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DreadfulWater #3
Cold Skies
Thumps DreadfulWater has finally found some peace and quiet. His past as a California cop now far behind him, he’s living out his retirement as a fine-arts photographer in the small town of Chinook. His health isn’t great, and he could use a new stove, but as long as he’s got his cat and a halfway decent plate of eggs, life is good.
All that changes when a body turns up on the eve of a major water conference and the understaffed sheriff’s department turns to Thumps for help. Thumps wants none of it, but even he is intrigued when he learns the deceased was developing a new technology that could revolutionize water and oil drilling . . . and that could also lose some very powerful people a lot of money. As strangers begin to pour into Chinook for the conference, Thumps finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into a conflict between secretive players who will kill to get what they want.
In Cold Skies, the sly, wry, reluctant investigator of DreadfulWater and The Red Power Murders returns for another irresistible mystery that only Thomas King could tell.
All that changes when a body turns up on the eve of a major water conference and the understaffed sheriff’s department turns to Thumps for help. Thumps wants none of it, but even he is intrigued when he learns the deceased was developing a new technology that could revolutionize water and oil drilling . . . and that could also lose some very powerful people a lot of money. As strangers begin to pour into Chinook for the conference, Thumps finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into a conflict between secretive players who will kill to get what they want.
In Cold Skies, the sly, wry, reluctant investigator of DreadfulWater and The Red Power Murders returns for another irresistible mystery that only Thomas King could tell.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published May 22, 2018
11 people are currently reading
590 people want to read
About the author
Thomas King
103 books1,286 followersThomas King was born in 1943 in Sacramento, California and is of Greek and German descent. He obtained his PhD from the University of Utah in 1986. He is known for works in which he addresses the marginalization of American Indians, delineates "pan-Indian" concerns and histories, and attempts to abolish common stereotypes about Native Americans. He taught Native American Studies at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, and at the University of Minnesota. He is currently a Professor of English at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. King has become one of the foremost writers of fiction about Canada's Native people.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
September 9, 2022
Sep 8, 930pm ~~ Review asap. I could not put this down. Welcome back to five stars, Mr. King!
Sep 9, 1030am ~~ Number three in the DreadfulWater series, and my favorite so far. I gave each of the first two books four stars, but to tell the truth the fourth star was for King himself. The first two were good stories, but here TK felt like TK again and I am more than willing to give this one five stars. I could not put it down, and this time I was as caught up in the mystery as I was with all the other issues going on in the life of Thumps DreadfulWater.
He wants a new stove, has a new neighbor, is offered a new job, and has to deal with a new health condition. All while trying to work connections between the two dead bodies that turn up. There is a rich man in town for a water conference, a nosy reporter who bites off more than she can chew, a preppie city boy flunky who has an amazing collection of eyeglasses, a cool bodyguard from Pie Town, New Mexico (yes, it is a real place, right close to Datil!).
What, if anything, ties these people to a serial killer?
As I said, this was very hard to put down, and the pace is fast. I love the interactions between the people of the community. (And the sheriff dealing with his remodeled office: I know exactly how he felt when he finally found the lumbar support button on his new desk chair!) King has the ability to make his characters live and breathe in the reader's mind. That kept me looking forward not only to the next chapter, but to the next book.
Speaking of that next book, it is A Matter of Malice, and I'm off to Chinook again. See you later!
Sep 9, 1030am ~~ Number three in the DreadfulWater series, and my favorite so far. I gave each of the first two books four stars, but to tell the truth the fourth star was for King himself. The first two were good stories, but here TK felt like TK again and I am more than willing to give this one five stars. I could not put it down, and this time I was as caught up in the mystery as I was with all the other issues going on in the life of Thumps DreadfulWater.
He wants a new stove, has a new neighbor, is offered a new job, and has to deal with a new health condition. All while trying to work connections between the two dead bodies that turn up. There is a rich man in town for a water conference, a nosy reporter who bites off more than she can chew, a preppie city boy flunky who has an amazing collection of eyeglasses, a cool bodyguard from Pie Town, New Mexico (yes, it is a real place, right close to Datil!).
