Winter in June (Rosie Winter Mysteries) [Kindle Edition]

Kathryn Miller Haines (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Actress Rosie Winter, the narrator of Haines's lively third WWII-era mystery (after 2008's The Winter of Her Discontent), sets sail from San Francisco for the Solomon Islands in the spring of 1943, though a woman's body found floating in the water nearby delays the ship's departure. Rosie, whose ex-boyfriend is missing somewhere in the Pacific theater, is part of a USO troupe that includes adventurous friend Jayne Hamilton, who's walking away from her mobster boyfriend, and Gilda DeVane, a former MGM player. Once on the island of Tulagi, Rosie and her pals mostly have fun performing their song-and-dance routines and consorting with friendly servicemen, until a deadly sniper attack prompts the military authorities to move the entertainers to WAAC barracks for their protection. Full of evocative period detail (a sailor is called Spanky after the kid in the Our Gang comedies), this entry, for all its humorous and lighthearted moments, builds to a dramatic and sobering conclusion. (June)
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From Booklist

Actress Rosie Winter and her friend Jayne travel to the Solomon Islands as part of a USO tour group during World War II, hoping to find Rosie’s ex-boyfriend Jack, who is now missing in action after being stationed in that area. Hollywood star Gilda DeVane—hoping to rehabilitate her image after her affair with a married actor and her subsequent firing by the studio—is also part of the group. Just before the ship leaves San Francisco for Tulagi, a body is found floating in the water. The victim turns out to be a former WAC who had been stationed at Tulagi. When a shooting occurs on the island, Rosie believes the murder is connected to the earlier death. Rosie and Jayne are kept busy investigating the two murders and Jack’s disappearance. This third in a series is firmly set in its wartime locale and includes period slang and details of the USO and its entertainers. It will appeal to fans of Margit Liesche’s Pucci Lewis mysteries, also about women’s roles in World War II. --Sue O'Brien

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 331 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins e-books; 1 edition (May 19, 2009)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0029PBVMA
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,288 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Kathryn Miller Haines is an actor, mystery writer, and award-winning playwright. In addition to writing the Rosie Winter series for HarperCollins, she's also writes a mystery series for young adults also set during World War II for Roaring Brook Press. The first book in the series, The Girl is Murder, is about 15 year old Iris Anderson whose life is turned up side down when her mother kills herself and her father returns injured from Pearl Harbor. She also blogs about World War II and pop culture at www.thegirlis.blogspot.com

Here's a brief Q&A with Kathryn about why she decided to write a young adult novel:

This is your first mystery for young adults, after penning several of popular mysteries for adults in your Rosie Winter series. What made you decide to write for this new audience?

I love reading YA books and, as when I first tried my hand at mysteries, I wanted to see if I could write one for myself. I also felt like there was a whole world of World War II that hadn't been explored very much - what was the war like from the perspective of teenagers? In fact there's a great non-fiction book called Teenage that talks about adolescence through history that really got me buzzing about what life was like then.

What were some of the mysteries you enjoyed reading when you were young? I'm assuming Nancy Drew, due to the mention in the book, but I'd love to hear a few of your early faves.

Absolutely loved Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Truth told, though, I didn't read a lot of mysteries as a young 'un. I was a big Judy Blume fan (particularly Blubber, a book that has stayed with me all these years). Bridge to Terabithia will still make me cry. And I never met a Lois Duncan book I didn't tear through (though I guess those kind of are mysteries/thrillers).
What kind of research did you do to create an authentic early 1940s-New York City setting? Was there any difference in your research process for a young readers title compared to your work for adult titles?

I read a lot of great non-fiction books about the war, went through contemporary to the war issues of newspapers, magazines, comic books; listened to music and radio shows; looked at fashion; watched movies - pretty much surrounded myself with the kind of pop culture that I would've probably been into had I lived during that time.

With the adult mysteries, I think readers are looking for the nitty gritty details about the period whereas I don't think YA readers have the patience for a four page info dump on the history of air conditioning. It was freeing in some ways because I didn't have to be as specific and heavy handed with creating my world. I felt like I could create a flavor of the period without having to drown each scene in period detail. It became a lot more about experiencing the world through the character for me.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best 'Rosie' yet!, May 19, 2009

By 

D. White (Bordentown, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winter in June: A Rosie Winter Mystery (Rosie Winter Mysteries) (Paperback)

Haines takes a huge leap forward with her third novel. What started as an excellent series aimed toward mystery aficionados and WW II era buffs has blossomed into a richly layered series that is as concerned with the emotional life of its characters as it is with "whodunit." Rosie and Jayne strike out for the South Seas on a USO tour to search for Rosie's fiance. And while we initially miss the New York City theatre world of the first two novels(as well as the familiar characters that inhabit it), Haines more than compensates by painting a detailed, evocative picture of American soldiers, WACs and USO entertainers all striving for a sense of normalcy in a foreign land. Rosie and Jayne have evolved into three-dimensional characters that readers may not be used to seeing in your standard mystery paperback, but Haines has had three books to perfect their voices and this is her most confident work yet. When it comes to the actual mystery, Haines delivers the goods, like always, but the heart of this novel is the friendship between Rosie and Jayne.

If you're not familiar with the first two books in the series, read them first. But if you have already read and enjoyed them, you'll LOVE this one.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Winter in June, July 26, 2009

By 

Steven Rapaport "A Voice in Time" (Stockton, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Winter in June: A Rosie Winter Mystery (Rosie Winter Mysteries) (Paperback)

I have read all three of Mrs. Haines novels and they are all outstanding! Her latest novel "Winter in June" takes us to the Islands in the Middle of the War zone. She gives us a hint of the mystery in the opening chapter but leads us up right to the end of the novel to clear it all up. I think I loved the language most in this novel as it is authentic WW II. Perhaps Mrs. Haines hooked me on the opening page with the line from Rosie "My dogs were barking." Rosie and Jayne are back at it again both entertaining the troops this time and solving mysteries and unraveling personal relationships throughout the novel. This is a wonderful WW II novel and a must for any lover of mysteries!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rosie in the South Seas, July 21, 2010

By 

Tamela Mccann "taminator40" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Winter in June: A Rosie Winter Mystery (Rosie Winter Mysteries) (Paperback)

Rosie Winter's not one to say no, and when she hears her ex-boyfriend Jack has gone missing while stationed in the war time South Pacific,she's determined to get answers. Rosie talks best friend Jayne into joining a USO show going to the area, and while Rosie's not sure what she's going to find once she arrives in Tulagi, she certainly wasn't expecting a murder. Or even two for that matter.

The third installment of Kathryn Miller Haines's superb WWII mystery series, Winter in June, is just as riveting as the first two. Filled with characters that leap off the page, the series loses nothing when it shifts to the South Pacific. Rosie's still fiery and headstrong, and she and Jayne once again find themselves smack in the middle of several mysteries. This time they share the USO stage with famous actress Gilda DeVane, whose own personal scandal has put her career at risk. While balancing the demands of the show, Rosie searches for any sign of Jack; meanwhile, supplies are disappearing and snipers are taking shots around camp. Oh, and remember Peaches? Somehow he manages to turn up in the islands as well.

I just love this series! Rosie is a perfect sleuth who doesn't know she's a sleuth; her tough mindedness and sharp mouth make her one of my favorite characters ever. While the mysteries aren't particularly deep, they are well plotted, and the mix of romance into this one was pitch perfect. I could picture WWII Tulagi and the sacrifices made by the Allied soldiers and the USO both. Entertaining and wildly fun, Winter in June had me hooked from the first words. Do yourself a favor and pick this series up now.