Snow Country Lane
Tim McAndrews has been through a lot. Still a top prosecutor in Seattle, his near-perfect case record has been unjustly tarnished by a self-defense shooting. Because of it, he fears his career as an assistant district attorney is doomed to go nowhere. It’s not all bad, though. Legendary FBI Profiler, Elias Cain has offered Tim a job with his team. As he weighs his options for the future, Tim is fortified by the fact that he saved his wife and lover, the beautiful Daniela St. Clair, from death. Tim takes a much-needed ski vacation with his wife and best friends to the Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort. When a young girl is abducted in front of the resort, Tim is drawn into the intrigue. This girl isn’t the only child in danger. Once the police finish their investigation, he will be assigned the prosecution’s case where two six-year-old twin boys were abducted and murdered. Rainbow-colored duct tape Tim finds in the snow may be the one clue that ties these kidnappings together. Tim’s vacation is put on hold when his friend, Elias Cain, negotiates with the Seattle DA to loan Tim to his profiling team for the kidnapping investigation. As their research unfolds, Tim and his friends realize that they are chasing down a child trafficking ring that’s like an octopus with tentacles reaching everywhere. To take down this monster, Tim might have to put his life on the line—again.
“Snow Country Lane is an action packed detective thriller that kept me turning the pages. The author wove together the elements of good fiction flawlessly. The characters were richly developed and sympathetic. The hero was a heartthrob, the villains diabolical, and the femme fatale ruthless and yet funny. The setting was beautifully described and the reader is artfully grounded in the location. This is a fun read and I recommend it!” -Jennifer D.
“Loved the book! Even though this is a sequel to "James Street", it also reads very well as a stand-alone book. Well researched with lots of action, it gives you a look at possibilities. I love Dani and Tim's characters and romance, Bebee still being over the top, and the inclusion of all the prior characters that made them real in James Street. Story keeps you wanting to read more and more.” -SMK28th Annual Writer’s Digest Book Award
Judge’s Commentary:
The cover design suited the novel well, foreshadowing events to come in the snow-covered mountains. The characters here are strong and the antagonist is superbly wicked. The reader wants to hate her, but the author has done a terrific job at showing her vulnerable side, allowing the reader to relate and feel sympathy for her. This novel is a traditional mystery because it does not include dramatic violence or profanity. It does bring about trafficking of children, a twist from the usual murder mystery. The dialogue is original, flows smoothly, and the plot will keep you turning the pages. The relationships between the characters are delightful and realistic. The structure and plot are consistently tight. This reader could not put it down. The chapters are numbered instead of being given a name, but it works well for this mystery because the author is not going back and forth between time periods or characters. The author beautifully depicts the relationship between the protagonist, Tim McAndrews, and his wife, Dani, as newlyweds who love and value each other. The other relationships are also well-rounded and strong.
