Monthly themed reading means that I scour the holiday mystery nook book selection each week. In The Dead of Winter is one such find. Ivy Towers is forced to travel to Winter Break, the small town where she spent part of her childhood, to bury her beloved great-aunt. Aunt Bitty fell from her rolling ladder and now Ivy is the soul proprietor of her aunt's bookstore. Ivy is convinced that Bitty's death is more than just an accident. She is determined to find the truth and get back to her own life far away from the small town. But, life has a funny way of changing when you least expect it.In The Dead of Winter reminded me of the Hallmark holiday movies I have binged watched the last week. It provides a clear moral message mixed with an interesting mystery. And the main setting is one of my dream locations; an antique house that has been converted in to a bookstore with an attached apartment. I want to live there! Back to the message: Mehl wants her readers to remember that love and forgiveness is the way to lead a full life. These characters must learn to embrace all aspects of themselves, including the aspects they would rather forget, and constantly strive to be the best person possible. It was a nice reminder of the selflessness we should all strive for in the craziness that permeates the holiday season.The story occurs in the weeks leading up to Christmas but barely touches on the actual holiday. This was surprising because In The Dead of Winter is a Christian book. Mehl specializes in novels that feature intrigue and murder with a touch of faith. So I was shocked that Christmas did not come up. Instead the focus of the message was forgiveness. Mehl does a descent job of mixing the Christian message with the murder mystery but it is not seamless and can read a tad forced at times. Don't discount it though because it is a good point and an enjoyable mystery.Plus, Ivy is just fun to read. She reminds me of myself and I actually cried I laughed so hard at her mad flight through the funeral home. Some moments were a tad cliché, remember Hallmark movie, but none turned me away from the story. The one thing that bugged me were the names. I know that Mehl immerses her readers in the small town culture but Amos is not the name of a modern love interest in his early thirties. No. I absolutely loved the character but I kept calling him A in my head because Amos just made me cringe. Oh well.In The Dead of Winter was an uplifting read that is perfect for curling up on a puffy couch with a glass of hot chocolate. Have you read any of Mehl's novels?Lindsay Ivy “Sam” Towers returns home from college to Winter Break, Kansas, after she gets word that her beloved Aunt Bitty has died. She apparently took a fall from the rolling ladder in her antiquarian bookstore—but the thing is, Bitty was extremely spry for a woman her age. So was it an accident, or could it be...murder? A comfortable combination of cozy mystery and Christian fiction, this first installment in the Ivy Towers Mystery Series documents Ivy’s amateur sleuth attempts, as well as her spiritual struggles. A semester away from finishing college, she’s conflicted about what she should do after graduation: move back home to Winter Break and take over Aunt Bitty’s bookstore, or accept a comfy job offer in bustling Denver? What exactly is God’s plan for her? While Mehl’s novel is not stupendous, it’s certainly not bad, either. Although it never strays far from predictable cozy territory, overall it’s a nice, light little read that you could easily recommend to your grandmother, or read on an airplane.
What do You think about In The Dead Of Winter (2007)?
First book in the series....light and fluffy! I will continue on with book 2 "Bye Bye Bertie."
—Hanan
An OK read. Has a Christian bent ... so if this bothers you, skip this book.
—Kaye
Enjoyable. A bit too "rushed" with the backfill towards the end.
—Tani
