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Sgt. Windflower Mysteries #8
Fire, Fog and Water
Fire, Fog and Water is the latest book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set in small communities on east coast of Canada.
Sgt.Windflower has more than a few mysteries on his hands. He suspects that three recent cases might be connected, but how? In Fire, Fog and Water, Bony Blithe Award winner Mike Martin is true to form, retaining the light crime genre for which he is known while delving into the most perplexing social issues of our time. Follow along as he tries to solve the cases and still find a way to enjoy friends, food and family in beautiful Grand Bank, Newfoundland.
"Be prepared to be charmed by Windflower, a food-loving sergeant who could possibly be Canada's most polite Mountie." -- Halifax Chronicle-Journal
Sgt.Windflower has more than a few mysteries on his hands. He suspects that three recent cases might be connected, but how? In Fire, Fog and Water, Bony Blithe Award winner Mike Martin is true to form, retaining the light crime genre for which he is known while delving into the most perplexing social issues of our time. Follow along as he tries to solve the cases and still find a way to enjoy friends, food and family in beautiful Grand Bank, Newfoundland.
"Be prepared to be charmed by Windflower, a food-loving sergeant who could possibly be Canada's most polite Mountie." -- Halifax Chronicle-Journal
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2019
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89 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
October 7, 2019
Mounties and murder in Newfoundland!
March in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Neither fish nor fowl. Sergeant Winston Windflower RCMP is angry, "he was sun-starved. And he knew he was angry."
"The rain, drizzle and fog didn’t help his mood either. It had been raining or drizzling or foggy every day that it hadn’t snowed."
Getting out of town and going for a run with his dog Lady always helped.
That was until Windflower slid down the greasy mountain trail, slapped into a boulder and found Lady digging up not a dead animal but, you've got it, a body!
Well things just became more complicated from then on. A hit and run adds a further layer.
All is not helped by the bullying acting Superintendent. Winston's second-in-command Corporal Eddie Tizzard runs into a nasty spot of trouble with said Super.
Windflower's background is Cree from Northern Alberta. That heritage comes to the fore in what I considered to be a high point that set Windflower apart. He a smudge practicing, Shakespeare quoting, classical music loving Mountie. Windflower's dream world, a visionary learning place is filled with surprises. His inner strength and beliefs, his attention to his rituals, his respect for his background add to that strength.
I'm also loving Windflower's relationship with his wife and daughter, and the people of the town in general.
The descriptions of dinners he shared with families and friends left me salivating.
Apart from being a great murder mystery this is a story of Newfoundland communities and relationships. Having spent a little time in Newfoundland, and loved it, this story really appealed to me. There's a multitude of layers happening,contributing to my enjoyment.
An Ottawa Press ARC via NetGalley
March in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Neither fish nor fowl. Sergeant Winston Windflower RCMP is angry, "he was sun-starved. And he knew he was angry."
"The rain, drizzle and fog didn’t help his mood either. It had been raining or drizzling or foggy every day that it hadn’t snowed."
Getting out of town and going for a run with his dog Lady always helped.
That was until Windflower slid down the greasy mountain trail, slapped into a boulder and found Lady digging up not a dead animal but, you've got it, a body!
Well things just became more complicated from then on. A hit and run adds a further layer.
All is not helped by the bullying acting Superintendent. Winston's second-in-command Corporal Eddie Tizzard runs into a nasty spot of trouble with said Super.
Windflower's background is Cree from Northern Alberta. That heritage comes to the fore in what I considered to be a high point that set Windflower apart. He a smudge practicing, Shakespeare quoting, classical music loving Mountie. Windflower's dream world, a visionary learning place is filled with surprises. His inner strength and beliefs, his attention to his rituals, his respect for his background add to that strength.
I'm also loving Windflower's relationship with his wife and daughter, and the people of the town in general.
The descriptions of dinners he shared with families and friends left me salivating.
Apart from being a great murder mystery this is a story of Newfoundland communities and relationships. Having spent a little time in Newfoundland, and loved it, this story really appealed to me. There's a multitude of layers happening,contributing to my enjoyment.
An Ottawa Press ARC via NetGalley
August 20, 2022
I re-read this excellent Canadian Police Procedural on May 22, 2021. It was just as Meaningful, just as deep.
I received a free electronic copy of this Canadian Police Procedural on September 22, 2019, from Netgalley, Mike Martin, and Ottawa Press and Publishing. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this 8th in the series of Sgt. Windflower Mysteries of my own volition and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am very pleased to recommend this series to friends and family. This is my first exposure to Mike Martin, but I will read the first seven Windflowers I have missed, and he has other series and non-fiction as well.
I thoroughly enjoy works with a setting in the Atlantic coastal areas of Canada. This novel setting is specifically Grand Bank, Newfoundland. As in my own US desert southwest, the natural isolation of communities allows those little quirks and habits that make us all different and interesting to prosper and grow. There are no cookiecutter protagonists in this story. I enjoyed them all.
Sgt Windflower is an old hand at the cop shop, but a fairly new dad. His take on the whole marriage and fatherhood thing is encouraging to see in this fast-stepping world we inhabit today. We have a look at crime, of course, but also workplace politics, the opium invasion, and what makes friends special. What makes relationships with any and everyone in your life a plus factor. As the quotes pass back and forth among the protagonists, I could feel my spirits rising. Thank you, Netgalley and Mike Martin for introducing me to the Windflower friends and family.
pub date Oct 7, 2019
rec September 22, 2019
Ottawa Press and Publishing
Reviewed on October 8, 2019, on Goodreads, Netgalley. Several titles of Martin's series are available on AmazonSmile, Kobo, and BookBub, this one was not, and I found none of his works on Barnes & Noble or GooglePlay
May 24, 2021, reviewed again at AmazonSmile, and BookBub.
I received a free electronic copy of this Canadian Police Procedural on September 22, 2019, from Netgalley, Mike Martin, and Ottawa Press and Publishing. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this 8th in the series of Sgt. Windflower Mysteries of my own volition and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am very pleased to recommend this series to friends and family. This is my first exposure to Mike Martin, but I will read the first seven Windflowers I have missed, and he has other series and non-fiction as well.
I thoroughly enjoy works with a setting in the Atlantic coastal areas of Canada. This novel setting is specifically Grand Bank, Newfoundland. As in my own US desert southwest, the natural isolation of communities allows those little quirks and habits that make us all different and interesting to prosper and grow. There are no cookiecutter protagonists in this story. I enjoyed them all.
Sgt Windflower is an old hand at the cop shop, but a fairly new dad. His take on the whole marriage and fatherhood thing is encouraging to see in this fast-stepping world we inhabit today. We have a look at crime, of course, but also workplace politics, the opium invasion, and what makes friends special. What makes relationships with any and everyone in your life a plus factor. As the quotes pass back and forth among the protagonists, I could feel my spirits rising. Thank you, Netgalley and Mike Martin for introducing me to the Windflower friends and family.
pub date Oct 7, 2019
rec September 22, 2019
Ottawa Press and Publishing
Reviewed on October 8, 2019, on Goodreads, Netgalley. Several titles of Martin's series are available on AmazonSmile, Kobo, and BookBub, this one was not, and I found none of his works on Barnes & Noble or GooglePlay
May 24, 2021, reviewed again at AmazonSmile, and BookBub.
January 10, 2023
While on a run with his dog, Lady, Sgt Winston Windflower of the RCMP slips off the road and lands up against a boulder buried in the snow -at least he thought it was a boulder. Lady’s furious digging suggests something else. Windflower digs deeper and soon he discovers a rolled up carpet and, inside, a body.
