Ice Cold: A Novel by Billy Pepitone

The New York Rangers are just eight wins away from the Stanley Cup, but just how far behind is the Iceman?

A security guard has been murdered inside the World’s Most Famous Arena, and the killer has left behind a note threatening more bloodshed should the buildings occupants succeed in their mission to capture hockey’s Holy Grail. In order to apprehend the murderous ‘Iceman’ before he strikes again, the NYPD turns to its most celebrated homicide investigator.

Unfortunately, he just retired.

Enter Detective Jack Placey, an unorthodox cop who has as many personal issues as he does solved homicide cases. Alternating between bouts of narcolepsy and insomnia, Placey is teamed up with Sergeant Ramona Isis, a sharp tongued hockey fanatic with demons of her own. The two investigators encounter a sideshow of possible suspects across three states in an effort to bring the Iceman to justice before he kills again and derails hockey history.

Can Jack Placey stay conscious long enough to keep the killers trail from turning Ice Cold ?

Buy The Book: Amazon.com - Kindle Edition

That is the storyline behind New York City Police Officer Billy Pepitone's (that's a great New York name, isn't it?) new book.

Billy gave me a copy of this book months ago. I finally got around to reviewing it this week (ironically reading it as the New York Rangers are getting "murdered" by the Boston Bruins in their playoff series).

I must admit that I am not much of a fiction reader, so that's why this book fell so far down my reading list. But as I embarked on my first camping trip of the year this book found it's way into my bag and was the first one out. Alright, I figure, I'll give it a shot.

I was hooked, right from the very first sentence of the book.

"For me, dying was a daily occurrence."

I have no idea why, but after I set up my tent and entertained the dogs, that line intrigued me instantly. I quickly found a wonderful reading experience, thoroughly enjoying the author's writing style - which I describe as fun. I proceeded to finish the book in the afternoon, stopping only intermittently to entertain the dogs.

Like I said - I'm not much of a fiction reader. But I will read Billy Pepitone's next hockey novel for sure!

AUTHOR INFO:

Billy Pepitone is a retired New York City Police Officer turned author, screenwriter and freelance hockey writer. In 2010 Billy and his writing partner and brother Joseph co-authored the baseball novel "Soul of a Yankee". The two have also collaborated on two award winning independent films with a third in pre-production as of February 2013. Billy currently writes for several hockey sites and is a frequent guest on "The Instigators" National Hockey League-themed online talk show.

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Hockey's First Book: Canada's Royal Winter Game by Arthur Farrell

I get these two questions frequently. What was the very first hockey book. And who wrote it?

The answer is believed to a book called "Hockey: Canada's Royal Winter Game." The book, published in Montreal by C.R. Corneil, was written in 1899 and only four copies are known to still exist. Digitized versions of the book can be found at Library and Archives Canada for free. A copy, once owned by Red Fisher and used by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, now resides at Concordia University.

The 122 page handbook of hockey looks mostly at strategy and how-to skills advice. Three sets of rules are also provided. Photos and drawings, including one of a female player, are scattered through-out

The book was written by a star hockey player of the time around the turn of the 20th century. Arthur Farrell, a Montrealer born on February 8th, 1877, was quite the amateur player with College Sainte-Marie while studying there from 1895 to 1897.

Farrell later played for the Montreal Shamrocks in the Canadian Amateur Hockey League in 1897, helping the Shamrocks to Stanley Cup victories in 1899 and 1900. Farrell once scored five goals in a game against Quebec (on March 2, 1901), but he was better known as a proponent of play-making and team play.

Farrell wrote the book while playing for the Shamrocks in response to demand for a hockey book. He later released 2 similar books specifically for the American marketplace: Ice hockey and Ice Polo Guide of 1901-1904 and How to play Ice Hockey, published in 1907.

Farrell was a bit like a latter day Ken Dryden - star player on the ice and notable author off of it. But his life would be cut short thanks to a bout of tuberculosis. He contracted the disease in 1906 but hung on until 1909, existing in a sanatorium.

In 1965 the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Arthur Farrell in the player category.

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Tales From The Locker Room: Montreal Canadiens by Robert Lefebvre

The Tales From The Locker Room series has spanned many franchises in North American pro sports, including several NHL hockey teams. Over the years the series has tired, thanks largely to hit and miss products based largely to the choice of author.

