Doug Allyn wades into a new character for this book. His name is Bobby Cruz and he's a tenacious young man determined to fulfill his contractual obligation to "dot the i's and cross the t's" in a follow up investigation into the whereabouts of father and son mobsters.
Bobby focuses in on the small town where Roland Costa and his son Rol, jr. were last seen. They had been there to attend the funeral of Roland's brother and then seemingly disappeared.
Nobody expects Bobby to discover anything new. He's just supposed to give the place a second look.
When somebody begins shooting at Bobby, it becomes obvious that in this rural setting, someone has something more than just a small town mentality resentment of this outsider.
The ending comes out of nowhere and slaps the reader right in the face, Doug Allyn style.

Doug Allyn is the most under rated mystery writer working today. Check out his latest, ... and you'll see what I mean.

Allyn is the best in the biz at conveying small towns, and the ruggedness of rural life, without overdoing it-- unlike so many big city types who tend to slip into satire or some "Deliverance" take off when doing small town suspense.

Great storytelling, and a GREAT ending.

Nobody tells a story like Doug Allyn. His short stories are outstanding and this book is a collection of some of his best. These tales, although distinctly different, share the common thread of one Dr. David Westbrook, small town veterinarian. Dr. Westbrook is human with human failings that tend to endear him to the reader. This likeable guy encounters a variety of very troublesome situations in his seemingly routine profession and his approach to solving these dilemmas will hold your interest. One of the stories, "Puppy Land" is well worth the price of the book all by itself. It is a very moving and thought provoking account of a woman faced with a terminal illness, who is able to put her own troubles aside to care for a frail and sickly puppy. A masterpiece.

The second Mitch Mitchell mystery is every bit as good as the first with very atmospheric Northern Michigan settings, a Ross MacDonald-style plot about greed and depravity in a rich family, and a tough, appealing female detective who is free of the Chandleresque pretentions of Sara Paretsky types.

Great stuff, great series.

This anthology runs the gamut between taut thriller and several mystery sub-genres to include Native American, psychological suspense, and the entertainment industry entries, etc. The eight fictional accounts are cleverly conceived and filled with surprising twists and non-stop action whether they occur in a modern day setting or the Civil War. Though this octet has appeared previously in other publications spread over fifteen years, the stories have never been in one handy book before. The key to the gratification of fans resides with the delightful lead characters typically confronting overwhelming situations often brought on by their actions or attitudes. Fans who relish a buffet of powerful tales that never slows down until the end of each entry will want to read this collection and Doug Allyn's other books like ALL CREATURES DARK AND DANGEROUS, and BLACK WATER.

Harriet Klausner

I could not put this book down ,Icewater Mansions capture and held my attention till the very end!!! Then I was sorry I had reached the end.... The next book in this "Mitch" Mitchell series is called Black water.... I can't wait to begin it

For years, Michelle "Mitch" Mitchell has left her son at a boarding school while she earns a living, diving off of oil rigs in the Gulf Coast. When her father dies, Mitch inherits a restaurant along the shore of Lake Huron. She decides it is time for mother and son to have the relationship they never had, so she brings eleven year old Corey to the Michigan Upper Peninsula to live with her.

Their relationship is,at first, very strained to say the least. In a desperate attempt to reach her son, Mitch takes him on a camping trip. While on the road, she starts to wonder about her own parents, especially her deceased mother. Tracking her mother's path leads to a series of perilous encounters with several dangerous groups of people and canines. However, what's a mother to do except protect her cub even as she tries to reach out to him.

A DANCE IN DEEP WATER is the third entry in the well written "Mitch" series. However, although thee novel is good,it's not quite as enjoyable as the previosu two tales (ICEWATER MANSIONS and BLACK WATER). Mitch remains an endearing character and the story line is loaded with soul searching adventure. What undermines the book a bit is that the support cast, including Cory, come across as caricatures of stereotypes rather than characters. Still, Doug Allyn is able to overcome that with a brilliant plot and the marvelous Mitch.

Harriet Klausner