Fire, Fog and Water is the eighth in the Sgt Windflower Mysteries by Mike Martin but the first I've read. It does, however, work well as a standalone. I will admit I requested the book from Netgalley based mainly on the fact it is set in Newfoundland and I’m so glad I did. The mystery was compelling but it was the characters and their lives away from the job that kept me glued to the page. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of this series in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ottawa Press and Publishing o for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Fire, Fog and Water is the eighth in the Sgt Windflower Mysteries by Mike Martin but the first I've read. It does, however, work well as a standalone. I will admit I requested the book from Netgalley based mainly on the fact it is set in Newfoundland and I’m so glad I did. The mystery was compelling but it was the characters and their lives away from the job that kept me glued to the page. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of this series in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ottawa Press and Publishing o for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
October 26, 2019
Book 8 of the Windflower Mysteries sees a return to plenty of police work for Windflower and his small RCMP detachment in Grand Bank Newfoundland. There's a body that Windflower himself discovers, a hit and run, opioids, and arson all going on at the same time that stretches the resources to their limit. Add to this a belligerent Acting Superintendent and Windflower has his plate full (no pun intended; he always finds time to eat!). There's less of Sheila and the baby than in Darkest Before the Dawn, but enough that I tend to skip over those sections to get back to the police work. I rated this a four based on the other installments in the series, which is a good cozy mystery series with likeable characters.
October 15, 2019
I received a ARC of Fire, Fog and Water from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
I have read several of Mike Martin's books and for me this one was the best by far, having said that I enjoyed all the others ones that I read also. This book was action packed, and full of all types of issues that we now see in our everyday lives. I love his interaction Windflower has with his dog, and the love he shows for his family and friends. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
I have read several of Mike Martin's books and for me this one was the best by far, having said that I enjoyed all the others ones that I read also. This book was action packed, and full of all types of issues that we now see in our everyday lives. I love his interaction Windflower has with his dog, and the love he shows for his family and friends. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
December 24, 2024
This is the eighth book in the Sergeant Windflower series, and while I did enjoy it, I feel like the series is getting a bit stale. The police work side of the series is still going strong, but I feel like the sub-plots involving the peripheral characters are becoming repetitive, and there are only so many types of crimes that are realistic in a tiny Newfoundland fishing town. I still very much enjoyed visiting with the people of Grand Bank. I find this series relaxing and therapeutic.
November 25, 2019
Reviewed at The Power of Words: https://bit.ly/2QVZ2H0
The Sgt. Windflower series by Mike Martin is quickly becoming one of my favorites. The setting and lead character are refreshingly different from anything that I’ve read, which engages my interest and pulls me right into the story. There’s a lot of relational and character depth outside of the mystery storyline, which adds richness to the narrative. This eighth book in the series can stand alone, but I recommend reading the entire series for its character development.
The atmospheric Fire, Fog and Water is set in the small community of Grand Banks, Newfoundland. The author’s prose makes the wintertime elements and scenery come alive. Grand Banks is also home to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment, led by Sgt. Winston Windflower. This series doesn’t exactly fit one style, but rather combines elements of traditional mysteries, police procedurals, and cozy mysteries. While the mystery is investigated by the RCMP, the character depth and lack of violence reflect a cozy style.
The Grand Banks setting is one strength of this story, and Sgt. Windflower himself is another. He’s a loving family man, kind and caring, introspective, thoughtful of his coworkers and community, yet he’s portrayed realistically and flawed. I loved the descriptive passages that reflect on his relationship with his wife and daughter. Windflower comes from the Cree community of northern Alberta and is a spiritual man, following the faith of his ancestors. It was fascinating to learn about such practices as smudging and dream weaving. And on the job as crime investigator, he’s intelligent and intuitive.
After commenting on all his good qualities, it’s interesting how, at the beginning of this story, Windflower is cranky and at odds with everyone around him, alienating family, coworkers, even his beloved pets, Lady and Molly. The attitude and actions of Molly, his cat, cracked me up. The mystery involves three seemingly unrelated crimes in which Windflower senses there are dots to connect. The pacing is slow, but steady – building interest, but keeping things easy to follow at the same time.
I’m really enjoying this series and hope for many more Sgt. Windflower mysteries. In the last book I read, A Tangled Web, there wasn’t as much character depth as I would have liked, but that’s certainly not the case here. I also appreciate that these stories are clean and contain no profanity.
Highly recommended to all mystery fans.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The Sgt. Windflower series by Mike Martin is quickly becoming one of my favorites. The setting and lead character are refreshingly different from anything that I’ve read, which engages my interest and pulls me right into the story. There’s a lot of relational and character depth outside of the mystery storyline, which adds richness to the narrative. This eighth book in the series can stand alone, but I recommend reading the entire series for its character development.
The atmospheric Fire, Fog and Water is set in the small community of Grand Banks, Newfoundland. The author’s prose makes the wintertime elements and scenery come alive. Grand Banks is also home to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment, led by Sgt. Winston Windflower. This series doesn’t exactly fit one style, but rather combines elements of traditional mysteries, police procedurals, and cozy mysteries. While the mystery is investigated by the RCMP, the character depth and lack of violence reflect a cozy style.
The Grand Banks setting is one strength of this story, and Sgt. Windflower himself is another. He’s a loving family man, kind and caring, introspective, thoughtful of his coworkers and community, yet he’s portrayed realistically and flawed. I loved the descriptive passages that reflect on his relationship with his wife and daughter. Windflower comes from the Cree community of northern Alberta and is a spiritual man, following the faith of his ancestors. It was fascinating to learn about such practices as smudging and dream weaving. And on the job as crime investigator, he’s intelligent and intuitive.
After commenting on all his good qualities, it’s interesting how, at the beginning of this story, Windflower is cranky and at odds with everyone around him, alienating family, coworkers, even his beloved pets, Lady and Molly. The attitude and actions of Molly, his cat, cracked me up. The mystery involves three seemingly unrelated crimes in which Windflower senses there are dots to connect. The pacing is slow, but steady – building interest, but keeping things easy to follow at the same time.
I’m really enjoying this series and hope for many more Sgt. Windflower mysteries. In the last book I read, A Tangled Web, there wasn’t as much character depth as I would have liked, but that’s certainly not the case here. I also appreciate that these stories are clean and contain no profanity.
Highly recommended to all mystery fans.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
October 3, 2020
The only thing you won't like about the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries is the weather.....but that's okay, the characters in the book don't like it very much either.
I have had the pleasure of reading all the books in this series and I can honestly say that I am a HUGE fan of the series and author Mike Martin. Now when I open one of the books, it's more than just reading a books, it's taking a vacation and visiting with family and friends.... and with every new book in the series you grow with them.
In Fire, Fog and Water, the eighth book in this series, not only does Sgt. Winston Windflower have a lot on his plate at work but his Corporal and good friend, Edward Tizzard is dealing with a lot of things as well. Windflower and Tizzard have both grown a lot throughout this series but in Fire, Fog and Water, their inner strength will be tested to the limit.
As with the other books in this series, Windflower has a lot going on with work...being in charge of the Grand Bank detachment of the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) is a job he takes very seriously. Keeping his town and people safe is what he lives for. However, his wife, Sheila and their daughter, Amelia Louise, is what he breathes for.
