JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Hello, dear readers! Welcome to another dull, featureless Tuesday. I'm sure there's nothing important going on, and that you're reading this while lingering over a second cup of coffee.
Wait, I'm getting a report... what? It's what day? Oh, I see.
Never mind.
In fact, you'll be happy to spend time with us anyway, because we have a great distraction. Tessa Wegert, who combines modern-day "locked room" mysteries with psychological suspense (honestly, her books read like Agatha Christie with an anxiety disorder) is out today with THE COLDEST CASE, the sixth Shana Merchant mystery. I love this series, in part because Tessa finds the most remote and dangerous places at the far northern edge of New York State. An island of less than ten souls locked in by the St. Lawrence River ice? Why didn't I think of that?
Having grown up in Saskatchewan and Quebec where extreme cold is the norm, I’ve always wanted to set a mystery in unspeakable winter conditions. With The Coldest Case, I got my chance. It follows a community of just eight people who overwinter on a remote island bordering Ontario and upstate New York (based on real-life Grindstone Island). Spend the day with Cary Caufield on Running Pine, where the weather is punishing and the people aren’t quite what they seem.
I heard it again last night: the howling. Coywolves, calling one another somewhere in the snowbound woods. I’m learning that the cold isn’t our only enemy here.
Running Pine Island is not the frosty paradise we make it out to be.
As I drink my morning coffee, I count the cans of tuna in the cupboard beside the stove. Nine. It’s not nearly enough. The other cottages have chest freezers crammed with chicken breasts and chuck roast, entire closets packed with shelf-stable food while we eat meal after meal of white rice and tuna. I’m not sure what Sylvie and I will do when we run out of supplies. The islanders, of which there are six – just eight of us in all on this five-thousand-acre island – might be willing to lend us a snowmobile, but the ice is a minefield of soft spots, unseen currents conspiring to find an exit point. A crack, and the river could swallow me and the machine like a tern with a fish. It isn’t worth risking my neck for a pork chop, though the thought of hot, pan-seared meat makes my stomach feel like an empty stock pot.
On Instagram, our life is sparkle-bright. We don’t post photos of the tuna or the dirty dishes in the sink. The fire-fed air in the cottage is so dry that Sylvie’s lips are cracked and bloody, but no one will know because I can fix that. Correct imperfections and dial up the color. It’s not lying if it’s online.
Online, Running Pine is a dreamscape of glittering snowfields and hot pink sunsets, our snug cottage magazine-ready with its trendy camp blankets and sheepskin rugs. The mug in my hand? It came from a shelf of mismatched dishes that we use as pops. This particular cup is painted with an American flag, and one of these days I’ll fill it with gifted champagne and snap a selfie of myself toasting to our followers. They love Running Wild and our enviable life. They love us.
They have no idea what it’s like when we log off and go back to the business of surviving.
This all seemed so doable back in July, before the frost. Before the freeze. We’ll spend a year on the island, Sylvie and I said. Document our experience on an Instagram account called Running Wild. I think about that easy time when, a few hours later, I’m trudging down to the river with numb fingers and tingling toes. My task for the day is to catch up on posts: snap some pics, enhance them in Photoshop, share them with the world. Now that we have a healthy number of followers, the gifts from brands keep coming, which we showcase as part of our well-appointed North Country wilderness lifestyle. I know that Rich Samson – he’s the one who delivers the mail out here – isn’t happy about hauling boots and glassware and monogrammed Christmas tree stands across the river. They keep to themselves, the islanders, but Sylvie and I do worry. We’re not sure they like all of this attention. Their secret icy paradise put on display. They think we’re shallow, unprepared, naïve. That we’re exploiting Running Pine for our own gain. And unlike all those followers, the islanders are close by. Just a five-minute walk through the woods where coywolves hide in the winter-dark shadows.
The cold isn’t our only enemy on Running Pine Island.
And I’m terrified of what the night will bring.
Have you ever spent time in a remote frozen wilderness? If not, would you? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!
