When the death of a child in a hit-and-run shocks the quiet seaside town of Oyster Hill, police officer Luci Miller is called in to investigate. Her only clue is a fragment of car paint found at the scene—a unique shade of red that could help identify the killer.

Luci’s investigation leads her to Jo Nelson, a grandmother in her seventies, who is deeply affected by the tragedy. She has watched too many parents suffer the loss of a child, having devoted decades of her life to keeping her son Oliver, born with cystic fibrosis, alive. Jo suddenly finds herself in the middle of the chaos when her family falls under suspicion.

The closer Luci gets to Jo, the more she struggles to maintain objectivity. Jo is charming and charismatic—but she has secrets and knows how to keep them. As the investigation draws in around her, Jo must confront the possibility that someone she loves has done the unforgivable.

Christine Cosack is a debut author in her sixties who once wore the moniker 'Seahag' with pride. She lives and works on the traditional, unceded territories of the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations on Southern Vancouver Island. She had long careers in social work and nursing, always working with families in situations of extrema, and is thankful for the privilege to bear witness to the vast, ardent depths of the human heart.

Christine Cosack's profile page

“Through carefully constructed details, like descriptions of forensics, the moody landscape of the Pacific Northwest, or the workings of the human body, Christine Cosack has created a vivid, immersive novel.”

This Magazine

"Somewhere between a cosy mystery and Sam Wiebe, Barcelona Red Metallic keeps readers riveted, curious, and unnerved — just the things we crave from a murder mystery."

Vancouver Sun

“A character-driven slow burn. The vivid ensemble of characters makes tragic yet inevitable choices as they try to reach—or avoid!—a just outcome.”

Candas Jane Dorsey, author of He Wasn’t There Again Today, an Epitome Apartments mystery

"[Barcelona Red Metallic] may seem a standard police procedural by description but offers an extra layer of depth that examines deeper truths of the human condition….A beautiful Sunshine Coast setting, an exploration of lichen-themed art, and a compassionate portrayal of chronic illness contrasts with the horror of a terrible act of violence and a growing realization that bad things happen to those we love despite trying so hard to control every outcome. Barcelona Red Metallic is both a mystery and thoughtful character study that satisfies on several levels."

The British Columbia Review