You ll feel the wintry blast across the icy lakes and breathe in the scent of pines and wood smoke 271 This tale of murder or was it set in sub zero winter at a northern Minnesota college town adjacent to an Ojibwa reservation introduces its cast of characters by alternating POV from one day long chapter to the next Close friendships between young women contrast with dysfunctional families and tyrannical parents as details and rumors collide about the death of a female student following a drunken party during a blizzard Everyone takes sides between two suspects Lelvis is a seasoned author whose well researched stories keep the pages turning 271 Overall Rating 3. 5Writing Delivery 4Editorial 4Frozen Girl of Spirit Lake is a novel that delves into the death of a young woman in a small Minnesota town in the 1950s.

This novel is a great read and a captivating mystery Prepare to be transported across time to Minnesota in the nineteen fifties I was enthralled to the last page of this whodunnit 271 Meg Lelvis grew up in northern Minnesota and taught English and psychology in Houston and Dallas Her fiction and poetry have won awards from Houston Writers Guild and Houston Writers House Her first novel Baileys Law won the 2017 Maxy Award for best mystery Her short story featuring Baileys Law character Jack Bailey was published in Houston Writers Guild mystery anthology Waves of Suspense Megs second Bailey novel Blind Eye was released in April 2018 It won Maxy Awards runner up for best mystery in 2018 Her third novel A Letter from Munich was released in April 2020 Thisl also features previous protagonist Jack Bailey Book four Back of the Yard is due for release in June 2021 Meg Lelvis grew up in northern Minnesota and taught English and psychology in Houston and Dallas Her fiction and poetry have won awards from Houston Writers Guild and Houston Writers House Her first novel Bailey s Law won the 2017 Maxy Award for best mystery Her short story featuring Bailey s Law character Jack Bailey was published in Houston Writers Guild mystery anthology Waves of Suspense Meg s second Bailey novel Blind Eye was released in April 2018 It won Maxy Award s runner up for best mystery in 2018 Her third novel A Letter from Munich was released in April 2020 Thisl also features previous protagonist Jack Bailey Book four Back of the Yard is due for release in June 2021 site_link Small town college A treacherous blizzard a tragic accident Or was it The result will alter the town and nearby Native American reservation for years to come 1955 in Eklund Minnesota nestled on the shores of Spirit College student Barbara Gruen is found frozen to death in a snowbank Presumably she lost her way in a blinding snowstorm while walking home from an off campus party resulting in a tragic accident Or was it Nancy Borg a college senior and friend of Barbara s brother is shaken by the news particularly since Barbara was her friend s sister Eager to escape Eklund and her narrow minded father Nancy unexpectedly becomes entangled in the tragedy s aftermath Roland Nightbird works at the college and lives on nearby Thunder Lake Chippewa Reservation He unwittingly becomes linked to an investigation surrounding Barbara s death and is victimized by the town s underlying biases Will Roland s caring family and strong tribal lineage be enough for him to persevere Loreen Sandberg social climbing faculty wife is connected to Barbara through family but too self absorbed to openly grieve Her deep seated bigotry comes to light threatening to destroy those around her This enduring timely story shows how Eklund s unspoken caste system and prejudices will forever alter families and the community alike The diverse engaging characters prove how love kindness and courage can overcome adversity Frozen Girl of Spirit LakeMeg Lelvis continues her string of fine novels by this time taking us to Eukland Minnesota where the only thing deeper than the snowdrifts is the prejudice many of the locals feel towards the indigenous population The distant yet somehow closer than they both realize relationship between Nancy and Roland will keep you guessing and defies this prejudice in favor of compassion By navigating us through the unforgiving weather and mid century lifestyle in Eukland Lelvis captures a unique sense of time and place The characters the events the attitudes the all belong in this town nowhere else. I thoroughly enjoyed Frozen Girl of Sprit Lake I highly recommend it 271 Lelvis s deft hand with mystery draws us into the Northern Minnesota of the 1950s Conflicts among generations classes and especially whites vs Native Americans deepen after the tragic death of an innocent We care deeply about the characters and are well satisfied by a plot twist that confirms our trust in them Even if you read Frozen Girl on a tropical beach exposing its dark belly of prejudices and stereotypes Employing multiple points of view Ms Lelvis offers a multifaceted perspective on the events that unfold We witness the story through the eyes of Nancy Borg a young woman eager to escape her stifling hometown Roland Nightbird a Native American man struggling against prejudice and Loreen Sandberg a self absorbed social climber Through the intersecting lives of its diverse characters the story unfolds a complex tapestry of secrets lies and the devastating impact of a tragic death. The author s narrative approach allows for a deep exploration of the characters and their motivations as well as the intricate web of relationships within the small town and the stereotypes and prejudices that permeate it Roland Nightbird in particular becomes a poignant symbol of the discrimination faced by Native Americans highlighting the ongoing struggle for equality and respect Although the story was slow paced at times it was well researched to bring the reader into the small town setting during that time period with 1950s pop culture references sprinkled throughout Ultimately it is a powerful story about the human capacity for both cruelty and compassion. Sublime Line By exploring the complexities of human nature and the impact of prejudice this novel offers a thought provoking reading experience 271 You may need a cozy warm blanket and a very hot drink to submerge yourself in this new novel by Meg Lelvis The author does a fabulous job of taking you into the cold winter of Northern Minnesota so much so that my fingers still feel chilled to the bone But than the haunting sense of place The Frozen Girl of Spirit Lake is the exploration of prejudice poverty and honor in a small town in the 1950 s As the town tries to solve the murder of a college student during a blizzard the reader becomes enmeshed in the drama and the lives of the protagonists I appreciated how the author told the story through the viewpoints of different characters each with their own connection to the tragedy A great read 271