In Fire, Fog and Water while out for a run on a trail with his dog Lady, Windflower stumbles, falls and lands next to a rolled up carpet with a dead body in it. This will take him and his employees down a twisted road involving drugs, more death, fire and bad decisions. All of this is nothing that Windflower and his detachment cannot handle but when a huge problem develops within the RCMP involving Tizzard and his fiance Carrie Evanchuk, this may be the straw that breaks the camels back !!!
I have probably said this before but it rings true with every book I read in this series but I can sit and read about Windflower shuffling paperwork around at work and going home to his wife, daughter and pets and having dinner and walking around town. I don't need all the excitement that the RCMP brings to the table.....don't get me wrong, I'm not going to turn away when reading about it. It's just that the way Martin writes allowing your mind to open, you can see everything clearer than some of Windflowers dreams. And the picture you see is one you will want to hold on to as long as you can.......
I have had the pleasure of reading all the books in this series and I can honestly say that I am a HUGE fan of the series and author Mike Martin. Now when I open one of the books, it's more than just reading a books, it's taking a vacation and visiting with family and friends.... and with every new book in the series you grow with them.
In Fire, Fog and Water, the eighth book in this series, not only does Sgt. Winston Windflower have a lot on his plate at work but his Corporal and good friend, Edward Tizzard is dealing with a lot of things as well. Windflower and Tizzard have both grown a lot throughout this series but in Fire, Fog and Water, their inner strength will be tested to the limit.
As with the other books in this series, Windflower has a lot going on with work...being in charge of the Grand Bank detachment of the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) is a job he takes very seriously. Keeping his town and people safe is what he lives for. However, his wife, Sheila and their daughter, Amelia Louise, is what he breathes for.
In Fire, Fog and Water while out for a run on a trail with his dog Lady, Windflower stumbles, falls and lands next to a rolled up carpet with a dead body in it. This will take him and his employees down a twisted road involving drugs, more death, fire and bad decisions. All of this is nothing that Windflower and his detachment cannot handle but when a huge problem develops within the RCMP involving Tizzard and his fiance Carrie Evanchuk, this may be the straw that breaks the camels back !!!
I have probably said this before but it rings true with every book I read in this series but I can sit and read about Windflower shuffling paperwork around at work and going home to his wife, daughter and pets and having dinner and walking around town. I don't need all the excitement that the RCMP brings to the table.....don't get me wrong, I'm not going to turn away when reading about it. It's just that the way Martin writes allowing your mind to open, you can see everything clearer than some of Windflowers dreams. And the picture you see is one you will want to hold on to as long as you can.......
September 27, 2019
This book is #8 in the Sgt.Winston Windflower series but is easily read as a standalone, although I would thoroughly recommend that readers indulge themselves with previous books (if not already done so-as I have done) to really immerse yourselves in these lovely stories of life for the RCMP Officer in Grand Bank, Newfoundland, and Winston's journey to the present time.
Reading this latest book is like putting on an old much-loved sweater, hot chocolate in hand, in front of a fire, to experience the warmth of Winston's life, family, friends and colleagues; albeit interrupted by a complex criminal investigation.
Winston if not happy. He's angry. He's cranky with everybody - his wife Sheila, colleagues and friends. It's been a seemingly long, drab winter. He's unsettled and is questioning his life - not least of all as a Mountie. His boss, Acting Inspector Richard Raymond, is demanding, unforgiving and disrespectful. Basically - Winston feels lost.
To think things through Winston takes a run with Lady, his dog, and literally stumbles across a body, wrapped in a carpet, on a hiking trail. This is swiftly followed by an attempted murder from a hit-and-run; a parcel bomb delivered to murder a prominent businessman, and a fire that destroyed a house.
Meanwhile, Winston discovers he's not the only one disgruntled by Acting Inspector Raymond - Carrie Evanchuk, Eddie Tizzard's fiancee, is thoroughly upset about her treatment working for him, leading to Eddie taking things a little too far.
Mike Martin seems to effortlessly weave contemporary societal issues into his stories. Here, we have mental health issues addressed; workplace harassment, and the increasing addiction-trade of opioid drugs. BUT - these stories do not 'dwell' on these issues - they 'remark' on society at this time and are reflected in Winston and his team's investigations - the major story, I feel, is that Winston had become depressed - had neglected his spirituality, and returning to that, through dreams and advice, showed him the 'way back'.
Admittedly, In the opening chapter of this book, I thought - No, please, Winston is just So in control - such a NICE person, how can you make him disgruntled?
Read on....................
Reading this latest book is like putting on an old much-loved sweater, hot chocolate in hand, in front of a fire, to experience the warmth of Winston's life, family, friends and colleagues; albeit interrupted by a complex criminal investigation.
Winston if not happy. He's angry. He's cranky with everybody - his wife Sheila, colleagues and friends. It's been a seemingly long, drab winter. He's unsettled and is questioning his life - not least of all as a Mountie. His boss, Acting Inspector Richard Raymond, is demanding, unforgiving and disrespectful. Basically - Winston feels lost.
To think things through Winston takes a run with Lady, his dog, and literally stumbles across a body, wrapped in a carpet, on a hiking trail. This is swiftly followed by an attempted murder from a hit-and-run; a parcel bomb delivered to murder a prominent businessman, and a fire that destroyed a house.
Meanwhile, Winston discovers he's not the only one disgruntled by Acting Inspector Raymond - Carrie Evanchuk, Eddie Tizzard's fiancee, is thoroughly upset about her treatment working for him, leading to Eddie taking things a little too far.
Mike Martin seems to effortlessly weave contemporary societal issues into his stories. Here, we have mental health issues addressed; workplace harassment, and the increasing addiction-trade of opioid drugs. BUT - these stories do not 'dwell' on these issues - they 'remark' on society at this time and are reflected in Winston and his team's investigations - the major story, I feel, is that Winston had become depressed - had neglected his spirituality, and returning to that, through dreams and advice, showed him the 'way back'.
Admittedly, In the opening chapter of this book, I thought - No, please, Winston is just So in control - such a NICE person, how can you make him disgruntled?
Read on....................
October 7, 2019
Sgt. Winston Windflower is just not having a good day. It starts out with a fight with his wife, Sheila, and then he – literally – stumbles over a body while out for a run, and finishes up with getting the riot act from his acting boss.
He’s out of sorts, things are just “off” and he doesn’t know why. He tells a friend, “It’s like I’ve lost my voice. I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’ve turned into a husband and a father and a Mountie. But who am I, really? I feel overworked and under-appreciated.” The B &B he and Sheila operate is starting to fall apart, and he wonders if he should concentrate his energy there and preserve something for their daughter, Amelia, or let that go and continue to fight the good fight at work.
To add to his personal angst, things heat up on the work front. A woman who has a connection to the dead guy he stumbled over is gravely injured in a hit-and-run, and Grand Bank may be at the forefront of a purple fentanyl epidemic. He finally gets fed up with his weenie boss and files a complaint about the boss’s treatment of him and his employees.
I have long loved this series; it just keeps getting better and better. This book 8 has all the things I love – an interesting, topical plot; lovely descriptions of Winston’s off hours; beautiful settings; descriptions of food so detailed I get hungry; the interactions between the characters; and Winston’s love for his family and his job.
These are clean mysteries, in that there is no sex and the action scenes are tastefully described. Normally “clean” makes me want to run away, but spending time with Windflower and his family and crew is a soothing experience. Sure, there’s quite a bit going on and people struggle, but I always come away with a sense that everything will turn out as it should in the end, and the author never disappoints.