What, if anything, ties these people to a serial killer?
As I said, this was very hard to put down, and the pace is fast. I love the interactions between the people of the community. (And the sheriff dealing with his remodeled office: I know exactly how he felt when he finally found the lumbar support button on his new desk chair!) King has the ability to make his characters live and breathe in the reader's mind. That kept me looking forward not only to the next chapter, but to the next book.
Speaking of that next book, it is A Matter of Malice, and I'm off to Chinook again. See you later!
June 30, 2019
What do you do when a Thumps DreadfulWater novel arrives for you at the public library? Why, you clear your schedule of course and proceed to devour it in one sitting.
Thomas King is such an excellent writer, managing to combine colourful characters with an interesting plot, numerous entertaining sub-plots and sly commentary on contemporary society. These mystery novels are a joy to read.
In this third installment, I found Thumps’ cat, Freeway, and his new neighbour’s dog, Pops, to be stars of the show.
Of course, Freeway becomes enamoured of the dog.
The friendship between cat and dog manages to cheekily comment on Thumps’ unsteady relationship with Claire, and by extension on the majority of man-woman relationships. Without making a big deal of it, King also manages to comment on the habit of using vehicles as status symbols, the house beautiful & renovation trend, the “progress” of technology, foodie culture, and the tendency of city people to judge/underestimate people in rural or small town communities.
Sheriff Duke Hockney is particularly entertaining in this book and it is worth reading just for his part in it. Unbelievably, there are copies of the fourth volume available right now at my library and I have put a hold on that title. The only disappointment is that then I will be all up to date and will not have a DreadfulWater mystery to look forward to until the Master pens another one. Please, Mr. King, may I have some more?
Thomas King is such an excellent writer, managing to combine colourful characters with an interesting plot, numerous entertaining sub-plots and sly commentary on contemporary society. These mystery novels are a joy to read.
In this third installment, I found Thumps’ cat, Freeway, and his new neighbour’s dog, Pops, to be stars of the show.
”Thumps was pretty sure that Pops was a dog.
“He’s a Komondor,” said Dixie. “Real friendly, but he tends to fart a bit.”....
Thumps started to say something about photographs and computers when he was suddenly dropped into a septic tank.
“Sorry,” said Dixie. “That’s Pops. The move has been hard on him.”
Thumps had to blink several times to clear his vision.”
Of course, Freeway becomes enamoured of the dog.
Freeway was not a fresh air enthusiast. She preferred the luxuries of a toilet with water in the bowl, a soft sofa to scratch, a dish full of food, and a carpet upon which to puke.
As soon as the dog heard his name, he struggled to his feet, spilling Freeway off his head. The cat took the disturbance in stride. She rolled onto one side and leisurely licked her groin. Lovely. The queen at her toilette.”
The friendship between cat and dog manages to cheekily comment on Thumps’ unsteady relationship with Claire, and by extension on the majority of man-woman relationships. Without making a big deal of it, King also manages to comment on the habit of using vehicles as status symbols, the house beautiful & renovation trend, the “progress” of technology, foodie culture, and the tendency of city people to judge/underestimate people in rural or small town communities.
Sheriff Duke Hockney is particularly entertaining in this book and it is worth reading just for his part in it. Unbelievably, there are copies of the fourth volume available right now at my library and I have put a hold on that title. The only disappointment is that then I will be all up to date and will not have a DreadfulWater mystery to look forward to until the Master pens another one. Please, Mr. King, may I have some more?
August 23, 2022
Really good. Mr. King blends just enough humour into this book (and the other two I've read) to take a bit of the edge of off the murder(s) in this book.
What a great story and a good number of twists, turns, surprises, characters and enough hints that those who like this type of genre would be able to figure out who the murderer was. Alas, I read too many chapters to quickly and missed the hints.
I'm getting to like the character of Thumps, because he always seems to walk that fine line of willing public servant when he helps the police and one who just wants them out of his life so he can get back to his photography, and now the health issues with Claire have been added to his daily life.
