A Winter Kill by Vicki Delany

Published by Raven Books' Rapid Reads
Review based on Advanced Reading Copy (ARC)

Vicki Delany has delivered a murder mystery in Rapid Read format that gives the reader a view of life they will find familiar. A young girl from the "wrong side of the tracks" so to speak, is found dead and no one seems to care very much. A glimpse of our perceptions, often wrong, of people we don't really know who don't fit in or are considered beneath us. In this case, a popular young boy, destined for a football scholarship, has taken the time to know her and is devastated when she is murdered.

Nicole Patterson, a new constable on the small town's force, also has taken an interest in the victim, Maureen. Her death brings back high school memories, as a former student at the same high school Maureen attended, she would as soon forget. Though not qualified yet to be on the case, she can't leave it alone. Since she is familiar with the town and her supervisor is from a big city, Nicole is compelled to ask a few questions on her own.

Vicki Delany has written with a depth of compassion not always found in murder mysteries, causing me to care who killed Maureen. This is no easy feat in Rapid Reads, short but complete stories that can be read in a day. I look forward to more from Vicki in the future.