Fatal Frost by Nancy Mehl

Back Cover: Following in her absentee father's footsteps in a law enforcement career, U.S. Marshal Mercy Brennan has just recovered from being shot in the line of duty. And, unbeknownst to her, her father's recent reappearance in her life has put her in the sights of St. Louis's most powerful gang. Her boss assigns Deputy U.S. Marshal Mark St. Laurent--Mercy's ex-boyfriend--to get her out of town until her safety can be guaranteed. 

Unaware of the extent her boss and Mark have been keeping her in the dark, it isn't until a freak ice storm strands them at a remote location and out of contact with the district office that the full severity of their situation becomes clear. As the storm worsens, the forces of nature combine with a deadly enemy to put them in great danger. Can they survive long enough for help to arrive--if help is even coming at all?


Review: I know you don't judge a book by its cover, but I have to comment here... I really do like the cover on this book. The snowflakes are gorgeous. Anyways, back to the book. The book itself was a cozy read and I did enjoy it.  While it is a crime-solving novel, I didn't find it frightening or particularly suspenseful nor did it surprise me in any way. I found it largely predictable. However, this first book in the Defenders of Justice series really developed the character of Mercy Brennan and defined her relationships with Mark, her ex-boyfriend, and Tally, her best friend. I believe the time took in this first book to really hash out the characters will likely lay the foundation for an even better sequel. 

There was a lot of dialogue in this book and I did find that it took away from the pace of the novel and tended to give away some of the surprise twists and turns. 

Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and Baker Publishing House for a complimentary copy of this book.