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Barbara Holloway #11
Cold Case
Controversial author and scholar David Etheridge is not the kind of company an aspiring politician wants to keep. But ambitious senator Robert McCrutchen has a history with Etheridge that he's desperately trying to keep under wraps. Twenty-two years ago, both men were investigated in the death of a young coed, but the case was never solved. When Etheridge returns to Eugene, Oregon, McCrutchen is his grudging host--until the senator is found shot dead. Now, Etheridge is once again suspected of murder, only this time, with the cold case reopened, he's facing a double charge. Attorney Barbara Holloway must battle both the prosecution and the court of public opinion, which has already tried and convicted Etheridge for both murders. As the pressure mounts, Barbara ties the past and present together, risking her own life to preserve justice.
10 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2008
54 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
About the author
Kate Wilhelm
275 books442 followersKate Wilhelm’s first short story, “The Pint-Sized Genie” was published in Fantastic Stories in 1956. Her first novel, MORE BITTER THAN DEATH, a mystery, was published in 1963. Over the span of her career, her writing has crossed over the genres of science fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy and magical realism, psychological suspense, mimetic, comic, and family sagas, a multimedia stage production, and radio plays. She returned to writing mysteries in 1990 with the acclaimed Charlie Meiklejohn and Constance Leidl Mysteries and the Barbara Holloway series of legal thrillers.
Wilhelm’s works have been adapted for television and movies in numerous countries; her novels and stories have been translated to more than a dozen languages. She has contributed to Quark, Orbit, Magazine of Fantasy and ScienceFiction, Locus, Amazing Stories, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Fantastic, Omni, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Redbook, and Cosmopolitan.
Kate Wilhelm is the widow of acclaimed science fiction author and editor, Damon Knight (1922-2002), with whom she founded the Clarion Writers’ Workshop and the Milford Writers’ Conference, described in her 2005 non-fiction work, STORYTELLER. They lectured together at universities across three continents; Kate has continued to offer interviews, talks, and monthly workshops.
Kate Wilhelm has received two Hugo awards, three Nebulas, as well as Jupiter, Locus, Spotted Owl, Prix Apollo, Kristen Lohman awards, among others. She was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2009, Kate was the recipient of one of the first Solstice Awards presented by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) in recognition of her contributions to the field of science fiction.
Kate’s highly popular Barbara Holloway mysteries, set in Eugene, Oregon, opened with Death Qualified in 1990. Mirror, Mirror, released in 2017, is the series’ 14th novel.
Wilhelm’s works have been adapted for television and movies in numerous countries; her novels and stories have been translated to more than a dozen languages. She has contributed to Quark, Orbit, Magazine of Fantasy and ScienceFiction, Locus, Amazing Stories, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Fantastic, Omni, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Redbook, and Cosmopolitan.
Kate Wilhelm is the widow of acclaimed science fiction author and editor, Damon Knight (1922-2002), with whom she founded the Clarion Writers’ Workshop and the Milford Writers’ Conference, described in her 2005 non-fiction work, STORYTELLER. They lectured together at universities across three continents; Kate has continued to offer interviews, talks, and monthly workshops.
Kate Wilhelm has received two Hugo awards, three Nebulas, as well as Jupiter, Locus, Spotted Owl, Prix Apollo, Kristen Lohman awards, among others. She was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2009, Kate was the recipient of one of the first Solstice Awards presented by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) in recognition of her contributions to the field of science fiction.
Kate’s highly popular Barbara Holloway mysteries, set in Eugene, Oregon, opened with Death Qualified in 1990. Mirror, Mirror, released in 2017, is the series’ 14th novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
March 5, 2024
Cold Case by Kate Wilhelm shares with us the story of an unsolved murder 22 years ago.
Now...we are in present time.
One of the individuals who was part of the original murder investigation is murdered.
The suspect who can be tied to both murder investigations, is beaten nearly to death.
What is going on here?
This is a legal thriller series, with Barbara Holloway as the attorney trying to prove her client (the suspect) innocent and hopefully find the true culprit.