King does a wonderful job with the development of his girlfriend Claire, Duke, Cooley, Beth and Al, who seems like someone who has the pulse of Chinook at her fingertips, despite the size and location of the diner. I'm sure they will play more important roles as one reads through this series. Three down, three to go for me.
Recommend for anyone who like mysteries and thrillers. Plus, I always like supporting Canadian authors.
What a great story and a good number of twists, turns, surprises, characters and enough hints that those who like this type of genre would be able to figure out who the murderer was. Alas, I read too many chapters to quickly and missed the hints.
I'm getting to like the character of Thumps, because he always seems to walk that fine line of willing public servant when he helps the police and one who just wants them out of his life so he can get back to his photography, and now the health issues with Claire have been added to his daily life.
King does a wonderful job with the development of his girlfriend Claire, Duke, Cooley, Beth and Al, who seems like someone who has the pulse of Chinook at her fingertips, despite the size and location of the diner. I'm sure they will play more important roles as one reads through this series. Three down, three to go for me.
Recommend for anyone who like mysteries and thrillers. Plus, I always like supporting Canadian authors.
August 19, 2018
I love Thomas King (from the days of the Dead Dog Cafe on CBC radio, to all of his books) and I love how much fun his writing is in this murder mystery. He is particularly good at the witty repartee between characters, as well as the inner thoughts of the characters (like what about that six-burner stove?). I could hear his voice in my head as I was reading and chuckled out loud as I imagined how much fun he was having writing this book. Yes the characters and plot became confusing at times, but I just let the story carry me along and not worry about the confusion. This story would make a great film. King writes about serious issues (from relationship issues to the conflict between resource-extraction corporations and indigenous rights, to healthy eating and diabetes, to trauma after violence...) and has so much fun along the way without trivializing any of the issues.
January 4, 2023
As usual a Thumps DreadfulWater mystery is also quite funny. You have no privacy or secrets in a small town; and then murders start happening.
April 29, 2019
So good. Looking forward to book 4, though sad that I'm reading the series so fast!
July 20, 2021
Lots of fun as per usual. After reading Sufferance quite recently it kind of felt like the plot of this was built upon to get that story. I am really enjoying this series and look forward to the next books.
November 17, 2018
Gentle, sweet, Thomas King. Deceptively simple; deeply felt.
April 22, 2021
In “Cold Skies” Thumps Dreadful Water reluctantly gets swept up in a murder case when two bodies are found on the eve of a major water conference and the mystery becomes linked to the development of a revolutionary technology for measuring and mapping aquifers, as well as “the Bear Hump, disputed tribal land.
Set in the small town of Chinook, emotions run high not only as Thumps is pursued by Sheriff Hockney to fill his position on a temporary basis, but when he discovers a health problem and that his love interest Claire Merchant, the tribal chief may have a new boyfriend. Yet as the mystery deepens and Thumps hunts for clues to the murders the intensity is broken with sparks of humor as his cat grumpy Freeway becomes enamoured with Pops, the dog next door; with his desire to buy a six burner gas stove; and with his unpredictable old Volvo. Even Thumps and Claire’s romantic feelings are tested not only with rumors of a handsome lawyer in the life, but her own emerging health condition.
Well-developed with natural dialogue and believable police procedure the story is brought to life by a bevy of appealing but often quirky characters like reluctant, humorous, intelligent ex-cop turned photographer Thumps Dreadful Water; the irritating, know -all Greek bookstore owner Archie; the tense, busy tribal band chief Claire Merchant; her emerging responsible and devoted son; and the dedicated, sensible Sheriff Hockney.
With wonderful characters breathing life into this fascinating mystery, all too quickly “ Cold Skies” flows seamlessly to a surprising climax. I enjoy this series and am looking forward to reading Thomas King’s next Dreadful Water mystery.
Set in the small town of Chinook, emotions run high not only as Thumps is pursued by Sheriff Hockney to fill his position on a temporary basis, but when he discovers a health problem and that his love interest Claire Merchant, the tribal chief may have a new boyfriend. Yet as the mystery deepens and Thumps hunts for clues to the murders the intensity is broken with sparks of humor as his cat grumpy Freeway becomes enamoured with Pops, the dog next door; with his desire to buy a six burner gas stove; and with his unpredictable old Volvo. Even Thumps and Claire’s romantic feelings are tested not only with rumors of a handsome lawyer in the life, but her own emerging health condition.