THE COLDEST CASE: It’s February in the Thousand Islands and,
cut off from civilization by endless ice, eight people are overwintering on
tiny, remote Running Pine. Six year-rounders, used to the hard work, isolation
and freezing temperatures . . . and two newcomers: social media stars Cary and
Sylvie, whose account documenting their year on the island is garnering
thousands of followers, and thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury gifts.
The long-term islanders will tell you Running Pine can be perilous – especially
for city slickers who’ll do anything to get the perfect shot. So when Cary
doesn’t return from ice fishing one morning, his neighbors fear the worst.
With the clock ticking to find the missing influencer, a police team are
dispatched to take the dangerous journey to the island . . . but Sylvie, his
frantic partner, will only talk to one person: newlywed Senior Investigator
Shana Merchant.
Where is Cary – and what is it that Sylvie’s not sharing? With aspects of the
case reminding Shana of an unsolved homicide from her past that haunts her
still, she risks her own safety to help. But little does she know that a storm
is coming – and if she doesn’t solve both crimes soon, she may become the
island’s next victim . . .
Tessa Wegert is the author of the popular Shana Merchant mysteries, which include Death in the Family, The Dead Season, Dead Wind, The Kind to Kill, Devils at the Door, and The Coldest Case, along with the upcoming North Country thriller series.
Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness and have been featured on PBS and NPR Radio. A former journalist and copywriter, Tessa grew up in Quebec and now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut, where she co-founded Sisters in Crime CT and serves on the board of International Thriller Writers (ITW).
Congratulations, Tessa, on your new book . . . Running Pine sounds like a rather inhospitable place, but I'm definitely looking forward to reading this story . . . .
ReplyDeleteHave I ever spent time in a remote, frozen wilderness? Definitely not . . . being cold is not my idea of a fun time. I'm going to have to wrap up in a blanket just to sit here and read Tessa's book [but it sounds so good and after reading the excerpt here, I'm intrigued] . . . .
Thank you, Joan! Yes, Running Pine is quite a treacherous place. I would definitely recommend reading this book by the fireside with a blanket on hand! Hope it gives you chills (the best kind).
DeleteWhat an exciting setting, Tessa--I'm gripped by your excerpt. Yes, I've been in cold weather; I live in Switzerland. When I was 21, I spent a year living and working in Sweden, where I can remember a particularly beautiful day in the country: snow everywhere, blazing sun, royal-blue sky, and the temperature in the low teens. I had gone for a long walk by myself on a frozen lake. Since I had on a warm coat with a scarf, hat, and gloves, was walking distance from the train station, and could see people in the distance (also enjoying the gorgeous weather), I was not suffering, nor was I in the wilderness! No winter walk of mine can be compared to anything like Cary and Sylvie's experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kim! I would imagine you know the cold well. Your description of your time in Sweden is fantastic. I can picture it so vividly!
DeleteThat is quite a premise for a thriller, Tessa. I've skied and hiked in icy weather, occasionally in remote areas, but never anything as wild or challenging as spending an entire winter on Running Pine Island. And I assure you, I had more food than a few cans of tuna to get me through.
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy! Having lots of food on hand is definitely key!
DeleteMy Cadette Girl Scout troop went on a winter camping trip for a weekend once. My sister who is 5 years older than me went as the chaperone because none of the mothers would go. We stayed in a building with a fireplace for heat and cooking. It was a challenge to keep the fire going all the time and we didn’t even have to chop the wood. I would not want to be there for a whole winter! The book sounds chilling. Putting it on my tbr.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a very memorable weekend, Brenda! Really makes you realize the importance of good, dry firewood, right? Hope you enjoy the book!
DeleteYour scene and the book blurb give the chills on several fronts! I'm a native southern Californian. The first cold place I lived was Indiana, and after several ice storms I said to a friend, "People live here voluntarily?" Then I moved to Massachusetts. I love playing in the snow and cross country skiing on it. But staying cold outside? No way!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Edith! I lived in Massachusetts after moving to the U.S. from Quebec and was really surprised by the milder winters. Cross-country skiing is a favorite activity of mine too!
