REVIEW: ICE SCREAM by MORGAN HANNAH MCDONALD

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in 4 stars, Morgan Hannah McDonald, Review, Romantic Suspense, The Romance Reviews / 0 Comments

Publisher: Celtic Moon Publishing
Release Date: December 2015
ISBN: 1519333129

Book Genre: Romantic Suspense/Mystery




Somewhere in the vast Alaskan wilderness hides a psychotic monster. His methods are unlike any other serial killer to date. He likes his women cold, frozen to be exact. Once finished with a victim, he displays her like a twisted piece of art. 
FBI Agent Annie Thomas is on leave after the loss of her fiancรฉ, Matt Locklear. She has spent the better part of a year in his one-bedroom cabin in the wilds of Alaska. Lately she’s had the feeling of being watched. Is her self-imposed exile getting the better of her? 
Homicide Detective Stone Wooshkeetaan has become a driven man. He would work 24/7 if he could, anything to prevent him from sleeping. He’s the one who found the mutilated body of his friend, Matt, an image that has haunted his dreams ever since. 
It’s the day after Christmas and Draper’s Pond is filled with the sound of laughing children as they race around on the ice trying out their new skates. Little do they know a dark cloud looms ahead. Two little girls are holding hands and spinning as fast as they can until they break apart. One goes sliding into a snow bank. Once she rises, a blood curdling scream rips from her tiny throat, silencing the crowd. Directly below her is the body of a woman trapped under the ice; her hands up as if warding off an attack, her mouth frozen in a silent scream.
The woman’s death was not an accident and Stone is certain this isn’t the killer’s first victim. He asks Annie to help him prove it, but before long the investigation takes a sinister turn. The bodies of women start showing up all over the Mat-Su Valley looking like horrific ice sculptures. Now Annie and Stone are on the hunt for a sadistic killer hiding in a state over twice the size of Texas and largely comprised of uninhabited wilderness. They must capture this beast before he finishes his perverse agenda and disappearsโ€ฆagain.
Review originally posted at The Romance Reviews.

I enjoy discovering new authors and my enjoyment is magnified when the stories in question are wonderful. Well, ICE SCREAM by Morgan Hannah MacDonald falls into that category. 

It has been awhile since I have read a suspense novel that grabbed my attention from the first line. To say it had me on the edge of my seat is an understatement. This was a spine-tingling read. I literally had difficulty putting it down. I was eager to see how the events would unfold. I simply could not get enough.
 ICE SCREAM is the 4th book in the Thomas Family series. It can easily be read as a stand-alone. There are two stories taking place in this novel. The focus of the primary story is on special agent Annie Thomas and homicide detective Stone Wooshkeetaan. This story is set in Alaska where a serial killer is on the loose. The secondary story, which is set in California, is based on characters that were introduced in the first book in the series. Initially, I thought that there would be a connection between the two stories, however, as the story progressed I realised they were unrelated. 
Both stories were intriguing and suspenseful. They were filled with unexpected twists and turns and were well paced. As a result, there was never a dull moment. They kept me guessing at every page turn. It was obvious that the villains in both stories were nut jobs, but one cannot help but admire them. Although their actions were gruesome, the manner in which they carried out their acts demonstrated their ingenuity. 
I thought that the characters of Stone and Annie were well developed. I could not help but to be caught up in every aspect of their lives. After reading this installment I am inclined to go back and read the other books in the series. This inclination was further fueled after reading about JJ Thomas and Shadowhawk Quinn, who were the focus of the secondary story. 
Although I enjoyed this installment, I was disappointed by the lack of romance. The novel was classified as a romantic suspense, but the romance was underdeveloped. The chemistry between Annie and Stone was undeniable and there were moments of intimacy. However, I do believe that more time should have been spent exploring this attraction before we see them hopping into bed. I had a hard time accepting that they had fallen in love in such a short time. Especially knowing that Annie had been recently mourning the loss of her fiance.
Bottom Line: I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy suspenseful stories. The story is solid, the plot exciting and the characters captivating. If you are curious to find out more, then get a copy of ICE SCREAM.
Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading
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