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Winter Takes All

(Seattle Wilderness Mystery #1)

M.L. Erdahl (Goodreads Author)

4.36 · Rating details · 105 ratings · 76 reviews

Crystal Rainey is aghast when she realizes her new year's resolutions haven't changed one whit from the previous year. Wanting to escape a future as dreary as a Pacific Northwest winter, she walks out on her dead-end office job, despite her tenuous savings account.
Stumbling across a job opening posted by a wilderness guide outfit, an intrigued Crystal bluffs her way into t ...more

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Kindle Edition, 264 pages

Published October 23rd 2019 by The Wild Rose Press

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Average rating 4.36 ·

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· 105 ratings · 76 reviews

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Nov 06, 2019 N.N. Light rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, cozy-mystery, reviews-by-mr-n

There is nothing much better in the world for me than an incredibly well written cozy mystery that combines romance and sleuthing. This book was a pleasure to read.

I immediately loved Crystal and the relationship with Conner was superbly written. The mystery was a true homage to the classic pot boiler, and it will keep readers guessing.

Compelling at times, heart warming, funny, romantic, and intense. The detail of the outdoor scenes was written with great realism.

Indulging in this book is ...more

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Dec 09, 2019 Tari rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-i-spy

I really loved this book and everything about it! It was so refreshing that the main character and the guy she liked hit it off, and there was no friction or conflict between them like so many other cozies have written in. It was just the perfect balance of a little romance and a great cozy mystery in a super fun setting that I'll probably only ever be visiting via books. But it was easy to imagine the awesome chalet and the quiet snowy scenery.

Crystal was a great main character. She was young, ...more

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Feb 15, 2021 Marie (IfCatsCouldRead) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: murder, romance, seattle, local-author, kindle, investigation, career-change, outdoors, snowshoeing

Great Winter Mystery

I loved reading about our local area. The main character Crystal is very relatable and admirable. The light romance was fun as well as the exciting danger Crystal encounters. I thought I had it all figured out at the beginning but I was wrong! Can't wait to read the sequel! ...more

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Apr 21, 2020 Stanley McShane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

Crystal Rainey cut out on her dead-end office job and answered an ad for a wilderness guide. Thank heaven Conner knows what he is doing and as head guide is quick to see a green-horn when he sees one, but hey, she has potential and she's adorable. On the first outing, however, this corporate retreat snowshoe hike to an alpine chalet might present more than one challenge. What about the owner's death? True, he was a creep of the first order. Still, his body is out there, frozen. And not an accide Crystal Rainey cut out on her dead-end office job and answered an ad for a wilderness guide. Thank heaven Conner knows what he is doing and as head guide is quick to see a green-horn when he sees one, but hey, she has potential and she's adorable. On the first outing, however, this corporate retreat snowshoe hike to an alpine chalet might present more than one challenge. What about the owner's death? True, he was a creep of the first order. Still, his body is out there, frozen. And not an accident. She must solve the murder before this whole dream becomes a nightmare. Go back to that other job? 9-5? Nope!

The thing about cozy mysteries, however, is that there is so much plausible deniability. Swallow your disbelief that a clerical city job employee could bluff her way through the interview, and having been hired by a head-hunter frantically trying to fill a vacancy, would prepare her physically for hiking in sub-zero temps loaded with heavy clothing. Or handling snowshoes. Connor too quickly steps up as a romantic interest--but how was he not married with six kids already? He's cute and more than a little macho. And that the cops lack of serious interest in a remote area murder of an international corporate bigwig would have allowed an amateur sleuth to interrogate interview suspects or have the wherewithal to research corporate employees is also a bit of a stretch.

Crystal is an engaging character with whom it's easy to follow in her innate fresh naiveté persona that she has turned into a bulldog. In the meantime, if you are looking for a cozy with a whole different backdrop, descriptive and inviting winter mountain activities and engaging characters, Erdahl has captured that with an entertaining book you'll keep reading just for the sweet factor alone. It's a fun and fast cozy mystery and one I'll be glad to recommend. I was given this audiobook download by the author (thank you!) in exchange for a review and that in no way influenced my opinion. You'll enjoy this one.