Will she succeed?
Will you be able to guess who the murderer/s is/are by the end of the novel?
It really isn't as easy as it appears.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Now...we are in present time.
One of the individuals who was part of the original murder investigation is murdered.
The suspect who can be tied to both murder investigations, is beaten nearly to death.
What is going on here?
This is a legal thriller series, with Barbara Holloway as the attorney trying to prove her client (the suspect) innocent and hopefully find the true culprit.
Will she succeed?
Will you be able to guess who the murderer/s is/are by the end of the novel?
It really isn't as easy as it appears.
3.5 stars rounded up.
February 18, 2016
While, as almost always, I enjoyed this book in Wilhelm's Holloway series, my brain protested the whole way through about the amazing memories of characters who recalled in precise detail the events of a party from 20 years before: who left with whom, at what time, who drank what, what was said, who danced with whom, who parked where or arrived on foot, etc. While I can usually overlook this kind of plot device for an instance or two under the "willing suspension of disbelief" reader's clause, I found it a major hitch in the book that the whole plot hinged on this incredibly unrealistic point. Still, I don't read Wilhelm only for plot, but primarily for the real, flawed, yet admirable characters that she carries from book to book.
February 21, 2018
Love this series. They just keep getting better! Barbara Holloway and her father, Frank make an awesome pair when it come to solving cases and defending their clients. This one was especially good, I think. Wilhelm is captivating author.
January 8, 2022
Barbara Holloway has to prove an innocent man not guilty. The case appeared so hopeless Barbara told her client they might want to consider a plea bargain. The client told Barbara under no circumstances would he consider a plea bargain.
We learn early in the story the identity of the killer. Once Barbara figures out whom the killer is I sat on pins and needles waiting for Barbara to figure out how to prove what seem the impossible.
Cold Case is well a well written thriller. Author Wilhelm’s use of language is spot on. Carrington MacDuffie’s storytelling was also spot on.
We learn early in the story the identity of the killer. Once Barbara figures out whom the killer is I sat on pins and needles waiting for Barbara to figure out how to prove what seem the impossible.
Cold Case is well a well written thriller. Author Wilhelm’s use of language is spot on. Carrington MacDuffie’s storytelling was also spot on.
September 9, 2013
Nice comfortable read. I was way ahead in who the suspect should be and seemed like a long time for the lawyer to "get it". But I like the characters and the story was interesting.
April 1, 2015
I do like Barbara Holloway and her Dad Frank.
March 16, 2018
Not a great idea sometimes to skip books in a series, but when others are not available....well.
I enjoyed the story. Maybe not as exciting as some of the previous stories, but well told. A crime from the past and a crime in the present, give a very compelling look at our justice system and how a person is process and prepared to go to trial. I like the lawyer information.
I enjoyed the story. Maybe not as exciting as some of the previous stories, but well told. A crime from the past and a crime in the present, give a very compelling look at our justice system and how a person is process and prepared to go to trial. I like the lawyer information.
November 29, 2020
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
Currently on Audible Plus
March 4, 2021
2.5 stars.
December 30, 2012
It's never easy to write a less-than-stellar review, but I'd be leading others to the wrong conclusion by recommending "Cold Case."
Apparently, attorney Barbara Holloway has appeared in 10 other Wilhelm novels, surrounded by a regular cast of characters including her father Frank; co-attorney Shelley and her disfigured husband Alex; an investigator named Bailey; and Barbara's current squeeze Danner and his son. Unlike Sue Grafton, who seamlessly introduces familiar characters whether you're reading her for the first time or the 20th, Wilhelm overwhelms the plot with so many people that the story gets lost in trying to remember who's who.
The book begins when 14-year-old Amy McCrutchen and a friend try to slip into brother Robert's party. Robert drunkenly hits on a pretty acquaintance even though he just proposed to his girlfriend. David Etheridge, a classmate, becomes involved in either protecting the McCrutchen's potential conquest, or using her, as well. As Amy sees it then, and 22 years later, David was a hero that night.