Well-developed with natural dialogue and believable police procedure the story is brought to life by a bevy of appealing but often quirky characters like reluctant, humorous, intelligent ex-cop turned photographer Thumps Dreadful Water; the irritating, know -all Greek bookstore owner Archie; the tense, busy tribal band chief Claire Merchant; her emerging responsible and devoted son; and the dedicated, sensible Sheriff Hockney.
With wonderful characters breathing life into this fascinating mystery, all too quickly “ Cold Skies” flows seamlessly to a surprising climax. I enjoy this series and am looking forward to reading Thomas King’s next Dreadful Water mystery.
August 5, 2020
Thomas King is one of my favourite authors. The DreadfulWater series is a wonderful addition to his list of books and I have quickly learned to love the characters. Thumps DreadfulWater is the unsung hero of the series and he is just so wonderfully ordinary and special, at the same time. I hope you will add this series to your reading list and love it as much as I do. Thomas King writes with the best subtle humour and his references are pointed and deep. There is always an environmental cause that forces one to open your eyes to what is going on around you. Like with Louise Penny and 3 Pines I cannot wait to read the next in the series!
November 9, 2020
Die Wasserkonferenz
Thumbs DreadfulWater hat es nach Chinook gezogen. In Kanada soll es ruhiger zugehen als in Kalifornien, wo er als Polizist den einen Fall hatte, mit dem er nicht fertig werden konnte. Von der Polizeiarbeit will er nichts mehr wissen und verdingt sich als Fotograf. Das hindert den örtlichen Sheriff allerdings nicht, Thumbs als kommissarischen Deputy anzuheuern. Zum einen ist kein anderer verfügbar und zum anderen hat Thumbs schließlich einschlägige Erfahrung. Und so wird Thumbs gegen seinen Willen in die Ermittlung um den Tod eines Unternehmers hineingezogen, der wegen der anstehenden Wasserkonferenz im Ort weilte.
Eigentlich ist Thumbs DreadfulWater vor seiner Vergangenheit geflohen. So ganz lässt sie ihn allerdings nicht los. Er trägt die Ermittlergene einfach in sich. Doch zu Beginn dieses Falls fühlt er sich garnicht wohl. Zwar erreicht er so langsam die Mitte des Lebens, aber ein Mann wird nicht krank und schon erst recht nicht geht er zum Arzt. Seine freundlichen Mitmenschen weisen ihn aber immer wieder auf die Möglichkeit hin, dass er sich doch mal untersuchen lassen kann. Und schließlich ist Beth, die Leichenbeschauerin, auch Ärztin. Da kann sie ihm nach der Obduktion doch gleich mal Blut abnehmen. Da gehen Thumbs dann doch die Argumente aus.
Dies ist der erste Band um den indigenen Ex-Polizisten Thumbs DreadfulWater, der auf Deutsch erschienen ist. Im englischen Original handelt es sich wohl bereits um den dritten Band. Da Thumbs eine Vorgeschichte hat, stellt sich die Frage, warum mit der Reihe nicht von vorne begonnen wird. Zum Verständnis der vorliegenden Geschichte ist dies glücklicherweise nicht notwendig, die vorhandenen Hinweise machen aber schon neugierig. Thumbs wirkt wie ein sympathischer, aber etwas paddeliger mittelalter Mann, der auch nicht richtig nein sagen kann. Vielleicht will er das insgeheim auch nicht. Mit seiner Art, nicht als Polizist zu arbeiten kommt er ganz gut durch und auch ganz gut an. Obwohl eine ganze Menge passiert wirkt die Handlung eher ruhig, aber auf eine positive Art. Gut vorstellbar, sich weitere Fälle über Thumbs DreadfulWater einzuverleiben.
