The backwoods of Bearkill, Maine, are the setting for WINTER AT THE DOOR, the first installment in Sarah Graves’ series starring Lizzie Snow (who was introduced in A BAT IN THE BELFRY, the final book in her Home Repair is Homicide mystery series). Lizzie has resigned from her dream job as a Boston homicide detective for a position in Aroostook County, Maine. She has made this life-altering move because her dead sister's daughter is missing. Guilt finally pushed the spunky woman into following a lead that might bring her niece home.

But the town to which she has moved is not a lazy backwoods resort. The residents are tight-lipped when it comes to sharing information with outsiders. And the town harbors a dark side in which Lizzie becomes deeply embroiled. Some strange "suicides" of former cops are at the top of the list for solving. The sheriff, Cody Chevrier, believes that a serial murderer is on the loose killing these men. Lizzie is investigating, which puts her in the line of sight of one man who has some responsibility for the deaths.

"Lizzie Snow is a feisty and smart character with an excellent future. Sarah Graves has created a heroine with all of the attributes readers look for in their cops."

This individual also is involved with a body of drug mules and producers of meth. He picks up a kid who is a lonely teenager to do some of his dirty work. One of Spud's first jobs is to kidnap a baby who happens to be his son. The boy's grandfather is one of the wealthiest men in town and can do nothing to get out of the mess he's created. Thus he has no power to get his grandson back. But is he really all that he appears to be? Are any of the characters all that they seem to be?

Lizzie was hired to be a liaison for the sheriff, but he really needs her detective experience to help him solve the crimes that have befallen his county. However, she is distracted from the investigations by a state cop who broke her heart and wants a second chance. He seems to show up whenever Lizzie is on the trail of the miscreants. Ironically, Lizzie hires Spud to redo her office, even though she is rarely sitting at her desk. He goes to work conscientiously and creates a haven for her. Clearly, few residents who cross Lizzie's path are who or what they say they are or appear to be.

In the midst of all of this chaos, a big snowstorm is dropping piles of snow on Aroostook County. But that cannot stop the crime fighters from doing their work --- especially when it comes to Jeffrey, the abducted infant. As it turns out, the "good guys" get a lead about a man who has made a life for himself in the woods. Who is this stranger, and does he have anything to do with the dead policemen or the baby?

WINTER AT THE DOOR is a fast-moving mystery/police procedural that will hook readers from the first sentence. The writing is tight, and no extra words or situations are used. Lizzie Snow is a feisty and smart character with an excellent future. Sarah Graves has created a heroine with all of the attributes readers look for in their cops. Everyone will be champing at the bit for the next book in this thrilling new series.