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As another summer rolls around, so does the latest novel from Margaret Maron. What better antidote to the blazing summer heat than a story set in a Virginia in the grip of winter? Judge Deborah Knott and Deputy Dwight Bryant have only been married for a month, when Bryant receives a call from his son. His ex-wife has gone missing. However, the situation quickly deteriorates and the newly-weds find themselves in a race against time. Margaret Maron's stories are, as a general rule, cozies. They do deal with murder or other dark themes, but they rarely delve into the seamier side of life in the rural Carolinas. Here, with murder, child abduction and more, Maron really does take a step into darker themes. However, she treats them in her usual way, giving the reader pleasant, likeable characters and infusing the novel with a true Southern attitude. The plot of WINTER'S CHILD is especially intricate. Even nearing the denouement of the novel, I still had no idea as to the murderer's identity or motives. The reader is really left looking at a blank wall, as both Judge Knott and Deputy Bryant are outside of their comfort zones, in an area in which they have no jurisdiction. Nevertheless, we have the customary dialogue, humour and family values that make Margaret Maron's novels a pleasure to read. Maron plays the atmosphere well, with the icy weather used to good effect. Obviously, the plight of a small child is one that will affect many readers and Maron makes sure that they never forget that a child is in danger. As ever, it is a very enjoyable novel to read, with well-crafted characters and a good plot. In this case, Maron makes a lot more of the plot than in previous novels, where she often concentrates more on the social life, as though she were writing a record of Southern life. I look forward to her next novel.
Reviewed by Luke Croll, August 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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