See my full review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2020/...
...more

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Apr 20, 2020 WeLoveBigBooksAndWeCannotLie rated it it was amazing

I just finished the cutest little murder mystery book EVER! The main character, Crystal, thinks she can solve a murder solely based on the fact that she has read many murder mystery books and can surely figure it out...HELLO?!? This is TOTALLY ME🤣 I could not put this book down! Crystal is loving her new career as a wilderness guide when on her first trip, one of her customers winds up dead. She can’t bare the thought of going back into the corporate world while waiting for the case to clear, so ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Jan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: verbal-humor, romantic, cozy-mystery, situational-humor

She spontaneously quit her awful job and got a new job she was totally inexperienced in, what could possibly go wrong?
While shopping for snowshoes she meets a yummy guy who offers to teach her the skill, then it turns out that they work for the same company of winter guides. On the very first trip, the guests don't get along, drink to excess, and one of them winds up dead. The cozy mystery is pretty well done, the budding romance is entertaining, and the humor is really giggle worthy!
I request ...more

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Dec 02, 2019 Valerie rated it liked it

I liked the first part of this book better than the rest, when it turned from a feel good change of life story to a murder mystery. The murder mystery part feels a bit awkward. I liked the main person and Connor, they are the more fully developed characters in the story while the rest are not as developed or pleasant. The ending as to who the murderer is was good, I didn't guess it. #WinterTakesAll #NetGalley ...more

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Dec 19, 2019 JM Spade rated it really liked it

I loved reading this cozy classic! I appreciated that the main characters didn't have all this distaste for each other like in some romance novels and instead, the mystery served as the catalyst to keep the reader hooked - which kept me guessing way more than a standard romance! I loved it! ...more

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Feb 03, 2020 Mona williams rated it really liked it

this was a first read of yours i read and i really liked it! she finds a new job. only to have a owner die. now she thinks something doesnt add up and he could have been murdered. read to find out what happens.

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Oct 16, 2020 Jim Thomsen rated it liked it

On one level, WINTER TAKES ALL accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It presents a heroine we can like and sympathize with, it offers an appealing window into Seattle and the Cascade Mountains , and it keeps the pages turning as Crystal Rainey struggles with her finances, her love life, her intrusive parents, her finances, and her inability to find employment that's passably enjoyable, sustainable and stable — not to mention the mystery of who murdered a prominent Seattle businessman duri On one level, WINTER TAKES ALL accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It presents a heroine we can like and sympathize with, it offers an appealing window into Seattle and the Cascade Mountains , and it keeps the pages turning as Crystal Rainey struggles with her finances, her love life, her intrusive parents, her finances, and her inability to find employment that's passably enjoyable, sustainable and stable — not to mention the mystery of who murdered a prominent Seattle businessman during her first outing as a guide for an outdoors adventure company. All good stuff, and all passably enjoyable.

The problem is, I didn't quite believe any of it. One thing cozy mysteries seem to struggle with, and only some successfully, is creating a plausible pretext for the amateur sleuth to investigate a murder. For that to happen, readers must believe that the sleuth is operating in a vacuum plausibly vacated by law enforcement, and that the sleuth somehow has access to places and people relevant to the investigation that the proper authorities do not. And, unfortunately, WINTER TAKES ALL, as winsomely written as it is, has plausibility problems all over the place:

-- I don't believe that Crystal, who has no experiences as a hiking guide, could get hired to be one by a credible company. Her lack of a resumé and references, not to mention her lack of knowledge of the guide's vocabulary and the area, would have been exposed in minutes by any credible interviewer. And, if not then, then then the minute she strapped on showshoes. (Learning to tramp around inside a home for a few hours the day before in showshoes is not remotely comparable to knowing how to tramp through high snow in the wild, nor is cramming online for the same period of time a passable substitute for knowledge of the area and its hazards.)

— And why is it OK for Crystal to have lied in her effort to get the guide job? She explains this, later, as best as she can, but I still don't believe it. Pretending to know what she doesn't know about such a potentially dangerous activity could, and likely would, put the lives of her charges in grave danger. Just because she gets to follow the lead of Conner, the more experienced fellow guide, doesn't wallpaper that over. I really found myself unable to forgive her this callous deception. And I can't believe Conner, however warm for her form he might be, would forgive it either when he learns the truth about Crystal's deception. Professional pride in what he does should have made him angry.

-- I didn't believe that the handsome Conner just happened to be single, straight, magically unencumbered, and attracted to Crystal, especially after he learned about her lies. The outdoors scene is a wild one — lots of smoking weed, drinking hard, hooking up. Does he seriously not do any of that, nor have any complications resulting from that? He isn't besieged nonstop in the store and on the hikes by snow bunnies and women looking for bedroom adventure as well as outdoor adventure? No infatuated or jealous exes hanging around? I don't believe it. (Also, one of the weak spots in WINTER TAKES ALL is the lack of complication in the romance between Crystal and Conner. A good mystery should generate mysteries, especially when there's lots of ready-made material to draw from. Why isn't Crystal having to compete with another women for Conner's attention? Why isn't Conner under suspicion in the murder, if only as a red herring? Why isn't he bothered by her lies?

— I didn't believe that Crystal was the only one able and willing to investigate the murder. I didn't believe that the suspicious death of a creative and business visionary of international renown would be such a low priority for the King County Sheriff's Office that they'd assign the case to an inexperienced and indifferent detective who quickly disappears from the story after a perfunctory scene. Not remotely plausible.

