A Colder Kind of Death

A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery #4

by Gail Bowen

When a prisoner is shot to death in the exercise yard of a Saskatchewan penitentiary, Joanne Kilbourn finds herself haunted by a part of her past she wished had never happened. The dead prisoner is Kevin Tarpley, the man who six years earlier had brutally killed her politician husband, Ian, in a seemingly senseless act alongside the TransCanada Highway.

The haunting takes on a more menacing cast several days later when Tarpley’s sinister wife, Maureen, is discovered dead in a snow-swept Regina parking lot. A brightly coloured scarf is found wound tightly around her neck, a scarf that belongs to none other than Joanne Kilbourn. Soon this single mother, author, university professor, and TV-show panelist is deemed the “number one” suspect in Maureen Tarpley’s demise.

Joanne knows there has to be a connection between these two murders. But what is it? A cryptic letter sent to Joanne by Kevin Tarpley just days before his death intimates that Ian Kilbourn’s killing may not have been as senseless as first assumed. In fact, there are hints that some of Ian’s political colleagues may have been involved. But how deeply and in what way?

Then there’s the faded photograph of a pretty young woman and her baby that Joanne finds tucked in the wallet of her dead husband. Does it offer any clue to Ian’s murder, or to the deaths of the Tarpleys? Warily, Joanne Kilbourn is forced to follow a tangled trail deep into a heartbreaking past she never knew existed.

A Colder Kind of Death is the fourth novel featuring Gail Bowen’s “reluctant sleuth,” Joanne Kilbourn. With its deft mix of wry humour and mayhem, closely observed family scenes and gripping suspense, warm characterization and betrayal, it confirms Gail Bowen’s stature as one of the greats of mystery fiction.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Mystery, Canada, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Womens

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Gail Dianne Bowen (née Bartholomew) is a Canadian playwright and writer of mystery novels. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Bowen was educated at the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and the University of Saskatchewan. She subsequently taught English in Saskatchewan, and is currently a professor of English at First Nations University of Canada. Bowen's mystery novels feature Joanne Kilbourn, a widowed mother, political analyst and university professor who finds herself occasionally involved in criminal investigations in various parts of Saskatchewan. Many have been adapted as Canadian television movies by Shaftesbury Films.

Series:
* Joanne Kilbourn Mystery

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (1995): A Colder Kind of Death

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong with this 2 - I am obsessed with this series. It is absolutely batshit and I love it. I have said before it's a little bit like if Riverdale the TV series was set in Saskatchewan and about a middle aged polisci prof instead of a bunch of sexy teens. Who is not here for that? I love how Sask it is. We never get anything here! Nothing else is set here except for Corner Gas so this is a fun little treat.

So I finished this book before bed last night and I was like ah, another solid 3 stars, silly but entertaining. But then I woke up at like 1:30 and as I was about to drift off again all of a sudden it hit me (here come the spoilers so STOP NOW if you don't want to know, but you know you do): TWO OF THE THREE MURDERS WERE NEVER EXPLAINED!!!??? Like how does that happen in a murder mystery? I think it's fairly obvious how you're supposed to assume they happened but there are a lot of things that don't make sense. Even if Gary killed Maureen (which I think we're supposed to assume even though it's not even slightly implied), why did he steal Joanne's scarf and leave it on the body? That part makes zero sense. And are we to believe Maureen was somehow capable of conducting an accurate drive by shooting through the fence at the penitentiary or did she hire a hit man?

I am not sure how an editor didn't catch this, and I am not sure how this book won an award with all these plot holes. (And yes I DID re-read the last three chapters this morning to make sure I didn't miss any of this info.) I am sure that I still had a great time and it took my mind off some stressful things! Sometimes you just need to read a book that is actually insane. Love that there are like 20 more of these.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The strongest of the Joanne Kilbourn novels that I've read so far. This look into what really happened to Joanne's husband Ian had lots of twists and turns and kept me more engaged than the previous books. I'm not surprised that this novel won a book award.

[C. (Comment, don't blank click reviews). · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gail Bowen's series needs to be followed. One mystery explains why she adopted a toddler, how she met her retired teacher friend.... My beef is a stupid attitude towards cats. Digs about her best friend's cats in one volume, calling twelve year-olds elderly when cats can approach thirty, made me want to rebuke this author. It was the shittiest, inappropriate remark like: “are they still alive”! This time, while cherishing two dogs, she makes peculiar observations about cats being difficult to love; even though “A Colder Kind Of Death” presents a kitten! A kitten! Her remarks hit absurdity.

