Dead of Winter

 Dead of Winter (1941) by Christopher Hale (Frances Moyer Ross Stevens)

Aunt Enid Beauregard is well-known for her parties--bringing together various people of different backgrounds and always making the event go with a swing. But this winter she may get famous for a different kind of party...one where murder is an unexpected guest. 

Brett Collins' Aunt Enid has put together a ski party at her summer cottage in Michigan. She brings together Brett and her fiance Hadley (badly in need of money if he wants to marry Brett). Hadley's wealthy uncle Captain Toby Woodward (a womanizer and generally unlikable character), Homer Bence (known as "Bunny," former business partner of Enid's late husband and her would-be suitor), Norman Prescott and his girlfriend Judy, Rhoda Norwood (Award-winning golfer and skillful skier with less brain than brawn), and Aunt Enid's latest protege (of a long-line of younger men) Webb Dorwin. What starts a fun weekend playing in the snow with everything from skiing to snow sculpting, turns deadly when a blizzard traps the group at the remote location. Captain Toby Woodward, one of the strongest skiers, decides they've waited long enough for help to reach them and sets off on skis to head to the nearest town. 

Opal, Aunt Enid's cook/housekeeper, has read tea leaves (or something) and just "knows" that Woodward is dead. Hadley finds evidence that his uncle may have been done in and insists that Opal's husband Albert, a good snow-shoer who knows the area well, head to town to see if Woodward made it and with a note for the State Police if it becomes apparent that he didn't. Albert returns with the police hot on his heels (albeit by helicopter) and Lieutenant French and company soon find the frozen body of Captain Woodward. Only he didn't die of exposure....

I didn't find this one nearly as delightful as the first Hale I read (Midsummer Nightmare). Perhaps because, despite being advertised on the cover as "A Full-Length Novel," it has been "cut to speed the story" (and they apparently cut out portions that may have made it more delightful). The characters and their romances weren't nearly as affecting. It took an incredibly long time (even though the book had been cut for speed) for the murder to be revealed and even longer for the sleuth to start sleuthing. I honestly didn't care if they found out who had killed Captain Woodward because he was such a nasty character. And then when we found who was ultimately responsible, the motive just didn't make sense to me. I'm waffling between 2.5 and 3 stars--so let's call it ★★  and 3/4

John has reviewed this over at Pretty Sinister Books and he found it more engaging than I did--and he read the full novel. So your mileage may vary.

First line: When the guests begin to offer to kill each other, it's a sure sign the fun is over.

Last line: One look at his face made Brett forget everything else.
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Deaths = 4 (one natural; three poisoned)