Thumbs DreadfulWater hat es nach Chinook gezogen. In Kanada soll es ruhiger zugehen als in Kalifornien, wo er als Polizist den einen Fall hatte, mit dem er nicht fertig werden konnte. Von der Polizeiarbeit will er nichts mehr wissen und verdingt sich als Fotograf. Das hindert den örtlichen Sheriff allerdings nicht, Thumbs als kommissarischen Deputy anzuheuern. Zum einen ist kein anderer verfügbar und zum anderen hat Thumbs schließlich einschlägige Erfahrung. Und so wird Thumbs gegen seinen Willen in die Ermittlung um den Tod eines Unternehmers hineingezogen, der wegen der anstehenden Wasserkonferenz im Ort weilte.
Eigentlich ist Thumbs DreadfulWater vor seiner Vergangenheit geflohen. So ganz lässt sie ihn allerdings nicht los. Er trägt die Ermittlergene einfach in sich. Doch zu Beginn dieses Falls fühlt er sich garnicht wohl. Zwar erreicht er so langsam die Mitte des Lebens, aber ein Mann wird nicht krank und schon erst recht nicht geht er zum Arzt. Seine freundlichen Mitmenschen weisen ihn aber immer wieder auf die Möglichkeit hin, dass er sich doch mal untersuchen lassen kann. Und schließlich ist Beth, die Leichenbeschauerin, auch Ärztin. Da kann sie ihm nach der Obduktion doch gleich mal Blut abnehmen. Da gehen Thumbs dann doch die Argumente aus.
Dies ist der erste Band um den indigenen Ex-Polizisten Thumbs DreadfulWater, der auf Deutsch erschienen ist. Im englischen Original handelt es sich wohl bereits um den dritten Band. Da Thumbs eine Vorgeschichte hat, stellt sich die Frage, warum mit der Reihe nicht von vorne begonnen wird. Zum Verständnis der vorliegenden Geschichte ist dies glücklicherweise nicht notwendig, die vorhandenen Hinweise machen aber schon neugierig. Thumbs wirkt wie ein sympathischer, aber etwas paddeliger mittelalter Mann, der auch nicht richtig nein sagen kann. Vielleicht will er das insgeheim auch nicht. Mit seiner Art, nicht als Polizist zu arbeiten kommt er ganz gut durch und auch ganz gut an. Obwohl eine ganze Menge passiert wirkt die Handlung eher ruhig, aber auf eine positive Art. Gut vorstellbar, sich weitere Fälle über Thumbs DreadfulWater einzuverleiben.
August 14, 2019
Really enjoyed King’s detective novel. Fans of his CBC radio show Dead Dog Cafe will recognize his subtle sense of humour.
The book follows the formula of a retired homicide detective who gets drafted into solving a double murder in the imaginary town of Chinook, which is probably in Idaho. The town is full of characters- a Greek bookstore owner named Archie who is a social activist, the Middle Eastern pharmacist, the band Chief who is the on and off girlfriend of the main character.
There are a number of references to characters heading off to Toronto for shopping etc, which is unlikely, given the distance. I think this is an inside joke for Canadians, who know that Torontonians think they are the centre of the universe.
The book follows the formula of a retired homicide detective who gets drafted into solving a double murder in the imaginary town of Chinook, which is probably in Idaho. The town is full of characters- a Greek bookstore owner named Archie who is a social activist, the Middle Eastern pharmacist, the band Chief who is the on and off girlfriend of the main character.
There are a number of references to characters heading off to Toronto for shopping etc, which is unlikely, given the distance. I think this is an inside joke for Canadians, who know that Torontonians think they are the centre of the universe.
November 23, 2021
Well, not too impressed. I loved reading about Canada and the First Nations content, I liked the main character, and finished it pretty fast, but overall it was quite boring. I won't read more of this series. All the main characters are male, there a few female ones but they don't get to talk a lot, they just turn up here and there. Lots of topics but all of them stay at the surface and don't get a real focus. Not bad but not great either.
April 21, 2024
I was sure I’d read a bunch of books from this series, but this is only the second. The places and the characters seem so familiar to me.
