In the Bleak Midwinter

Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman (Ballantine hardcover, 15 January 2013).

Reviewed by Marlyn Beebe.


Nora Hamilton wakes up one morning and almost instantly can feel that something is wrong.  Searching the house for her husband Brendan, she finally finds him in the attic.  He's committed suicide.  Her immediate reaction, of course, is that he would never have done such a thing, and despite the assurances of his colleagues on the police force in the tiny town of Wedeskyull, New York, that there could be no other possibility, she remains unconvinced.

After the funeral, she finds herself unable to continue her day-to-day life without confirming her suspicions, but she finds herself stymied at every turn by the police chief, the other officers, or the local townspeople.  Despite the fact that she's lived in the small Adirondack community since she married Brendan six years earlier, she's still perceived as an outsider.  She gets support from very few people, including a local journalist (also a "newcomer"), her family, and Brendan's aunt (who really only helps by not hindering her). 

Despite the fact that her search leads her into some remote parts of the mountains in the middle of winter, and at times she even fears for her life.  Milchman describes the frigid winter surroundings so well that  I found myself shivering often while I read this (which may make it the ideal book for a sweltering summer afternoon).

The story is suspenseful and creepy, but gripping and difficult to put down.  It's an exceptionally written first novel, and will likely be enjoyed by fans of Julia Spencer-Fleming and Louise Penny.


Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the e-galley of the book.