Frozen

Set in the Wisconsin woods in fall, this disquieting first in a new suspense series from Watterson (The Best Mistake) introduces Det. Ellie MacIntosh. Divorced software designer Bryce Grantham, who's staying at his parents' place on Loon Lake, flees the cold and the quiet to visit a local bar. There, he surprises himself by striking up a conversation with a lovely grad student, Melissa Simmons, whom he drives home that night. The next morning, when Bryce tries to return the cellphone she left in his car, he finds Melissa gone and pools of blood outside her cabin. His discovery attracts the attention of Ellie, who already suspects a serial killer is at work. After Bryce stumbles across another body or two, possibly victims of the same murderer, he becomes Ellie's prime suspect. The plot takes a few unexpected turns before reaching the satisfying conclusion. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary. (Jan.)