Death and the Ice Box

Worldwide Mystery (paperback)

Five Star (hardback)

by Linda Berry

Small town Southern mystery: a cold case from the past

Linda Berry's Death and the Icebox is a cozy cold case mystery with a fun sleuth and an intriguing look into the past of a small southern town.

Ogeechee, Georgia police officer Trudy Roundtree visits Eric and Stacy Riggs while they are clearing land on site for their new home. When the old icebox is finally moved, the door opens to reveal the body of a young woman. Forensic science places the death some thirty years or so ago. In order to solve the case, Trudy must dig into small town history. With a population of 3412 people, nothing passes by the residents of Ogeechee and yet the the paucity of clues comes close to matching the almost non-existent physical evidence left at the crime scene of the town's dump. Between old newspaper clippings and the memory of the present day residents, will Trudy be able to garner enough clues to unearth the dark secrets of the past without placing herself or others at risk?

Written in first person narrative through the eyes of Trudy Roundtree, Death and the Icebox achieves a unique cozy small town and yet progressive tone through the character of the sleuth. Trudy's feminism and the game of horrorscopes she plays with her friends add a flair to this mystery as she assesses her boss and cousin, Henry Huckabee, and the other town residents who she and Stacy label and describe according to southern items like Vidalia Onions and Sugar Cane. The look at a small town's past through old newspapers and memories adds a wonderful sense of nostalgia that never turns too sweet on account of the cold murder case that underpins the search. Even as Trudy narrows in on the culprit and the motive, the reader discovers a new twist towards the end. Throughout this mystery, Linda Berry creates characters and subplots that intrigue. To the mystery buff's delight, the final clues are not thrown in at the end but in plain site but through inference throughout the narrative. Fortunately for the reader whose interest in the past and present Ogeechee residents grows, Linda Berry does not just drop her story once the murder is solved. Instead, without resorting to a quick epilogue to tie threads together, Linda Berry adds new insights and an intriguing glimpse into the current day ramifications of this solved cold case and her search for clues.

Other Trudy Roundtree Mysteries
Death and the Easter Bunny
Death and the Hubcap
Death and the Walking Stick
Death and the Family Tree