Thin Ice

This disappointing series launch from bestseller Shelton (the Scottish Bookshop mysteries) introduces Beth Rivers, a thriller author and recent kidnap victim, who flees from St. Louis to Benedict, Alaska, to hide from her attacker. With limited lodging available, Beth stays at Benedict House, a halfway house for criminals, where she does her best to acclimate herself to living with felons. When the Benedict police chief asks her to take over the village’s newspaper, Beth’s decision to write an article on the mysterious death of local Linda Rafferty lands her in the middle of a murder investigation. Her experience as a secretary for a small-town police department comes in handy. As she talks to a town full of potential suspects, she quickly realizes she’s not the only one hiding from something in Benedict. Too many unresolved subplots overshadow the intriguing setup and distinctive setting. In the end, Beth’s reason for moving to Alaska proves more interesting than the mystery behind Rafferty’s death. Agent: Jessica Faust, Bookends Literary. (Dec.)