Both men are investigated for murdering the woman, who's strangled not long after the party breaks up. No one is ever arrested for the crime, and the death is forgotten until Robert McCrutchen is murdered 22 years later -- shortly after David Etheridge returns to town to give a talk on a controversial novel he's written.
Barbara Holloway and her supporting cast are hired to defend David, who becomes a prime suspect in both murders, though he's savagely beaten after his talk. Why David becomes the prime suspect in the murders is the biggest mystery of the book. Etheridge's guilt is a slam dunk to the police and even to his attorney Holloway, but I certainly couldn't figure out how he'd get convicted, especially when a much-more obvious suspect appears early in the book.
I made myself finish "Cold Case, though I was thoroughly confused why several, over-described events were included; they had absolutely nothing to do with the plot.
Perhaps if I'd read other books featuring Holloway, I'd have a better feel for why it was necessary to include so many other characters. And though I had no extra information as a reader than Barbara Holloway, I'm truly mystified why I knew who committed the crimes.
I'm glad Kate Wilhelm has a following; I'll just move on to mystery writers that give me more of a thrill.
Apparently, attorney Barbara Holloway has appeared in 10 other Wilhelm novels, surrounded by a regular cast of characters including her father Frank; co-attorney Shelley and her disfigured husband Alex; an investigator named Bailey; and Barbara's current squeeze Danner and his son. Unlike Sue Grafton, who seamlessly introduces familiar characters whether you're reading her for the first time or the 20th, Wilhelm overwhelms the plot with so many people that the story gets lost in trying to remember who's who.
The book begins when 14-year-old Amy McCrutchen and a friend try to slip into brother Robert's party. Robert drunkenly hits on a pretty acquaintance even though he just proposed to his girlfriend. David Etheridge, a classmate, becomes involved in either protecting the McCrutchen's potential conquest, or using her, as well. As Amy sees it then, and 22 years later, David was a hero that night.
Both men are investigated for murdering the woman, who's strangled not long after the party breaks up. No one is ever arrested for the crime, and the death is forgotten until Robert McCrutchen is murdered 22 years later -- shortly after David Etheridge returns to town to give a talk on a controversial novel he's written.
Barbara Holloway and her supporting cast are hired to defend David, who becomes a prime suspect in both murders, though he's savagely beaten after his talk. Why David becomes the prime suspect in the murders is the biggest mystery of the book. Etheridge's guilt is a slam dunk to the police and even to his attorney Holloway, but I certainly couldn't figure out how he'd get convicted, especially when a much-more obvious suspect appears early in the book.
I made myself finish "Cold Case, though I was thoroughly confused why several, over-described events were included; they had absolutely nothing to do with the plot.
Perhaps if I'd read other books featuring Holloway, I'd have a better feel for why it was necessary to include so many other characters. And though I had no extra information as a reader than Barbara Holloway, I'm truly mystified why I knew who committed the crimes.
I'm glad Kate Wilhelm has a following; I'll just move on to mystery writers that give me more of a thrill.
November 7, 2019
This book frustrated me until the final 10 pages when the solution was announced in the only action-packed scene in the entire book.
It frustrated me because I figured out the killer about a quarter of the way in but the star of the book, Attorney Barbara Holloway, couldn't seem to make the connection.
The book is about an old murder, a new murder and the attempted murder of the man who became a suspect in the other two. The suspect, David, was so arrogant and self- important, it wouldn't have bothered me if he really had been the killer. Maybe that was the point. I can't say as I really felt pleased for him when he was exonerated.
The book meandered along and felt redundant very often. The characters did little for me. I actually found Jill, the first murder victim, to be the most interesting character even though she was dead and mainly discussed as a memory.
The book also felt old. Some of the dialogue felt outdated, outmoded and cliched. There was a minor character who who called his girlfriend "doll." Who in the 21st Century calls someone "doll?" This was part of a sub plot that did not amount to anything. It felt totally unnecessary. Oh, there was a conclusion but by then I did not care.
