I have said it before here at ClimbingSky: I love a good Police Procedural. The book I am reviewing here today, Mist-Walker by Barbara Fradkin, fits the bill well.

Mist-Walker does a wonderful job of blending the tension of a Police Procedural with the eerie pull of Psychological Suspense. Set in a rugged, fog-shrouded landscape, the novel follows Inspector Michael Green as he’s drawn into a case that feels both elusive and deeply personal. Fradkin excels at creating mood: mist, isolation, and the quiet menace of an empty shoreline all work together to give the story a sense of unease even before anything overtly threatening happens.

Her characters are grounded and complex, and the emotional undercurrents running beneath the investigation add depth without slowing the pace. This last quality has always seemed like where good writers are quickly separated from those who are merely padding manuscript pages.

What makes Mist-Walker especially compelling is its focus on how grief, secrets, and the past can distort the present. Rather than relying on big twists, Fradkin builds tension through careful detail and the gradual tightening of circumstances. The mystery unfolds in a way that feels organic and believable, with each revelation sharpening the picture rather than shocking for its own sake.

I am planning to read much more Barbara Fradkin in the future! Give her a try yourself. You will be glad that you did.