DeleteCongratulations, Tessa! This sounds fantastic and right up my alley since I love books set in harsh, remote locations. Also, Julia sold me with the description of this as Agatha Christie with an anxiety disorder! :) On a side note, I took about ten-minute detour down a Google rabbit hole once I encountered the mention of a coywolf.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tessa and Julia, for this distraction on this totally normal Tuesday when nothing of consequence is happening.
Nothing at all lalalalalalalal I can't hear you....
DeleteThanks Kate! I went down that same coywolf rabbit hole while researching this book! And I love Julia's description too. :)
DeleteYour book sounds intriguing Tessa! Looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteJulia, I'm curious to know it seems we are missing Lucy today, but glad you can be here too.
I’m here! The only thing missing is my computer which is making it very hard to keep up😵💫
DeleteLucy and John just made their annual trek to Key West, so I'm pinch hitting while she unpacks!
DeleteThank you! I hope you enjoy it!
DeleteOh this sounds like my kind of story! Congratulations, Tessa, I cannot wait to read it. The closest I have come to living in the frozen wilderness was during a fierce and heavy snowstorm with the power out for hours. Luckily my little gas log stove kept us warm. I tried melting snow for water, but found out that even a lot of snow doesn't yield much water, not enough to flush the toilet anyway.
ReplyDeleteOoh, power outages in the dead of winter are serious business...fun for a while, but they get terrifying (and inconvenient) very quickly! Thanks for the kind words. :)
DeleteTessa: Congratulations on your release! Your book sounds terrifying and FREEZING. I live on the Manitoba prairie where we have more than our share of winter cold...it will need to be warm inside when I read your story!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amanda! I was born in Winnipeg and have visited many times since then, so I hear you...Manitoba winters are harsh! Maybe read this one by the fire, or before it gets too cold. ;)
DeleteI'm with Joan. Reading this by the fire, covered with a cozy throw, and holding a hot drink is as close as I will get! But, oh, my, just this excerpt sets up boatloads of conflict!
ReplyDeleteSounds like perfect reading conditions to me!
DeleteTESSA: Congratulations on your newest book!
ReplyDeleteI live in Ottawa, Ontario so I am used to months of cold winter weather.
Once I went on a girls' weekend in January to a cabin located in a remote Quebec forest about 3 hours NE of Ottawa. It was cozy, warm and we had no misadventures!
My sister lived in Quebec for decades, and they kept their small house super warm inside (heated by the wood stove) to counter the outside temps!
DeleteThank you, Grace! Ottawa actually makes a cameo in this book! Love that city. Boy, your girls' trip sounds unforgettable!
DeleteChilling - literally and figuratively.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in WNY so quite familiar with months of cold. So familiar, I left for SW PA - which is not much warmer sometimes. So it's a hard pass on a vacation in the frozen wilderness. LOL
Haha, you and me both, Liz. I've had enough of extreme cold for a while!
DeleteOh, this sounds like a must read for me. I spent my first three birthdays camping in the Thousand Islands. It was summer. Makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteI live in far northern Maine - just across the St. John River from Clair, NB. Thankfully, I missed the ice storm of 1998, but folks around here still use it as a cautionary tale. Closest I've come is the winter of 2007/2008 when we had over 200 inches of snow. That'll keep you in the house. Then came the winter of 2008/2009 with temps in the minus 50s. Nothing works quite right and even the power steering and brake fluid in the car freezes. People become desperate as the supply chain breaks down. Oh, I can't wait to read The Coldest Case.
Kait, we missed the most awful temps of '08-'09 down in York county, but I do recall Ross having to spend the entire month of January on INDOOR recess duty since the kids weren't allowed out to play when it was below 20° F/ -7° C. Kindergarten through third grade. I thought he was going to lose his mind before the thermometer budged.
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DeleteOh that's wonderful, Kait! I'm sure the setting will feel very familiar to you. I hope this winter isn't too frigid up in Maine!
