The Cardinal Divide: A Cole Blackwater Mystery

Cole Blackwater mysteries #1

by Stephen Legault

Cole Blackwater's life isn't what it used to be. Once a political superstar within Ottawa's environmental movement, he now runs a nearly defunct conservation strategy consulting firm that distinctly lacks a paying client. His ex-wife loathes him for a scandalous affair that ended their marriage, he feels he's failing his eight-year-old daughter as a father, and he's turning far too often to the bottle to solve his problems. When Peggy McSorlie, head of the Eastern Slopes Conservation Group, seeks his help to stop a mining project planned for Alberta's magnificent Cardinal Divide, Blackwater jumps on the opportunity to earn enough money to pay the rent and buy a few pints at his favorite pub. But when Mike Barnes, head of the mining project, is brutally murdered and a radical member of Eastern Slopes is accused of killing him, Blackwater must first prove the man's innocence in order to save his own business, and the future of the Cardinal Divide.

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2008

About the author

Stephen Legault is the author of fourteen books, including most recently Where Rivers Meet: Photographs and Stories from the Bow Valley and Kananaskis and Earth and Sky: Photographs and Stories from Montana and Alberta.

He is a full-time conservation activist, writer, photographer, public speaker, and strategy consultant who lives in Canmore, Alberta with his wife Jenn, and two sons, Rio and Silas. He has been writing since 1988, and for nearly as long has been leading national and international conservation programs and organizations.

Stephen recently served as the program director (Crown, Alberta, NWT) of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y). His writing includes nine murder mystery novels, books of essays on Buddhism and Taoism and a collection of works by 25 authors on the Bow Valley of Alberta.

Follow Stephen on Facebook, or visit www.stephenlegault.com.

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to finding another Stephen Legault book. Good story line, and wonderful character development. Highly recommended.

[Patricia Tan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shame I was hoping to have discovered a new writer, character and environment but can't believe how unbelievably tedious repeatitive use of product placement and character tropes. The story line may have been good but I'm not dragging my way tro this advertisement to find out. Stuck it out to over half way. I very seldom give up on a book.