— I didn't believe that Crystal could get all the suspects to open up about themselves and their long-concealed animosities. People are more guarded than that, even when they're drunk or blinded by rage, especially with relative strangers. That, and someone at some point should have challenged her on her lack of plausible standing to ask such intrusive questions, one after another. In a few cases I believed she could get innocent people to open up, but she's not exactly subtle, and anybody with anything to hide would have been suspicious of her nonstop probing and either shut down — or shut her down.

I don't mean to be too harsh. Author M.E. Erdahl has clearly studied the cozy-mysteries genre, has great affection for it, executes his entry into it with considerable skill, and his great affection for it can found on every page. WINTER TAKES ALL is a work of considerable charm, and at times I found myself wanting to be less critical in the face of such implacable goodness. But disbelief cannot be overpowered by a charm offensive. I will read Erdahl's next Crystal Rainey mystery, and I will do so hoping that I can believe what happens within it. Because that will only add to its charms. ...more

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Apr 15, 2020 J rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Stuck in her same ol, same ol life and finding un-fulfillment- Crystal changes her life in every way possible, only to get the brakes pumped on her new life which she has quickly fallen' in love with - due to a death on her very first outdoor adventure as a guide. Is the death an accident as assumed or more. Crazy meets crazy in the group she leads on this adventure and they only come out as more crazy the more Crystal spends time with them in the hopes of getting back to her dream job. Will she ...more

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Apr 25, 2020 Angel White rated it really liked it

In Winter Takes All we meet Crystal who, starting to realize how mundane her life is, makes drastic changes starting with quitting her clerical job. She then fudges her resume and becomes a trail tour guide. Her first expedition, snowshoeing clients up the mountain, is met with disaster and a questionable accident. Since this accident happened under the guide company's watch their insurance coverage has been yanked and all further tours cancelled. Desperate to regain her financial footing Crysta ...more

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May 03, 2020 Jean Grant rated it it was amazing

I enjoyed this story. It was just what I needed...cozy mystery/suspense with a lighter tone. Crystal was an engaging protagonist and I look forward to reading future books in this new series. The writing was polished and the refreshing voice on point. the book was a smooth and easy read. I liked the main and secondary characters, too. The storyline was interesting ...and I am a sucker for anything that takes place in the wilderness. I am hoping as Crystal develops her outdoors legs, future books ...more

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Dec 22, 2020 VICTORIA STEWART rated it it was amazing

Wonderful new read

I really enjoyed this book and am annoyed with myself for not reading it sooner. I enjoyed how this book jumps right in and moves at a good pace. It keeps the reader interested and makes it hard to find a stopping point. The main character is interesting and relatable as I feel like we’ve all been in her shoes at some point in our lives. I could feel her struggles, nervousness and excitement. I enjoyed the mix of city and wilderness, never leaving us in one spot to get bored, i ...more

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Apr 30, 2020 Jessica rated it really liked it

Enjoyable cozy mystery with a great mix of mystery and romance. Crystal Rainey walks out on her office job and bluffs her way into a wilderness guide job where she meets the handsome Conner Oakes, a fellow guide. When a company owner in their tour group is murdered on the tour, Crystals first tour no less, she does some amateur sleuthing in an attempt to save her new life by uncovering the truth before it's too late. Will she be successful? Find out in Winter Takes All. Love the wilderness scene ...more

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Oct 08, 2020 Denise rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-given-for-review

This is the first time in reading this author. Crystal wants some changes so she does some drastic moves to go about them. She gets her opening with a wilderness company as a guide doing what I call a fibble. There is also Connor whom is also a guide with romance on her mind I would say when she sees him. Being co workers though is a stumbling block but one that could be overcome if murder had not of found them. Now she is determined to solve this and save her present life so we are given quite ...more

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Jan 08, 2021 Lori Leaf rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021-books, cozy-mystery

My thoughts: I read cozies for pure entertainment and in my opinion a good cozy murder includes:
Amateur sleuther
Great setting
Lovable Characters
G rated Romance

This book met all of those requirements and managed to do it set against the Cascade Mountains and Seattle, WA. I loved this change of pace from the normal bakery or other food related setting cozies so often have. So clever! While there were a few things I did not like (an inexperienced, non certified person being hired as a guide and the ...more

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May 12, 2020 Susan McCormick rated it it was amazing

A fun and fast-paced mystery with an architectural firm full of suspects with reason enough to kill their unlikable leader, Winter Takes All introduces us to Crystal, a young woman with a dead end job and a yen for a more exciting career. She becomes a mountain guide and amateur sleuth and puts her life on the line to save the new life she has found. Erdahl has created a believable and enchanting world I look forward to returning to in the next Seattle Wilderness Mystery.

