Greta doesn't know why she and her friend Warren were skiing in a dangerous area or how they got caught in an avalanche. He died, she lived. Now someone wants her dead. It's a well written and twisty thriller with good atmospherics,

This is a new author for me,I was drawn to the cover.
The story was exhilarating in places, and it kept me entertained.
I felt sorry for Greta as she was in such a predicament a few times.
When she was caught in the avalanche, my heart was racing!
An atmospheric book which I did enjoy.

This author was new to me, and after reading this I hope to read more from her. A twisty thriller, set in the ski resort of Aspen, it is well written, and kept me engrossed right up until the very end.

Greta Westerlind, 35, is an experienced Ski Patroller and has been in Aspen, Colorado since her Swedish mother died and her twin brother joined the Army Rangers fifteen years ago. On awaking in hospital having been almost killed by an avalanche, she is devastated to learn that her close friend, bond trader Warren McGovern, died in the terrible accident.

With no memory of the incident, Greta can’t figure out why they were both skiing on such dangerous terrain. As she struggles to remember what happened that day, a series of strange and creepy incidents occur, convincing Greta that someone intends her some very serious harm. When a young girl vanishes, events take on an even more sinister twist...

Catherine O'Connell presents a strong-willed and clever protagonist in Greta. Spirited and courageous with a sparkling personality, she has arrived at a crossroad in her life. The slippery slopes of Aspen that she loves dearly have brought her emotional turmoil that she hadn't ever anticipated. By the second half of First Tracks, I was slaloming through the chapters looking for answers. The suspenseful undertones dripped from the pages, heightening my curiosity as I hastened towards the enthralling outcome. I did not foresee the ending, which turned out to be satisfying and fulfilling. Catherine O'Connell's writing exudes richness and warmth which was my experience from reading her previous novel, Last Night Out. I highly recommend First Tracks with confidence.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Severn House via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

First Tracks is a mystery thriller that revolves around downhill skiing with good character development, descriptive writing, and a surprising perpetrator. The book has a lot of good ingredients, but the author seems to struggle to pull everything together making it a little difficult for me to continue at times. However it is great fiction and overall a good read. I would like to thank Netgalley, Severn House, and the author for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.
#FirstTracks #NetGalley

I really struggled with this.
The story was slow even at it's most exciting and I felt far fetched.
The characters just did not seem real and did not really engage with each other let alone with the reader.
The ending of the story was a relief although that felt rushed.
Sorry this was not for me.

Skiing is better than sex actually, because for me a good round of sex might be seven minutes. Skiing you can do for seven hours. - Spalding Gray

Greta Westerlind is 35 years old and has been in Aspen, Colorado since her Swedish mother died and her twin brother joined the Army Rangers fifteen years ago. She loves skiing and has been on the Ski Patrol at Aspen for the last ten years, getting paid to do what she loves.

She lives in an A-frame an old friend left to her in a life trust and she's pretty darn happy with her life. Until she and her best friend are caught in an avalanche. She lives and he doesn't. And she can't remember why they were in the dangerous avalanche prone area to begin with.

Events go rapidly downhill after that with a series of accidents and someone actually trying to kill her and she's second guessing herself at every turn.

I loved this mystery thriller that revolved around downhill skiing. I spent years in Colorado and love downhill skiing. I never made it to Aspen (too spendy for me) but skiied at many nearby ski resorts so this book brought back many great memories to me.

I liked protagonist Greta. I like that this is the first book in a series about her. I enjoyed the mystery - I figured out who but not why beforehand.

I received this book from Severn House through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Great summer book. It will cool one off with all the talk of snow. Skiing is the number one priority in the protagonist's life. There is a mystery with a surprising perpetrator. Would have been happier without the intimate details, but easy to skip.

3.5 stars rounded up.
Somewhere in amongst all the descriptions of snow and skiing and avalanches there was actually a nifty little mystery. It did take second place to the aforementioned elements and the overpriced, gastronomic delights of Aspen and, to an extent, St Moritz, but it was there - bubbling under for the majority of the book and then, front and centre, at 100 mph in the final few chapters. Honestly, it was worth it when it eventually kicked off, but I am a bit worried that some readers might have fallen by the wayside en route.
We start with some quite thrilling action as Greta is caught up in an avalanche. Waking in hospital with no recollection of the vents leading up to it, she is devastated to hear that not only was she not alone on the snow, but that the other person involved was not as lucky as she and was dead. Then, on returning home tragedy nearly befalls her once again. And then it all gets a bit slow and plodding as there are a few more incidents and accidents in and around her, a trip abroad, another near miss, and then it basically goes off like a tracer bullet as it reaches its conclusion. A satisfying, if a little rushed, conclusion that, to me, was a bit coincidental/contrived... Yes we had a few alternative theories mulling around and about, and also a few suspects, but the truth of the matter, what actually happened, did come a bit out of left field.
All that said, for whatever reason, it did hold my attention more or less along the way and I never started to not care what happened, as I have in previous books I've read that have dragged a bit. Some of what did happen was a bit implausible but I was happy to take one for the team to get to the truth and that, in itself, shows the skill of the author as I have absolutely no interest in snow, skiing or rich people living it up!
All in all, a series that does show promise and which could go on to develop nicely if the author gets the balance both with the story and the pacing a bit better. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