I can’t say I cared much about the victims or the water development. Cruz caught my attention and I was sad to see him go. I appreciated his passion. He was a terrific sidekick. I was also heavily invested in the looming purchase of the six burner gas stove. I hope to read the first book in this series really soon.
I can’t say I cared much about the victims or the water development. Cruz caught my attention and I was sad to see him go. I appreciated his passion. He was a terrific sidekick. I was also heavily invested in the looming purchase of the six burner gas stove. I hope to read the first book in this series really soon.
August 10, 2022
I love Thomas King, I love this series, I love Thumps, and I love the recurring cast of characters and the way their relationships are evolving as the series progresses. Can't wait to read the next one. :)
January 21, 2023
Easy to read and very engaging. Probably my favourite Dreadfulwater mystery so far.
December 25, 2018
I really live Thomas King's writing. This is the best one yet.
August 19, 2022
Best one yet of the series. I think what caught my interest in this one was not so much the intriguing plot (murders of course), but the private lives of the characters themselves (wacky, mournful, vengeful). An excellent crime/thriller/lighthearted (at times) read.
June 13, 2019
Give me a good mystery and I'm satisfied. Throw in some of Thomas King's way with words and ironic sense of humour, and I'm almost over the moon.
DreadfulWater is a retired cop who now lives in the small town of Chinook, Montana where he tries his hand at art photography. His past is weighted down by the murders of his partner and her 10 year old daughter, an unsolved case that haunts him.
When bodies start piling up just the sheriff, who's just about to head off on vacation, does his best to convince DreadfulWater to take on the role of acting sheriff.
What works for me here is all the little details, the grumpy cat, DreadfulWater's lusting after a six burner gas stove, and all the quirkiness in the characters and reality of living in a small town. Now I've got to go and read the first in the series.
DreadfulWater is a retired cop who now lives in the small town of Chinook, Montana where he tries his hand at art photography. His past is weighted down by the murders of his partner and her 10 year old daughter, an unsolved case that haunts him.
When bodies start piling up just the sheriff, who's just about to head off on vacation, does his best to convince DreadfulWater to take on the role of acting sheriff.
What works for me here is all the little details, the grumpy cat, DreadfulWater's lusting after a six burner gas stove, and all the quirkiness in the characters and reality of living in a small town. Now I've got to go and read the first in the series.
December 27, 2018
Russell Smith, the Globe and Mail arts columnist, complained in a Scrooge-like Christmas article that Canadian literature lacked wit. I have to assume Smith did not read this rollicking and humorous novel by Tom King -- another adventure featuring Cherokee ex-police detective Thumps DreadfulWater -- or he would never have reached such a conclusion.
The novel is a delightful mix of satire, jokes and word play -- all interwoven with an engaging mystery that Thumps is reluctantly drawn into solving -- plus a nice touch of understated romance for good measure.
The mystery is set off by the discovery of two bodies, both of whom are involved in a water conference being organized around technology that may be able to measure water resource availability in a land area under dispute because of Indigenous land claims. Various corporate interests are seeking control of this, adding tension as the bodies are examined to see what happened.
DreadfulWater (a great name in the circumstances) is meanwhile trying to avoid becoming involved in all this -- he's decided to be a photographer instead of a detective. But gradually he gets drawn in -- grouching all the time.
Tom King's "The Inconvenient Indian" was a biting and witty commentary on Indigenous rights (and wrongs) in North America. This novel is just as well-written. The mystery works, Thumps is a grand character and his relationship with Claire is emotionally satisfying. All in all, a very fine book!
The novel is a delightful mix of satire, jokes and word play -- all interwoven with an engaging mystery that Thumps is reluctantly drawn into solving -- plus a nice touch of understated romance for good measure.
The mystery is set off by the discovery of two bodies, both of whom are involved in a water conference being organized around technology that may be able to measure water resource availability in a land area under dispute because of Indigenous land claims. Various corporate interests are seeking control of this, adding tension as the bodies are examined to see what happened.
DreadfulWater (a great name in the circumstances) is meanwhile trying to avoid becoming involved in all this -- he's decided to be a photographer instead of a detective. But gradually he gets drawn in -- grouching all the time.
