A young Indian couple Myra and Eldon, just lost their baby girl and a week later someone leaves a newborn baby girl on their front steps. Myra feels that someone will come back for this baby but five years later they still have Mary Anne.

Clint Hawkins takes on this case as the parents want to enroll her in school. They are afraid that since they are Indians and the baby is white, someone is going to take her away from them. Clint assures them that this will not happen but he asks Vicky to help him with this case to make sure. Vicky agrees to meet Cliff and discuss this case, but before they can meet a car from out of nowhere speeds past her and hits Cliff, killing him.

Vicky is sure this is murder, but because it was icy, the police feel it was an accident. Vicky decides she is going to find out what is really going on because several things just don't add up. In addition to Cliff's death, Vicky is also trying to get one of her clients, Vince, to turn himself in. Vicky also talks to Father John about both of these cases since she feels that in some way both are connected and she needs to figure out what Cliff was hiding about them. Unfortunately, Vicky can't look at Cliff's notes because he never kept any, he kept everything in his head.

What is to become of this WINTER CHILD? Only time will tell.

Margaret Coel writes a very sad story, at least in my view, how could anyone just dump their child? Here is a couple who wanted to keep this baby, but because they are Indian they feel social services will take her away. Coel goes into more detail about what led up to this which is really an important element in WINTER'S CHILD. It's not like you have to read any of the other books in the Wind River mystery series because they all seem to stand alone. You can figure out some of the characters because Coel makes sure that you are not confused. This is important when you want to pick up book 20 in a series to start.

I also enjoyed Coel's description of the town and people, a small town populated with people who care about each other, and yet everyone gossips. The information about life on the reservation and Indians was new to me but was not overpowering. WINTER'S CHILD is a thrilling mystery to add to your reading list.