Her Frozen Cry by Carolyn Arnold is the fifth installment in her exciting and thrilling Detective Amanda Steele series. I was excited to return to the Prince William County to follow Amanda and Trent as they embarked on their most recent murder investigation.
Title: Her Frozen Cry
Author(s): Carolyn Arnold
Series: Detective Amanda Steele #5
Also in this series: The Little Grave , Stolen Daughters , The Silent Witness , Black Orchid Girls
Published by Bookouture on June 9, 2022
Pages: 309
Genre(s): Crime Fiction
Source: Publisher
Format: eArc
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Rating:
Series Rating:
The moon shines through the open window, bathing the woman in pale light. Blood-red wine from a shattered glass soaks into the cream blanket beside her, and her dull eyes stare vacantly at the framed photograph in her hand.
When beautiful wife and mother Alicia Gordon is found dead in a remote woodland cabin, Detective Amanda Steele is shocked to discover that she knows the husband. Amanda hasn’t spoken to Tony since she lost the love of her own life seven years ago, and seeing tragedy tearing her old friend’s family apart brings back so many painful memories.
Alicia was alone when she died, but she was so young, and Amanda can’t help feeling suspicious. Then she discovers that Alicia’s sleep medication had been tampered with, slowly poisoning her over several days. Amanda wants to trust that the sorrow on Tony’s face is real, but the more she digs into his marriage, the more it seems that he had opportunity, and motive…
Interviewing one of Alicia’s old colleagues, Amanda is shaken to her core when the woman suddenly collapses in her arms, dying in seconds from a lethal dose of the same poison that killed Alicia. But what could link this woman to Tony?
With her partner blaming Amanda for not arresting Tony immediately, she needs to prove that he isn’t the killer, or accept that the second woman’s death could be on her hands. She’s running out of time and leads when she discovers threatening messages sent to both victims. It’s the final clue to unmasking the most twisted killer Amanda has ever come up against, and to stop them she’ll have to risk everything…
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Each time I pick up a Carolyn Arnold book, I expect a story full of twists and turns and a mystery which will keep me guessing to the end. Her Frozen Cry delivered on all counts.
This time around Amanda and Trent caught a case, which at first glance appears to be suicide. However, as the pair dug deeper, they discover there was more to the case than they initially thought. But who would want to kill the beautiful and wealthy owner of New Belle cosmetics? The investigation came with several complexities, the biggest being Amanda’s friendship with the victim’s husband. Now the husband is always the first suspect, a fact which will test Amanda’s ability to remain impartial.
The investigation led to several suspects. I thought I had my finger on the suspect, but Arnold introduced another victim. The introduction of the new victim threw me a curveball. The perpetrator’s identity shocked me, but the biggest shocker was the motive. Definitely never saw it coming.
Not only does the reader get a ring-side seat to the investigation, they also have a bird’s-eye view into Amanda’s personal life. She has come a long way from the woman who attempted to drown her grief in one-night stands, pill popping and drinking. The life-changing decision she made two installments back, also helped in her becoming a better version of herself. The story showcased her attempts to maintain a healthy balance between her professional and personal life.
Overall, Her Frozen Cry delivered an amazing story, which had me hooked from start to finish, Fast-paced, thrilling and worth every minute spent reading. . As always, I look forward to reading more from the author. Book 6 can’t come soon enough. Fans of police procedurals, murder mysteries will enjoy the Detective Amanda Steele series.
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About Carolyn Arnold
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international best-selling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™. Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower. She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada.
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