In the sixth book of the Cameron Winter series, the English professor is teaching poetry, preparing to settle down with the lovely Gwendolyn Lord, and ending several years of intense therapy. However, with the masterful Andrew Klavan guiding the story, Winter’s world is suddenly turned upside down when he learns that an order has been put out to eliminate his former group of government-sanctioned assassins. From that point, Winter is given the task of solving a murder in the tiny hamlet of Kinnecombe, a town that could have been created by Stephen King or Dean Koontz. Indeed, aside from being immediately threatened by a group of creepy lowlifes, Winter finds a citizenry made up of people with yellow eyes, sickly faces, and “… who looked shriveled and dead.” Then, as he begins his investigation into the murder, Winter encounters a jovial and ruthless gangster who’s shaped like a snowman, as well as a woman of blinding beauty, who may be a friend, foe, or dangerous adversary. And, along with an assortment of other strange and fascinating characters, there is the dead soldier who keeps reappearing around the town.

All in all, this captivating and addictive novel was nearly impossible to set aside after the first chapter. On top of the investigation into the strange Kinnecombe murder, there were a number of ongoing subplots surrounding Winter that added to the story; including the disappearance of his former college mentor, Winter’s fear of introducing his fiancee to his cold and distant mother, a young student who attempts to “out” Winter as a government assassin, and his interaction with a near-psychopathic, jealous husband. Making the story even more interesting is watching Winter—who is both a sensitive teacher of poetry and a highly trained killer—deal with both the mundane and potentially lethal dangers in his life.

For anyone interested in a top notch novel involving mystery, suspense, and romance…this is the book to read. My thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.