Thin Ice: A Mystery

Paige Shelton

Dec 2019 · Alaska Wild Book 1 · Sold by Minotaur Books

About this ebook

The stunning wilds of Alaska are not for the faint of heart—but when Beth Rivers finds herself with a need to disappear, she’s already faced far worse. So how hard could it be?

Beth Rivers, known to the world as Elizabeth Fairchild, has spent years as a bestselling novelist. Her twisty, page-turning thrillers have garnered a legion of fans, but unfortunately, her story-telling landed her in an unbelievable tale of her own—a situation even more terrifying than she could have dreamed. Crazed Elizabeth Fairchild super-fan Levi Brooks stalked and kidnapped Elizabeth, holding her captive inside a van for three days. She escaped by throwing herself from the speeding van, suffering a severe head injury and memory loss.

Scarred and still healing from her injuries, she secretly escapes to the beautiful—and very remote—Benedict, Alaska. It’s the only place she can be sure no one will find her. But just before Beth’s arrival, the already small population of Benedict was reduced by one. Linda Rafferty’s death was ruled a suicide, but no one in the close-knit community quite believes that conclusion, even the sheriff.

While she waits for her attacker to be apprehended in the lower 48, Beth takes on a project to revamp the Benedict town newspaper. She knows enough to go where the story is, and there’s clearly one behind Linda’s death. As rumors of murder spread, suspicion falls upon the felons staying at a local halfway house—and Beth herself. Intrigued by both the mystery and the wary folks who call Benedict home, Beth starts asking questions—only to find her investigation stirring up memories she’d much rather had stayed forgotten...

Ratings and reviews

Beth is on the run. She was abducted, held for several days, and somehow escaped. Because of an accident that resulted in a brain injury, she doesn't remember a lot of what happened to her. She's a writer, so she can go anywhere she wants ... maybe using a different name. Until her abductor is caught, she's afraid of anyone knowing who and where she is. She winds up in a small town in Alaska ... where it seems a lot of people who are also hiding who they are. Beth accidentally booked herself in a halfway house, run by a woman paid by the state to take care of women-only law breakers. She's okay with this until she's told there has been a recent death. Murder or suicide? when the local police ask for her limited help, she's more than happy to comply. . Can she get back to normal, will she ever truly feel safe, and can she help solve the local mystery, if only so she doesn’t have to think about her own? I enjoyed the Alaskan setting. I liked most of the characters .. the ones I didn't like were written than way. I like small town mysteries ... plenty of suspects, and you just know that not everyone is who they say they are. The mystery is good .. maybe a step up from a cozy. Beware .. this is part of a series and although one crime is solved, there is more to come and it ends with a huge cliff hanger. Many thanks to the author / St Martin's Press / Minotaur Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Thin Ice by Paige Shelton is an intriguing new mystery. Beth Rivers is her real name, but most people know her as Elizabeth Fairchild, a best selling author. After escaping from a passionate fan, Beth decides to disappear into the Alaskan wilderness. After a search online, Beth picks Benedict, Alaska. Beth soon discovers that she is not the first person to have selected this remote town as a hiding place. Beth arrives to find one of the residents has died and Sheriff Grilson Samuels suspects foul play. Beth is given the unpaid job of running the local “newspaper” as well as being a consultant to Gril. As Beth delves into the victim’s life, memories of the three days held captive surface. As you can tell, there are multiple storylines in Thin Ice. I like the unique characters that live in Benedict. Each one of them has their own reason for being in this isolated town which means there is a lot of fodder for future books. It will be interesting learning about each of these individuals. I am especially curious about Donner Montgomery’s story (the park ranger). Viola runs Benedict House (sounds like an elegant hotel) which Beth discovers is a halfway house for parolees. Viola reminds me of a female Indiana Jones with her hat and ever present gun. I am not a fan of Beth’s mother. She is a woman with issues of her own and the last thing Beth needs in her life. The mystery surrounding the death of Linda Rafferty was complex along with kidnapping of Beth. Only one of them is solved by the end of the book. Beth was on edge throughout the story which is understandable. The poor woman has been through a terrible ordeal and the man who caused it is still on the loose. Beth is also in a new town where a murder just took place and the residents tend to be secretive. I like how Donner takes the time to make sure Beth is equipped for the harsh weather and gives her rules to follow (she needs them). I enjoyed Paige’s descriptions of the Alaskan landscape which she brought alive with her vivid word imagery. I would also envision the characters especially Beth with her vivid scar. The only disappointment is not knowing how long we must wait for the next book in the Alaska Wild Mysteries. Thin Ice is a suspenseful mystery novel with the cruel climate, a mysterious murder, a crazed captor, close mouthed citizens, and missing memories.

I really enjoyed this book! A riveting read. I highly recommend it: interesting characters; well written; well paced. It holds the reader's interest throughout. It makes me want to read more about these people & the world they inhabit.

About the author

PAIGE SHELTON had a nomadic childhood as her father’s job as a football coach took the family to seven different towns before she was even twelve years old. After college at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, she moved to Salt Lake City where she thought she’d only stay a few years, but she fell in love with the mountains and a great guy who became her husband. After a couple of decades in Utah, she and her family recently moved to Arizona. She writes the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series, which begins with The Cracked Spine. Thin Ice is the first in a new series.