Jay has some hopes of improving her life. She is presently in a relationship with Stephen Grant, a professor of English at a local college, and some years her senior. Stephen is in love with her and adores Ramona. At age four Ramona is an independent thinker, and wise beyond her years. She has decided that she likes Stephen so life should be looking much brighter for Jay, except for two things. She is not sure she is in love with Stephen, and her father is sure that Stephen should not be part of Jay’s life.

Jay would like to tread water for a while until she can decide what is best for her and Ramona, but that is unlikely to happen. Stephen is pressing for a commitment. Lewis, certain that Stephen’s attachment to Jay will leave him out in the cold, decides to tell Stephen bluntly that Stephen needs to leave Jay alone. He goes so far as to brandish a gun in front of Stephen to emphasize his point. Stephen, shocked at Lewis’ audacity, gets a restraining order to protect himself from Lewis.

One wintry day, Stephen, a Californian by birth, decides to go running along the river. Some time later, his body is found in the river. Did he slide off the slippery path or was Lewis somehow involved? Since Jay is his closest friend in Minneapolis the hospital calls her. Looking at Stephen lying comatose in the hospital bed, Jay wonders she should have made a decision one way or the other about her feelings for Stephen, and, perhaps of more importance, had her indecision pushed her father to try and harm Stephen?

Because of the emphasis on psychological motivation, this novel is character driven rather than plot oriented. The characters are discussed in depth, but the building blocks of their emotional makeup are not well delineated. Though it is obvious that Jay is bright and capable of much loftier thoughts than are required by her job, it is unclear why she doesn’t do something to remedy the situation. Lewis, apparently a successful businessman prior to his wife’s illness and subsequent death, is suddenly unable to function. Certainly his wife’s problems hit him hard, but for him to be totally unable to act normally is truly bizarre. Ramona is only four years old, but has the thoughts and wisdom of someone much, much older. In short, the characters are discussed but not developed.

The book’s appeal as a mystery story is lacking. It is billed as a novel of psychological suspense, but there is little suspense. The reader is told, or can easily figure out, any plot discrepancies. The characters are not sufficiently engaging to compel the reader to invest in them either positively or negatively. The setting, Minnesota in the winter, could be a point of interest because it is so harsh. However, the reader doesn’t really feel the demands the winter is making on the characters.

There are several instances in which the characters do not act at all logically. For instance, Jay is called to the hospital to be with Stephen. She contacts the daycare and asks that they have her father retrieve Ramona. Is this at all rational? She knows her father is emotionally unstable or will be when he finds out why Jay cannot care for her daughter. Then the day care provider sends Ramona off with Lewis, a man that is obviously drunk, and probably psychotic.

More in depth character development and plot logistics would have made 14 Degrees Below Zero a more compelling read.

--Andy Plonka