July’s theme of the Buzzwordathon readathon is ‘weather related words’. Since some areas of the world experience weather related occurrences such as icy rain and icy roads, I chose to read the second book in the Figure Skating Mysteries series, On Thin Ice! Several years ago, I read the first book in this series, Murder on Ice. In fact, I brought it up in my 2019 edition of my Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish List. In that book, the main mystery was a murder mystery. While there is a murder mystery in On Thin Ice, there was not one, but two missing persons cases that were given primary focus. This creative decision allowed Alina to tell a different type of story, instead of copying and pasting a similar story from the first book. There are nice connections between the first and second books, such as mentioning characters that were introduced in the predecessor. That connectivity helps the Figure Skating Mysteries series maintain a sense of continuity.

While the aforementioned connectivity assists the series in achieving a sense of consistency, the sense of urgency in On Thin Ice is not consistent. As I mentioned, there are two missing persons cases in this story. However, one of these cases occurred prior to the events of the book. Meanwhile, the text provides a logical explanation why another missing persons case isn’t more pressing to the characters. On Thin Ice doesn’t lack urgency. But when it is featured in the book, its presence is far and few between. This major flaw makes the sequel weaker than Murder on Ice. However, I think On Thin Ice is a fine, well-written continuation. The Figure Skating Mysteries series is still one of the most unique cozy mystery collections I’ve come across. Plus, I plan on reading the rest of the books in the series. I’m glad I decided to participate in this year Buzzwordathon, as it gave me an excuse to come back to the Figure Skating Mysteries series!

Overall score: 3.8 out of 5

Have fun during Buzzwordathon!

Sally Silverscreen

Disclaimer: As I mentioned in my review, there is a murder mystery in On Thin Ice. There are other aspects of the book that might not make On Thin Ice readers’ “cup of tea”, which is:

• The discussion of abusive relationships, including the topics of physical and sexual abuse
• Foul language, featuring a few slurs
• Some psychological terms used out of context