He’s out of sorts, things are just “off” and he doesn’t know why. He tells a friend, “It’s like I’ve lost my voice. I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’ve turned into a husband and a father and a Mountie. But who am I, really? I feel overworked and under-appreciated.” The B &B he and Sheila operate is starting to fall apart, and he wonders if he should concentrate his energy there and preserve something for their daughter, Amelia, or let that go and continue to fight the good fight at work.
To add to his personal angst, things heat up on the work front. A woman who has a connection to the dead guy he stumbled over is gravely injured in a hit-and-run, and Grand Bank may be at the forefront of a purple fentanyl epidemic. He finally gets fed up with his weenie boss and files a complaint about the boss’s treatment of him and his employees.
I have long loved this series; it just keeps getting better and better. This book 8 has all the things I love – an interesting, topical plot; lovely descriptions of Winston’s off hours; beautiful settings; descriptions of food so detailed I get hungry; the interactions between the characters; and Winston’s love for his family and his job.
These are clean mysteries, in that there is no sex and the action scenes are tastefully described. Normally “clean” makes me want to run away, but spending time with Windflower and his family and crew is a soothing experience. Sure, there’s quite a bit going on and people struggle, but I always come away with a sense that everything will turn out as it should in the end, and the author never disappoints.
November 9, 2019
4 and 1 / 2 stars
Sergeant Windflower of the Grand Bank Detachment returns in this, the latest in the series.
He finds a body in the snow. It is identified as a local man named Paul Sparkes. He was a man who was known to be a small time criminal. Windflower also has a possible hit and run on his hands and a particularly cranky boss. Time passes and things come to a nasty head with his boss. An altercation takes place at the Grand Bank station. A fire breaks out at an abandoned house. It is arson.
Are all these cases tied together? How?
Windflower is a kind and introspective guy. He does his best to follows his family's traditions and listens to his dreams. He is kind to his employees and loves his wife and daughter very much. This is a warm hearted police procedural which focuses as much on Windflower's personal life as it does on the investigation. It is almost a cozy mystery. It is distinctly different than the usual hard bitten police procedurals I usually read. It was a very nice side trip into an imaginary town in Newfoundland.
I want to thank NetGalley and Ottawa Press and Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this delightful book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Sergeant Windflower of the Grand Bank Detachment returns in this, the latest in the series.
He finds a body in the snow. It is identified as a local man named Paul Sparkes. He was a man who was known to be a small time criminal. Windflower also has a possible hit and run on his hands and a particularly cranky boss. Time passes and things come to a nasty head with his boss. An altercation takes place at the Grand Bank station. A fire breaks out at an abandoned house. It is arson.
Are all these cases tied together? How?
Windflower is a kind and introspective guy. He does his best to follows his family's traditions and listens to his dreams. He is kind to his employees and loves his wife and daughter very much. This is a warm hearted police procedural which focuses as much on Windflower's personal life as it does on the investigation. It is almost a cozy mystery. It is distinctly different than the usual hard bitten police procedurals I usually read. It was a very nice side trip into an imaginary town in Newfoundland.
I want to thank NetGalley and Ottawa Press and Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this delightful book for me to read, enjoy and review.
October 13, 2019
I received a free copy of this new book by Mike Martin. Having read all of his books to date I was happy to read this latest one. My review is of my own volition and a honest view of the book.
Winston Windflower is a hero in this book but he has been one in my eyes throughout this series. If only there was a real person like him, a kind and generous man, a wonderful affectionate father and supportive husband. He is the consummate family man but a hard-working Mountie too.
Mike Martin has created an enjoyable series with plenty of action in Winston’s daily life as a Mountie. There are drugs, murders, mayhem and danger at every turn as he tries to solve and connect the dots in these cases. The supporting characters are well defined and likable and round out the story satisfactorily. The background of Canada sounds like a lovely place to live besides all the fog and cold weather and snow.
The author writes in a easy manner that makes the story feel as if you are part of the cast and at home or taking a walk along with Winston and Lady, his dog. A thoroughly enjoyable and quick read that makes you want for more. Love Mike Martin books. Looking forward to more! Highly recommend!
Winston Windflower is a hero in this book but he has been one in my eyes throughout this series. If only there was a real person like him, a kind and generous man, a wonderful affectionate father and supportive husband. He is the consummate family man but a hard-working Mountie too.
Mike Martin has created an enjoyable series with plenty of action in Winston’s daily life as a Mountie. There are drugs, murders, mayhem and danger at every turn as he tries to solve and connect the dots in these cases. The supporting characters are well defined and likable and round out the story satisfactorily. The background of Canada sounds like a lovely place to live besides all the fog and cold weather and snow.
The author writes in a easy manner that makes the story feel as if you are part of the cast and at home or taking a walk along with Winston and Lady, his dog. A thoroughly enjoyable and quick read that makes you want for more. Love Mike Martin books. Looking forward to more! Highly recommend!
November 5, 2019
Picturesque is how I would describe the latest installment of the Sgt. Windflower mystery novels by Mark Martin. The 8th book I the installment keeps us right in line with the other mysteries, on the eastern coast of Canada. Sgt. Windflower is having a bad day when he discovers a body rolled in a carpet – what a cliché, but he has yet to figure out that this is only the beginning of a mystery that will lead him on a merry chase of clue after clue until he can apprehend the culprit all the while trying to enjoy as much food as he can.
Witty dialogue and enchanting descriptions of the coastline, this book was a wonderful read, it was lighthearted and yet had substance and the characters were smart, not dolts stumbling about. Spelling or syntax errors were nonexistent, and it shows that the writer is competent and loves his characters with the effortless writing here.
Witty dialogue and enchanting descriptions of the coastline, this book was a wonderful read, it was lighthearted and yet had substance and the characters were smart, not dolts stumbling about. Spelling or syntax errors were nonexistent, and it shows that the writer is competent and loves his characters with the effortless writing here.
November 16, 2019
Fire, Fog and Water is the latest book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set in Grand Bank, Newfoundland.
I have read several of the books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them all. It has been a pleasure to watch Sgt. Winston Windflower develop in both his personal and professional life, to be enveloped in the beautiful Canadian location and to learn more about his beliefs, local history and the spirit world.
Author Mike Martin has a gift for combining the authenticity of crime – drugs, murder, abuse – with charming characters, love of friends, family and animals, and an overall feeling that despite horrific events that can and do happen there are still good people in this world.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. I recommend this book and this series without hesitation.
I have read several of the books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them all. It has been a pleasure to watch Sgt. Winston Windflower develop in both his personal and professional life, to be enveloped in the beautiful Canadian location and to learn more about his beliefs, local history and the spirit world.
Author Mike Martin has a gift for combining the authenticity of crime – drugs, murder, abuse – with charming characters, love of friends, family and animals, and an overall feeling that despite horrific events that can and do happen there are still good people in this world.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. I recommend this book and this series without hesitation.
November 7, 2019
A fun mystery adventure
Fire, fog, and water is a fun and fast paced mystery adventure with our favorite investigator Sargent Windflower. As the story begins, Windflower is investigating three cases that seem to be connected in some way but the method has thus far eluded him. As expected, the good Sargent finds himself involved in a case with a body and a path that twists through the journey in search of the truth. I have always liked mystery’s and this is one of my favorite series. Every time I pick up a Windflower story, I am never disappointed. The story is entertaining and the characters are well developed and relatable while the author keeps your attention from the first page. Check out this mystery if you love the thrill of the chase.
