Life is good. Life is quiet. The past is in the past, where it’s been for the last thirteen years. The beach town of Port Ripley, with its glorious sunsets over the lake, has been my sanctuary, keeping me safe. But that’s about to change.

I love the new life I’ve built teaching at Blue Water High. My kids are grown, living their own lives, and I couldn’t be a prouder mom. My long summer vacation has come to an end, and I’m ready to get back to the classroom. The excitement of the first day buzzes through the hall. The sign on my door screams ‘Imposter!’ Ivy Rose, Head of English. Is that really me?

The morning begins with an assembly, Principal McLaren solemn as he welcomes us back. His announcement will change the peaceful lives of Port Ripley residents. “Police are investigating the discovery of a body down by the lake.”

Terrible news, but not as upsetting as finding out the victim is Wendall from my Murder Club. That evening, our book club discussion of the latest thriller we’ve been reading takes second place to talk of poor Wendall and how he ended up dead in the water. When the police report they suspect his death may be the result of foul play, the townspeople are shocked. Things like this just don’t happen in Port Ripley.

As more suspicious deaths occur, rumours circulate that there is a serial killer in our midst. It’s like something out of one of the novels I read. And write. Fiction is hitting too close to home. The victims are all people I know. It is a small town, but still… Coincidence?

Anyway, life goes on. And excitement mixes with the shock of the deaths.

My best friend, Olivia, who decided to follow my footsteps and write a mystery novel, has discovered a new literary agent hungry for mystery authors. And guess what? He is going to represent both of us. Although I’ve recently released a collection of short stories about murder, I had almost given up hope of finding an agent or a publisher for the novel series I have written. After sending over a hundred cold queries to agents and receiving no offers of representation, my dream of becoming a mystery author is coming true. Hopefully. There’s so much competition out there. Blue Water County has no shortage of writers. Is it the same in other parts of the world? Are there more writers than readers out there?

But the excitement of signing with a literary agent and the shock of townspeople mysteriously dying is nothing compared to the shock of a lifetime when I bump into Detective Scott Evans. All these years later, he shows up on my doorstep to mess with my head and my heart. In town to investigate the deaths—by questioning my neighbors, my best friend, my colleagues at school, my book club friends—he won’t stop till he finds the killer. As much as I try to avoid him, when we finally lock eyes, he has a gun pointed at me. But that’s not what sends my pulse racing.

There always was a spark between us. A detective and a nosy reporter who kept stumbling into each other. Best friends and sleuthing partners once upon a time. But what will he do…

when he discovers who I am and what I’ve done.

Cold Query: A Blue Water Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: February 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

It’s murder by the books. Belonging to a book club and being part of the literary community in Blue Water County can be deadly.

Port Ripley is a dreamy postcard town, a charming spot nestled along Blue Water’s beautiful shoreline. The perfect place to live.

Except—a killer lurks amongst the residents, blending in like a chameleon.

For the last eleven years, respected schoolteacher and mystery writer, Ivy Rose, who left behind her traumatic past, has enjoyed a quiet life in the pretty town with its picturesque sunsets over the lake. But when the body of a fellow book club member washes ashore, the first in a series of suspicious deaths, the town becomes immersed in murder, forcing Ivy to come to terms with the dark secrets that haunt her.

Detective Scott Evans, once Ivy’s best friend and sleuthing partner, joins the local police to investigate. He finds Ivy, the woman he has always secretly loved, living under an assumed identity. They become reacquainted, and Scott discovers each of the victims has a tie to Ivy and the literary community in which she is involved. As more people Ivy knows die, it looks like she’s either the prime suspect or the main target.

About the author
Ivanka Fear is a Slovenian-born Canadian author. She lives in Ontario with her family and feline companions. Ivanka earned her B.A. and B.Ed. in English and French at Western University. After retiring from teaching, she wrote poetry and short stories for various literary journals. Ivanka is the author of the Blue Water Mystery series and the Jake and Mallory Thriller series. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and Vocamus Writers Community. When not reading and writing, Ivanka enjoys watching mystery series and romance movies, gardening, going for walks, and watching the waves roll in at the lake.