Book Review: On Thin Ice

Reviewed By: Kat - RAM - Wisconsin

On Thin Ice     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Alina Adams
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Cozy
Series: Figure Skating Mysteries
Berkley Prime Crime October 5, 2004, 256 pages

Rebecca (Bex) Levy is the 24-year old senior (alright only) researcher for the 24/7 television sports network, currently specializing in ice-skating. Toni Wright broke the color barrier in professional ice-skating years ago, but these days she is a skating coach. Toni’s call to Bex about a young skating phenomenon whose father refuses to allow the boy to seriously compete is quickly followed by videotape of him that leaves Bex speechless (quite a feat). Unfortunately, when confronted by Bex and her camera, the father is furious. Within hours, he and the boy have disappeared.

Not one to waste time feeling sorry for herself for having lost a story, Bex begins researching a “Where are they now?” piece about three promising young skaters who dropped out of sight about 15 years ago. This doesn’t go very well for her either; in fact, before long, she has to wonder if her news story led to murder.

Bex is a chatty little thing with a cynical, yet perky worldview. Her youthful exuberance and “full speed ahead” attitude get her in and out of all sorts of pickles. Some of the best and cattiest comments she hears come from behind the scenes at the ice rink: the skating moms and their psychotic prodigies. However, this actually helps in understanding the psychology of some of the main characters better, since it appears that little has changed in the cutthroat world of ice skating over the years.

Ms. Adams is usually considered a romance novelist, but it doesn’t take over On Thin Ice. Bex is a focused businesswoman, and we’ll have none of that romance nonsense, thank you very much. The author’s expertise with the skating world comes through and will make this a pleasant read for aficionados, but skating buffoons (like myself) will also appreciate that she doesn’t beat the reader about the head and neck with too much superfluous information. This is the second Bex Levy Figure Skating Mystery, and a third would be warmly met.

Originally posted in Crimespree Magazine #3, October/November 2004.

Kat - RAM - Wisconsin

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Kat - RAM - Wisconsin