An icy Albany winter--and unwelcome surprises of one frozen corpse, numerous ominous threats, and a couple million dollars!

The toughest gay private investigator in mystery literature is back--with a frozen corpse in his back seat and an urgent need to find out who put it there. Ice Blues: a Donald Strachey Mystery brings back the popular wisecracking detective in a fast-paced, suspenseful, and flat-out enjoyable suspense mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. Strachey soon finds himself in possession of two and a half million dollars--and becomes the target of criminals who will stop at nothing to get it. To unravel the puzzle, he has to confront a political machine, civic corruption, and family tragedy.</p>

The harsh winter weather is miserable in Albany, and so is Don Strachey. First his car is impounded because of snow removal. Then, when he picks the car up he discovers the frozen corpse of someone he barely knows. The police begin asking him pointed questions on how it got there. Now Strachey has other more pressing problems than just the snow and ice. Even before he is able to dig into the mystery he gets some cold ominous threats on his life, and then suitcases--a load of cool cash from the person who ended up in his back seat. Who killed the gay political activist, and why was he put in Strachey's car? And why is everyone asking Strachey, "What did you do with the money?"</p>

Ice Blues revisits one of the wittiest, most magnetic private detectives in mystery literature, on a difficult case involving his lover Tim Callahan, murder, money, and politics. </p>

An excerpt from Ice Blues </p>

I said, "This is not a social call, it's police business. I'm at Faxon Towing. My car was hauled out here last night, and now there's a problem. You should drive out."</p>

"What the hell are you talking about, Strachey? This is the homicide division, and you got a beef with traffic you won't get me involved, oh no, I'll not act as an impediment to those officers. Anyway, it was plainly announced on the medias which streets were gonna get plowed last night, and if you're too dumb or too contrary to move your car out of the way, I've got no sympathy. The snow removal crews have a job to do, and--"</p>

I cut him off. "There's a man in it. He's dead."</p>

"There's what? In what? What's there a dead man in?"</p>

"In the back seat of my car. Timothy Callahan--you know Timmy--he drove me out here to pick up my car. Timmy dropped me off, I paid the extortionate towing fee, and I located my car. When I opened the door it caught my notice that the rear backrest had been lowered, and a man was curled up back there. His eyes were open wide, but he didn't say 'Cold enough for ya?' or 'What do you think of all this snow?' or 'Ciao, baby' or anything else at all."</p>

"What man? This man was dead, you say?"</p>

"Under the dome light I could make out little icicles of blood extending down from his mouth and ears. I did not check his vital signs, but when the human body temperature falls below thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit, death ensues. He's gone. I thought you ought to know."</p>

In Ice Blues, P.I. Don Strachey tackles a corrupt and homophobic political organization, while avoiding dangerous criminals and trying to find the answers to a tantalizing mystery. Like other Strachey novels like Third Man Out and Death Trick, this one is tricky, unique, and as always, tremendously enjoyable. The Don Strachey mysteries starring Chad Allen are now being filmed for here!, the first gay television network.