Added to my e-bookshelf … <em>Winter Gets Hot</em>

Added to my e-bookshelf … Winter Gets Hot

Posted on April 24th, 2019 by Jeff McDonald

When I received my review copy of “Winter Gets Hot” from LibraryThing, all I really knew about the book and its merits was that it was – according to the jacket, at least – “The eagerly anticipated sequel to ‘Winter In Chicago.’”

I wasn’t familiar with that book or its author, David M. Hamlin. But after reading this ‘eagerly anticipated sequel,’ I will probably be searching for that earlier work, adding it to my e-bookshelf, and learning more about Emily Winter’s introduction to the Windy City, and vice-versa.

book-winter-gets-hot Winter is a ‘lifestyle’ reporter for a local television station … but she has aspirations to do more, to develop and produce ‘hard news.’ One day, while preparing to cover the former, she steps into the latter … and their our story begins, when a story about a community service organization lands Winter in the middle of what the they used to call ‘willful murder by person or persons unknown.’

Go get ‘em, Emily!

Easier said then done. As is the case of all good whodunits, there is something more to this case than simply murder … and THAT is what draws Winter into all this. Like all good reporters, she wants to ask more than just the standard question … and those are questions that someone or something ‘out there’ might prefer to remain unasked.

Antagonism between authorities and journalists is nothing new … just ask anyone who, like myself, has worked as a journalist. But not all of the push-back is coming from the authorities … there are some within her own organization, among her own ‘ink-stained brethren,’ who seek to block her efforts, as well.

And at the same time, not all the encouragement/assistance is coming from her news organization … there are also some within ‘the system’ who want to do the right thing, and aid her investigation … some of them at great risk.

Then there are those where Winter – and the reader – can’t be sure about their honesty or their motivation.

Oh, yes … there WILL be red herrings.

In some respects, nothing new here … fans of everyone from Dashiell Hammett to Agatha Christie might be saying, “well, of course.” But Hamlin gives us a nice variation on a protagonist in Emily Winter … no hard-boiled detective, here, or English village observer. What we do have is someone we can like, someone for whom we can root as she delves deeper and further into something more than simply a case of murder.

Hamlin has crafted a story a story that drew me in, had me encouraging Winter, hoping she gets that breaking news story and the advancement that would follow, and hoping that there might be some justice in the Windy City. And while there may be some resolution – in some respects, at least – there is also some new opportunities for stories, and justice … and maybe a sequel to “Winter Gets Hot” ???

Go get ‘em, Emily!

In the meantime, I plan to read what has become – for me – “The eagerly anticipated PREquel to ‘Winter Gets Hot.’”

__________

NOTE: I received a free e-copy of this work through LibraryThing in exchange for a review.

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Jeff McDonald

There's a saying around here, something like, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!" That's me. I'm a 'dang Yankee from back-east' who settled in the Lone Star State after some extended stays in the eastern U.S., and New Mexico. I worked as an archaeologist for a few years before dusting off my second major in English, and embarking on a 25-year career in journalism. Since then, I've embraced the dark side of the force, and now work in PR for a community college in Midland, Texas.