Cloudland: A Crime Novel

A crime novel set in rural Vermont's Upper Valley. Catherine Winslow, a former national newspaper reporter, now writes a household hints column. While walking during an early spring thaw, she discovers a woman's body near her house wearing a pink parka. The woman had been reported missing weeks earlier during a blizzard and is identified as the latest victim of a serial killer. When Catherine's neighbor, a forensic psychiatrist, becomes involved in the investigation, unexpected connections emerge. Catherine discovers that the murders may be based on a rare unfinished Wilkie Collins novel missing from her personal library. Additionally, her much younger former lover from a failed affair reappears and attempts to rekindle their relationship. The novel explores themes of murder, deception, and desire through its interconnected plot elements.