Cold As Ice, by Stephanie Black

Through a drawing on Six LDS Writers and a Frog, I won a chance to review Cold As Ice, by Stephanie Black, winner of two Whitney Awards. 

Thank you, Stephanie.

I've had this song in my head for the last few days (lyrics by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, performed by Foreigner): 

You're digging for gold, you're throwing away
(Aaah-aaah) A fortune in feelings, but someday you'll pay

You're as cold as ice
You're willing to sacrifice our love

You want paradise
But someday you'll pay the price, I know...

Cold (cold cold) as (as as) ICE!!!!! That song was huge back when I was playing Barbies, testing out my first pair of roller skates, and Star Wars became the most awesome thing I'd seen IN MY WHOLE LIFE.

So, having the song in my head as I read Stephanie Black's COLD AS ICE was not a bad thing at all. In fact, it was perfect. The song lyrics couldn't be more appropriate, and the villain(s) in this thriller mystery made me shiver in the summer heat.

As Black introduced each distinct character and laid the foundation of the plot, then gradually built on entanglement after entanglement, and even though I had an idea of "who dunnit" early on, I found myself cringing as if I were watching an old Hitchcock movie and shouting to the hero(es), "Don't open that door! Get out of there! Don't say that! DON'T TRUST ANYONE! AAAAaaak!"
It was a lot of fun.

From the back of the book:

After five patient years, Abigail Wyatt’s sisterly care is finally paying off: her younger brother, Derek, is abandoning his self-destructive lifestyle and seeking his parents’ forgiveness, thus ending the painful estrangement that wounded the whole family. But just as the pieces are falling into place for the prodigal’s return, a woman is murdered in a local park—and police name Derek as the prime suspect. Rather than standing firm and cementing the positive changes in his life, Derek succumbs to his cynical fears and runs from the law, leaving Abigail with her hands tied. Literally.

Derek’s raw panic convinces everyone that he’s the killer—everyone except Abigail, who doggedly maintains her brother’s innocence. With the help of Kyle, a friend she might be falling for, Abigail digs deep into the murdered woman's troubled past in hopes of clearing Derek’s name. But as she uncovers a sinister plot of greed, envy, and vengeance, this loyal sister must face the painful truth that things—and people—are not always as they seem.

What I liked best:
Karen Brodie and Derek Wyatt were my favorite characters; a really great balance between caricature and realism for both. As much as I hated Karen, I wanted to warn her. As much as I wanted Derek to act differently, I completely understood how he saw things. Wonderful play, piling on the tension.

Great job, Stephanie Black!

Cold (cold cold) as (as as) ICE. You're as cold as ice to me!
Watch the video (warning: very 70's, will get in your head)