There are three saving graces. Gail is an excellent writer and plotter. She strikes a wonderful balance between pages that keep churning away at solving a mystery but fitting in enough of a home life to warm us up to her protagonist and family. Secondly, she spotlights Canada unlike anyone else. Most authors feature cities or caricature towns. Gail's tableaux between Saskatoon and Regina is how most Canadians live. We prairie people in the geographic centre, are urban and country and always close to nature either way.

The third grace is the most personal imaginable. This plot erases what resonated with me in her first but I remain thankful. I read it after our four year-old cat suddenly died from undetected heart failure; a son to us. Joanne's husband was killed by teenagers on the highway, a heartbreakingly random loss. This book's mystery reveals that it was planned. I nevertheless don't forget how grateful I was by the feelings Joanne expressed earlier. No matter how careful we are, the universe doesn't always seem to pertain to us. An authoress not partial to cats, soothed the greatest sorrow of my life. If his missing brother returns safely soon, I will be relieved forevermore.

[Allison Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am on a roll with this series. Can't remember the last time I finished a book and then went right on to the next. But I love Bowen's writing, I love the Canadian references and language and I love Jo, her family and friends. On to the next.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A disturbing venture for Joanne has her initially suspected of killing someone (Jo's scarf is found at the murder scene). She wants to clear her name, of course, but her personal investigation leads her to question how well she knew her now six-years dead husband. Bowen again creates a world in which intelligence and creativity are prized while coexisting with a seamier side of life. The more I read about Ms. Killbourn, the more I admire her. She still grades college essays even as she wrestles with her suspicions.

[Natasha Bosell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got into these books because I watched the (admittedly corny) tv movies. The books are much different but as usual they're also better than the movies. There were just enough changes made to keep me guessing even though I know I the story ends. Turns out I wasn't right about that either because they change a major part of the ending when they made the movie. It was like reading a completely new story, so that was a relief. As an American I'm embarrassed to say I don't really understand a lot about Canadian politics, so I'm learning as the books progress. All in all a pretty solid book.

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The man found guilty of murdering Joanne's husband is shot to death in the prison yard. His young wife visits Joanne and Joanne begins to unravel what really happened to her husband 6 years earlier and why he was involved. The young wife is killed next and Joanne is the potential murderer. She is cleared and the whole tale slowly unravels. Joanne's daughter's friend Jesse is central to the entire complex tale.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful story by Gail Bowen. I have been reading this series for some time. Full of dark secrets, horrible lies from years ago. It shows how desperate and ruthless, some people can be and how events from the past can rear their ugly head. I look forward to read more books in the series.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect way to spend a day. I really enjoy this mystery series. The characters are smart and complicated, and the storylines compelling. This on was no exception, a great blend of a past mystery, a recent one, and one that goes uncovered until the very end. Great reading!

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. On to the next one

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The investigation into the highway murder of a Canadian politician.

[Joan Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this light mystery.

[Jehnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fine. I like the world she builds but this book i found the characters too similar to be able to nuance who was doing what.

[Valerie Colquhoun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally an answer

[Serina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very meh read. Nothing kept me hooked, the plot was very anticlimactic, do not recommend.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Colder Kind of Death by Gail Bowen Note: While this is Book 4 in the series, it works mostly well as a stand alone. There are definitely some character backstories that I was a bit muddled on, but in regards to the main plot, they dd not matter.
Set in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, Joanne Kilbourn is a parent, a professor, a TV panelist, and a widow. Now her past comes back to her with the news that Kevin Tarpley, the man who killed her husband, Ian, six years ago, was shot to death in the exercise yard of a Saskatchewan prison. Odd as that is, it pales in comparison to the unexpected photo of a young mother with her baby in Ian’s old wallet. Then Maureen, Kevin’s wife, shows up for cocktail drinks at one of Joanne’s local haunts and ends up dead. Joanne starts digging into her husband’s past in order to unravel her current mystery.
I can see why this series is so popular! I really enjoyed this Canadian mystery. Joanne is a very interesting character with her multiple professions and her single parenting skills. Toss in the 6-year-old case of her husband’s murder with the recent death of Maureen, and you have quite the engaging story. Joanne was really caught in this balancing act – does she ask the questions and possibly dig up hurtful information or does she let things lie and cherish the memories of the husband she knew?
Even though Maureen ends up dead in the first quarter of the book, I found her character rather seductive. She obviously has quite the ego on her. Even after her demise, we continue to learn about her as Joanne digs into the past. Maureen indeed was quite the little manipulator, but Joanne has to figure out why and to what ends.
Then there is that odd photo in her husband’s old wallet. Was this a secret lover of his? His baby? I really felt for Joanne as she struggled with what to do over the photo. Should she dig into it, hoping that there was some benign reason he had this photo? Or should she let things lie, maintaining the memory of her husband? This aspect of the story really shows Joanne in a very human light as she has some ungracious thoughts about her dead husband.
The story builds cleverly upon itself as one clue after another is dragged into the light. However, they don’t all appear to be part of the same puzzle. Joanne struggles to connect them all and it’s not until near the end that things become clear. There’s also some drama at the end as the real killer feels trapped and out of choices. It was a real spin up with a final, rather messy ending. Joanne will need therapy. I was so caught up in this book, I listened to it all in one day. I plan to go back to Book 1 and enjoy the rest of the series in sequential order to get the most out of it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Audiobook Jukebox.
Narration: Lisa Bunting was a really good pick as narrator. She was the perfect Joanne in my head. I liked her male and female character voices, as well as her regional accents. While I’m no expert on Canadian Native American accents, I can say that Bunting’s performance matched my experience with Native American accents here in New Mexico. I also liked her kid voices for the various kids in Joanne’s household.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fourth episode in the Joanne Kilbourn mystery series, set in Regina, Saskatchewan featuring Poli Sci Prof Joanne Kilbourn, finds her a suspect in the killing of the girlfriend of the man who, six years earlier, had killed her husband. In trying to clear her own name she raises questions about her husband, his friends and political allies, and the ending is satisfyingly twisty.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: While this is Book 4 in the series, it works mostly well as a stand alone. There are definitely some character backstories that I was a bit muddled on, but in regards to the main plot, they dd not matter.