Fire, fog, and water is a fun and fast paced mystery adventure with our favorite investigator Sargent Windflower. As the story begins, Windflower is investigating three cases that seem to be connected in some way but the method has thus far eluded him. As expected, the good Sargent finds himself involved in a case with a body and a path that twists through the journey in search of the truth. I have always liked mystery’s and this is one of my favorite series. Every time I pick up a Windflower story, I am never disappointed. The story is entertaining and the characters are well developed and relatable while the author keeps your attention from the first page. Check out this mystery if you love the thrill of the chase.
January 19, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Ottawa Press and Publishing for the eARC.
This was the first book I read in the Sergeant Winston Windflower series and thoroughly enjoyed.
Sgt. Windflower is having a bad day after having a fight with his wife Sheila, finding a body on his run with his beloved dog and getting an earful from his boss. This is the start of a complicated case that also involves the hit and run of a young woman, culminating in the realization that it's all to do with the making and distribution of fentanyl/heroin pills.
I was surprised and sad to learn that Canada has the same opioid crisis that has ravaged the States.
The sense of place is terrific, especially for me, as I vividly remember being stuck at St. John's airport due to thick fog. Wildflower is an extremely likeable character with a lovely family who keep him sane, as do his daily prayers of thankfulness.
A lovely and thoughtful book that I recommend with complete confidence.The
This was the first book I read in the Sergeant Winston Windflower series and thoroughly enjoyed.
Sgt. Windflower is having a bad day after having a fight with his wife Sheila, finding a body on his run with his beloved dog and getting an earful from his boss. This is the start of a complicated case that also involves the hit and run of a young woman, culminating in the realization that it's all to do with the making and distribution of fentanyl/heroin pills.
I was surprised and sad to learn that Canada has the same opioid crisis that has ravaged the States.
The sense of place is terrific, especially for me, as I vividly remember being stuck at St. John's airport due to thick fog. Wildflower is an extremely likeable character with a lovely family who keep him sane, as do his daily prayers of thankfulness.
A lovely and thoughtful book that I recommend with complete confidence.The
Read
September 11, 2020Thank you NetGalley and Ottawa Press and Publishing for the eARC.
This was my first Sergeant Windflower book and I enjoyed it a lot.
Sgt. Windflower is having a bad day: he's had a fight with his wife, found a body on his walk with his beloved dog and gets an earful from his boss. This is the start of a complicated case that also features the hit and run of a young woman culminating in the realization that it's all to do with the making and selling of fentanyl/heroin pills. The sense of place is terrific; I vividly remember being stuck at St.John's airport during dense fog.
Windflower is a terrific character with a lovely family who keep him sane, a great dog and his daily prayers of thankfulness.
A lovely and thoughtful book that I definitely recommend.
This was my first Sergeant Windflower book and I enjoyed it a lot.
Sgt. Windflower is having a bad day: he's had a fight with his wife, found a body on his walk with his beloved dog and gets an earful from his boss. This is the start of a complicated case that also features the hit and run of a young woman culminating in the realization that it's all to do with the making and selling of fentanyl/heroin pills. The sense of place is terrific; I vividly remember being stuck at St.John's airport during dense fog.
Windflower is a terrific character with a lovely family who keep him sane, a great dog and his daily prayers of thankfulness.
A lovely and thoughtful book that I definitely recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2020
As with no many Newfoundlanders this author left home to make a living but writes about home, specifically, the Burin Peninsula. He lives in Ottawa.
This is a Winston Windflower mystery. An RCMP officer who is a native Canadian. As this outing begins it is he who literally stumbles across the body while walking his collie, Lady.
We hear a lot about his infant daughter and pet collie and cat; along with family life. The locals talk Newfie dialect and eat fried cod with scuncheons. Native dream interpretation figures as well.
The officers suffer from a bad superior but in the end right prevails.
This is a Winston Windflower mystery. An RCMP officer who is a native Canadian. As this outing begins it is he who literally stumbles across the body while walking his collie, Lady.
We hear a lot about his infant daughter and pet collie and cat; along with family life. The locals talk Newfie dialect and eat fried cod with scuncheons. Native dream interpretation figures as well.
The officers suffer from a bad superior but in the end right prevails.
May 15, 2021
I enjoyed so much about this book which has Sergeant Winston Windflower facing several mysteries at once. The setting is Newfoundland, Sgt. Windflower and coworkers of members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Place. This is an entertaining mystery with well-developed characters and enchanting descriptions of the landscape. I highly recommend this book.
I received an advanced readers copy of this book for Net Galley for my unbiased review.
I received an advanced readers copy of this book for Net Galley for my unbiased review.
October 2, 2023
I know I said I wouldn’t read any more of these, but some were on hold for me at the library, and they are quick and easy to read.
Certainly not the best in the series, a little bit repetitive - gangs and drugs in Newfoundland. Winston and Sheila have a little girl, Amelia Louise who is a character in her own right. She acts as a foil against Winston’s worries and depression.
He really could be described as Canada’s most polite Mountie.
Certainly not the best in the series, a little bit repetitive - gangs and drugs in Newfoundland. Winston and Sheila have a little girl, Amelia Louise who is a character in her own right. She acts as a foil against Winston’s worries and depression.
He really could be described as Canada’s most polite Mountie.
January 9, 2020
The setting for this book is very well defined and developed. It's as recognizable as your own community. The characters are woven into the community, I know several people just like these. Mike Martin is well skilled at drawing us into the story. It was very hard for me to set it down. I was not shocked at the ending but I very much enjoyed the journey to get there.
March 30, 2020
It's the second book I read in this series and I'm fascinated by the setting.
It's a good story, well written and engrossing. The cast of characters is fleshed out and the plot well crafted.
I hope to read other books in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's a good story, well written and engrossing. The cast of characters is fleshed out and the plot well crafted.
I hope to read other books in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
February 11, 2024
Rating it as a cozy mystery, it's an excellent one and a very enjoyable read. I like the current social issues that he brings into his novels and I love that he describes his everyday life with his family and friends and the physical environment of his surroundings. This is the third Windflower mystery that I've read and I look forward to reading them all.
January 17, 2020
Read complete feature at the following link"
altwire.com/lifestyles/book-remarks-f...
Sgt. Winston Windflower is crooked as sin. Who can blame him? It’s March month in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and fog stoggs the space between sea and sky. It seems like the sun has hie-dee-hoed to foreign parts.
First thing in the morning Wince snaps at two of his staff — Const. Yvette Jones and Const. Rick Smithson. He’s so friggin’ crooked he even snaps at his administrative assistant, steadfast Betsy Molloy, who agrees with the constables when she says, “He’s a cranky-bones this morning.”
Wince is not sure why he’s such a crooked arse, but he knows for certain he’s “sun-starved”. The leaky roof of the B & B he and his wife Sheila own, crying out for a $10,000 repair, isn’t helping matters either, eh b’ys?
Realizing he must get out of the office to clear his head, Windflower decides to take his dog Lady for a jog on a hillside trail behind the town. While running down a slippery slope — now there’s a cliché! — Wince … well, he slips on the slope and falls tits-up down over a bank.
His roll stops when he bangs into a boulder. When he regains his senses, Wince spots Lady digging at a snow-covered mound that turns out to be a rolled-up carpet, inside of which Windflower finds a “human head its hair frozen and matted with blood.”
The head is still attached to the rest of the dead man’s body. Nevertheless, Wince has stumbled upon a murder victim. As it turn outs, the less-than-innocent Paul Sparkes.
And get this — when the body thaws the coroner determines Sparkes died of an insulin overdose. Since Sparkes wasn’t suffering from diabetes, the evidence suggests that a diabetic person might have administered the overdose.
