Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Thoroughly enjoyed Cold Hearted River. Mr. McCafferty has obviously spent time around the West, fly rods and big rivers.
This series just keeps getting better. Sean Stranahan is an unique character, a true sportsman who clearly loves the outdoors and all its challenges. He has a colorful variety of friends to help him figure things out. There's a great wealth of Hemingway trivia to be learned here, too. Great job, Keith, keep'em coming!
Story involving a missing trunk of fishing stuff that Hemmingway owned. Ok but just didn't interest me, not to mention too convoluted to care.
This was good but not my favorite. The Hemingway angle didn't really do it for me as a base but the stuff that happened around it was good. I wish Sean and Martha would get their ducks in a row and work things out.
This was not my fave in the series. Usually, with a murder mystery, someone dies at the beginning and then they work on figuring out who did it for the rest of the book. I read almost all the way to the end waiting for there to be a twist in the deaths in the beginning of the book, but I got something else instead. Because of this, I feel that it took really forever for the book to get going. Maybe McCafferty just needed more words to finish the Novel? No idea. I was also surprised that 2 of the main characters weren't even in the book. Still, it read very nicely.
Cold Hearted River by Keith McCafferty is a pretty decent private detective story. When a woman gets caught on a mountain and dies, she is found with an interesting piece of fishing tackle, a piece most likely owned by Ernest Hemingway at one time, from a steamer trunk that was stolen decades ago. Sean Stranahan, our detective/artist/fly fisherman, sets out to locate the lost trunk and tackle and comes across a few dead bodies in the process.
Hemingway's lost trunk is an interesting jumping off point and fits in nicely with the Montana setting. I learned a little bit about fly fishing and a little bit about Hemingway. I liked all of what seemed to be the main characters and think I could read the rest of the series because of them.
All around it was a good read and I think it would be a great camping read. There was one little surprise at the end that I did not like and felt was unnecessary. I am referring to what happened to Margarethe (a lead/suspect in the missing trunk/murder investigation) as a young woman. It did not need to happen for the story to make sense.
I received a digital galley of this book from Penguin's First to Read program.
Hemingway's lost trunk is an interesting jumping off point and fits in nicely with the Montana setting. I learned a little bit about fly fishing and a little bit about Hemingway. I liked all of what seemed to be the main characters and think I could read the rest of the series because of them.
All around it was a good read and I think it would be a great camping read. There was one little surprise at the end that I did not like and felt was unnecessary. I am referring to what happened to Margarethe (a lead/suspect in the missing trunk/murder investigation) as a young woman. It did not need to happen for the story to make sense.
I received a digital galley of this book from Penguin's First to Read program.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The book starts with a "tauntaun" sleeping bag but with a horse and it was tragic. Still, that's a memorable start to a book. I've always been interested in Hemingway, so this story was right up my alley. On top of the mystery of his stolen valise stuffed with his writings, there's also a "missing" trunk of his fishing gear years later. As mysteries go this one was pretty good and absolutely plausible. My only complaint is Sean and how he entices most every women he meets. It's becoming a bit predictable. My exasperation could just be my inner romantic rooting for Sean and Martha, although these two are moving as slow as molasses. Eventually, right?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest
While Cold Hearted River is the 6th book in the Sean Stranahan mystery series, it served as my introduction to the series, and I look forward to going back and reading the rest (I actually went to our local bookstore as soon as I finished this one and bought the first two for my husband to bring on vacation). The stories take place predominantly in Montana and remind me somewhat of C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett series though the particular crime at issue in Cold Hearted River is more literary oriented than the crimes in Box’s books. This mystery features Ernest Hemingway extensively, specifically his fishing gear and a potentially undiscovered manuscript; a subject matter that delighted me to no end. McCafferty’s characters are an interesting bunch (in a good way), indicative of individuals I would expect to find in rural Montana. The mystery is intriguing if a bit drawn out; I loved the Hemingway storyline and its various components, but I was ready for it to be over before it was.
As I frequently mention, I am a huge fan of cool book covers and prefer covers that relate to the story inside. This series contains distinct, unique covers that are very appealing and represent the tale being told. I always love that.
Cold Hearted River was a nice change of pace for me; McCafferty writes beautifully, and the book was a joy to read. Thanks to First to Read for this ARC.
As I frequently mention, I am a huge fan of cool book covers and prefer covers that relate to the story inside. This series contains distinct, unique covers that are very appealing and represent the tale being told. I always love that.
Cold Hearted River was a nice change of pace for me; McCafferty writes beautifully, and the book was a joy to read. Thanks to First to Read for this ARC.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Again the author draws on history for the theme of this story. Apparently Ernest Hemingway was quite the fisherman and had a trunk of tackle go missing when traveling West. When a wallet of fishing flies with EH engraved on it is found near a suspicious death and the president of the Madison River Liars and Fly Tiers Club is contacted about fishing gear said to belong to Hemingway Sean seems to think the events are connected. He is then hired to track down the items rumored to belong to the author. This takes him not only around the Montana/Wyoming area but all the way to Michigan and beyond. All to find the truth.
I love these characters, they are very believable and have become like dear friends. Sean and Martha have found their way back to each other which doesn’t make his former girlfriend very happy. I think the relationship may continue to be in flux as they are both very independent people, with Martha being very opinionated and strong willed while Sean seems to go with the flow. I love their dialogue with each other. I am anxious to see their story pan out.
The book starts with a heart-wrenching telling of 2 people trapped in a storm that brings a search party out. I was captivated immediately. I really enjoyed this story and the way Mr. McCafferty weaves Hemingway’s history right into this current day story. It takes many twists and turns as each new clue is uncovered. I do love the way this author writes, his laid back style, he is a very descriptive writer. This time I felt we were covering the same places more than once with the same details so it dragged just a little bit for me in places but enough to ever stop reading. I was totally taken by surprise at the ending. Hook, Line, and Sinker, put me in the net. The last twist, priceless. I was right there with Martha as Sean told her what happened.
A mystery, some history, drama, and romance makes this an enjoyable escape.
Again the author draws on history for the theme of this story. Apparently Ernest Hemingway was quite the fisherman and had a trunk of tackle go missing when traveling West. When a wallet of fishing flies with EH engraved on it is found near a suspicious death and the president of the Madison River Liars and Fly Tiers Club is contacted about fishing gear said to belong to Hemingway Sean seems to think the events are connected. He is then hired to track down the items rumored to belong to the author. This takes him not only around the Montana/Wyoming area but all the way to Michigan and beyond. All to find the truth.
I love these characters, they are very believable and have become like dear friends. Sean and Martha have found their way back to each other which doesn’t make his former girlfriend very happy. I think the relationship may continue to be in flux as they are both very independent people, with Martha being very opinionated and strong willed while Sean seems to go with the flow. I love their dialogue with each other. I am anxious to see their story pan out.
The book starts with a heart-wrenching telling of 2 people trapped in a storm that brings a search party out. I was captivated immediately. I really enjoyed this story and the way Mr. McCafferty weaves Hemingway’s history right into this current day story. It takes many twists and turns as each new clue is uncovered. I do love the way this author writes, his laid back style, he is a very descriptive writer. This time I felt we were covering the same places more than once with the same details so it dragged just a little bit for me in places but enough to ever stop reading. I was totally taken by surprise at the ending. Hook, Line, and Sinker, put me in the net. The last twist, priceless. I was right there with Martha as Sean told her what happened.
A mystery, some history, drama, and romance makes this an enjoyable escape.