The Millennium Library had a book sale and individual books were $2.50 but a bag of books was $5.00. What amount do you think I picked?

Wow! This was a terrific book. Suspense right to the end and interesting characters, set in a city that I love, Montreal. I had never heard of John Farrow before picking up this book. The reason became clear when I read this on the end paper "John Farrow is a pseudonym for a highly respected Canadian writer of literary fiction. City of Ice is his first thriller." Of course you know I had to Google after reading that and I found this very interesting interview online. If you want to find out all about John Farrow and his real counterpart click on the link.

Emile Cinq-Mars is a detective in the City of Montreal police. The book opens with Cinq-Mars being offered a position with the Wolverines, a task force set up to deal with the biker wars in Montreal. As Cinq-Mars is explaining that what he does is catch the small time criminal and that is what he prefers to stay doing, the Hell's Angels banker is blown up right across the street from the Wolverines stake-out. Cinq-Mars goes back to his cubicle at police headquarters. One reason he is so successful is that he has a source who gives him the criminals on a golden platter. On Christmas Eve he and his partner stake out an apartment block where they have been told to look for Santa Claus. When they follow him into the block they discover the body of one of the people Cinq-Mars' source had used to give him information. It is clear from the sign around his neck "Merry Xmas M-5" that this was known to the killers because M-5 stands for March 5th which is the English translation of Cinq-Mars. Even though the case is assigned to another detective Cinq-Mars decides to investigate himself. What he finds leads him to encounters with bike gangs, Russian Mafia, the CIA and corruption within his own police department.

I would heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-written book and especially lovers of fast-paced thrillers.

I left this book on a bench outside of the store and restaurant for Childs Lake Lodge. This release is for the 2010 Canada Day release challenge and for the 2010 52 Towns in 52 Weeks release challenge.