Tom King's "The Inconvenient Indian" was a biting and witty commentary on Indigenous rights (and wrongs) in North America. This novel is just as well-written. The mystery works, Thumps is a grand character and his relationship with Claire is emotionally satisfying. All in all, a very fine book!
July 5, 2021
Like a bag of chips, I couldn't read just one...
It's been over 15 years since I read the previous DreadfulWater mystery, but that didn't matter. There's enough detail in this one to (re)acquaint the reader, and it's fine as a stand-alone, but why would you stop after this one? I wasn't even finished reading it before I sought out the next book so I could keep going.
Like when you open a bag of chips and think, "I'll just have a few": I thought, "I'll just read a chapter or two" and suddenly half the book was done. Why stop there? Might as well finish it off.
The dialogue is classic King: witty, dry, characters holding two conversations simultaneously as one holds up one conversation and the other holds a different one but in the end they get there.
The general life of the protagonist was interesting enough, as the mystery slowly builds and then dominates in the final third of the book. It's a bit complicated and the back and forth of the who's swindling whom/how and why was a bit for me to follow, but it was very intriguing overall and interesting.
It's a mystery, it's a fast read, it's captivating and enjoyable with bits of subtle social commentary that proves it's actually King's writing. Like chips in the health food section: it's junk food with some vegetables slipped in.
And now I'll devour the next in the series.
It's been over 15 years since I read the previous DreadfulWater mystery, but that didn't matter. There's enough detail in this one to (re)acquaint the reader, and it's fine as a stand-alone, but why would you stop after this one? I wasn't even finished reading it before I sought out the next book so I could keep going.
Like when you open a bag of chips and think, "I'll just have a few": I thought, "I'll just read a chapter or two" and suddenly half the book was done. Why stop there? Might as well finish it off.
The dialogue is classic King: witty, dry, characters holding two conversations simultaneously as one holds up one conversation and the other holds a different one but in the end they get there.
The general life of the protagonist was interesting enough, as the mystery slowly builds and then dominates in the final third of the book. It's a bit complicated and the back and forth of the who's swindling whom/how and why was a bit for me to follow, but it was very intriguing overall and interesting.
It's a mystery, it's a fast read, it's captivating and enjoyable with bits of subtle social commentary that proves it's actually King's writing. Like chips in the health food section: it's junk food with some vegetables slipped in.
And now I'll devour the next in the series.
October 3, 2018
The deeper I get into this series, the more I appreciate it.
King’s prose is deceptively simple, so it’s easy to breeze through a DreadfulWater mystery like an Agatha Christie. But King touches on issues of sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and vengeance vs justice, which - slowly, over time - make the books feel weightier than they do at first.
I’ve also spent some time with these characters, now, and watched them - and the relationships between them - grow. Thumps and Claire were particularly charming in Cold Skies, though Archie came across as more of a caricature than anything, which disappointed me.
I’m an enormous fan of crime fiction, and of Thomas King, so I’m predisposed to be kind to the DreadfulWater series. It isn’t without its problems, of course - not all the characters are properly fleshed-out, and the dialogue could be tightened up in a few places - but it’s a very entertaining read and I’m looking forward to the next one.
King’s prose is deceptively simple, so it’s easy to breeze through a DreadfulWater mystery like an Agatha Christie. But King touches on issues of sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and vengeance vs justice, which - slowly, over time - make the books feel weightier than they do at first.
I’ve also spent some time with these characters, now, and watched them - and the relationships between them - grow. Thumps and Claire were particularly charming in Cold Skies, though Archie came across as more of a caricature than anything, which disappointed me.
I’m an enormous fan of crime fiction, and of Thomas King, so I’m predisposed to be kind to the DreadfulWater series. It isn’t without its problems, of course - not all the characters are properly fleshed-out, and the dialogue could be tightened up in a few places - but it’s a very entertaining read and I’m looking forward to the next one.