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Oct 19, 2020 Jeannie Chambers rated it it was amazing

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. While I wished at times Crystal wasn’t so headstrong, knowing she was headed for trouble, that’s when I had to remind myself, ‘it’s only fiction, she’ll b.e OK.’
I also enjoyed the antics of her cat, Elf. I have an identical cat, and I’ve got the scratches to prove it. Her family is totally believable, and I adore her Dad.
Can’t wait to read more from Crystal (and Connor), she has a a way of sleuthing her way into your heart.

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Jan 23, 2021 Pwild rated it it was amazing

Can't Wait to Read the Next Book

I enjoy cozy mysteries with clever, courageous and determined heroines. It is light enough to relax me and descriptive enough to make me feel as if I were there. The well developed characters and the plot, with its twists and turns facilitated my sustained interest. I will read more from this skillful writer. I also appreciate that there was no profanity nor sensuality. ...more

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Jul 11, 2020 Jocelyne rated it really liked it

This was my first M.L. Erdahl's book. This is the first book in A Seattle Wilderness Mystery Series, a cozy mystery. This is a great start to the Series. The characters are great, and the storyline is fun, intriguing and captivating. Amy Landon did a good job with the narration. I enjoyed it. I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. ...more

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Jan 13, 2021 Lynn Ambers rated it it was amazing

"Winter Takes All" has all the good stuff a cozy mystery delivers. I enjoyed the journey. I love to read books that I can clearly envision the scenes. "Winter Takes All" gave me an internal movie I was happy to watch as I read. Fun wintry read. I read the book during the summer in Colorado. It helped me stay cool during the summer months. ...more

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Jan 24, 2021 Michelle Blake rated it really liked it

I read this book because I had received the 2nd book in this series as an ARC and wanted to know if it was worth reading. YES!!

What a cozy mystery and trying to follow the trail of whodunit was wonderful. I am looking forward to the next book!

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Jul 09, 2020 Sandy EggO rated it it was amazing

Very true to life. Can't wait for the next one. ...more

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Sep 04, 2020 Jennifer Vensel rated it it was amazing

I met this author on Instagram and bought his book. Living in Denver, I could easily envision the story. It was a nice cool off during a hot summer. I enjoyed reading it. The ending is very vivid.

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Mar 21, 2020 Emily Heebner rated it it was amazing

A Perfect Read or Listen While Sheltering in Place

Set in the Pacific Northwest winter wonderland, a thoroughly likeable heroine named Crystal finds her dream job as an outdoor guide. Quickly she embarks on a romantic caper to discover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of guests. Fun voices by the skillful narrator brought the audiobook to life, emphasizing the humor and character quirks. A fun, cozy mystery for all types of readers.

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Feb 26, 2020 Jennifer rated it really liked it

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Winter Takes All by M.L. Erdahl is unique and refreshing. I loved the concept and the characters.
Will Crystal find the killer or lose the future that she wants desperately?
Crystal
Crystal is our main character and sleuth. She doesn't start as a sleuth, but when her new profession is threatened, Crystal must find out what happened to Philip. Crystal quit her t ...more

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Mar 02, 2020 Martha rated it it was amazing

This is a fun cozy – even in a cold setting. My rating 4.5.

Crystal is already thinking about changing her life when her unpleasant supervisor scolds her for being five minutes late after walking through the rain. On a sudden impulse, Crystal decides to quit her dead-end clerical job. But she can’t be out of work long as she has bills to pay. She stumbles onto an advertisement for a wilderness guide. After bluffing her way to getting hired she needs to pick up snowshoes and learn how to use them. ...more

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Mar 09, 2020 Kathleen rated it really liked it

rystal Rainey quits her boring office job and takes a new job at an outdoor adventure company, Emerald City Outfitters. On her first trip out she meets her hunky co-worker, and has to cope with the dysfunctional employees of Calvert and Associates. When the head of Calvert and Associates, Philip Calvert is killed in a suspicious snow mobile accident, all tours with Emerald City Outfitters are suspended. To keep her job, Crystal begins to investigate the murder. This is a cute, readable little bo ...more

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Mar 08, 2020 Abby Lloyd rated it really liked it

I was immediately pulled into this book. The cozy atmosphere and the relatable protagonist had me hooked. We’ve all had a job we wish we could just quit on the spot. Crystal left her office job for a chance at an adventure as a wilderness guide. Despite her lack of experience she manages to land the job. When her first ever guide trip goes array, crystal sets out to make sure justice is served...and she might even find love in the process. This was such a fast an cozy read, I would recommend to ...more

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About M.L. Erdahl

M.L. Erdahl

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Award-winning ML Erdahl lives amidst the trees of the Pacific Northwest, where he pens humorous cozy mystery novels set in the wilderness he has spent his lifetime exploring. The only thing slowing him down is when his adorable rescue dogs, Skip and Daisy, demand to be petted and cuddled on his lap while he types. When he's not wandering the mountains, you can find him gardening, reading, or searc ...more