Winter in June

Rosie Winter's not one to say no, and when she hears her ex-boyfriend Jack has gone missing while stationed in the war time South Pacific,she's determined to get answers. Rosie talks best friend Jayne into joining a USO show going to the area, and while Rosie's not sure what she's going to find once she arrives in Tulagi, she certainly wasn't expecting a murder. Or even two for that matter.


The third installment of Kathryn Miller Haines's superb WWII mystery series, Winter in June, is just as riveting as the first two. Filled with characters that leap off the page, the series loses nothing when it shifts to the South Pacific. Rosie's still fiery and headstrong, and she and Jayne once again find themselves smack in the middle of several mysteries. This time they share the USO stage with famous actress Gilda DeVane, whose own personal scandal has put her career at risk. While balancing the demands of the show, Rosie searches for any sign of Jack; meanwhile, supplies are disappearing and snipers are taking shots around camp. Oh, and remember Peaches? Somehow he manages to turn up in the islands as well.


I just love this series! Rosie is a perfect sleuth who doesn't know she's a sleuth; her tough mindedness and sharp mouth make her one of my favorite characters ever. While the mysteries aren't particularly deep, they are well plotted, and the mix of romance into this one was pitch perfect. I could picture WWII Tulagi and the sacrifices made by the Allied soldiers and the USO both. Entertaining and wildly fun, Winter in June had me hooked from the first words. Do yourself a favor and pick this series up now.

I've read the fourth (When Winter Returns) already but can't review it here until it shows up in the Historical Novel Society's newest edition. Suffice it to say that it's just as wonderful...and ends on a cliffhanger.

~taminator40