Gitty-up horsey. Grand Bank’s number one Mountie is on the trail of a killer in this brand-new Windflower adventure — Fire, Fog and Wind [Ottawa Press and Publishing].
Back up a smidgen. Before Sparkes’ body has thawed out on the coroner’s cooling board there’s a hit and run on the road to Fortune, and Daphne Burry — a woman of known disreputable character — winds up in the hospital at Burin.
None of this sweetens Windflower’s pickle-puss mood.
Poking at Windflower with a forkeyed stick, so to speak, is his boss, Acting Inspector Richard Raymond, who — among other things — suggests Windflower has too much free time on his hands.
There’s another thing about Inspector Raymond — Const. Evanchuk complains to Windflower that Raymond has been harassing her, to the point that she has considered leaving the force.
If you’ve read Sgt. Windflower’s earlier adventures, you’re familiar with Cpl. Eddie Tizzard, a young Mountie who confesses he has “impeccable timing when it comes to food.” Also, you know Tizzard hearts Evanchuk.
It ought not be surprising when Raymond says, “Evanchuk is nothing …” Tizzard takes action … that you will know the details of only when you read this gem-dandy Windflower yarn.
It’s an oddity for Windflower to be crooked and, after a spell, he begins to pull out of it because …
… well, because during the years he has lived in Grand Bank, Windflower has become domesticated to death.
Windflower’s homelife belongs in a 1950s family TV show. He dearly loves his wife, Sheila. He’s head over heels in love with his little daughter, Amelia Louise. He’s as devoted to his dog as she is to him. He’s … well, he’s grown fond of Molly the cat — although during his cranky spurt he felt like giving her the boots.
Here’s a line that exemplifies Windflower’s domestic holding ground: “Sheila hugged him while Amelia Louise, Lady and Molly fought over possession of his ankles.”
Crooked or not, a man can’t ask for much more love than that, eh b’ys?
And another thing. Winston Windflower is a Cree from Pink Lake, Alberta, and, as such, he is familiar with a dreamtime spirit world. In addition to his daily smudging with mossy smoke and an eagle’s feather, Windflower often slips into vivid dreams in which dreamtime creatures — especially a rather loquacious moose —offer him guidance.
That’s always a help, eh b’ys?
Synopsis: a dead guy rolled in a carpet, a hit and run, a couple more dead guys, drugs, explosions and fires, and another dead guy. “All this and more,” as Rick Mercer used to say.
Crooked as sin, maybe, but Windflower is never completely ruffled. He always finds times to chat with his bevy of buddies, each of them capable of offering sage advice via pithy quotations.
Here’s one from famous poet Rabindranath Tagore, (Everybody’s heard of him, eh b’ys?) the Bard of the Bengali: “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”
Faced with an ocean of crime, Windflower doesn’t hem and haw like the Bard of Avon’s Prince of Denmark, he mounts up (he’s a Mountie, after all) and rides gallopy-trot into the sea.
Thank you for reading.
Harold Walters lives in Dunville, Newfoundland, doing his damnedest to live Happily Ever After. Reach him at ghwalters663@gmail.com.
altwire.com/lifestyles/book-remarks-f...
Sgt. Winston Windflower is crooked as sin. Who can blame him? It’s March month in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and fog stoggs the space between sea and sky. It seems like the sun has hie-dee-hoed to foreign parts.
First thing in the morning Wince snaps at two of his staff — Const. Yvette Jones and Const. Rick Smithson. He’s so friggin’ crooked he even snaps at his administrative assistant, steadfast Betsy Molloy, who agrees with the constables when she says, “He’s a cranky-bones this morning.”
Wince is not sure why he’s such a crooked arse, but he knows for certain he’s “sun-starved”. The leaky roof of the B & B he and his wife Sheila own, crying out for a $10,000 repair, isn’t helping matters either, eh b’ys?
Realizing he must get out of the office to clear his head, Windflower decides to take his dog Lady for a jog on a hillside trail behind the town. While running down a slippery slope — now there’s a cliché! — Wince … well, he slips on the slope and falls tits-up down over a bank.
His roll stops when he bangs into a boulder. When he regains his senses, Wince spots Lady digging at a snow-covered mound that turns out to be a rolled-up carpet, inside of which Windflower finds a “human head its hair frozen and matted with blood.”
The head is still attached to the rest of the dead man’s body. Nevertheless, Wince has stumbled upon a murder victim. As it turn outs, the less-than-innocent Paul Sparkes.
And get this — when the body thaws the coroner determines Sparkes died of an insulin overdose. Since Sparkes wasn’t suffering from diabetes, the evidence suggests that a diabetic person might have administered the overdose.
Gitty-up horsey. Grand Bank’s number one Mountie is on the trail of a killer in this brand-new Windflower adventure — Fire, Fog and Wind [Ottawa Press and Publishing].
Back up a smidgen. Before Sparkes’ body has thawed out on the coroner’s cooling board there’s a hit and run on the road to Fortune, and Daphne Burry — a woman of known disreputable character — winds up in the hospital at Burin.
None of this sweetens Windflower’s pickle-puss mood.
Poking at Windflower with a forkeyed stick, so to speak, is his boss, Acting Inspector Richard Raymond, who — among other things — suggests Windflower has too much free time on his hands.
There’s another thing about Inspector Raymond — Const. Evanchuk complains to Windflower that Raymond has been harassing her, to the point that she has considered leaving the force.
If you’ve read Sgt. Windflower’s earlier adventures, you’re familiar with Cpl. Eddie Tizzard, a young Mountie who confesses he has “impeccable timing when it comes to food.” Also, you know Tizzard hearts Evanchuk.
It ought not be surprising when Raymond says, “Evanchuk is nothing …” Tizzard takes action … that you will know the details of only when you read this gem-dandy Windflower yarn.
It’s an oddity for Windflower to be crooked and, after a spell, he begins to pull out of it because …
… well, because during the years he has lived in Grand Bank, Windflower has become domesticated to death.
Windflower’s homelife belongs in a 1950s family TV show. He dearly loves his wife, Sheila. He’s head over heels in love with his little daughter, Amelia Louise. He’s as devoted to his dog as she is to him. He’s … well, he’s grown fond of Molly the cat — although during his cranky spurt he felt like giving her the boots.
Here’s a line that exemplifies Windflower’s domestic holding ground: “Sheila hugged him while Amelia Louise, Lady and Molly fought over possession of his ankles.”
Crooked or not, a man can’t ask for much more love than that, eh b’ys?
And another thing. Winston Windflower is a Cree from Pink Lake, Alberta, and, as such, he is familiar with a dreamtime spirit world. In addition to his daily smudging with mossy smoke and an eagle’s feather, Windflower often slips into vivid dreams in which dreamtime creatures — especially a rather loquacious moose —offer him guidance.
That’s always a help, eh b’ys?
Synopsis: a dead guy rolled in a carpet, a hit and run, a couple more dead guys, drugs, explosions and fires, and another dead guy. “All this and more,” as Rick Mercer used to say.
Crooked as sin, maybe, but Windflower is never completely ruffled. He always finds times to chat with his bevy of buddies, each of them capable of offering sage advice via pithy quotations.
Here’s one from famous poet Rabindranath Tagore, (Everybody’s heard of him, eh b’ys?) the Bard of the Bengali: “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”
Faced with an ocean of crime, Windflower doesn’t hem and haw like the Bard of Avon’s Prince of Denmark, he mounts up (he’s a Mountie, after all) and rides gallopy-trot into the sea.
Thank you for reading.
