Snow Angel (Paperback)

by Thom Racina (Author) "Julia Radcliffe Larsen had no intention of dying young, least of all on a rainswept highway in the middle of California's San Joaquin Valley, but..." (more)
Key Phrases: fucking bitch, Matthew Hinson, San Francisco, Jim Crowley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Love, vengeance and psychopathy lead to the bloody double murder that opens this fast-moving if far-fetched debut thriller from a veteran writer for daytime soaps (General Hospital, etc.). After fatally stabbing and shooting his neighbors, a former California governor and his wife, in their remote Mariposa home days before Christmas, an exhilarated Matt Hinson slips away through the hills in snowshoes. He is on hand at the funeral to deliver a moving eulogy and to comfort the victims' daughter, Julia, his longtime obsession. Matt cleverly worms his way into Julia's heart by writing her poems about angels, enticing her with fabricated stories of her dead mother, befriending her young daughter, Molly, and, the coup de grace, by having passionate sex with her?something her husband has been unwilling to do since her mastectomy. When Matt is arrested for the murders, Julia, a writer and former TV reporter, becomes his most ardent and outspoken defender. But she will eventually learn the disturbing truth?and the mortal danger she has brought on herself. Racina spins a highly cinematic tale set against dramatic backdrops, from the snowy hills of Mariposa to a San Francisco skyscraper to the falls at Yosemite. The plot strains belief, and some of its twists are predictable. But the immoral, somewhat quixotic Matt is a memorable villain who generates considerable suspense by making readers wonder what, exactly, he will dare to do next.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
On a cold, snowy night before Christmas, Matthew Hinson seeks revenge for past insults as he stabs to death former California governor Harry Radcliffe and his wife, Martha, in their posh mountain retreat. Julia Larsen, their daughter and the love of Matt's life, is only minutes from finding her parents' bodies as she and daughter Molly arrive for the holidays. After delivering a heartfelt eulogy at their funeral, Matt (who was the murdered man's business partner) comforts Julia with manipulative skill. Recovering from a mastectomy that left emotional scars and struggling with a troubled marriage, Julia responds to his gestures. They make snow angels and passionate love before he is arrested. Throughout the media circus surrounding his trial, Julia alone attests to Matt's innocence. She even gets books of his poetry published. When Julia finally realizes the bloody truth, she devises a secret, vindictive plan that results in a chilling cliff-hanger chase from San Francisco to Yosemite. Jennifer Henderson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Onyx; 1st THUS edition (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451185994
• ISBN-13: 978-0451185990
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,359,564 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, April 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Snow Angel: 8 (Hardcover)

Snow Angel has become one of my favorite books.With its tantalizing suspense, thrills and action it will get your attention and keep you hooked.....a book I just couldn't put down.I was surprised when Racina revealed the murderer at the start of the story but the story remained riveting. An unexpected and exciting ending.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Compelling, Super Suspenseful Snow Angel, February 7, 2004

By	Christopher Stone (Harbor City, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Snow Angel: 8 (Hardcover)

Not an especial fan of the murder-mystery tale, I was surprised to find myself seduced completely and happily by Mr. Racina's bone-chilling story of human slaughter, life-shattering lies, no-holds-barred revenge, and nail-biting suspense. I was even more surprised to be captivated by "Snow Angel" because the first chapter reveals who done it, how, where, and why it was done. The author's years of grinding out network television soap operas has hone him into a master of the cliffhanger.

Start to finish, I was loathe to set down this totally compelling tome. Now I want to read everything that Racina has written.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good..But-----, August 19, 2000

By	Michael Butts (Martinsburg, WV USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Snow Angel" is one of those books you feel guilty enjoying. Mr. Racina is a good writer and he maintains your interest throughout. Even though you know the murderer right away, he weaves an intricate story on just how he plans to get away with it. There is an underlying cruelty to the story; the murderer is in love with the daughter of his victims, or should I say "obsessed with lust". Some of the violence and sexual descriptions are graphic, but do supply additional reasons to really dislike the villain. There are points early on when you really do kind of like Matthew Hinson. That's scary, and a credit to Racina's writing. Racina does well too in the fact that he doesn't go deep into Matt's psyche to rationalize his behavior. As one of the characters says, 'You're the exception...you were born nuts!" How refreshing in this day of writers who feel you have to feel sorry for their sick, depraved characters because of something that happened to them in their childhood. All in all, the story is compelling, but it is rather unbelievable that Matthew can fool the heroine with such obvious bull....Oh, well, I shall not complain. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it for it's visceral and visual impact.

Michael Butts