February 2026

I was able to immerse myself in the world of competitive ice skating thanks to Wendy Walker’s latest thriller, BLADE. Inspired by Wendy’s personal experiences as a competitive figure skater (she trained in Colorado from ages 13 to 16), the book captures what it is like to be a teen living on her own as she aims to shine in a sport that so many attempt and fail at.

Wendy draws on the joy, stress and loneliness of these young ladies, who are labeled “orphans” as they do not have parents with them. She also portrays the moms who have traveled with them and are obsessed with their skating.

The story features alternating timelines that follow attorney Ana Robbins, who had trained at The Palace (as the rink is called) as a young teen. She returns there to defend Grace, a young skater accused of murdering her coach. Ana, like Wendy, walked away from the sport, but she is drawn back to The Palace as she is quite certain that Grace is not guilty. Ana has made a career of working with youths who are in need of emotional support, as well as help with the law. Grace is days away from being charged with murder, which is a capital crime, so the clock is ticking.

There are multiple suspects, and all is not as it seems at this rink. This is one tough business, and the woman at the helm rules it with an iron fist. The book is fast-paced where it needs to be and slow at all the right moments. It definitely will make you think about the skaters we saw spinning on the ice during the Olympics.

I had the pleasure of talking to Wendy about BLADE. You can watch the interview here or listen to the podcast here.