Leo Desroches is an addicted gambler and a journalist. He's been down and out, so he knows what it feels like. While doing a story about the homeless (and living that life), he becomes friends with Marvin, a native Indian. When Marvin disappears for several days, Leo becomes concerned and tries to find out what happened to him.

While investigating Marvin's disappearance, he becomes involved in Native issues, including gangs and Indian traditional land being usurped by big oil companies.

I like that way Wayne Arthurson writes. There's action and issues. I like Leo's character. He's been on both sides of life, having lost his family to his addiction. A Killing Winter is a satisfying read. ( )

Journalist Leo Desroches is going undercover as a homeless person during an especially cold Edmonton winter. During this time, he tries to look up someone he knew when he actually was homeless, a young First Nations man by the name of Marvin.

He's unable to find him, and upon learning that the normally reliable guy hasn't shown up to work in a week, he files a missing person report with the police, only to be asked to identify a John Doe in the police morgue who fits Marvin's description. The body is indeed Marvin's, and Leo learns that a tattoo on the back of the boy's hand is a gang marking, and that it's likely Marvin's death was a gang punishment.

Leo is aware of the existence of native gangs, but knows few details. Surprised that Marvin, who was employed and took care of other native teens adrift in the city, was a member of the largest native gang in the country, Leo begins to investigate on his own. He uses his own half-Cree status to wangle a meeting with some members of the Redd Alert, and that is when things begin to go awry.

Unfortunately, Leo hasn't informed anyone at the paper about what he's doing, so he has no backup.
"Going rogue" has consequences, and Leo may lose everything he worked so hard to regain due to his gambling addiction.

It's helpful to read Fall From Grace, the first book in the series, before tackling this one, though not absolutely necessary. Still, if you read A Killing Winter first, you'll find yourself searching for its prequel. ( )