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Cold Hard News Paperback – May 12, 2015

by Maureen Milliken (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 65 ratings
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The snowbanks in a small Maine town start to melt, and the town’s secrets begin to emerge.Bernie O’Dea, the editor of the Peaks Weekly Watcher, is jazzed to finally have a big story to cover when a body is found in a melting snowbank. But as spring turns into a long, hot, explosive summer in Redimere, Maine, the story gets bigger — maybe too big for Bernie to handle.As secrets are revealed, the town is ripped in half and the body count rises, Bernie if forced to question her part in the town’s tragic tale, a part that may cost her and others their lives.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    The Bernie O'Dea mystery series
  2. Print length
    312 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    May 12, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.78 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1633200248
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1633200241
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

From Bushnell on Books, Centralmaine.com (Aug. 13, 2015):
Maine reportedly has the lowest crime rate in the nation, but Maine mystery writers love to stack up dead bodies at an alarming pace in seemingly idyllic small towns. And the Franklin County town of Redimere has a murder rate to rival Baltimore. Cold Hard News is the first book in a new mystery series by Maureen Milliken, a local newspaper editor with a keen nose for news, clues and solid storytelling.

George Smith at GeorgeSmithMaine.com (May 28, 2015): I especially love good dialogue, and there is plenty here. Best of all, you'll get a real inside look at the newspaper world...I really can't describe the novel better than popular Maine novelist Paul Doiron does: 'Cold Hard News is an extraordinarily accomplished and entertaining debut. Maureen Milliken writes vividly about life in rural Maine and she has created a likable, engaging heroine in reporter Bernie O'Dea. Quick witted and quirky, brave but believable, Bernie is my favorite kind of accidental sleuth.' I agree Paul!

Deb Baker/New Hampshire Sunday News (Aug. 16, 2015):Milliken's writing is solid, with enough twists to keep readers guessing, realistic dialogue and no over-telling. If you like small-town mysteries or you're interested in the newspaper business, you'll want to try Cold Hard News.

Frank O Smith, Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday TelegramI thoroughly enjoyed "Cold Hard News." I plan to snatch up the next book in Milliken's planned crime series. Milliken is not only a strong writer but greatly imaginative. And O'Dea and Novotny are an inventive pairing, destined to continue to get in each other's business -- and into each other's hearts.

About the Author

Maureen Milliken is a columnist and news editor of the daily newspapers in Augusta and Waterville, Maine. She grew up in Augusta and worked for a variety of newspapers in New England before returning to Maine in 2011. Her Bernie O'Dea mystery series debut novel Cold Hard News reflects not only her love for all that is Maine, but also her lifelong affection for the newspaper industry and fascination, of course, with the darker side of life. She lives in small central Maine town, where she keeps a wary eye on the snowbanks.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ S & H Publishing, Incorporated (May 12, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1633200248
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1633200241
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.01 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.78 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 65 ratings

About the author

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Maureen Milliken

Maureen Milliken

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Maureen Milliken, author of The Bernie O'Dea mystery series, is a third-generation newspaper editor, whose books reflect not only her affection for journalism, but also her love of her home state, Maine.

She grew up in Augusta, Maine, and is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. She was first a reporter, then an editor, for newspapers in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire before returning to Maine in 2011. Her grandfather and father were also both newspaper editors, and she was most recently the city editor of a daily newspaper in central Maine.

The Bernie O'Dea mystery series, set at a weekly newspaper in Franklin County, Maine, includes debut Cold Hard News (2015), No News is Bad News (2016) and Bad News Travels Fast (2018), all published by S&H Publishing.

She is also the author of two nonfiction books, "Get it Right: A Cranky Editor's Guide to Usage, Grammar and Punctuation," and "The Afterlife Survey" (Adams Media, 2011).