Set in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, Joanne Kilbourn is a parent, a professor, a TV panelist, and a widow. Now her past comes back to her with the news that Kevin Tarpley, the man who killed her husband, Ian, six years ago, was shot to death in the exercise yard of a Saskatchewan prison. Odd as that is, it pales in comparison to the unexpected photo of a young mother with her baby in Ian’s old wallet. Then Maureen, Kevin’s wife, shows up for cocktail drinks at one of Joanne’s local haunts and ends up dead. Joanne starts digging into her husband’s past in order to unravel her current mystery.

I can see why this series is so popular! I really enjoyed this Canadian mystery. Joanne is a very interesting character with her multiple professions and her single parenting skills. Toss in the 6-year-old case of her husband’s murder with the recent death of Maureen, and you have quite the engaging story. Joanne was really caught in this balancing act – does she ask the questions and possibly dig up hurtful information or does she let things lie and cherish the memories of the husband she knew?

Even though Maureen ends up dead in the first quarter of the book, I found her character rather seductive. She obviously has quite the ego on her. Even after her demise, we continue to learn about her as Joanne digs into the past. Maureen indeed was quite the little manipulator, but Joanne has to figure out why and to what ends.

Then there is that odd photo in her husband’s old wallet. Was this a secret lover of his? His baby? I really felt for Joanne as she struggled with what to do over the photo. Should she dig into it, hoping that there was some benign reason he had this photo? Or should she let things lie, maintaining the memory of her husband? This aspect of the story really shows Joanne in a very human light as she has some ungracious thoughts about her dead husband.

The story builds cleverly upon itself as one clue after another is dragged into the light. However, they don’t all appear to be part of the same puzzle. Joanne struggles to connect them all and it’s not until near the end that things become clear. There’s also some drama at the end as the real killer feels trapped and out of choices. It was a real spin up with a final, rather messy ending. Joanne will need therapy. I was so caught up in this book, I listened to it all in one day. I plan to go back to Book 1 and enjoy the rest of the series in sequential order to get the most out of it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Audiobook Jukebox.

Narration: Lisa Bunting was a really good pick as narrator. She was the perfect Joanne in my head. I liked her male and female character voices, as well as her regional accents. While I’m no expert on Canadian Native American accents, I can say that Bunting’s performance matched my experience with Native American accents here in New Mexico. I also liked her kid voices for the various kids in Joanne’s household.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't get anything done this morning because I was finishing this. I should know better.
I've read two others of MS Bowen's books but it was a while ago and this was like starting over. Her series is set in a fictional Saskatchewan in the recent past. (Saskatchewan did have a Ukrainian premier but his name was Romanow, not Dowhanuik.) Joanne Kilbourn, Bowen's 'reluctant sleuth', is a widow with three mostly grown children of her own and a 6 year old girl she adopted as a result of events in an earlier book. Her husband was murdered brutally six years earlier, the murderer was convicted and Joanne should be able to get on with her life.
The murderer is shot in the exercise yard of the Prince Albert Penitentiary. (I hope the description is incorrect and people outside that pen cannot fire inside and kill a prisoner.) This brings everything back up, the details of Ian Kilbourn's death by the side of the road as he drove home from a colleague's funeral in Swift Current, the character of the murderer, the nastiness of his girl friend and all the emotions that were swirling around that Christmas season.
We meet all of Ian's former colleagues in government, their wives or husbands, and a most unlikely Regina police inspector, a Cree named Alex Kequatooway. (If only that were a likely appointment!) We then wander through a spiral of an investigation, round and round, finding out more information, more circumstances and proving that everyone has their version of any given set of events. Well written and a fascinating read.

