Ice Run: An Alex McKnight Novel (Alex McKnight Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Steve Hamilton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Alex McKnight Mysteries | Publication Date: May 31, 2005

It may be one of the worst winters in recent memory in Paradise, Michigan, but Alex McKnight is looking forward to spending some quality time with his new girlfriend, Natalie Reynaud, an officer from the Ontario Provincial Police. But a chance encounter with a mysterious old man, Simon Grant, turns chilling when he seems to know a lot about Natalie and her family.

When Natalie and Alex return to their room later that evening, they discover the same hat the old man was wearing lying outside their room filled with ice and snow and containing a cryptic note: I know who you are! A day later, Simon Grant is found frozen to death in a snowdrift.

Natalie and Alex are stunned. The mystery is just too much of a coincidence for Alex to ignore. His trail leads him to a blood feud buried decades ago in Natalie's family's past-an event that can still drive men to kill each other...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hamilton's compelling, vigorous prose doesn't allow the option of taking a break."
-Los Angeles Times

"Hamilton expertly delivers sharply etched characters, a vivid setting and a thoroughly enjoyable hero, leaving us breathless, perched at the edge of our seats for this chilly ride."
-Publishers Weekly

"Hamilton gives us mysteries within mysteries as well as a hero who simply won't be beaten down."-Miami Herald

"An intense atmosphere continues to add to the riches of Steve Hamilton's well-plotted novels...Hamilton again excels at linking his traditional private detective novels with solid plots. A tender love story and a rude awakening of the past form the heart of Ice Run...Ice Run turns on edge-of-the-seat psychological suspense that Hamilton has honed to precision."
-Florida Sun-Sentinel

"Rougher, darker, sexier than previous installments, Ice Run raises the already noteworthy McKnight series to the next level and, in giving its hero a romantic companion, affords new insight into Alex's character."-ThisWeek

From the Back Cover

Edgar Award-winner Steve Hamilton introduced one of the most compelling characters in modern fiction with Alex McKnight. Now Alex finds himself in the middle of a very strange mystery with much greater consequences than he ever anticipated...

AN OLD MAN WITH A SECRET...
It may be one of the worst winters in recent memory in Paradise, Michigan, but Alex McKnight is looking forward to spending some quality time with his new girlfriend, Natalie Reynaud, an officer from the Ontario Provincial Police. But a chance encounter with a mysterious old man, Simon Grant, turns chilling when he seems to know a lot about Natalie and her family.

A BIZARRE NOTE...
When Natalie and Alex return to their room later that evening, they discover the same hat the old man was wearing lying outside their room filled with ice and snow and containing a cryptic note: I know who you are! A day later, Simon Grant is found frozen to death in a snowdrift.

A BLOOD FEUD FROM THE PAST
Natalie and Alex are stunned. The mystery is just too much of a coincidence for Alex to ignore. His trail leads him to a blood feud buried decades ago in Natalie's family's past-an event that can still drive men to kill each other...

www.minotaurbooks.com

"Powerful suspense and a socko climax."
-Booklist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312932960
• ISBN-13: 978-0312932961
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,356 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Men's Adventure
  • #61 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > Hard-Boiled

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

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read without a lot of fluff or filler, October 15, 2005

By 

In the AmaZone... - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ice Run: An Alex McKnight Novel (Alex McKnight Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

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

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars another winner, July 11, 2005

By 

susy notwen - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ice Run: An Alex McKnight Novel (Alex McKnight Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Slow!, January 13, 2008

By 

Michael A. Newman (New York) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ice Run: An Alex McKnight Novel (Alex McKnight Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

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.