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
65 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Eledarose
5.0 out of 5 stars Great New Mystery Novel!
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2015
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I really loved Cold Hard News!
It’s been quite a while since I have read a traditional mystery novel. I generally read books more in the thrillers or science fiction category, but since this book was highly recommended to me by several members of my family I decided to give it a try. I have to admit that I was drawn in immediately by the lovable, yet quirky Bernie O’Dea. She is an extremely likable character, and her attraction for and interaction with the town’s Chief of Police, Pete, adds a nice romantic angle to the story.
The story takes place in Maine, and the description of the hills, woods, rivers, and countryside was delightful and made me nostalgic for the years that I lived there many years ago. The story itself is well plotted and the dialogue flows naturally, keeping the reader interested but still guessing as various facts emerge. There are many seemingly unrelated deaths and murders that occur but which ultimately tie in together as the mystery unfolds and come to a satisfying conclusion.
I am looking forward to the next Bernie O’Dea novel, and look forward to further developments between Bernie and Pete.
2 people found this helpful
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daniel collins
4.0 out of 5 stars which makes it hard to develop great empathy for any one character
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2015
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This is an intricate plot unvailed from multiple points of view, which makes it hard to develop great empathy for any one character. However, the story telling is compelling enough, and the touch points with Maine culture are very satisfying, so that I am looking forward to the sequel.
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Barbara
5.0 out of 5 stars A Maine Mystery Gem
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2021
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I stumbled on this book because I like mysteries, am always intrigued by strong female leads and I liked the idea of the Maine setting. It did not disappoint. I suspect it is just a matter of time before this author is more widely known. The book also gives a fascinating insight into the newspaper business, a revelation to those of us outsiders. This book has a terrific plot, interesting multi-dimensional characters and evocative descriptions of Maine settings. I immediately purchased the next two in the series and am eagerly awaiting Bernie O'Dea's next adventure!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Debut Novel by Maureen Millken thoroughly engrossed this armchair sleuth!
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2015
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I really enjoyed this debut novel by Maureen Milliken. I read a quick review in our local Sunday newspaper and noted that she had previously been a reporter for them but had since returned to Maine, and the novel was set there. Both of those facts made me want to check it out because I love supporting people from my New England home area! I was not disappointed at all. I enjoyed the main characters, the pacing, and the story very much. I eagerly await her next book which continues with the main character and will watch for when it is released.
One person found this helpful
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J.D. Enright
5.0 out of 5 stars A good start, and a great read
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2015
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(Full disclosure: Maureen is a friend and former colleague. Anything less than four or five stars could mean really awkward times for me at social gatherings where she's present. Then again, so could the five-star rating. But it really is that good, as I hope to explain.)

If I didn't know Maureen Milliken, I would have been intrigued by the main elements of "Cold Hard News," her debut novel that she's worked "wicked hahd" on for a wicked long time. I worked for a weekly newspaper in rural Maine, so I would have been there faster than one could say, "Peaks Weekly Watcher."

"Cold Hard News" opens with a body found in a snowbank uncovered by a spring thaw and keeps the reader turning the pages to the end. In between, there are revelations about the heroine, Bernie O'Dea, the owner of the weekly newspaper in a small Maine town who suspects there's more to the death than a snowplow accident; Pete Novotny, the town's new police chief who may or may not be escaping his past in Philadelphia; and a great small-town cast of characters along the way as the story develops to its surprising finish.

Despite my predispositions to liking this book, it really is a great read and a heck of a debut. And it doesn't matter if you're from Otisfield, Maine, or Bakersfield, Calif. - if you're a fan of mysteries, you'll enjoy it. Looking forward to the next Bernie O'Dea installment!
5 people found this helpful
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tige
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed the book!
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2017
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I bought it because of the Maine connection and a very loose connection with the authors house. And I enjoy murder mysteries. I thought it dragged a little in the beginning but it picked up and I enjoyed the book enough to buy the second one
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Woman of Mystery
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific addition to the amateur sleuth genre
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2019
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I'd heard Maureen Milliken speak at a mystery conference a few years back and was intrigued by what she said. Her debut book immediately went on my "to read" list. My only regret is that I waited so long to buy it. Although I did figure out the whodunit about two-thirds of the way through the book, I didn't care -- the protagonist, Bernie O'Dea is so complex and engaging that I kept reading to see what she would do. Most mystery protagonists have flaws, and Bernie is no exception. In her case, however, the flaw is fresh and totally relatable. The setting, a small town in the Maine north woods, is well drawn and just gritty enough. The writing is clear, strong, and tight. As soon as I finished this book, I bought the other two in the series and they did not disappoint. This is a mystery writer who deserves to be much better known and much more widely read.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is full of promises of good stories to tell as each character has a "back ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2016
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This book is full of promises of good stories to tell as each character has a "back story" that is hinted at but can be developed further in later books and I hope that they will be told. I read it in kindle form and in one sitting because the characters were interesting to follow and of course, who done it? It works well as a stand alone story too.
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