Woven throughout the story are peeks at the paranoia and over-reaction of the U.S. government and its people to Senator McCarthy's Red Scare. It offers a fascinating glimpse at a time in history that is particularly relevant to our society today. I found the mystery intriguing, filled with twists and turns. The characterization in the book added tremendous depth to the story as McIntire struggles with the conflict between his digging into the skeletons in the lives of others, while fighting to keep his own buried. Like the frigid winter, the plot moves slowly, almost painfully at times - but the pace seems appropriate, giving the reader time to contemplate the complex web of action, reactions, and relationships. Hill's work is strongly compelling with a depth that leaves you pondering the characters and their choices well after the mystery is unwrapped.