And how much coffee can these characters drink? It seemed like every four pages someone offered or drank coffee before anything else. Just move on already and get back to the story!
I was familiar with Kate Wilhem's short fiction in the Sci-Fi pulps and until I saw this book in a freebie pile, I didn't realize she wrote mysteries. I understand this is part of a series so maybe it's a bad example. But I'm not actively looking for another book in this series.
It frustrated me because I figured out the killer about a quarter of the way in but the star of the book, Attorney Barbara Holloway, couldn't seem to make the connection.
The book is about an old murder, a new murder and the attempted murder of the man who became a suspect in the other two. The suspect, David, was so arrogant and self- important, it wouldn't have bothered me if he really had been the killer. Maybe that was the point. I can't say as I really felt pleased for him when he was exonerated.
The book meandered along and felt redundant very often. The characters did little for me. I actually found Jill, the first murder victim, to be the most interesting character even though she was dead and mainly discussed as a memory.
The book also felt old. Some of the dialogue felt outdated, outmoded and cliched. There was a minor character who who called his girlfriend "doll." Who in the 21st Century calls someone "doll?" This was part of a sub plot that did not amount to anything. It felt totally unnecessary. Oh, there was a conclusion but by then I did not care.
And how much coffee can these characters drink? It seemed like every four pages someone offered or drank coffee before anything else. Just move on already and get back to the story!
I was familiar with Kate Wilhem's short fiction in the Sci-Fi pulps and until I saw this book in a freebie pile, I didn't realize she wrote mysteries. I understand this is part of a series so maybe it's a bad example. But I'm not actively looking for another book in this series.
September 6, 2015
This is Wilhelm's latest in the entertaining Barbara Holloway series. All set in Eugene, OR, Barbara so very likable and bright. I finally decided this morning why I enjoy this series--they're like a grown up Nancy Drew series with a circle of regular characters who are also competent and honest... even a very neat, widowed and now retired, father.
The main defendant character here is a pleasantly complicated liberal academic. There's reference to the issues with of ideology, the declining state of intellectual thought, etc.
As with all of the Holloway books, I get into it and end up finishing it asap. I practically read the books' courtroom scenes out loud. Defense attorney Barbara is so very clever!!
These later installments are quick reads. Barbara herself, brilliant attorney; father, retired brilliant attorney, Frank, who cooks like a dream and takes loving care of his daughter; almost mythical private detective, Bailey. By now, they all feel like my old friends in Eugene.
If you want some totally pleasant reading with a usually-tricky murder or two and dramatic court room scenes, start with Death Qualified which is vaguely scientific and keep going.
Wilhelm is an absolutely famous and award-winning science fiction author, but Holloway is pure pleasure.
The main defendant character here is a pleasantly complicated liberal academic. There's reference to the issues with of ideology, the declining state of intellectual thought, etc.
As with all of the Holloway books, I get into it and end up finishing it asap. I practically read the books' courtroom scenes out loud. Defense attorney Barbara is so very clever!!
These later installments are quick reads. Barbara herself, brilliant attorney; father, retired brilliant attorney, Frank, who cooks like a dream and takes loving care of his daughter; almost mythical private detective, Bailey. By now, they all feel like my old friends in Eugene.
If you want some totally pleasant reading with a usually-tricky murder or two and dramatic court room scenes, start with Death Qualified which is vaguely scientific and keep going.
Wilhelm is an absolutely famous and award-winning science fiction author, but Holloway is pure pleasure.
December 23, 2010
After reading so many novels this year set in Goteborg, Malmo, Jakarta, Dublin, and London, London, London, what a delight to read a book set in Eugene, Oregon. Reservations at SweetWaters, driving down Franklin, lost on Fox Hollow Road, loved it. Thanks for the recommendation, Jane, I enjoyed getting to know the main character, defense attorney Barbara Holloway. And her father. I'm sure I'll be back for more.
