The Body in the Snowdrift: A Faith Fairchild Cozy Mystery of Murder at a Vermont Family Reunion (Faith Fairchild Mysteries, 15)

The Body in the Snowdrift: A Faith Fairchild Cozy Mystery of Murder at a Vermont Family Reunion (Faith Fairchild Mysteries, 15)

Caterer Faith Fairchild has a bad feeling about her father-in-law's decision to celebrate his seventieth birthday with a family reunion ski week at the Pine Slopes resort in Vermont -- the Fairchilds' favorite getaway since Faith's husband, the Reverend Thomas Fairchild, was a toddler. At first her unease seems unfounded -- until Faith comes across a corpse on one of the cross-country trails, the apparent victim of a heart attack. Then one catastrophe follows another: the mysterious disappearance of the Pine Slopes' master chef, a malicious prank at the sports center, a break-in at the Fairchild condo, the sabotage of a chairlift. And when a fatal "accident" with the snow-making machines stains the slopes blood red, Faith realizes she'll have to work fast to solve a murderous puzzle -- because suddenly not only are the reunion and the beloved resort's future in jeopardy . . . but Faith's life is as well. “Fun for all readers, and some great recipes, too.” - The Stuart News (Stuart, Florida) “[W]ill leave her readers guessing until the very end and wanting another serving of Faith Fairchild.” - Bangor Daily News (Maine) “Satisfying and surprisingly delicious.” - Los Angeles Times “[P]erfect puzzler.” - Library Journal “[A]n attractive setting, great characters, good food and murder most foul... A perfect Faith concoction.” - Publishers Weekly “[W]ell told...close, careful observations of the complicated dynamics within large families...[Page] at her solid best.” - New York Times Book Review “Peopled with entertaining and resourceful characters and sprinkled with mouth-watering recipes.” - Dallas Morning News Caterer Faith Fairchild has a bad feeling about her father-in-law's decision to celebrate his seventieth birthday with a family reunion ski week at the Pine Slopes resort in Vermont -- the Fairchilds' favorite getaway since Faith's husband, the Reverend Thomas Fairchild, was a toddler. At first her unease seems unfounded -- until Faith comes across a corpse on one of the cross-country trails, the apparent victim of a heart attack. Then one catastrophe follows another: the mysterious disappearance of the Pine Slopes' master chef, a malicious prank at the sports center, a break-in at the Fairchild condo, the sabotage of a chairlift. And when a fatal "accident" with the snow-making machines stains the slopes blood red, Faith realizes she'll have to work fast to solve a murderous puzzle -- because suddenly not only are the reunion and the beloved resort's future in jeopardy . . . but Faith's life is as well. Katherine Hall Page is the author of twenty-five previous Faith Fairchild mysteries, the first of which received the Agatha Award for best first mystery.  The Body in the Snowdrift  was honored with the Agatha Award for best novel of 2006. Page also won an Agatha for her short story “The Would-Be Widower.” The recipient of the Malice Domestic Award for Lifetime Achievement, she has been nominated for the Edgar, the Mary Higgins Clark, the Maine Literary, and the Macavity awards. She lives in Massachusetts and Maine with her husband. The Body in the Snowdrift A Faith Fairchild Mystery By Katherine Page HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Copyright ©2006 Katherine Page All right reserved. ISBN: 0060525320 Chapter One The curtains at the window didn't quite meet in the middle, and asliver of gray winter dawn cut across the bedclothes like a dullkitchen knife. Boyd crept out of bed, groping for his slippers as hisfeet touched the cold floor. At the door, he stopped and fondly lookedback at the motionless figure under the bedclothes, aware that he wasalone in his belief that the early hours of each day were the most precious.He closed the door to the adjoining bath noiselessly, turned on theceiling heat lamps to take the chill off, and dressed quickly. He'd laid hisclothes out the night before, even his parka. Holding his boots in onehand, he went back into the bedroom and then out into the hallway. Thebedclothes hadn't stirred, but the shaft piercing them was brighter. It wastime to go. In the kitchen, he put on his boots, fed the cats, and stuffed someClif Bars, an apple, and a bottle of water into his fanny pack. He'd eatbreakfast on the trail. His skis and poles were in the mudroom, wherehe'd left them the previous day. Reaching for the rest of his gear fromone of the shelves, he noticed a pair of boots that had been kicked offand left sprawled next to a heap of outerwear. The untidy mess wascrowned by one of those Polartec court-jester hats in Day-Glo orange and blue. So, the guest room was occupied. He was tempted to pitch thestuff into the snow. Instead, he grabbed his things, pulled the door open, and stepped outside.The cold air almost took his breath away. His annoyance vanishedinto the clouds of vapor from his breath. Hastily, he pulled his neckgaiter up, knowing that as soon as he got moving, he'd be peeling it off. It was quiet. Too cold for birds. No sound except