First Tracks
by Catherine O’Connell
Severn House

Severn House Publishers

Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 01 Jul 2019

I am reviewing a copy of First Tracks through Severn House and Netgalley:

Greta Westerlind an experienced Ski Patroller awakes in the hospital nearly having been killed by an avalanche she is devastated to learn that her good friend bond trader Warren McGovern was killed in the avalanche.

Greta can’t figure out why they were both skiing in such a dangerous place to begin with. As she struggles to remember what really happened that day a series of strange and creepy incidents convincing Greta that someone is out to get her.

After a young woman disappears things take a terrifying turn.

I found First Tracks to be a book full of Mystery and Suspense, and worthy of five out of five stars!

Happy Reading

Books and stories take you to places that you may or not recognise. The last book I read before this one, had me transported to the joys of a holiday villa in France, complete with lazy lunches and wine. This book jolted me back into reality with it's story of Aspen and the ski world that exists there. It is a slow burn thriller, but it packs in lots of ski type details for anyone who is familiar with them, it will make for a good read.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was quite a different story with some good characters within the story.
You always learn something with reading and this time I learnt a lot about the different types of snow and what they were best for in terms of skiing and boarding. The description of the private plane journey was enjoyable, especially when most of us know what the alternatives are!
It was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really wanted to enjoy this Aspen based crime novel, but its uneven pacing made it hard to get into.
The story opens promisingly with experienced ski patroller Greta Westerlind being caught in an avalanche whilst in a restricted area near Aspen village. It nearly kills her and when she awakes in hospital, she is devastated to learn that her close friend and fellow skier, Warren McGovern, perished in the slide. With no memory of the incident, Greta is at a loss to explain why the two of them were skiing in such lethal terrain in the first place. As she struggles to unlock her memories as to what really happened that day, a series of strange and menacing incidents convinces Greta that someone means to harm her. Then when a young girl goes missing things take a more sinister twist.
The book has a lot of good ingredients, but O’Connell struggles to pull them all together. The descriptions of life in Aspen for those who work there, and their interactions with the rich tourists, are good and interesting and Greta is an engaging and complex character. There is some suspense, but it is undermined by the uneven pace and the string of coincidences that allow Greta to unravel the plot against her. The ending is surprising, and a bit tense, but the last-minute confession by the killer whilst holding a gun on Greta, is cliched and not convincing.
There is a lot of detail on Greta’s love life and the combination of mystery and ‘chick-lit’ might appeal more to other readers.
Unfortunately, I struggled with this one, especially the over-reliance on mind-stretching coincidences!
Three and a half stars!
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com

Greta was "livin' the life" so they say, in Aspen, Colorado. She is a ski patroller. Her love of skiing is most likely her #1. She is caught in an avalanche and she barely gets out. Her memory is still somewhat impaired. Greta is hospitalized - and warned to take it easy. She returns to work too soon and is hospitalized, again. But the ER doc (Duane) that had treated her both times is handsome, sweet and caring. Of course as the week progresses and Greta is at home, they begin to date. Greta also has another job - she checks coats at the Bugaboo nightclub on Saturdays - making a good amount of cash from the wealthy patrons. She is saving up for a trip to Mount Everest.
One of the Bugaboo patrons is Duane accompanied by a young blonde. He tells Greta that she is his best friend's (from college) kid, Kim, and she wanted to go there. ...

And what happens to Greta
next is hard to believe.

A MUST READ!!!

A refreshing spin on the fiction genre. Wonderful character development and use of descriptive writing

Many thanks to Severen House & .NetGfor a great read!alley

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really enjoyed reading this book about ski patroller Greta Werterlind, the descriptions and the storyline were really good.

A really interesting Whodunnit book. I really felt for the main character and her struggles about what happened to her. Great setting too.