Marilyn's Mystery Reads

It’s been thirteen years since Jimmy Baker’s career went from outstanding minor league hockey player to driver of a Zamboni machine.  Quick to anger, almost uncontrollably so at times, Jimmy had deliberately crashed into Corey Richards, a member of the opposing team.  That left Richards in a wheelchair, where he remains to this day, and it ended Jimmy’s career that same night.

Jimmy hasn’t laced up his skates since then.  Instead he’s resigned to driving Zelda, as he calls the Zamboni, and takes great pride in keeping the ice in the best condition possible for the IceKings.  The machine, and the ice rink, is owned by the Payne family, the richest one in Bitterfrost, Michigan, the family now consisting of Eleanor, the family matriarch; son Evan, the manager of the rink; and Devyn, an attorney and fanatic amateur hockey player herself.

When the novel opens Jimmy wakes, trying to remember just what happened the night before.  He knows he was in the Lost Loon Tavern, but what occurred between the time he left there and woke in his bed is a mystery.  However, given the fact that he’s still wearing his team jacket and his face has dried blood on it, it can’t be anything good.

In addition to Jimmy’s fall from grace, Bitterfrost has more unpleasant history.  There is a long-simmering feud between the Paynes and the Dulaneys.  Butch Delaney and his two younger brothers are always spoiling for a fight, and their prime targets are Jimmy and Devyn.  Then there’s the trial that had Devyn defending an accused murderer, getting him off, only to find out that he was guilty not only of that crime but others as well.  Although she was only doing her job, her relations with Bitterfrost Detective Garth Klimmek, who was in charge of the bungled police investigation, is still tense.

The Michigan State Police receive a call of an abandoned vehicle just inside the borders of Bitterfrost, and when they investigate they find what appears to be blood inside the auto.  They call Klimmek to advise him of the accident, and moments later a policeman enters Klimmek’s office to tell him that a body has been found, not at the scene but not too far away.  The detective begins a search of the surrounding area that takes him to Jimmy’s house where he notices what appear to be drops of blood on the front porch.  He interviews Jimmy, noticing the man’s bruised and swollen face, and after the interview is over Jimmy calls Devyn to represent him.

Devyn is also representing Jordan Fawcett, a woman with a long record of drinking and brawling.  Not for the first time Jordan disregards Devyn’s advice; instead of staying put and appearing in court she leaves town.  That turns out to be a fatal mistake.

Bryan Gruley has written a fascinating novel about life in a small, sport-obsessed town.  Memories are long in Bitterfrost, and grudges and hurts are never forgotten.  Advance publicity announces that this is the first novel in a series featuring Devyn Payne, and I am definitely looking forward to the second one. 

You can read more about the author at this website.

Check out the complete Marilyn’s Mystery Reads at her website.  In addition to book review posts, there are sections featuring Golden Oldies, Past Masters and Mistresses, and an About Marilyn column that features her opinions about everything to do with mystery novel.