Darkest Before the Dawn: A Sgt. Windflower Mystery

I enjoyed the narration of Francis G. KearneySgt Windflower is looking into the mysteries of the Dark Web, which is connected to a couple of murders in the otherwise peaceful town. He and his wife are opening of their own B&B. Helping Winston use his love of cooking on a more regular basis. The sergeant has been in Grand Bank for almost a decade and knows his way around comfortably.

Although Darkest Before The Dawn is the latest in a series of cosy murder/mysteries set in the small town of Grand Bank, Newfoundland, it could be read as a standalone at a push but like any series started half way through means the development of the characters and their storylines are missed.Sergeant Winston Windflower, an RCMP officer, is a full-blooded Cree from Northern Alberta who practises the native customs of his ancestors. He begins each day with a smudging ritual and gratitude for the good in his life. Also passed down the generations is the ability to learn to experience dreams and take note of the predictions/insights they may offer. Windflower is friendly, an advocate of community policing and has won over the residents of Grand Bank, who can initially be disinclined to welcome outsiders.Windflower and his wife, Sheila, are the proud parents of one month old Amelia Louise, and completing their lovely family is Lady, the collie. It’s a refreshing change, once in a while, to have a protagonist without issues and one who is more than happy with his lot. Windflower loves his family, his job and gets on well with most people. He and Sheila are also in the process of opening a B&B. I enjoy the way the author captures life in a small town and the interactions between the residents. The setting descriptions are lovely, food is a big part of life in Grand Bank and shown to be so.A dark cloud casts a shadow over the town when a teenager seems to have attempted suicide, then two murders are discovered. The first, reclusive computer techie, Jacob Crowder has been found dead in his home, stabbed repeatedly. The second had a link to Crowder. As the investigation into the murders gains momentum, Windflower and his team uncover more than they could have imagined.Darkest Before The Dawn was a pleasurable and easy going read. Windflower, Sheila and his team are an asset to Grand Bank, in more ways than one. Sheila, as mayor, is trying to advocate a mental awareness program to help deal with issues such as an increase of people using drugs, along with male depression and suicides, which seem not to have been recognised in the past. The relationships between the well defined characters plays a large part in the story, woven in with credible plot lines which develop at a steady pace. The area, characters and community are appealing—a very enjoyable read.I chose to read and review Darkest Before The Dawn based on a copy of the book supplied by the author.

Too often do I find mystery books predictable and unsurprising, but for the first time in much too long I’ve found a writer who hits the nail right on the head.Unexplained deaths and ghost apparitions happen throughout the book and it’s not until the end that all the pieces of the puzzle come together and the entire story is finally explained.This is what I loved so much, everything just comes together perfectly and I can’t wait to read this again, knowing what happens at the end.Filled with friendships, people falling in love and tackling the different mental challenges that comes with losing those you love and getting older and losing your youth, it made me think a lot about life.An all around great tale.

Would rather read a cornflakes packet. This was dire childish vocabulary. Sorry I wasted money buying this. Do not buy

It was just such a pleasure to read this book; pleasant, like taking a leisurely holiday away from my usual detective thrillers, intriguing, well-written and relaxing. I finished this book with the sense that the mystery storyline was actually secondary to the story of Sgt. Windflower, his family, friends and colleagues, and the intertwining of their lives in a small Newfoundland community - punctuated by the odd murder or two. Winston Windflower leads an idyllic life with his wife and baby and, not having been acquainted with the author's writing before, I felt I was just waiting for something really nasty to disturb the extremely happy scene. In the event though, the pleasantness continued throughout for them; not so for the victims of the mystery surrounding their demise in this small community. The mystery storyline was smoothly woven through, intriguing and keeping the reader guessing; well thought-out but perhaps not entirely resolved. However, it really didn't matter.Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this opportunity. I will indeed seek out previous titles by this author.

Newfoundland. A small town is confronted with the murder of a young loner and an attempted suicide of a young teenager. Sergeant Winston Wildflower and his(small)team have to solve this murder while he also has to take care of an B&B that he,his wife and their baby are starting up.Well,I know this is supposed to be a cosy/cozy but this one definitely didn't work for me. The mystery is hardly a mystery at all and the showdown is more than a bit of a let down.So what is left is endless talk about babies,their burbs,their noises and their diapers,detailed lunches(apparently Sergeant Winston finds time to go home for lunch notwithstanding the murder case),walks with the dog,tea/coffee breaks with goodies shopping lists for a dinner party,the elaborated preparation of this menu and a detailed testimony of the tender love between husband and wife(and their baby).As this constitutes about 80% of the story it is hardly a mystery.That said,I liked the characters(the sergeant and his team are well developed and very likeable )but I don't think I belong to the targeted audience...

Love the Sgt Windflower Mystery series - both my husband and I are really enjoying them. Well written and they keep one interested and looking forward to the next book. Read as many as I could from our library and then got the rest on my kindle as well as the two Christmas in Newfoundland books that go with this series by Mike Martin.

This mystery fantasy novel takes you on a wild adventure through many spooky and haunting experiences when a man find himself with a new family and life in a small town. Without giving away too many spoilers there is plenty of suspense and surprising twists that will have you wondering what gasping surprise the author leaves on each page. There are a series of crimes committed that has everyone wondering, who done it.The characters are wonderful and full of personality, which is brought out carefully by the author. If you are worried about this being the 7th book and not completely understanding the backstory, I had little issue.

not as good a read as some books I have had

There’s a folksiness to the Sgt. Windflower stories, local colour and a surprising number of diverse references to music, culture and of course, to the works of Shakespeare. Each time I read one of the books, I learn something, be it about indigenous rituals, dream worlds, cooking, local history, or, as in this book, how to clean a barbecue!

Darkest Before the Dawn (Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series Book 7) by Mike Martin is a warm cozy mystery featuring Sgt. Windflower. Taking place in Grand Bank, Newfoundland, Windflower is just getting used to his new life with his brand new daughter Amelia, working and maintaining his family life, along with his dog Lady. When strange things start occurring in this small town, the use of drugs is ramping up, a young man, Levi, may or may not have tried to kill himself, and finally a dead body turns up; Windflower has his work cut out for him. The author Martin casts the bunch of characters well, creating a space in time that reflects what seems to be a simpler lifestyle and town, but in fact has a lot of secrets. The characters are well rendered, dialogue is easy and natural, and the mystery itself is substantial. You will enjoy getting to know everyone in this tale as you unravel the mystery along with Windflower. Highly recommend for a series of cozy mysteries. Looking forward to more from this author.