July 29, 2017
characters were hard to get into at first. This was better than I thought it would be for the low general rating
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
**
Another wonderful visit with Frank and Barbara Holloway, and Barbara’s current boy friend and his son. In this one, Barbara is hired to defend David, who it seems the police are going to arrest for the murder of a man who had been his college classmate 20 or more years ago. As Barbara investigates, she realizes that the murder is very much connected to a party held after college graduation, and a girl who was murdered the night of that party. The usual wonderful gesticulations of Barbara’s mind, Frank’s fatherly concern and advice, and all the wonderful food Frank cooks. I always want to move right into the Holloway house and have Frank Holloway as my father and mentor. I love these books.
**
When David Etheridge, a controversial author and scholar, returns to Eugene, Oregon for a speaking engagement, he rents an apartment from Robert McCrutchen, an old classmate from college. Robert is none too happy about this arrangement because he's involved in politics and wants to stay far away from the controversy that follows David. Robert also wants to keep a 22-year-old unsolved murder under wraps, a murder for which he and David were both investigated.
When Robert winds up dead, that old murder resurfaces and David becomes the prime suspect for both. David hires attorney Barbara Holloway and her father Frank to clear him of the murder charges.
I listened to Cold Case on audio, read by Carrington MacDuffie. The reading was nicely done.
**
Twenty-two years ago, controversial author David Etheridge and ambitious state senator Robert McCrutchen were investigated in the death of a young coed. But a circle of secrecy guaranteed the case was never solved.
When Etheridge returns to Eugene, Oregon, McCrutchen is his grudging host—until the senator is found shot dead. Now Etheridge is back where he was two decades ago—suspected of murder. Only this time, with the cold case reopened, he's facing a double charge.
Barbara must battle the prosecution and the court of public opinion, which has already tried and convicted Etheridge for both murders.
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
**
Another wonderful visit with Frank and Barbara Holloway, and Barbara’s current boy friend and his son. In this one, Barbara is hired to defend David, who it seems the police are going to arrest for the murder of a man who had been his college classmate 20 or more years ago. As Barbara investigates, she realizes that the murder is very much connected to a party held after college graduation, and a girl who was murdered the night of that party. The usual wonderful gesticulations of Barbara’s mind, Frank’s fatherly concern and advice, and all the wonderful food Frank cooks. I always want to move right into the Holloway house and have Frank Holloway as my father and mentor. I love these books.
**
When David Etheridge, a controversial author and scholar, returns to Eugene, Oregon for a speaking engagement, he rents an apartment from Robert McCrutchen, an old classmate from college. Robert is none too happy about this arrangement because he's involved in politics and wants to stay far away from the controversy that follows David. Robert also wants to keep a 22-year-old unsolved murder under wraps, a murder for which he and David were both investigated.
When Robert winds up dead, that old murder resurfaces and David becomes the prime suspect for both. David hires attorney Barbara Holloway and her father Frank to clear him of the murder charges.
I listened to Cold Case on audio, read by Carrington MacDuffie. The reading was nicely done.
**
Twenty-two years ago, controversial author David Etheridge and ambitious state senator Robert McCrutchen were investigated in the death of a young coed. But a circle of secrecy guaranteed the case was never solved.
When Etheridge returns to Eugene, Oregon, McCrutchen is his grudging host—until the senator is found shot dead. Now Etheridge is back where he was two decades ago—suspected of murder. Only this time, with the cold case reopened, he's facing a double charge.
Barbara must battle the prosecution and the court of public opinion, which has already tried and convicted Etheridge for both murders.
October 23, 2017
I registered this book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14754241
Barbara Holloway is a defense attorney with a small office and a partner who happens to be her father. She is married to a doctor who is in charge of an addiction center.
She is engaged to represent a man who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Robert, a former classmate and current state senator. Not only that, but he is also suspected of killing another person over 20 years earlier. David Etheridge is the author of a few books, and is on a lecture tour based on his latest. Apparently the book is causing some ripples wherever he speaks, in part because of his atheism. After giving a lecture attended by Barbara Holloway and her father Frank, David is attacked and lands in the hospital, close to death.