Harold Walters lives in Dunville, Newfoundland, doing his damnedest to live Happily Ever After. Reach him at ghwalters663@gmail.com.
September 20, 2022
This is a good series :)
March 9, 2020
Sergeant Winston Windflower is the ranking officer in an RCMP detachment based in Grand Bank, a small village located on the south coast of Newfoundland. Like other such villages it is changing, experiencing crimes like drugs and murder, that locals haven’t often seen in their communities. The shift threatens Newfoundland’s traditional ways, a lifestyle that attracted Windflower to the province in the first place. It is a small posting, with a handful of junior officers and one civilian staff member, all of whom have formed tight bonds among themselves and with the community. But lately those bonds have become stressed: a recently-appointed senior officer in Marystown, Acting Inspector Richard Raymond, is ruling with a heavy hand. Constable Carrie Evanchuk has complained privately to Windlfower that Raymond has bullied her, and it’s not long before other, even more disturbing allegations surface. Things come to a boil when Evanchuk’s fiancée, Corporal Eddiie Tizzard, physically attacks the senior officer. Normally a career-ending move, Windflower must find a way to ensure that justice is done while ensuring that any collateral damage is kept to a minimum.
Meanwhile, life goes on. Windflower is out walking with his dog Lady on the edge of town when he – or rather his dog – makes a gruesome discovery: a body, frozen and matted with blood, has been wrapped up in an old carpet and buried in the bush. Before the victim can be thawed and identified another incident occurs just outside the village, a hit-and-run that leaves a woman badly injured and in hospital. It is not long before other events call on Windflower’s investigative powers: a body is found in a nearly-abandoned trailer in the woods, and a house in the village goes up in flames, looking all the world like an intentional blaze started to conceal some crucial evidence. For a small village on the fringe of the island, Grand Bank seems to have become a veritable hotbed of criminal activity. And faced with the prospect of substantial repairs needed to his fledgling B&B business, Windflower is forced to consider whether he wants to remains in the RCMP or retire and focus his time on the B&B and his much-loved family.
Windflower is of First Nations heritage, and frequently draws upon his native cultural practices, such as smudging and interpreting his dreams, to make sense of the events occurring in his life. Frequently these bring clarity to the chaos, but only after he has come to appreciate the larger significance of the details. This process helps the reader to gain an appreciation of an often-neglected dimension of Windflower’s nuanced personality. Before the tale has ended Windflower must situate himself in the complex world in which he lives, and come to terms with its varied, often conflicting, forces. It forms an added dimension to author Mike Martin’s layered and insightful narrative of life in rural Newfoundland, one that his many readers have come to appreciate. Like its setting, Fire, Fog and Water is deceptive: on one level it is a tale of crime and violence all too familiar in large cities everywhere; on another, more personal level it is the revealing story of a man – and those close to him – faced with the pull of conflicting pressures, and struggling to deal with them in a way that takes into account the concerns of others and also allows him to be at peace with himself, surely a story that will appeal to readers faced who find themselves in similar situations. The eighth novel in the Sergeant Windflower series, Fire Fog and Water is a good read for our complex and troubled times.
_______
Jim Napier is a professional crime-fiction reviewer based in Canada. Since 2005 his book reviews and author interviews have been featured in several Canadian newspapers and on multiple websites. His crime novel Legacy was published in April of 2017, and the next in the series, Ridley’s War, is scheduled for release in the summer of 2020.
Meanwhile, life goes on. Windflower is out walking with his dog Lady on the edge of town when he – or rather his dog – makes a gruesome discovery: a body, frozen and matted with blood, has been wrapped up in an old carpet and buried in the bush. Before the victim can be thawed and identified another incident occurs just outside the village, a hit-and-run that leaves a woman badly injured and in hospital. It is not long before other events call on Windflower’s investigative powers: a body is found in a nearly-abandoned trailer in the woods, and a house in the village goes up in flames, looking all the world like an intentional blaze started to conceal some crucial evidence. For a small village on the fringe of the island, Grand Bank seems to have become a veritable hotbed of criminal activity. And faced with the prospect of substantial repairs needed to his fledgling B&B business, Windflower is forced to consider whether he wants to remains in the RCMP or retire and focus his time on the B&B and his much-loved family.
Windflower is of First Nations heritage, and frequently draws upon his native cultural practices, such as smudging and interpreting his dreams, to make sense of the events occurring in his life. Frequently these bring clarity to the chaos, but only after he has come to appreciate the larger significance of the details. This process helps the reader to gain an appreciation of an often-neglected dimension of Windflower’s nuanced personality. Before the tale has ended Windflower must situate himself in the complex world in which he lives, and come to terms with its varied, often conflicting, forces. It forms an added dimension to author Mike Martin’s layered and insightful narrative of life in rural Newfoundland, one that his many readers have come to appreciate. Like its setting, Fire, Fog and Water is deceptive: on one level it is a tale of crime and violence all too familiar in large cities everywhere; on another, more personal level it is the revealing story of a man – and those close to him – faced with the pull of conflicting pressures, and struggling to deal with them in a way that takes into account the concerns of others and also allows him to be at peace with himself, surely a story that will appeal to readers faced who find themselves in similar situations. The eighth novel in the Sergeant Windflower series, Fire Fog and Water is a good read for our complex and troubled times.
_______
Jim Napier is a professional crime-fiction reviewer based in Canada. Since 2005 his book reviews and author interviews have been featured in several Canadian newspapers and on multiple websites. His crime novel Legacy was published in April of 2017, and the next in the series, Ridley’s War, is scheduled for release in the summer of 2020.
December 5, 2019
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Fire, Fog, and Water by Mike Martin is an insightful look at the life of Sgt. Winston Windflower.
A Murder, a Fire and a grumpy Mountie
Sgt. Winston Windflower
Windflower is married with a baby daughter, a dog, and a cat. Throughout the story, Windflower is worried about his temper and his soul. He seems to have stopped doing the things that he needs to do to keep himself happy each day. Once he figures this out, he seems to able to handle finding the story behind the murders.
What I like about Winston is his marriage with Sheila. I also like the way that Winston copes with the stress. He is a family man and a good cook.
Some of the things that I liked:
Getting to see Grand Bank Newfoundland and some of their customs.
The way that Windflower respected his staff when they were going through some
I liked Sheila; she was insightful at times.
The positive quotes were beautiful too.
Things that I didn't like:
The movie review inside of the story.
There were so many references to food.
Three Stars
I enjoyed the story to a point, but some parts seemed drawn out, and some didn't seem to have anything to do with moving the story forward. However, I did like the characters, and the setting was wonderful. I am recommending this to people who like the mystery but with a bit of police procedural included.
Giveaway
Prize: (3) Print Copy - Fire, Fog and Water (Sgt. Windflower Mysteries) by Mike Martin (U.S. Only)
A Murder, a Fire and a grumpy Mountie
Sgt. Winston Windflower
Windflower is married with a baby daughter, a dog, and a cat. Throughout the story, Windflower is worried about his temper and his soul. He seems to have stopped doing the things that he needs to do to keep himself happy each day. Once he figures this out, he seems to able to handle finding the story behind the murders.
What I like about Winston is his marriage with Sheila. I also like the way that Winston copes with the stress. He is a family man and a good cook.
Some of the things that I liked:
Getting to see Grand Bank Newfoundland and some of their customs.
The way that Windflower respected his staff when they were going through some
I liked Sheila; she was insightful at times.
The positive quotes were beautiful too.
Things that I didn't like: The movie review inside of the story.
