A Cold Day in Paradise [Paperback]

steve Hamilton (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur (1998)
• ASIN: B000OTOLI4
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (89 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Steve Hamilton was born in Detroit and attended the University of Michigan, where he was awarded the prestigious Avery Hopwood Prize for writing. His first novel, A Cold Day in Paradise, won the St. Martin's Press/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest before going on to win both the Edgar and Shamus Awards for Best First Novel. In 2006, Steve won the Michigan Author Award for his outstanding body of work. He lives in Cottekill, New York, with his wife, Julia, and their two children. Visit his Web site at www.authorstevehamilton.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable read., October 15, 2005

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In the AmaZone... - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Cold Day in Paradise (Alex McKnight Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Opinion only - No Story Spoilers

Hamilton does a fairly good representation of Upper Michigan and the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan/Ontario and area. Clearly he has spent enough time there to cite specific locations and directions, and he captures the atmosphere pretty good, if somewhat cliche. The location lends a different backdrop to basic plotlines, and he works that backdrop into the stories in this series. A refreshing approach to a well used genre.

This is a good weekend read and very enjoyable -perfect for an afternoon by the pool or a rainy weekend at the cottage. It is a little on the 'easy reading' side of things, and not as involved plotwise as something by Ludlum or Clancy, but it is very easy to fall into the story very quickly, or pick it up again after a break. A good style for a tired mind after a busy week. I have recommended this series to others and will continue to do so as I look forward to the next book.
-Start at the beginning, as parts of the stories build on each other.

A Cold Day In Paradise 2000
Winter of the Wolf Moon 2001
The Hunting Wind 2002
North of Nowhere 2003
Blood is the Sky 2004
Ice Run 2005
A Stolen Season 2006
Misery Bay 2011

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Beginning, October 27, 2001

By 

Charlotte Vale-Allen (CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: A Cold Day in Paradise (Alex McKnight Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

This first of Steve Hamilton's Alex McKnight series is a tight, well-done book. There's great emotional truth to all the characters, and Hamilton exercises restraint in his hero's musings, as well as in the overall portrayal of a man haunted by his perceived failures. Nothing is predictable and all the characters are fully-drawn, particularly the mad and pathetic Rose. In one brief climactic confrontation between McKnight and Rose, the frustration and anger of a rational mind coming up hard against an irrational one has powerful resonance. Anyone who's ever tried to reason with someone unreasonable will sympathize with McKnight's helplessness and outrage at being unable to communicate on any "normal" level.

Filled with surprising twists, a lot of tension, and a splendid depiction of life in a cold zone, this is a well-crafted book with a likeable, very human cast. Highly recommended.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great new author...great P. I., April 30, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Cold Day in Paradise (Alex McKnight Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Steve Hamilton comes at you from several different directions in his first novel, A Cold Day in Paradise. That's Paradise, Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior in the upper peninsula. The setting and local color are terrific. Alex McKnight, ex-minor league baseball player, ex-Detroit cop with a bullet still lodged in his chest and now a private investigator, works his way through two murders, a missing person case and a monster killer from his past that leave you guessing until the very end of the book. Good characters. Tight plot. A real page-turner. This is a book you won't be able to put down. Steve Hamilton's got a real winning combination here.