Under Cold Stone: A Constable Molly Stone Mystery

Delany’s engaging seventh Constable Molly Stone mystery (after 2013’s A Cold White Sun) takes Molly from Trafalgar, British Columbia, to Banff, Alberta. At a Banff restaurant, Molly’s widowed mother, Lucky Smith, and Lucky’s boyfriend, Chief Constable Paul Keller, who’s Molly’s boss, have a run-in with two abrasive men, one of whom turns out to be Paul’s estranged son, Matt Keller. Later, Matt goes on the run after he becomes a suspect in a murder. At Lucky’s request, Molly travels to Banff. Her colleague, Sgt. John Winters, remains in Trafalgar to face a potentially ugly protest against a new development, Grizzly Resort, which poses an environmental threat to the wilderness area. While the police search for Matt, Molly befriends Matt’s insecure girlfriend, Tracey McMillan, and questions his roommates, among others. Molly and John both display compassion and intelligence as they each deal with a host of distinctive and obstructive characters. (Apr.)