There were so many references to food.
Three Stars
I enjoyed the story to a point, but some parts seemed drawn out, and some didn't seem to have anything to do with moving the story forward. However, I did like the characters, and the setting was wonderful. I am recommending this to people who like the mystery but with a bit of police procedural included.
Giveaway
Prize: (3) Print Copy - Fire, Fog and Water (Sgt. Windflower Mysteries) by Mike Martin (U.S. Only)
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This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
December 1, 2019
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant Winston Windflower is having a bad day. First, he has a fight with his wife. Then, he discovers that the roof on his B&B needs replacing. Finally, the weather in his hometown in Grand Banks, Newfoundland is foggy and wet. The ground still maintains its melting snow, now brown after mixing with the underlying dirt. At least, it’s not snowing. It is hard to realize that spring has sprung in Canada’s northernmost territory. It is March after all.
Attempting to forget his troubles by running on a nearby trail with his dog named Lady, Windflower accidently falls and slides off the path into a snow-covered boulder. The incident seems to fit perfectly into his bad no-good day (and mood). However, when Lady begins digging at the boulder, Windflower quickly realizes his day is infinitely better than the day of the dead man that slowly emerges from the snow...
It is snowing outside as I read Fire, Fog and Water. This wouldn’t be remarkable if I lived in Michigan. However, I live 65 miles from Los Angeles in the desert. It was 79 degrees outside four days ago. However, this is the perfect book for winter weather. The descriptions of the scenery are so vivid that I feel like I should see snowflakes when I glance up from my Kindle.
With a dead man, an intentional hit-and-run, and an arson, there is plenty of plot running through Fire, Fog and Water. The Sergeant sets out trying to find the perps thinking that the crimes must be related. Since the murder victim was a low-level drug dealer, could all the crimes be related to the wave of purple fentanyl recently killing people in Canada?
The characters within Fire, Fog and Water were my favorite part of the story. There are no paper-thin characterizations here. The Sergeant seems like a real person dealing with getting older and becoming a father with depression and muted feelings. His interest in great literature and his indigenous peoples’ roots make him truly unique as a detective and a man.
I also loved the seamless merging of social issues into this Canadian police procedural. Drugs and depression are common in real life but are seldom shown so realistically in mystery fiction.
Because of the exquisite atmosphere, in-depth characterizations of seldomly represented sub-cultures, and delicious food descriptions, Fire, Fog and Water definitely deserves five stars! It is highly recommended to police procedural fans! 5 stars!
Attempting to forget his troubles by running on a nearby trail with his dog named Lady, Windflower accidently falls and slides off the path into a snow-covered boulder. The incident seems to fit perfectly into his bad no-good day (and mood). However, when Lady begins digging at the boulder, Windflower quickly realizes his day is infinitely better than the day of the dead man that slowly emerges from the snow...
It is snowing outside as I read Fire, Fog and Water. This wouldn’t be remarkable if I lived in Michigan. However, I live 65 miles from Los Angeles in the desert. It was 79 degrees outside four days ago. However, this is the perfect book for winter weather. The descriptions of the scenery are so vivid that I feel like I should see snowflakes when I glance up from my Kindle.
With a dead man, an intentional hit-and-run, and an arson, there is plenty of plot running through Fire, Fog and Water. The Sergeant sets out trying to find the perps thinking that the crimes must be related. Since the murder victim was a low-level drug dealer, could all the crimes be related to the wave of purple fentanyl recently killing people in Canada?
The characters within Fire, Fog and Water were my favorite part of the story. There are no paper-thin characterizations here. The Sergeant seems like a real person dealing with getting older and becoming a father with depression and muted feelings. His interest in great literature and his indigenous peoples’ roots make him truly unique as a detective and a man.
I also loved the seamless merging of social issues into this Canadian police procedural. Drugs and depression are common in real life but are seldom shown so realistically in mystery fiction.
Because of the exquisite atmosphere, in-depth characterizations of seldomly represented sub-cultures, and delicious food descriptions, Fire, Fog and Water definitely deserves five stars! It is highly recommended to police procedural fans! 5 stars!
January 23, 2020
I saw this title and was instantly intrigued by the setting of Grand Bank Newfoundland – an island (and province) I’ve visited frequently and sailed about often. While I was concerned coming into the eighth book in the series and wondering if there would be missed connections, Martin did a lovely job of building interest in earlier (and later) stories to come, while providing me with a read that was self-contained and well presented. Winston Windflower is a Sargent with the RCMP, and stationed in Grand Bank. But the end of winter is coming, and while things are ‘samey’ as always, he’s feeling more than a bit “off”. The long winter of grey (if you’ve seen The Shipping News – you’ll understand) has worn on him, and things aren’t helped by tripping over a corpse on his run.
Seriously though, this was a character driven story – from Windflower’s struggles with a temporary superior and his being caught in the middle of a power struggle with said superior and a co-worker, a pile of trouble falling down with links to the body he and his dog tripped over and some drugs involvement, his own frustration with the weather and his mood, and a serious look at why he’s so out of sorts and just what will bring things around and put him on the right track again.
The story was full of twists, with plenty to sort out from a mystery end, and with Winston, his family, his friends and even the ‘temporary superior’ adding a different sense of Winston’s reactions and impulses, the story is engaging and hard to put down. I’m a fan of supporting stories from the Maritimes (or anywhere) in Canada, and this peek into an underserved yet entirely unique spot off the Eastern Seaboard is wonderful. I’ll be looking out for the earlier books in this series to see how Winston has grown and developed over time, as well as taking a break on the island – without the fog and cold!
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Seriously though, this was a character driven story – from Windflower’s struggles with a temporary superior and his being caught in the middle of a power struggle with said superior and a co-worker, a pile of trouble falling down with links to the body he and his dog tripped over and some drugs involvement, his own frustration with the weather and his mood, and a serious look at why he’s so out of sorts and just what will bring things around and put him on the right track again.
The story was full of twists, with plenty to sort out from a mystery end, and with Winston, his family, his friends and even the ‘temporary superior’ adding a different sense of Winston’s reactions and impulses, the story is engaging and hard to put down. I’m a fan of supporting stories from the Maritimes (or anywhere) in Canada, and this peek into an underserved yet entirely unique spot off the Eastern Seaboard is wonderful. I’ll be looking out for the earlier books in this series to see how Winston has grown and developed over time, as well as taking a break on the island – without the fog and cold!
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
November 7, 2019
I just finished reading Mike Martin’s “Fire, Fog, and Water,” another in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series, although I view it as more of a passion play than a mystery.
Martin’s passions include infant care, marital devotion, doing the right thing, eating and drinking, and prayer at any given time. These are topics he regularly expounds on throughout his narrative, venturing sporadically into tough guys, crime, sleuthing and, yes, murder. He doesn’t spend a lot of time on the more gruesome aspects of police work during his novel, delving more into his true passions, as noted above.
But, don’t dismiss his work as bland or sissified because it does have elements of more gritty adventures. There’s enough action to keep readers engrossed as they search for answers to the many problems the author inserts, alongside his devotions. Sgt. Winston Windflower is a righteous hero that gets things done with the help of a dedicated crew, a devoted wife, and a bubbly little daughter that steals most of the show. He spends most of his time battling his cranky self, the frigid winter that seems to never end, and an abusive boss.
There’s no need to go further into the story. Rest assured it is a good one that will keep you reading. This award-winning author seems to know when to turn on the power and when to back off into fun and light reading, the actual intention of the series. Drugs and death might never have been presented in a lighter mode.
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