Is the attack related to the two murders? Or to his book? Either way, many in the police department are convinced that if he dies the case will be closed.
Etheridge's odd personality can rub people the wrong way. He can be abrupt and rude. So working with him is not always a dream. Nevertheless, Barbara believes in his innocence and is not willing to let the case die if he does.
The plot is a bit twisted and odd, but I suspect in real life such cases exist. However, the procedural aspects of this case bothered me. For one: when Robert is murdered the police don't search his house or his room. Especially considering he died in his house this seems strange indeed. For another: there are suggestions that Robert had influence on zoning decisions . While a senator can advocate for a zone change, he has no power to make any. Such decisions are made at the local level by city councils and boards of supervisors.
The police proceed on their case against David solely on statements made by a few people. No physical evidence, especially because they didn't even look beyond the body. Seems really weak to me, and likely not to win any hearts in the District Attorney's office. I also had some difficulty liking the characters and believing the riots at the lectures. At times Barbara mentioned the prejudices some people have against atheists and how they believe that atheists have no morals. I got the sense that she might have believed that, too. As an atheist myself I can attest that we are like anyone else in that regard. Some have morals and others do not. Further, riots at lectures? Anyone who reads books and follows lecturers is not generally inclined to break out in physical violence. Who would those people have been?
It's readable, kept me interested, but I like to see greater care taken in procedures and more interesting and fuller development of characters.
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14754241
Barbara Holloway is a defense attorney with a small office and a partner who happens to be her father. She is married to a doctor who is in charge of an addiction center.
She is engaged to represent a man who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Robert, a former classmate and current state senator. Not only that, but he is also suspected of killing another person over 20 years earlier. David Etheridge is the author of a few books, and is on a lecture tour based on his latest. Apparently the book is causing some ripples wherever he speaks, in part because of his atheism. After giving a lecture attended by Barbara Holloway and her father Frank, David is attacked and lands in the hospital, close to death.
Is the attack related to the two murders? Or to his book? Either way, many in the police department are convinced that if he dies the case will be closed.
Etheridge's odd personality can rub people the wrong way. He can be abrupt and rude. So working with him is not always a dream. Nevertheless, Barbara believes in his innocence and is not willing to let the case die if he does.
The plot is a bit twisted and odd, but I suspect in real life such cases exist. However, the procedural aspects of this case bothered me. For one: when Robert is murdered the police don't search his house or his room. Especially considering he died in his house this seems strange indeed. For another: there are suggestions that Robert had influence on zoning decisions . While a senator can advocate for a zone change, he has no power to make any. Such decisions are made at the local level by city councils and boards of supervisors.
The police proceed on their case against David solely on statements made by a few people. No physical evidence, especially because they didn't even look beyond the body. Seems really weak to me, and likely not to win any hearts in the District Attorney's office. I also had some difficulty liking the characters and believing the riots at the lectures. At times Barbara mentioned the prejudices some people have against atheists and how they believe that atheists have no morals. I got the sense that she might have believed that, too. As an atheist myself I can attest that we are like anyone else in that regard. Some have morals and others do not. Further, riots at lectures? Anyone who reads books and follows lecturers is not generally inclined to break out in physical violence. Who would those people have been?
It's readable, kept me interested, but I like to see greater care taken in procedures and more interesting and fuller development of characters.
March 29, 2021
OK, a few different things
Wilhelm was a solid writer: this is book 8 or something in the series and there was no sense of being lost in the world, while at the same time she didn't belabor everything. It took me a couple of chapters to work out who everyone was in the orbit of Barbara Holloway, but that was fine. I attribute some of this to her having made her bones as an SF writer who are used to readers having to play catch up to acclimate to the world.
