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from OC Publishing

Deep Freeze is the second accomplished novel in the Deep Mysteries series by Anne Louise O’Connell, but works just as well as a standalone. As was the case in the first novel, ex-nurse Susan Morris cannot leave well enough alone. After a good friend is involved in an accident at the artificial ski hill in Dubai, and is again victimized in his hospital room, Susan’s sixth sense starts tingling. The more she searches for answers, the more questions she has; she begins lurking behind corners and asking questions that are guaranteed to make her the next target. Susan’s amateur sleuthing doesn’t sit well with her husband, either; with the tension in her marriage and her need to be everywhere for everyone, Susan’s brain is in turmoil, but she is determined to find out what is going on. Deep Freeze’s cast of characters is extensive, but not overly so, and many of them are under suspicion: Pat’s maid Anu who disappears more than once; Dr. Frank Pettigrew, the rude surgeon assigned to Barry’s case; Nala, a stay-at-home mother who is often seen going in and out of a private research lab at the hospital and the security guard stationed at the door of the victim’s room. As expats in Dubai, the close friendship between Susan and Pat is convincing, as is the way Susan gets drawn into the potentially dangerous situation. The author’s personal knowledge of Dubai shows as Susan zips around different parts of the city searching for answers, and Islamic customs are organically woven into the story. The prose is clear and makes for effortless reading, while the action and pacing is steady and suspenseful. Being privy to Susan’s progress and thoughts along the way keeps the reader interested and engaged in puzzling out the mystery alongside the characters. Set in one of the most interesting cities in the world, Anne Louise O’Connell’s novel makes for a reliably good read, especially for mystery-lovers. ■

NAOMI MacKINNON lives in Nova Scotia where she blogs about books at Consumed by Ink.