January 29, 2019
Cold Skies: A DreadfulWater Mystery - delightful mystery where Thumps DreadfulWater, a photographer and ex-California cop, gets involved with solving murders in the town of Chinook, somewhat south of the Canada-US border, and east of Washington State, near and on aboriginal land. It's funny, well written, droll, has wonderful characters (Deanna Heavy Runner, Cisco Cruz), and an interesting plot in which King ties in environmental issues.
Thomas King has a lively wit and talent for the zinger with such lines as this about a "creepy" man - "Looked like a scarecrow escaped from a cornfield," or "Parrish looked like a mannequin in the window of an upscale men's store," and will also insert a few classical references - "Stick stood in the doorway like the three hundred Spartans at Thermopylae."
King endows all the characters with strong personalities, even the cat Freeway and his aged Volvo automobile.
Delightful - I'm going to read more.
Thomas King has a lively wit and talent for the zinger with such lines as this about a "creepy" man - "Looked like a scarecrow escaped from a cornfield," or "Parrish looked like a mannequin in the window of an upscale men's store," and will also insert a few classical references - "Stick stood in the doorway like the three hundred Spartans at Thermopylae."
King endows all the characters with strong personalities, even the cat Freeway and his aged Volvo automobile.
Delightful - I'm going to read more.
January 3, 2021
First Thomas King book that I have read; I didn't realize it was the third in a series—I usually try to read books in order. But I really enjoyed this whodunit, mostly because the author does voices so well: I could hear the voice of the main character clearly (the pharmacist although a very minor character is the best, though, wow). And I do like a story where the landscape is a big part of the story and this Montana landscape was quite vivid.
btw, I wish Goodreads would let us make a note about why we click a book as "want to read" so that I could remember where I got the tip about a particular book. Having said that though, I hadn't identified this one as want to read. I think this was a Toronto Public Library staff pick that I clicked on when looking for something else. Thanks, TPL librarians!
btw, I wish Goodreads would let us make a note about why we click a book as "want to read" so that I could remember where I got the tip about a particular book. Having said that though, I hadn't identified this one as want to read. I think this was a Toronto Public Library staff pick that I clicked on when looking for something else. Thanks, TPL librarians!
February 2, 2019
This book was a little bit long. It was wide and thick as well. Probably more than it needed to be. The paperback is far more accessible. This one was from the library so it also had a plastic sleeve and some stickers. The author’s name is much larger than the title which apparently is supposed to help sell books. The cover is a nice contrast of blue and green but the whole thing seems to have a grey/grainy filter. The image is a photo of a prairie-esque landscape with a mountain in the background and some whispy clouds. The image definitely hints at a dreary vibe. The pages were a nice bright white and turned smoothly.
August 10, 2018
"Cold Skies" by Thomas King was a light-hearted cozy mystery. Thumps Dreadfulwater is the detective ...a reluctant detective who spends most of the novel humourously avoiding being named acting sheriff. All the while, Thumps is, almost off-handedly, putting an answer to why two people died in small town Montana. Is it even a murder? Double murder? Serial killer? By the time we get to the action of catching the bad guy, we've gotten to know something about the relatives, friends and acquaintances of Dreadfulwater...some Cherokee and some not so much. Excellent mystery and fun read.
June 30, 2018
Funny how libraries change when there's a new chief librarian in residence. I had never heard of this author before but maybe that's because the mystery books on display before seemed to focus more on Nordic and British crime fiction. While those remain my favourites, I enjoyed reading this one and hope to meet Mr. DreadfulWater again and see what else Order of Canada recipient (how did I not know this?) Thomas King has written.
July 23, 2018
I always love King's books. The DreadfulWater series always brings a lot of laughs, a lot of intrigue. This did not disappoint. And from the sounds of the last paragraph in the book, this series will be a continuing one. Hurray!
December 22, 2018
A lovely addition to the DreadfulWater series. A book of some suspense, some surprises, but mostly it is about real people. The digs at American shortcomings for health coverage did not hurt my Canadian sensibilities.
July 16, 2020
Things are starting to feel slightly formulaic in this series. Someone new comes to town, there's a murder, supporting characters make an appearance, Thumps is depressed and reluctantly gets involved, Claire is aloof. The dialogue remains snappy but even that is starting to grate.
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