DeleteCongratulations on your latest book, Tessa. I have enjoyed the other Shana Merchant books and look forward to reading this one. I'm with Joan and Karen, give me a fire, comforter, hot tea, maybe some chocolate and a book about the great outdoors. Never expect me to go willingly into it. I grew up in Kentucky and slogged through a blizzard in 1978. You can have it. Give me gentle snowflakes on winter holidays that melt the next day. Yep, I'm a cold weather wimp! -- Victoria
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for spending time with Shana, Victoria! I hope you enjoy this installment too. After years of living in Southern Connecticut, which is fairly mild, I'm a cold weather wimp myself! :)
DeletePerfect timing. This is just what I need today. A new book to distract me with another new director arriving in the office today. Can't wait to go searching for it.
ReplyDeleteWe aim to serve, Deana!
DeleteThanks Deana! Hope it provides a nice distraction! And thank you, Julia, for the lovely feature!
DeleteCongratulations, Tessa! I was reminded of a novel that I read in the mid 1990s - SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW, which was set somewhere in Scandinavia.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in European countries (Switzerland Alps, Scandinavia) during the fall, it was very cold and fortunately I was dressed warmly, I call this type of weather "hot chocolate" weather, meaning it is the kind of weather when I want to drink a cup of hot chocolate or a cup of hot tea.
Much appreciated, Diana! I do love the sound of "hot chocolate weather"...or maybe it's just time for an afternoon sweet. ;)
DeleteCongratulations Tessa! This sounds absolutely terrifying😁
ReplyDeleteThe part where someone can disappear beneath the river ice and never be seen again..brrrr!
DeleteThank you, Lucy! Hope the trip south is going well!
DeleteWhat a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant idea! Cannot wait to read this… Talk about a fish out of water story, this is so perfect. And thank you for being a wonderful distraction :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Hank! Answering these lovely comments is a wonderful distraction too. ;)
DeleteHi from southern Connecticut!
ReplyDeleteI want to read that book, but not until July or August! I need to be warm when I read books set in winter. (I read most of Julia’s books during the summer, too!)
It does sound intriguing. I don’t know why I haven’t run across your series earlier, but I plan to look for it at the library. They should surely have books written by Connecticut authors!
DebRo
DebRo, I suggest you start with DEATH IN THE FAMILY. You can jump in at any point in the series, but like my books, you'll get more out of it if you follow Shana from her first days in Alexandria Bay.
DeleteHi Deb, I'm in Southern CT too (Darien)! If you start at the beginning of the series as Julia suggests, you'll be ready for this one come summer (although you can definitely read the books as standalones too).
DeleteIn answer to the two questions, NOPE and NOPE. But I'd be more than happy to read your book, Tessa, curled up in front of the fire with a hot cup of tea!! What a great premise!
ReplyDeleteHaha Deborah, I feel you on that "nope and nope!" Thanks for the kind words about The Coldest Case!
DeleteOoooh, Tessa, this sounds sooo good! No remote wilderness for me, although when I've gotten sick of humanity (frequently) I have considered being one of the those tower fire watchers. Congrats on your release. I am all in!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jenn! I could do with a tower fire watch post myself some days, haha!
DeleteMy bestie was a fire tower watcher in Washington state back in the early seventies!
DeleteHow cool, Edith!
DeleteHmmm. Minnesota felt like that at times but we had good neighbors and town was only six miles away. This book sounds amazing! Yuppies are out and influencers are in. Is this part of a trend to get rid of influencers? Or reduce their numbers? I might could buy into that!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we can set up a scholarship to give the most annoying influencers and YouTubers "vacations" in the most remote parts of North America, Pat...
DeleteI'm laughing so hard at your comments, Pat and Julia! I hadn't thought about that angle...reminds me of Ruth Ware's One Perfect Couple! ;)
DeleteI'm laughing so hard at your comments, Pat and Julia! I hadn't thought about that angle...reminds me of Ruth Ware's One Perfect Couple. ;)
DeleteTessa, this book sounds so good! In an isolated wilderness with snow is one of my favorite settings. I have a friend who lives in upstate New York in an isolated mountain spot and has invited me to visit. I was talking to her about needing to get away from everything, and she said her place is the perfect spot for that. I guess I should check and make sure she's got more than tuna and rice though, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy! Definitely make sure her pantry is fully stocked before accepting that invitation! ;)
Delete