Winter Kill

Sidney Reed Mystery, #3

by

R.J. Norgard

A grieving private investigator seeks answers and proof that his wife’s supposed suicide was actually murder.

Winter Kill is the third riveting novel in author R.J. Norgard’s suspenseful Sidney Reed mystery series and features a grieving widower trying to come to terms with his wife’s supposed suicide when he receives an anonymous note that appears to support his belief that she was murdered. It has been almost a year since private investigator Sidney Reed found his wife’s lifeless body in their home and, although he’s consulted a psychiatrist to help him move past his heartfelt denial that she took her own life, he still retains his doubts. 

The guilt he feels for not being home that night has just about destroyed him; the drinking and nightmares have taken their toll. He’s shuttered his PI business, though he’s been dragged into a few cases; nonetheless, the last of which almost killed him. He’s still suffering the aftermath of nearly freezing to death, as the toes on his left foot are more damaged than he wants to believe or seek medical care for. His lifeline has been Maria Maldonado, a local reporter quickly making a name for herself as an investigative journalist. However, if he doesn’t start dealing more productively with his grief, she may, too, be lost to him. 

Just as Sidney is beginning to think maybe everyone is right and Molly really had done the unthinkable, he receives a cryptic message left at his apartment that galvanizes him back into action and out of his destructive depression. But as he delves into her life during the days leading up to that awful night, Sidney realizes he really didn’t know his wife at all. 

Main character Sidney Reed is a damaged man, emotionally and physically, and inaction is not his friend. As he continues to dwell on Molly’s death, he has begun to alienate everyone in his circle who has supported him during the previous year. Everyone wants him to accept the official police ruling of suicide and move on. However, the only way Sidney will ever do this is if he investigates her death himself and either finds confirmation of the verdict or uncovers concrete proof of a different explanation. As he digs, he comes to the harsh realization that while not guilty of her death, he is complicit in neglecting their relationship and that Molly had secrets she was hiding from him. 

The plot kicks off quickly with the suspenseful discovery that Sidney is under surveillance by parties unknown. However, his girlfriend Maria is involved in a big story with dangerous implications, so it is unclear which of the two is their actual target. The local private-eye community is naturally small but close-knit, and the cooperation and professional rivalries in action were an interesting and important aspect of the story. 

The Alaskan setting is also critical to the tale. The great distances between witnesses and suspects keep the protagonist on the road and often out of reach of help, as the remote locations have spotty or non-existent cell service. 

The story begins on the winter solstice, and the area is well into the Alaskan winter with temperatures consistently below zero and snowstorms always in the forecast. The author’s descriptions of the limited daylight and darkening, snow-laden skies vividly establish a brooding, expectant, and suspenseful atmosphere that becomes as much a character in the story as some of the people. 

As Sidney follows his instincts, ugly truths begin to take form, and while he may get the answers he wants, they may not bring the closure and comfort he craves. Although this is the third Sidney Reed book, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel. However, the previous books in the series were excellent and shouldn’t be overlooked. I recommend WINTER KILL to readers of traditional mysteries and tales of suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.