Customer Reviews

Ice Run: An Alex McKnight Mystery (Alex McKnight Series)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Opinion Only - No Story Spoilers

This is the sixth book in the Alex McKnight series by Steve Hamilton, who does a good representation of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan/Ontario and surrounding area. He is familiar enough with the area to cite specific locations and directions, and he captures the atmosphere pretty good. The location lends a different backdrop to standard plot lines, and he works that backdrop into the stories in this series. A refreshing approach that is familiar enough to those that know the area and descriptive enough for those that do not.

Like the others in the series, this book makes a very enjoyable weekend read -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. Readers who enjoy this series might also like the Cork O'Connor series by William Kent Kreuger which takes place in Aurora Minnesota.

I recommend starting at the beginning, as parts of the stories build on each other as the series progresses.

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

What can I say? This latest from Steve Hamilton is a winner. Our intrepid semi-PI Alex McKnight is in love and nothing will stand in his way. From a mysterious old man and his hat to the inevitable show-down, Hamilton weaves a story of past betrayals and present events all in the icy land of Michigan's Upper Peninsula (if ever there was a constant "character", the UP is it!)Pick up Hamilton's first McKnight novel and you will be hooked.

I got this book based on the high reviews it got on Amazon. I don't know how it can be termed "thriller" as virtually nothing happens until the last 50 pages of the book and then the action is minimal.

Alex, a "retired" investigator tries to solve a mystery as to why an old man left his girlfriend and old hat with snow and a message before walking out into the snow and dying. Most of the book takes place with Alex going back and forth from his house to the Michigan town that the incident took place and to Canada where his girlfriend is from. Sometimes it is difficult to remember where Alex is without going back a few pages to re-read where he is.

When the mystery was solved, I felt myself cheated to have read 300 pages for virtually nothing.

Ice Run: An Alex McKnight Novel by Steve Hamilton was one I decided to read after loving his most recent work, The Lock Artist, which was more literary than this crime series he is best known for.

Alex McKnight is a retired cop living in Paradise, Michigan. He has recently become involved with, Natalie, a police officer in Canada. Alex was to go visit Natalie, but because of a terrible snow storm, they decide to meet halfway in Sault Ste Marie. They have a strange run-in with an elderly man who leaves his hat full of snow in front of their hotel room with a note stating "I know who you are". Neither Alex nor Natalie knows this man and they never get to ask him what he meant as he is found frozen outside the next day. Alex starts snooping around and realizes the note was meant for Natalie.

I'm not sure what to make of this book. It wasn't very action packed but was well-written with a complicated plot. But I found that the mystery was not something I cared very much about once all was revealed at the end. I think I decided to read this because I have a penchant for reading books set in cold weather when it is winter. Weird, I know. Also, I loved The Lock Artist (review pending). I think this is another series I might try again but through the library.

my rating 3.5/5

Wow! Ijust loved this novel. Hamilton captures the feel of northern Michigan perfectly. What is it with these Michigan authors?, my two favourite books of the season so far both by Michiganders, 'Ice Run' and Bradlet T Platts 'Deadstream. Both unputdownable and must reads.

This book kind of hooks you right away and the intensity keeps building. I really enjoyed the story and the characters and the mystery. The only let down was the very ending, but that's rather expected in a series. So don't expect a resolution.

You'll enjoy it as long as you keep this in mind.

This series is very fun to read, moves quickly and really draws you into the story. Very good writing and my only regret is that there weren't more of them.

This is Steve Hamilton's 6th book about Alex McKnight, a retired police officer living in northern Michigan. I've loved this series, but I have to say that Ice Run is easily the weakest to date.

The story has Alex and his girlfriend Natalie meeting up for a weekend in a luxury hotel. There they have a brief encounter with an eccentric old man who claims to recognize one of the them and then wanders off into the snow and dies. Alex is determined to find out what the man was talking about and quickly finds that the man's relatives are equally determined to prevent him.

The book takes a very long time to get going. It hinges on a mystery that isn't that interesting and is unnecessarily complicated. Moreover, the eventual resolution is just silly. The other books in this series have been so good, but this one is not in the same league.

I have read many of Steve Hamilton's books. I think they are more enjoyable to me because I come from the same area in Michigan and like Sue Henry Steve paints vivid pictures of the location.

I gave this book five stars due to the enjoyment of a fast paced, easy to read, thriller. I might be biased because I could recall the bars in Paradise, the road along Lake Superior, the hotel in the Soo, the bridge, Mackinac Island, the path of trees, etc. Hamilton represented the area well, along with winter descriptions that make the reader want to bundle up. The multigenerational plot added enough complexity to engage the reader in speculation and mystery. It felt peculiar, however, to think of the reputation of the border towns in the 1970's. I grew up about that time and if there was lawlessness, it was never a major issue. Sault Ste. Marie (both American and Canadian cities) seemed to be crawling with tourists instead of ruffians as a regional destination. My only issue with the book was the behavior of the characters. They all seemed impulsive, reactionary, and thoughtless to the verge of stupidity. It's a wonder they survived. "Oops," I don't want to give away any of this engaging story.