this one!
March 16, 2019
1st novel by Canadian-almost really good!
October 9, 2024
So boring. And the main character was a complete b*tch, I was hoping she’d be killed off early on.
May 4, 2013
I'm more than halfway through this book and I like it fine.
My only problem with is this: She moves into this cabin with her Toyota, bring only a few things, and putting the rest in storage.
Fine.
However, she managed to fit, a computer (not a laptop), skis, her favorite pots, linens, clothes (including business suits and shoes), a big tea set, xmas decoration, her scone her grand mother made, xmas glasses, mugs... and so and so forth...every other page the list gets bigger.
I just want to know how she got it all in her Toyota.
I like the rest of the story!!
My only problem with is this: She moves into this cabin with her Toyota, bring only a few things, and putting the rest in storage.
Fine.
However, she managed to fit, a computer (not a laptop), skis, her favorite pots, linens, clothes (including business suits and shoes), a big tea set, xmas decoration, her scone her grand mother made, xmas glasses, mugs... and so and so forth...every other page the list gets bigger.
I just want to know how she got it all in her Toyota.
I like the rest of the story!!
July 19, 2016
So I picked this book up on a whim and I really enjoyed it! It's unique--it reads part family drama, part ghost story, part mystery, part love story... and I really enjoyed how the story unfolded. You don't get to know everything right up front, but bit by bit, it all comes out. Good little read.
February 21, 2016
The rating I would give this mystery is "Okay". The writing was fine, if a little tired, for example, "News of the discovery of Luke's body spread through the district like wildfire." Gee, "like wildfire?". Gotta say I've heard that kind of description a lot. So, the book was fine, but I wouldn't rush out to buy it for it's scintillating writing or story arc.
August 23, 2008
A good easy read mystery. I would love to live in the cabin though.
Want to read
September 2, 200809/02/08 rec from Holly
June 2, 2009
loved it
September 27, 2009
Good mystery. Very likable characters.
November 22, 2009
A good "vacation" book...didn't require much of me.
May 6, 2011
very light read, better than . . . . can't think of her name . . . .
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews