The Coldest Case - (A Shana Merchant Novel) by Tessa Wegert

Book Synopsis

News of a missing Instagram celebrity brings Senior Investigator Shana Merchant to a frozen island community of just eight people. When the visit turns deadly, her hunt for a killer collides with a cold case she'll never forget.

It's February in the Thousand Islands and, cut off from civilization by endless ice, eight people are overwintering on tiny, remote Running Pine. Six year-rounders, used to the hard work, isolation and freezing temperatures . . . and two newcomers: social media stars Cary and Sylvie, whose account documenting their year on the island is garnering thousands of followers, and thousands of dollars' worth of luxury gifts.

The long-term islanders will tell you Running Pine can be perilous - especially for city slickers who'll do anything to get the perfect shot. So when Cary doesn't return from ice fishing one morning, his neighbors fear the worst.

With the clock ticking to find the missing influencer, a police team is dispatched to take the dangerous journey to the island . . . but Sylvie, his frantic partner, will only talk to one person: newlywed Senior Investigator Shana Merchant.

Where is Cary - and what is it that Sylvie's not sharing? With aspects of the case reminding Shana of an unsolved homicide from her past that haunts her still, she risks her own safety to help. But little does she know that a storm is coming - and if she doesn't solve both crimes soon, she may become the island's next victim . . .

The latest taut, thrilling small-town mystery featuring New York State senior investigator Shana Merchant, and set against the beautiful backdrop of the Thousand Islands, is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Ruth Ware.

Review Quotes

The stakes have never been higher, and Tessa Wegert has never been in finer form. With her trademark blend of chilling, atmospheric suspense, scalpel-sharp wit, and lush, elegant prose, Wegert delivers The Coldest Case, another exhilarating installment in the Shana Merchant series that treats readers to the kind of riveting, deeply felt narrative found in the very finest thriller fiction. Don't you dare miss it!-- "E.G. Scott, international bestselling author of The Rule of Three"

Atmospheric . . . Wegert effectively shifts between the island case and the Manhattan investigation, taking both to surprising places. The real draw, however, is Shana, whose toughness is both inspirational and refreshingly understated-- "Publishers Weekly"

No one today is writing locked room mysteries like Tessa Wegert

-- "Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author of Hid From Our Eyes"

A chilling and propulsive addition to one of the most bingeable detective series going-- "Vanessa Lillie, bestselling author of Blood Sisters"

Luscious prose and non-stop action-- "Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat"

Tessa Wegert is at her absolute best in this stirring, atmospheric whodunnit. The jaw-dropping reveal will leave you breathless!-- "Susan Walter, bestselling author of Good as Dead"

An atmospheric triumph, THE COLDEST CASE is a must-read for crime fiction lovers-- "The Big Thrill"

An atmospheric
triumph, THE COLDEST CASE is a must-read for crime fiction lovers. Wegert
masterfully intertwines a four-year-old cold case with an active murder
investigation, offering readers a double dose of heart-pounding suspense-- "The Big Thrill"

Suspenseful and terrifying-- "Booklist"

Will leave most readers gasping - and not from cold-- "Kirkus Reviews"

[Wegert has] rightly earned the badge as one of the finest talents of the past three years. And The Kind to Kill is her best novel to date-- "The Strand Magazine on The Kind to Kill"

A compelling, unique mystery with twists I never saw coming. I couldn't put it down-- "Samantha Downing, bestselling author of My Lovely Wife on Devils at the Door"

A taut, atmospheric and compulsive thriller that had me gripped as every secret unravelled and the investigation reached its compelling conclusion-- "Nadine Matheson, author of The Jigsaw Man on Devils at the Door"

An explosive small town mystery filled with delicious and deadly secrets-- "Darby Kane, #1 international bestselling author of The Engagement Party on Devils at the Door"

An extremely well-written crime novel . . . fans of the series will not be disappointed-- "Booklist on Devils at the Door"

Stellar . . . Devil's at the Door has all the hallmarks of this excellent series - spooky Thousand Islands atmosphere, rich characterization, and a compelling circle of suspects-- "Sarah Stewart Taylor, author of the Maggie D'arcy mysteries on Devils at the Door"

The complex plot and subtle characterizations elevate this above similar fare. Wegert remains a writer to watch-- "Publishers Weekly on The Kind to Kill"

Wegert does an admirable job of generating mounting suspense-- "Kirkus Reviews on The Kind to Kill"

Wegert expertly . . . keeps readers off-balance as the investigation unfolds-- "Publishers Weekly on Devils at the Door"