Winter's Child
Library Journal Review: Starred Review. Judge Deborah Knott (Rituals of the Season) and Chief Deputy Sheriff Dwight Bryant have been married for a month when Dwight gets a call from his eight-year-old son Cal, who wants Dwight to come to Shaysville, VA, where he lives with his mom. Upon arrival, Dwight discovers that his ex-wife has not been home since the previous morning and young Cal has been left alone. Then Cal disappears; a neighbor reports seeing him leave with his mother. Meanwhile at home in Colleton County, NC, Dwight's detective team is investigating the sniper shooting death of one of the county's bad boys. In her 12th Deborah Knott mystery, Maron continues to display her storytelling skills with well-rounded characters, an intriguing plot, and a strong sense of place. Maron's books are more serious than fellow Southerner Joan Hess's Maggody series. Readers who enjoy mysteries that depict strong female characters in positions of power may also want to check out J.A. Jance's latest Joanna Brady mystery, reviewed above. Strongly recommended for all collections. Maron lives near Raleigh, NC. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 4/1/06.] Copyright ? Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.