A Cold Day in Paradise: An Alex McKnight Novel (Alex McKnight Novels, 1)

After reading Steve Hamilton's Misery Bay, the eighth in his Alex McKnight series, I had to get A Cold Day in Paradise. My mother was born and raised in the UP, not far from Sault Ste. Marie, and I am quite familiar with much of the area including Paradise. I was thrilled to find a series of novels based in that area.First published in 1998, this novel took the mystery world by storm winning an unprecedented two prestigious awards - the Edgar and Shamus awards. After reading this book, it is not difficult to see why.A Cold Day in Paradise opens on Halloween night with a thankful Alex glad that he is no longer on the police force in Detroit, MI, especially on this particular holiday. He is, however, at his favorite bar, the Glasgow Inn getting ready to play poker with the guys. Before he can get started, a PI accuses him of taking his job away.Another drop-in at the bar was a millionaire gambler named Edwin. Later that night, Edwin called Alex at home because he needed his help. Edwin arrived at a motel to meet with his bookie, except the bookie had been murdered and Edwin was afraid he would be blamed. Soon local lawyer Lane Uttley showed up to represent Edwin. This is the same lawyer that was the topic of the discussion in the bar earlier in the evening.Edwin's demanding mother hires Alex to protect the family, another bookie gets murdered, Edwin disappears, and it looks like a copycat killer is on the loose.The motel murder scenes show a shocking similarity to the incident in Detroit that killed Alex McKnight's partner years ago and left a bullet lodged near McKnight's heart and forced his retirement. But how could anyone have known the details except the killer and he had been in prison since the trial.As someone begins to stalk Alex, including leaving a blood-red rose on his doorstep - the signature of the original killer - Alex fears for his life while he tries to stop another murder.A Cold Day in Paradise is one of the best first novels I have ever read. Hamilton comes out of the starting gate with a stellar read that will have readers feeling the frigid weather, the fear of death, and the feeling someone is in the woods waiting to attack. There are a number of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing who the real murderer is - I know it was a surprise to me.All I can say is, if you are interested in a great series of mysteries, this is a good place to start! A Cold Day in Paradise (Alex McKnight Mysteries)

Steve Hamilton's debut novel won both the Edgar and Shamus awards for first novel, and it is indeed very good. The writing is crisp, the voice fresh, the first-person main character, Alex McKnight, is well-drawn, able but flawed and mostly sympathetic.And it is certainly a page-turner. After about the first third, you will want to finish the book at a single sitting because the author paces the suspense well.But it is a first novel and not perfect. There are some big holes in the plot. The most gaping in my eyes, without giving too much away, is that when one of the characters who is a possible target of a serial killer goes missing, our able hero searches for him instead of immediately calling the police, who are already aware of the danger and taking precautions.It is virtually impossible, given all the mystery and detective stories out there, to come up with an original back story for a new hero. Alex McKnight, however, checks a few too many of the usual boxes -- ex-cop turned PI, wounded in action, partner killed, retreats to rural setting, etc. It's not a bad formula, but it is a formula.The other characters are not fleshed out that well, with the exception of Chief Maven of the local police department, who is an intriguing character though perhaps a bit too much like Rod Steiger in "In the Heat of the Night." Some characters seem to be belabored -- like Alex's love interest, Sylvia -- while others come up short, such as Alex's friend Edwin or his lawyer employer, Lane Uttley.The book's setting in Michigan's Upper Peninsula shares a lot with the bleak landscapes of the Nordic mysteries. Particularly the brooding presence of Lake Superior adds a dimension to the novel. The wind whipping around, the biting rain, the whitecaps on a stormy lake -- great atmosphere!Funny that Hamilton would set his mystery in a Michigan town named Paradise in the same way Robert S. Parker picks Paradise, Massachusetts for Jesse Stone's refuge. The difference is that there really is a town of that name in the Upper Peninsula, whereas Parker's fictional Paradise is reportedly based on a town called Marblehead. In both cases, though, the authors certainly enjoy getting Paradise into the title.

This 1997 mystery won the PWA award for best first private eye novel, and it well deserved it. I mention the year because a current reader may need to adjust expectations for technology - the relative lack of, that is. Alex McKnight, the protagonist who relates this story, is not old, but somewhat worn out. He had been a baseball player until an injury sidelined him. Then he was a cop on the Detroit police force, until he was shot several times. There's still a bullet lodged next to his heart, and he's now retired on disability pay. He's living in Paradise, which isn't the Edenic spot you might think. Hunkered down in a drafty log cabin, renting out other cabins to seasonal hunters, he's in the middle of almost-nowhere, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. His life consists of eating at the local diner and playing poker at the local bar for small stakes. But a few months ago, he was offered a job as a private investigator. He has the skills for it, and the extra money comes in handy. It's still not much of a life, but it's about to get much worse. Old fears, old relationships, current murders, and a police chief bent on giving him a hard time... Despite all this grimness, there's a lot of humor in the book, and Alex is a very relatable man. The reader wants him to heal emotionally and succeed in his life. As of 2020, there are 10 more books in the series, and I'm about to read them in order so I can find out what becomes of him.

I really enjoyed this. Alex McKnight is a ex policeman who was shot 3 times but recovered with one bullet still intact and close to his heart. His partner was killed in same incident. This left him traumatised so on permanent disability he moved to Paradise to manage some hunting lodges inherited from his father. He also works part time as an investigator for a local lawyer. In his world weary way he has settled into a easy routine until the past comes back to haunt him. Good story telling with interesting characters and a good plot with a nice twist at end.I'll look for more of Me McKnight.

This is a fast moving mystery thriller set in the bleakness of Paradise, Michigan. Actually it is not just the area that is bleak, many of the characters here have problems too, the ex-cop hero of the story has a bullet lodged in his chest and is suffering a degree of PTS, his friend is a gambling addict and the guy who's job he took, is out for revenge.So while McKnight is trying to settle down after his medical retirement from the Detroit Police, his past comes back to haunt him in the form of someone he put away for wounding him and killing his partner. But that someone is supposed to be in prison with no hope of getting out.....This book was off my radar so I am grateful to my friend Julia who recommended it as it is rather good and bodes well for the further adventures of McKnight. Not a long book, it has pace and depth and the characters are certainly interesting. The author does mix in elements seen in other books from other authors, but he puts his own spin on it and makes it work very well. I especially like the fact that McKnight is flawed and determined rather then the wise-cracking action guy he could have been written as.This was upper end of three stars for me, and I think the author will be more comfortable wth the way his character's are growing and I suspect the next book will be even better.

Difficult to understand the good reviews for this book. None of the characters are likeable, the dialogue (especially between the main character and the police chief) is tedious and cliched, the female characters are unbelievable as is the plot. Not for me but obviously others would disagree.

Very atmospheric, the descriptions of the area are vivid and give a picture of a beautiful, if cold, place. Good storyline that keeps the suspense going. The characters are believable and have depth. Thought for once I had it sussed but I was only half way there. The rest was a total surprise. Couldn't quite connect with the narrator but maybe that will improve with each successive book.

Only just started reading, and ok so far.