Iced

by Robert Grindy

Desperate for a way out of his community-college job in a rust-belt city, Henry Streator steals an idea from a dead student for a murder-mystery novel. But when the fictional plot hits too close to reality, Streator races to discover how an inner-city kid could have known about an impending murder. His misadventures digging through a befuddling web of sex and drug scandals ultimately endanger his own life. and leave him questioning all the stories he holds close.

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 19, 2018

Reviews

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book by a former writing professor, I hope he liked me more than Streator liked his students.

[Marcus Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really amusing mixture of community college burnout, Midwestern hijinks, conspiratorial sleuthing, subtle commentaries on racism and class divide, and the consequences of unchecked midlife boredom. Even if Streator is an unlikeable dickwad for much of the story, anybody in his position would do or believe in anything that offered respite from the mundane sludge of post-divorce, dead-end English teacher life. Even if it means hurting a couple of people along the way. Especially in a place like Decatur, Illinois (which is quite blatantly where the story takes place, the names of people and places are all just altered), where people's excitement, hopes and dreams are prematurely flattened by the crushing weight of late-stage capitalist deterioration. Which is to say, get your kicks now while they're still fresh. They'll blow up in your face later in the form of all your victims (and your conscience), but, hey, "could be worse."

I had both Robert Grindy and his wife Rosemarie for two English classes each during my time at Richland Community College. Both great teachers, even if I was a lousy student; not much better than some of Streator's worst specimens. If either of them are reading this, I apologize for never getting assignments or tests done on time. It's been over four years, so I'm sure you've either forgotten me or don't care anymore, but still. (I extend that apology to every other teacher I've ever had).

Regardless, I'm glad I finally got the chance to pick this novel up; it's surprisingly hilarious, and there were quite a few times when I had to stop for a few minutes from laughing so hard at Streator's sheer incompetence. But at the same time, his struggles are visceral and extremely realistic, and you really sympathize with the poor bastard, for all his faults. As a veteran in his chosen field, I'm sure Mr. Grindy had to project some of his own experiences onto this character, and I'd expect no less from one of the most knowledgeable professors I ever had.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iced is a an intriguing story of a disgruntled college professor who just slops his way through his job, uninterested that he's about to be fired. Until he remembers a half baked plot from a recently deceased student and decides to claim the idea for his own. The ending is a surprise. The main character is hardly likeable, he's lacidasical, surly. and indifferent. Being familiar with the local area the author used as the setting, it was amusing to decipher the veiled references in the book.