I was unprepared for the pacing of the legal thriller: this is my first, and it was a little off putting how long everting took both in the world of the novel and the scenes presented to the reader. I was expecting the faster pace of police procedurals or other investigator stories, and that's the one thing that threw me off on the book. There was so much "and here's three chapters getting another fact that may not matter", which is probably true of court cases, that it slowed the book down below my general enjoyment level.
Finally, her tendency to jump between viewpoint characters, but not all the characters are VP characters, and spending a lot of time with people on things that ultimately don't end up mattering. Now, I don't know if Wilhelm always did this, and if the VP character information is 100% trustworthy - is one of them the killer in one of the murders and just isn't thinking about it? - which was very off putting. It's the first of her legal books I've read and I don't know her contract with the readers. For a mystery that's off putting.
Once the book reached the endgame everything clicked into high gear. It seemed to take a long time to get there, but I don't know how much of that was my missed expectations in a new to me genre.
Wilhelm was a solid writer: this is book 8 or something in the series and there was no sense of being lost in the world, while at the same time she didn't belabor everything. It took me a couple of chapters to work out who everyone was in the orbit of Barbara Holloway, but that was fine. I attribute some of this to her having made her bones as an SF writer who are used to readers having to play catch up to acclimate to the world.
I was unprepared for the pacing of the legal thriller: this is my first, and it was a little off putting how long everting took both in the world of the novel and the scenes presented to the reader. I was expecting the faster pace of police procedurals or other investigator stories, and that's the one thing that threw me off on the book. There was so much "and here's three chapters getting another fact that may not matter", which is probably true of court cases, that it slowed the book down below my general enjoyment level.
Finally, her tendency to jump between viewpoint characters, but not all the characters are VP characters, and spending a lot of time with people on things that ultimately don't end up mattering. Now, I don't know if Wilhelm always did this, and if the VP character information is 100% trustworthy - is one of them the killer in one of the murders and just isn't thinking about it? - which was very off putting. It's the first of her legal books I've read and I don't know her contract with the readers. For a mystery that's off putting.
Once the book reached the endgame everything clicked into high gear. It seemed to take a long time to get there, but I don't know how much of that was my missed expectations in a new to me genre.
February 1, 2022
This double murder mystery has a lawyer as its investigator, a new POV for me. Since this is #11 in a series (found at my local FLL), I could have used some explication, but it didn't really detract from my understanding or enjoyment.
I loved her storytelling style, just enough personal events without slowing down the action. Also, often I just read the mysteries to find out what happens, but she had me paying attention to clues and trying to pinpoint the perpetrator myself - and she kept me guessing until pretty close to the reveal. I had it narrowed down to 3 plausible choices! So to me that's a good writer.
Being a resident of Oregon myself, I enjoyed the local references.
I'll be looking for more of her books. So glad to discover this new-to-me author!
I loved her storytelling style, just enough personal events without slowing down the action. Also, often I just read the mysteries to find out what happens, but she had me paying attention to clues and trying to pinpoint the perpetrator myself - and she kept me guessing until pretty close to the reveal. I had it narrowed down to 3 plausible choices! So to me that's a good writer.
Being a resident of Oregon myself, I enjoyed the local references.
I'll be looking for more of her books. So glad to discover this new-to-me author!
August 23, 2023
The defendant's pride and self-defeating confidence works against him as he unwittingly walks into a murder scene with no other suspects, making it doubly hard for Barbara Holloway to defend him adequately. His left-wing opinions and intellectual hauteur make him an easy target for small-town pundits, and really his disappointment over an impending residency abroad at a major university that looks increasingly unlikely is more on his mind than his own self-defense.
This one reads rather like a 1960s tv cop show, where good actors would have saved the overly complicated plot and got us eventually to understanding the motives of the actual perpetrators. Wilhelm's prose is up to the task, but this one is more about small minds than major crimes.
This one reads rather like a 1960s tv cop show, where good actors would have saved the overly complicated plot and got us eventually to understanding the motives of the actual perpetrators. Wilhelm's prose is up to the task, but this one is more about small minds than major crimes.
