Bitterfrost - (Bitterfrost Thriller) by Bryan Gruley (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The first in a brand-new crime thriller series from Edgar nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Bryan Gruley. Feisty defence attorney Devyn Payne faces off against veteran detective Garth Klimmek as they work to solve a vicious double homicide in their small, icy town of Bitterfrost.

Thirteen years ago, former ice hockey star Jimmy Baker quit the game after almost killing an opponent. Now, as the Zamboni driver for the amateur team in his hometown of Bitterfrost, Michigan, he's living his penance. Until the morning he awakens to the smell of blood . . .

Jimmy soon finds himself arrested for a brutal double murder. The kicker? He has no memory of the night in question. And as the evidence racks up against him, Jimmy's case is skating on thin ice. Could he have committed such a gruesome crime?

As his defense attorney Devyn Payne and prosecuting detective Garth Klimmek race to uncover the truth, time is running out for Jimmy. Because all he can really be sure of is that he is capable of taking a life. The question is, in his blacked-out state, did he take two?

This gritty drama is the first in the Bitterfrost series, perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane!

Review Quotes

[Gruley] launches a promising new mystery series with this tense tale of murder in small-town Michigan . . . Gruley buttresses the book's sleek procedural elements with a textured, lived-in setting . . . An auspicious opening act-- "Publishers Weekly"

A freezing, sobering exploration of the hero's mantra that "every day's a penance"-- "Kirkus Reviews"

An intense, well-written novel, with a great trial, worthy of any John Grisham novel. This is one you will not want to put down-- "Red Carpet Crash"

Bryan Gruley's Bitterfrost is my kind of crime novel . . . propelled by a razor-sharp plot that swirls around things we can all relate to: getting older, opportunities missed, and the uniting power of sports. Gruley's at the top of his game-- "Alex Segura, bestselling and acclaimed author of Secret Identity and Alter Ego"

Chilling, full of characters that feel real, with a ton of heart-- "CrimeReads"

Engrossing . . . This is the first in a series, thankfully, as readers will want to visit this chilly-in-every-way community again-- "First Clue"

Readers who enjoy character depth, family and smalltown drama, and an intricate plot will enjoy this fast-paced thriller-- "New York Journal of Books"

Sharp and engaging-- "Booklist"

The atmosphere of a northern Michigan small town is expertly detailed . . . The story shines brightest during the courtroom scenes. Baker's trial is informed and tense, with a knowledge and surety usually found in an engrossing legal thriller-- "The Washington Post"

Visceral, vivid, and suspenseful, Bitterfrost immerses readers in a chilly -- and chilling -- world of lost dreams and deadly feuds. I was instantly and completely engrossed. Masterfully done-- "Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author"