My general rule of thumb is to read and love at least three books before I install their author into the patheon of “my favorite mystery writers” joining Parker, Simenon, Connelly, Coben, and Child, but I’ll make an exception and welcome John Sandford and his Virgil Flowers after this, only his second book that I’ve read.  Flowers is a laconic, cynical, slow moving but fast thinking investigator with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension who has a reputation for always getting his man (or woman).  Deep Freeze takes place in a small town in Minnesota near the Wisconsin and Iowa borders where it’s a freezing cold winter and where two murders bring Flowers to town.  The interesting twist in this book is that we witness the murder and know who the killer is in the very first chapter. The thrill is following Virgil’s thinking and exploring as he slowly comes to the final answer.  Good secondary characters and the Minnesota winter combine to make this a fine read.  Welcome to Sandford and Virgil!