Christmas in Newfoundland
Author: Mike Martin
Publisher: Ottawa Press and Publishing
Pages: 113
Genre: Mystery/Memoir
About the book:
Christmas in Newfoundland is a special time. In the depths of long winter nights memories are made and stories are told. Of Christmas by candlelight and horse and buggy rides to church. Of shopping on Water Street in St. John’s before malls and the
Internet.
In later years, Sgt. Windflower came to work and then to stay in the quiet town of Grand Bank by the Atlantic Ocean where the salt air froze in the wind and the Mounties were welcomed to warm themselves by every fire.
Come and warm yourself by the fire and hear their stories. Some memories and some
mysteries. Enjoy some holiday time with Sgt. Windflower and all the familiar characters
that you’d come to know and love. Good food, good friends and always another chair at
the table.
My thoughts:
Christmas. Some of my favorite memories from Christmas are the simple ones. One year the plan was to do the usual. Christmas Eve we always opened gifts from each other, Christmas Day we went to Grandmas. The year I was in 7th grade was a bit different though. That year money was very tight and we ran out of Propane on Christmas Eve. We had a big fireplace in the living room and we all camped out in the living room, Christmas Eve we piled into dads old Chevy, covered ourselves in blankets and drove to Grandma & Grandpas to stay for a couple nights until the propane arrive the day after Christmas. Santa found us there - no need for a fireplace. This is one of my favorite Christmas memories.
Mike Martin's new book is a compilation of favorite memories based in the town of New Foundland combined with a mystery or two. It's a story of tradition, lights, music, food, community and family. The writing is a bit different than what I'm used to. I found it harder to get into. It seemed a bit dryer, more like several stories a relative is telling at a family reunion and you don't know any of the people. I like longer stories, novel length where I can grow to know the characters and connect with them. At the same time it was neat to read about traditions in another setting. I would of loved to participate in some of those activities ~ buggy rides in particular.
Mike Martin's new book is a compilation of favorite memories based in the town of New Foundland combined with a mystery or two. It's a story of tradition, lights, music, food, community and family. The writing is a bit different than what I'm used to. I found it harder to get into. It seemed a bit dryer, more like several stories a relative is telling at a family reunion and you don't know any of the people. I like longer stories, novel length where I can grow to know the characters and connect with them. At the same time it was neat to read about traditions in another setting. I would of loved to participate in some of those activities ~ buggy rides in particular.
Learn more:
A sneak peak at the book:
It was just days before Christmas, and Sergeant Winston Windflower only had one big problem. That was what to get his girlfriend, Sheila Hillier, for Christmas. Other than that, life was good for the RCMP officer in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Crime was low, if not non-existent, and spirits were running high as the holiday neared its peak in this little seaside town.
Of course, being the holiday season, the Mountie was concerned about impaired driving. But Windflower and his team had been out on the roads for the past two weekends with the R.I.D.E. program. He figured that meant everyone would be on their best behaviour for the next couple of weeks. That was especially true since one town resident had been charged with impaired driving and two others had received suspended licences because they were just over the legal limit of alcohol.
Fortunately, even the weather was cooperating. They hadn’t had any snow in Grand Bank for almost two weeks. That was a relief to not only the snow shovellers catching a break after a series of early winter storms but also to the RCMP officers, as they had already worked several overnight shifts because of storms. The best news was that there wasn’t even any snow in the short-term forecast.
All of this meant the town could be festive and safe during the holiday season already well
underway.
The old Town of Grand Bank went all out to pretty itself up for Christmas. Almost every house had some form of decoration, and Christmas lights were aplenty all over town. Some people went old-fashioned and just had a wreath on their front door and a couple of strings of lights hanging from their eaves. Others decided to splurge on nativity scenes and blow-up Santas, as they held nothing back in their gaudy and joyous celebration of the season.
Old Saint Nick had already made one visit. That was last weekend during the Santa Claus parade led by the antique pumper truck from the volunteer fire department. Local RCMP vehicles were decked out in flashing lights and ribbons as the Mounties collected toys and gifts along the parade route for the Salvation Army. Sheila had rounded up a few extra dollars from local businesses to ensure that even the abandoned buildings near the wharf were gaily festooned with ribbons, bows and the essential Christmas lights in time for the parade. Now, Saint Nick’s return engagement on December 25th was eagerly anticipated.
About the author:
Mike Martin was born in Newfoundland on the East Coast of Canada and now lives and
works in Ottawa, Ontario. The Walker on the Cape was his first full fiction book and the
premiere of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. Other books in the series include The
Body on the T, Beneath the Surface, A Twist of Fortune and A Long Ways from Home,
which was shortlisted for the Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award as the best light mystery
of the year. A Tangled Web was released in 2017 and the newest book in the series.is
Darkest Before the Dawn which won the Bony Blithe Award in 2019. A new book in the
series, Fire, Fog and Water is being released in October.
Mike is currently Chair of the Board of Crime Writers of Canada, a national organization
promoting Canadian crime and mystery writers.
How to find the author:
Website → www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
Twitter Link: → http://ww.twitter.com/mike54martin
Facebook→ https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAnd
More/
Linked up @:
1) Hearth & Soul: https://apriljharris.com/christmas-celebrations-at-the-hearth-and-soul-link-party/
2) Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party: https://www.loulougirls.com/2019/12/lou-lou-girls-fabulous-party-299.html
3) Wine'd Down Wednesday: http://ourthreepeas.com/wined-down-wednesday-325/
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in this post are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommed products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
I come from Canada but I have yet to visit Newfoundland. I think I would enjoy this book though. Thank you so much for sharing and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link party. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
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