• Shortlisted for the 2021 CWC Best Crime First Novel Award
• Finalist for the 2021 WILLA Literary Award for Original Softcover Fiction

New to the RCMP's Major Crimes Unit, Corporal Roxanne Calloway is keen to make her mark. She's young and ambitious. But when she's called from the big city to tiny Cullen Village to lead the investigation into the death of the talented but devious star of the local music scene—discovered frozen and dismembered at the local dump—she finds much to contend with. The close-knit community does not give up its secrets willingly. Barely has she begun her investigation when another very dead, very frozen body disturbs the rural peace.

In the summer Cullen Village is filled with cottagers and day-trippers who flock to the lakeshore's tranquil beaches. But when the temperatures drop the tourists disappear and the year-round residents settle in for months of bitter cold. The local book club likes to cozy up with good food and good friends—and, of course, good books.

But not this winter.

As the wind bowls and the snow deepens, the book club—and the village—are riven by suspicion and rumour. Can there be a serial killer in their midst? As tensions mount, Corporal Calloway scrambles to make sense of an ever more perplexing set of clues—before someone kills again.

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Angus and Jack skidded down the slippery ramp on foot towards Archie, who was staring at the plastic bags. Panda and Annie followed. They could see that one bag had ruptured on impact. As they drew closer they could see the cause of Archie's alarm.

The bag lay against a pile of metal cans partially covered with snow. Protruding from it was a naked human foot. The pink flesh was glossy and cold, like plastic, startling against the white snow and the black, shiny plastic bag. Clumps of black and white newsprint bulged around it. The toenails were painted turquoise.

Angus reached over into the tractor and turned off the engine. There was a moment of stunned silence, then Panda pulled off her leather mitts and reached into her pocket for her cell phone. "I'm calling 911," she said. Annie stood stock-still, watching. "Wonder where the rest of her is," said Angus, looking closer. He started poking around among the other bags.

"You shouldn't be doing that, Angus!" Panda said, but then someone answered her call. "Emergency, we need the police," they heard her say.