It's almost summer in small town Port Ainslie.

Or is it? Temperatures are so far below normal that Police Chief Maxine Benson and her team are wearing sweaters. But is it cold enough to freeze the body of the man found in a ditch on the outskirts of town one morning? Maxine starts to investigate, but she is elbowed aside by the mostly-male provincial police force so she takes charge on her own. Soon she's visiting the victim's cold-hearted widow, tracking the widow's mysterious brother, and confronting the killer alone in a tract of forest. Will Maxine's skills solve this twisting tale of a case?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for older teen readers and adults who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

John Lawrence Reynolds has had thirty works of fiction and nonfiction published. His work has earned two Arthur Ellis Awards for Best Mystery Novel, a National Business Book Award, and a CBC Bookie Award. His bestselling book Shadow People, tracing the development and influence of secret societies through history, was published in fourteen countries and twelve languages. He has also authored several business and investment books, including the bestselling The Naked Investor and its sequel, The Skeptical Investor, as well as his assessment of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, Bubbles, Bankers & Bailouts. A Murder for Max is his first book in the Maxine Benson Mystery series. He lives in Burlington, Ontario, with his wife, Judy. For more information, visit www.wryter.ca.

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"Reynolds' murder mystery is a well-crafted, fun jaunt through a fictional Muskoka (Port Carling) backdrop. The narrative combines the traditional murder mystery with more current creative twists… On the whole, Murder Below Zero would be a great choice for any reader looking for an interesting, suspenseful story that has a neat and tidy ending. Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"This second Maxine Benson mystery takes a few interesting turns and…Max satisfyingly puts the provincial police in their place through her competence and spirited determination…Hand to readers interested in female detectives or small-town mysteries."

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