May 22, 2017
I thought it would be interesting to read a mystery set in a place I am familiar with (Eugene, Oregon), but I was wrong. The plots are contrived, the characters are shallow and predictable, and there's way too much information about relationships and motivations. I much prefer it when an author reveals details slowly throughout the book and/or the series. I won't waste any more time on this series.
April 26, 2022
Not bad. Reminded me of the Perry Mason books. It
is the first one of this series that I have read and can
see that there is much character development that
has gone on since book #1 (this is #11). This plot
was okay although a bit hard to believe how everybody
'remembers' in detail what happened twenty some
years ago at a particular party. And then you might
also be able to guess whodunit before it is exposed
to us.
Mildly recommended.
is the first one of this series that I have read and can
see that there is much character development that
has gone on since book #1 (this is #11). This plot
was okay although a bit hard to believe how everybody
'remembers' in detail what happened twenty some
years ago at a particular party. And then you might
also be able to guess whodunit before it is exposed
to us.
Mildly recommended.
September 30, 2023
⭐️⭐️/5
Cold Case
Kate Wilhelm
This was a very slow paced legal thriller. I honestly don’t know how I got through it. Barbara was trying to find out if she could solve a murder from 22 years ago. The author tried to put some updated thrilling scenes in the book but she didn’t make them eye catching. Honestly I did not become interested in what was going on until the last 2 chapters.
This one was truly brutal and I would not recommend it.
Cold Case
Kate Wilhelm
This was a very slow paced legal thriller. I honestly don’t know how I got through it. Barbara was trying to find out if she could solve a murder from 22 years ago. The author tried to put some updated thrilling scenes in the book but she didn’t make them eye catching. Honestly I did not become interested in what was going on until the last 2 chapters.
This one was truly brutal and I would not recommend it.
December 1, 2017
This wasn't one of my favorite Holloway books. I think she's a good author, except it seems she's stuck in the 70s.. When characters use certain phrases that are clearly not contemporary, or there's a mention of the Watergate Hotel as though it happened recently, it's clear that she needs to update her references. Overall, though, she's a decent writer.
April 30, 2018
"Watching"the characters progress is a snapshot in time. They do get up, get dressed, (sometimes) eat, go to work, work, go home (eventually), and enjoy life at home. The machinations that the characters go through to get there are intriguing. It may take me a while to read; it is captivating when it happens.
February 7, 2019
This is the first Barbara Holloway book I've read, so it was a bit hard to sort out the characters at first, but she is a likable protagonist. The case was interesting, and even though I figured out the perpetrator before the end, I didn't figure out all the twists the story would take. Interesting read, but maybe better to start with an earlier book.
January 23, 2020
Although some of these books make me zone out sometimes, I like them.
I guess the only wish I have is if the author explained a little more how Ms Holloway comes up with the guilty party.
I’ve read several of these books and they all are solid stories that sometimes are very complicated but somehow, she unravels them by pulling at the smallest thread.
I guess the only wish I have is if the author explained a little more how Ms Holloway comes up with the guilty party.
I’ve read several of these books and they all are solid stories that sometimes are very complicated but somehow, she unravels them by pulling at the smallest thread.
November 5, 2023
Once again, Wilhelm takes you on a very winding path, investigating several related murders. She draws excellent pictures of the characters involved — their personalities, behaviors, demeanors. She also gives very subtle hints about how the case will be resolved - i.e. I guessed who the perpetrator was toward the end.
January 11, 2025
In all fairness, Kate Wilhelm is a good writer and I take no issue with her easy to read style. I do take issue that she uses ubiquitous racial and gay/lesbian stereotypes which I found off putting. I think this is an example of a book that reflects the language and attitude of the time/place it was written (unfortunately) but did not stand the test of time.
February 3, 2018
my 1st book of this series and I was not disappointed! really enjoyed the characters, there were some ends I thought they just kinda let go and did not follow up on but over enjoyed the book
June 10, 2018
Too many characters, plot too contrived and early on figured out the killer.
July 4, 2018
Slow..... ended up skimming to end.
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