Dead of Wynter by Spencer Seidel
Summary: Alice Wynter Dunn’s infamous father, Edward “Papa” Wynter, is dead from a gunshot wound. Leaving her distant husband in their New Jersey McMansion, Alice races back to Redding. What at first seems like a simple case of burying her past along with her cruel, alcoholic father turns into a double mystery. Papa Wynter wasn’t a victim of suicide as originally thought – it was murder, and Alice’s abused twin brother, Chris, is missing.
Memories begin to crack the surface as apparitions from the past appear. The winter when Chris ran wild with his bad-seed cousin, cruising from petty crimes to irreversible tragedy, is revealed. Could this be the catalyst that drove Chris to become a hard-core alcoholic like their father? And did their cousin Ray, a junior sociopath in the making, really die in a snowmobile accident?
Supervising Lieutenant Detective Don Lambert has his suspicions. Chris and Papa were last seen arguing in their favorite townie bar the night of the murder – and they were fighting about Ray; the same Ray who tortures Alice’s memories. Things grow more complicated when the murder weapon is found and her mother, Jackie Ruth, is brought in for questioning. What is she hiding? What dark secret from Alice’s past is about to be exposed?
My Thoughts: Told with present-day events and flashbacks to 1984, Dead of Wynter is an interesting read. I will admit that I got somewhat annoyed by the flashbacks at one point, but that was quickly forgotten as the story progressed. I was completely sucked in by the last half, unwilling to stop reading as the details unfolded.
There were some “secrets” that were somewhat easy to guess at, but not knowing for sure kept me going. And I was rewarded, as there was something big I hadn’t guessed at. Complete surprises always win some points with me! 
Will I read this again? Probably not, but I do see myself reading more books by Spencer Seidel.
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Thank you to Erin McNichols from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc., for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read It: Get your own copy HERE.
Challenges: Counts for 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 and the Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011.
FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.
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[...] Thoughts: Last year I read Spencer Seidel’s Dead of Wynter, and I remember thinking that Seidel had promise. I wasn’t as impressed by the book as [...]