[Neill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the killer of Joanne’s husband is assassinated by an assailant outside his prison yard years after her husband’s death events around Joanne’s life begin to get complicated. There was a visit from the killer’s wife who had been released from custody after the killing due to the evidence of the co-accused husband’s statement of her non-involvement in the killing followed shortly by the death of the killer’s wife at a place and time that compromised Joanne. As Joanne struggles to understand these events to clear her name a conspiracy dating back years raises more concerns of the involvement of other close acquaintances in her small town and she finds threats that she never dreamed possible. An excellent book with interesting twists. Joanne Kilbourne’s political husband had been killed and his assailant had been convicted six years earlier. Just prior to her appearance on a TV show on Hallowe’en eve, “Canada This Week”, a news flash reported that his murderer had been killed in the prison yard where he was incarcerated. After her kids had gone to bed Jo found that day’s mail including a letter from her husband’s murderer with the hint of a reason for his murder. Later at a political dinner there was a confrontation with the killer’s girlfriend and the plot thickened dramatically shredding the reputations of some politicos and some friends. This was an excellent and complex story and I highly recommend it.

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Colder Kind of Death," takes to Joanne's past, and the death of her husband, Ian, an event that happened even before the time frame of the first book. By this Kilbourn mystery, Bowen's writing is at a great pace, the style is superb, and the mysteries are confounding and clever. It's Joanne that makes the stories shine, however - a woman "of a certain age" who hasn't stopped being alive, who is intelligent and emotionally real. When she brushes up against something that might sour the memory of her husband, she actually stops to wonder if she might just be better off not knowing, which is a realistic response and made me warm to her all the more.

Do start with "Deadly Appearances," and then keep on reading through them all! Canuck mystery at its best!

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth book in the series by This author. When university professor, Joanne Kilbourn learns the man convicted of killing her husband six years prior has been murdered in prison she is surprised but strangely relieved. But then she receives a letter in the mail from him just prior to his death. Then, his wife, Maureen, shows up with a strange threat. There is more to the story. Within a couple of days, Maureen is found dead, strangled with Joanne's scarf. Joanne realizes there is a connection to the two murders and she needs to find out what that is before she is next!

[David W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that one of the reasons that I like these books and rate them as I do is that I feel that I am part of the process. One book follows the other in the life of the main character - Joanne. Not only do you get an interesting mystery but you find out who Joanne is dating, how her kids are doing etc. This is not great literature but has captured me. I am reading the books in order so that I can also experience the chronological order of the books.

[Therese B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author, Gail Bowen, was recommended to me at the April meeting of the Mystery Lovers Book Club. It is good reading and well written. I would definitely look to read more by this author. The story is set in NOrthern Canada and the mystery devlopes with the death of Joanne Kilbourn's husband. He was killed six years previouly but things happen to make Joanne think he might have been unfaithful and not the man she loved. The characters are Canadian Politicians.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gail Bowen has become one of my favorite authors. She is Canadian and her books take place in Saskatchewan. This is the 4th of her books that I've read and I have a feel of this location which I have never visited. The mystery was well written and fast moving. I recommend her books to mystery lovers who like a little more than a cozy read.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gail Bowen is a Saskatchewan Writer who has carved out a quiet series of mysteries set in that very flat province involving a 40 something female sleuth who is as absorbed with domestic issues as she is with solving crime.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Canadian mystery series, with Joanne Kilbourn as the main character. It was also a well crafted Canadian series of movies, with Wendy Crewson (perfect as Joanne) and Victor Garber as her police officer friend. Set in Saskatchewan, covering provincial politics and scandals.. neat series.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favourite so far of Gail Bowen's Joanne Kilbourn mysteries. Tells the back story of Joanne's late husband's murder. Good story, fast paced and I love the Saskatchewan setting.

[MrsBlackmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Number 43 a book that takes place in your home town. It was cool to read a book that takes place in Regina. :)

[Roxy Boroughs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it very much. Nicely written. A solid whodunit.