In The Shadow of the Glacier

by Vicki Delany

Book Overview

2019 recipient of the Derrick Murdoch award from the Crime Writers of Canada Trouble is brewing in the small, bucolic mountain town of Trafalgar, British Columbia. An American who came to Trafalgar as... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373269560
• ISBN13: 9780373269563
• Release Date: August 2015
• Publisher: Worldwide Library Worldwide Mystery
• Length: 348 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

First in the series....

IN THE SHADOW OF THE GLACIER is the start of a new police procedural series set in British Columbia and is written by Vicki Delany. I liked the setting very much and also liked the characters that were introduced in this first series offering. Ms. Delany's books seem to always offer a lot of family dynamics and this one does not disappoint in that regard. Molly (Moonlight) Smith is a constable in her hometown and it's fun getting to know her family and friends. Oh, and there is a body, some thefts, a town on the edge of riot over a proposed garden honoring American draft dodgers, and an assault on her best friend. I look forward to the second book in this series.

Most enjoyable read

Trafalgar in British Columbia is the hometown of Constable Molly Smith, a.k.a. Moonlight. Molly's father was one of the men of draft age who fled to Trafalgar to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. Molly's mother Lucky is heading up a committee in favor of a peace garden to honor draft dodgers. Land has been bequeathed to the town for erecting such a garden but the project is running into some opposition. One of the people strongly opposed to a peace garden is Reginald Montgomery. Reginald Montgomery has moved to Trafalgar to construct a luxury resort. Reginald is murdered and Molly is the police officer who discovers his body. Detective Sgt. John Winters is in charge of the investigation and Molly is assigned to assist. Their relationship does not start on the best footing but Molly learns a lot from Winters. Molly has her hands full with trying to deal with the murder investigation, having her bike stolen and trying to help her best friend who is being stalked. Before any of these matters can be worked out, a journalist arrives on the scene and is out to make headlines and cause trouble-and Molly finds herself right in the middle. I totally enjoyed this book and the town of Trafalgar. Molly is a wonderful character from a charming family whom I would like to read more about. Armchair Interviews says: Nice characters inhabit this mystery.

A Good Debut

In the Shadow of the Glacier is a good, quick read. It is the first in what the author expects to be a mystery series featuring her main character, Constable Molly Smith of the Trafalgar, British Columbia Police Department. Although the town of Trafalgar is fictitious, the general setting, an important element in the story, is not. The Kootenay Mountain region of southeastern British Columbia became a haven for draft dodgers, resisters, and deserters of the American military back in the era of the Vietnam War. Trafalgar, like many of the real towns in this part of BC, took these people in without much question, and many chose to remain and create new lives for themselves, even after the offer of a Presidential pardon. When one of the more successful of this particular group passes away, he bequeaths land and money to the town of Trafalgar to establish a garden commemorating the area's population of draft resisters. This controversial bequest is in conflict with the plans of a local developer who wishes to build a large-scale international-style resort. He worries that many Americans will find the sentiments of the garden, and perhaps therefore those of the townspeople, offensive, and that his project may not be a success. Opposing factions form; should the town remain true to its 1960's hippie roots or is it time to move on and bring in some new and bigger money? When the developer is found murdered in a back alley, questions and accusations fly. Rookie Constable Molly Smith is called into the investigation alongside Detective Sergeant John Winters, a veteran of the Vancouver Police Department. The case picks up international attention via a Fox Network-style news reporter who arrives in Trafalgar, intent on escalating the situation. There are several sub-plots at work as well. One involves Molly's mother, a long-time activist from the 60's, who is deeply involved in the garden memorial. Another concerns Molly's friend Christa, who is stalked and subsequently assaulted, leaving Molly to feel that through her inattentiveness, she has let her friend down. Delany handles all this material well. The writing is sharp and fast-paced, making the reader feel the stress and pressure under which the police must work to solve the crimes. The characters all have substance. The author provides background on each of the key players and we are able to form a clear picture of them and their motivations. Initially, I found that Delany dropped the names of the various characters a bit too fast and furiously and thought it difficult to follow the thread of the story. That fell into place soon enough and the plot progressed well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book--a good debut for Ms. Delany's planned series. by Janet Caplan for Story Circle Book Reviews www.storycirclebookreviewsorg reviewing books by, for, and about women

Another excellent read

As usual, Ms Delany has combined excellent characters and a well thought out story line. The book is complex with many issues being delved into - stalking, activism (both environmental and war related), theft, murder and problems a young woman faces as a cop. It all ties together in a satisfying and believable way. Really an excellent read, not too dark but certainly not cosy either.

entertaining small town regional police procedural

Trafalgar, British Columbia lies IN THE SHADOW OF THE GLACIER. The town is a quiet place where violent crime never happens; for instance the average murder rate is zero. That is until today. Behind Alphonse's Bakery lies Reginald "Reg" Montgomery, an American draft dodger who fled to Canada with his wife Ellie to avoid military conscription, which means serving in Viet Nam. The townsfolk were divided when it came to Reg. Some, especially storeowners, appreciated the way he supported small locally owned mom and pop shops purchasing only there; no Wal-Mart for him; others thought he was a pompous wealthy American buying favors. In death he remains a divider as he has bequeathed money and land to the town with the stipulation that a garden be built and maintained honoring draft dodgers. Detective Sergeant John Winters leads the homicide investigation. He is outraged when rookie Constable Molly Smith, who was the first cop at the crime scene, is assigned to assist him; as he assumes she is political appointee arranged by her activist mother who supports the garden. As they struggle with the clues and disagree over motive, outsiders invade Trafalgar to join one of the two squabbling sides debating Reg's legacy, but they only muddle the muddy water. This is an entertaining small town regional police procedural in which anyone could have been the killer, but no one stands out of the crowd. John is a good cop who resents Molly on his team; Molly realizes how he feels so she knows she must prove herself worthy to overcome the stigma in at least the mind of her leader of her mom. Fans will enjoy this well written mystery that reminds readers of the divisiveness of the Viet Nam war even in Canada. Harriet Klausner