A Crack In The Ice (Book) - 12/31/2020 5:30:42 AM
A captivating mystery crime drama set in beautiful Ireland surrounding an engraved cigarette case. The story starts back 30 years when Marcus Fanning is given an award consisting of a medal and an engraved cigarette case for saving lives when a ship was torpedoed in 1918, but he is badly injured and eventually loses his wife and children and is forced to sell his house to support his family, then disappears, but not before steeling a satchel from the town thief. Years later, while cleaning out an old house, a young lad, Frankie Rowe, find the stolen satchel in an attic and is determined to have it, but ends up dead. Meanwhile, after the death of her mother, Florence Kite finds letters that reveals a terrible secret and a newspaper article showing the story of Marcus Fanning and the engraved cigarette case which she accidentally sees in a pawnshop window. The pawnshop is owned by the beguiling and intriguing Mrs. Delta McKay, a young American that recently lost her elderly husband under mysterious circumstances. The storyline that develops between the smitten, married Acting Sargeant Patrick Kelly and Mrs. Delta McKay is provocative and ends in blackmail and more. "A Crack in the Ice" is a well-written, page-turner murder mystery and the banter between the numerous "guards" of the police force is entertaining. The thought-provoking whodunit casts a wide web of secrets and lies, but author Brenden Gerad O'brien wraps all the storylines together for an unexpected ending. A compelling novel that keeps the reader riveted throughout. Highly recommend. A definite 5 out of fove!
