Nude on Thin Ice / Memory of Passion - Gil Brewer

NUDE ON THIN ICE

It starts with a letter. Ken McCall is sunning himself in Key West with his current girlfriend, Betty, when he finds out that his old friend Carl has died. Carl’s last wish was that Ken look after his wife, Nanette, a request which Ken is only too eager to fill. Besides, there may be a fortune to be had if he can just play his cards right. First he ditches Betty. Then, after a hot drive across country, Ken finds that Carl’s New Mexico mountaintop mansion is in the midst of a record-breaking winter. He is warmed immediately by his reception from a lovely young lady named Justine, who lives with Nanette and their surly caretaker Elmer. Ken is beginning to wonder what he’s gotten himself into, when Betty shows up in town. Ken’s plans are going to hell fast when Justine comes to him with a plan of her own—for murder.

MEMORY OF PASSION

Bill Sommers has got it all. At 39, he’s got a beautiful wife, Louise, and a wonderful daughter, Lolly, and a successful career in commercial art. Oh, sure, maybe things aren’t perfect between he and Louise, but that’s life. And then one rainy night Karen calls. Karen, his lost love. Karen, his high school sweetheart. Karen, the one who got away. She insists they meet. Bill is too curious not to agree. But he’s not prepared for the young lady who shows up, claiming to be Karen Jamais. She’s got all of Karen’s memories—even her looks, her moves, her delicious figure—and all of Karen’s passion. But that was over 20 years ago! How can this be Karen, unchanged after all these years? It’s like a crazy dream. And Bill is about to enter a hidden world of passion and violence on his way to find out if the dream has come true.