Snowstorms blow threatening notes onto the doorstep of Raven Brook’s isolated log cabin, but the police give them no credibility. In their ears, Raven’s tarnished reputation resonated louder than her complaints.

     While on a snowmobile ride in the forest, Raven discovers the body of the disgraced officer who investigated her foster grandfather’s murder and dismissed her witness statement. Suddenly, the past she tried to escape roars back to haunt her and her young son.

     Corporal Landon Steele is posted to a remote understaffed RCMP detachment to fill the position left vacant by a dead officer. As he searches for missing evidence, he stumbles on a string of suspicious deaths linked to his predecessor. His troubling investigation throws him into Raven’s warpath.

     Trust is in short supply. Can Raven and Landon lower their guards, share their discoveries, and solve the murders before their fate intertwine in death?

Excerpt:

Eager to go to bed, and forget she missed his funeral, Raven switched off the porch lantern powered by a propane generator.

Darkness reclaimed the clearing where her grandfather built the log cabin half a century ago.

In the silence of the night, the flames dancing in the brick fireplace cast fiery shadows on the dark windows. She added another log to the hearth, one of many she would throw in throughout the night to keep the fire burning. With the cabin warm and cozy, she entered Eja’s room.

Her son slept with his door open and a grey koala bear in his arms.

She pulled the blankets tight around his small body. “Sweet dreams, munchkin.”

Lying on top the blanket near Eja’s feet, Rusty pricked an ear.

“Good night, Rusty.” It still boggled Raven’s mind to recall that Rusty had been waiting on the front porch upon their return from the bridge. The paw prints in the snow had led to Gage’s body—paw prints that Raven had believed belonged to her dog—but now, she wasn’t so certain.

Her dog jumped off the bed and hurried out of the bedroom. Raven found Rusty scratching at the front door with her lone front paw.

“You need to pee again?” Raven released the latch and pulled the door ajar. Bitter cold swept in, permeating her flannel pajamas. She cringed from the chilling assault. “Hurry, it’s freezing outside.”

Rusty took a step backward, turned around, and retreated by the fireplace.

“No game, Rusty.” Raven’s teeth rattled and her skin prickled. “It’s too late to play.”

Snowflakes swirled onto the doormat. In their midst, a red envelope wafted into the cabin, landing near her woolen slippers.

A lump caught in her throat, and shivers not brought on by the severe weather coursed through her body.

She donned her parka and mukluks, grabbed the loaded hunting rifle stowed on the ledge above the door, and ventured outside.

Reviews:

AUGUST 13, 2025

 5 STARS from Between The Pages (Still Moments Magazine)

Red in the Snow was a compelling and heartfelt mystery that blended suspense with emotional depth, centered around a resilient hearing-impaired woman and her son, who face mounting threats in a small town. When threats escalate, an RCMP corporal steps in, not only to protect, but to uncover the truth behind the intimidation. J.S. Marlo crafted a well-paced narrative with richly drawn characters, a sweet romance, and a mystery that keeps readers guessing. An absorbing read from start to finish.