The Ice Maiden Review

The latest recorded book I listened to was The Ice Maiden by Edna Buchanan, and it was very good. The story revolves around an unsolved murder and rape from 14 years before. A couple of 16-year-olds on their way home disappeared. They turned up miles away -- the boy was killed and the girl had been raped, shot and left for dead. They were good kids from prominent families, so there was intense interest in the case and heavy police activity. However, there were few clues and it simply couldn't be solved.

Years later, a burglar in a jewelry store heist is killed attempting to enter the store through an air conditioning vent and it turns out that the dead burglar may have a connection to the abduction and murder from 14 years before. Just who is the burglar? Who did he hang out with 14 years ago? Did he and his friends kill the boy and rape the girl? The girl recovered and became an artist who carves ice and marble. Who is trying to break into her home?

At the center of the mystery is Britt Montero, a reporter for a Miami newspaper who is working with the police on "cold crimes" squad. When a police commander orders them to not follow leads in the old murder-rape case, they ask Britt to do some legwork and share information. Slowly, layers peel off the case and new suspects are revealed. Did they do the killing?

I enjoyed The Ice Maiden. For one thing, the author is an actual crime reporter from Miami, so the background about newspapers and how reporters work is authentic. For another, the book is set in the glum period just after Sept. 11, when the entire country was still in mourning. This sets a slightly depressing tone for the story that reminded me of exactly how I felt at that time. Finally, there is a terrific twist in The Ice Maiden that I didn't see coming. Like the characters in the story, it seemed pretty clear who did the evil deed -- then came the switcheroo.

As I said, I "read" The Ice Maiden as a recorded book. It was read by Anna Fields and she did an excellent job of voicing Britt Montero and the other characters in the book. She switched between characters with accents smoothly, and was completely natural with men's and woman's voices. It was one of the best book-reading performances I've heard in a while, and I listen to a lot of recorded books.

I recommend The Ice Maiden by Edna Buchanan.