Hi everyone, it’s KitKat. I just finished reading Cold Skies by Thomas King, and I wanted to share my thoughts while they’re still fresh.
This is the third book in the DreadfulWater mystery series. I haven’t read the first two yet, but I didn’t feel lost—King gives just enough context that you can jump in here if you want. It’s a mystery set in a small town, with a retired cop-turned-photographer who ends up pulled into a murder investigation. It’s also funny. Not laugh-out-loud all the time, but there’s a dry, low-key sense of humor throughout that really worked for me.
That said, it took me a while to get into it. I’m a slow reader, and the writing style—especially the dialogue—felt like it would click better for someone who reads a bit faster. I kept thinking it might work really well as a dramatic reading or maybe an audiobook (I’m not sure if there is one). The pacing of the jokes and conversations might land better when heard.
Early on, I also found some of the side details distracting. There are a lot of little asides—extra bits about characters or the town—that sometimes pulled me off track. I think a faster reader could probably absorb those without losing the thread, but I ended up needing to refocus a few times.
Still, the deeper I got into the book, the more I enjoyed it. The story pulls you in gradually, and by the second half, I didn’t want to put it down. My special someone actually kept stealing the book from me, finished it in three days, and loved it. Honestly, that helped me stay motivated.
I’m really glad I stuck with it. Once I settled into the rhythm, I appreciated how well King balances mystery with character and tone. The mystery is satisfying, the humor is smart, and the world of Chinook feels real. There are themes, too—about technology, land, and the people caught in between—but King keeps the tone light, never preachy. It's more sardonic tail-flick than hiss. I’d definitely consider reading more in the series.
