Death casts a shadow

In Skalka's well-constructed seventh and final outing for Dave Cubiak, the sheriff of Wisconsin's Door County (after 2021's Death Washes Ashore), Regina Malcaster, "the grande dame of Northern Door," wants Cubiak, who is as kind as he is astute, to call on her niece, wealthy widow Lydia Malcaster. Regina is concerned because 64-year-old Lydia is being wooed over the internet by a man claiming to be an old college friend of Lydia's late husband. The day after Lydia tells Cubiak there's nothing to worry about, she's found dead at the foot of the stairs in her home, her body covering a Frederick Remington statue said to be worth millions. Though Lydia's death is deemed an accident, Cubiak decides he should investigate it as a possible homicide. Another suspicious accident raises the stakes. As he searches for answers, Cubiak, who's been county sheriff for close to 20 years, realizes that he still doesn't know the secrets festering beneath the surface of his little community. Skalka's descriptions of the wintery landscape ring true, as does the relationship between Cubiak and his wife and son. His many fans will miss him. (June)

The seventh and reportedly final "Door County" mystery (following Death Washes Ashore) opens with the Wisconsin peninsula caught in a winter storm. Sheriff Dave Cubiak is asked to perform a wellness check on wealthy widow Lydia McAllister, who lives at the north end of the county. Lydia reportedly has been acting strangely. The sheriff reluctantly agrees to visit but dismisses the problem as trivial. Unfortunately, the woman is found dead the next morning at the bottom of her stairs. Was her death an accident or a murder? Later, there's an explosion at a local fisherman's shack and another body is found. Are the two deaths related? As Cubiak investigates, he encounters internet romance scams and a buried secret of one of the peninsula's longtime residents coming for vengeance. VERDICT Skalka gives her readers a satisfying mystery with all the quirky residents of the peninsula and nicely wraps up loose ends from earlier books in the series. Fans of atmospheric locations and quirky characters will want to give this one a try.--Bill Anderson

A wealthy widow seeks help for her love-struck niece. Door County Sheriff Dave Cubiak has a lot on his mind. His impending first trip back to his hometown of Chicago with his teenage son, Joey, is sure to bring a host of complicated memories. It's just after Thanksgiving, which means that winter weather is coming to this isolated Wisconsin peninsula. But when he sees a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce pulling out of his driveway, he learns the true depth of his problems. Regina Malcaster has called on Cubiak's wife, Cate, to ask a favor. She's concerned for her niece, Lydia Malcaster, a widow who's being romanced online by an old friend of her late husband's. Regina smells a rat but can't get Lydia to listen. After putting it off as long as he can, Cubiak visits Lydia and immediately understands Regina's concern: Lydia's never even seen James Dura, her online suitor, in person, but she's already plunked down more than $40,000 for her share of an around-the-world cruise with him. Before the sheriff can check out Dura's bona fides, Lydia's found dead after what looks like a fall down the stairs. His worry grows when Tracey Fells, Lydia's housekeeper, disappears along with her brother, Bobby. Investigating what might not even be a crime isn't the sheriff's forte, but he follows his gut to get his man. Such a small cast makes it hard to generate much suspense, but Skalka's brisk pace keeps the pages turning. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.