Well Skyhorse Publishing - who recently purchased the series from Sports Publishing - certainly picked the right guy when they asked Robert Lefebvre to write Tales from the Montreal Canadiens Locker Room: A Collection of the Greatest Canadiens Stories Ever Told.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Lefebvre's status as a Habs historian can not be questioned. He established one of the top blogs in all of hockey - Habs Eyes On The Prize - based largely on his fascination with hockey history. He left the blog a couple of years back to pursue another Habs history related book (which I can not comment on, but I eagerly await it's release!). In his study of that subject his knowledge of the history of the Montreal Canadiens has grown even larger, and it shows in his first book release, Tales.

Lefebvre's knowledge is not his biggest contribution to this book. Nor is it a nicely refined writing style that I have watch grow over the years. Lefebvre's biggest contribution to this book was his insistence of changing the tired formate of the Tales series to better match the Habs long and lengthy history. In doing so he breathed new life into the series. Every subsequent book in Skyhorse's future line up should follow Lefebvre's blue print.

There have been a lot of books related to the Montreal Canadiens over the years. Lefebvre didn't want to write a book that has already been written. He did not want to re-tell the typical Habs history that he openly admits has been clouded by myth and embellished by legend.

So Lefebvre presents the true history of the Montreal Canadiens through a great collection of stories that Lefebvre fought for. Stories like the origins of the founding of the franchise, how Rocket Richard defied the odds to become hockey's greatest icon, how the Habs acquired stars like Toe Blake, Ken Dryden, Guy Lafleur and Patrick Roy, and how Sam Pollock built the legendary dynasty of the 1970s.

The book is a fantastic final product, and that is thanks first and foremost to Lefebvre. He actually came to the project late, as the publisher had someone else lined up to pen the book. Lefebvre came in quite late in the process, and under a very tight deadline he brought his trademark thoroughness to the project. In fact he supplied nearly 20,000 more words than he was asked to. He then fought to have much of it retained!

There are a lot of books out there on the Montreal Canadiens. Robert Lefebvre's Tales From The Montreal Canadiens Locker Room is a worthy addition.

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2013 Hockey Books

A look at the upcoming 2013 hockey book releases:

Behind The Net: 101 Incredible Hockey Stories by Stan Fischler
Don't Call Me Goon by Greg Oliver and Richard Kamchen
50 Greatest Red Wings by Bob Duff
Fighting Back by Chris Nilan
Gordie Howe's Son by Mark Howe
Heart Of The Blackhawks: The Pierre Pilote Story by Pierre Pilote
Hockey Hall of Fame Book Of Players by Steve Cameron
Ice Cold by Billy Pepitone
Keith Magnuson: Life And Times by Doug Feldmann
My Last Fight by Darren McCarty
My Toughest Faceoff by Brent Peterson
Number Four Bobby Orr by Sports Illustrated
Road To The NHL by Philip Croucher
Tales From Pittsburgh Penguins Locker Room by Joe Starkey
Tales From St. Louis Blues Locker Room by Bob Plager
We Are The Goalies by NHLPA
We Are The Goal Scorers by NHLPA
Welcome To Maple Leaf Gardens by Lance Hornby
Where Countries Come To Play by Andrew Podnieks

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Welcome To Maple Leaf Gardens: Photographs and Memories Of Canada's Most Famous Arena

Author Lance Hornby joins forces with photographer Graig Abel to bring us Welcome to Maple Leaf Gardens: Photographs and Memories from Canada's Most Famous Arena

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

From its unfathomable construction in the grip of the Great Depression to its closing in 1999 and its current status as Ryerson University’s Mattamy Athletic Centre, this lush, nostalgic history captures the former Maple Leaf Gardens hockey arena in all its glory.

With a compelling narrative from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ official photographer Graig Abel, and Toronto Sun hockey reporter Lance Hornby, more than 240 colour photos form a documentary that is the definitive chronicle of the team’s former venue.

Beginning with team manager Conn Smythe’s dream of building a landmark arena of the likes of the New York Rangers’ in midtown Manhattan and opening night on November 12, 1931, against the Chicago Blackhawks through more than 2,500 games and a myriad of other sports matches, concerts, and events—performances by Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and the Beatles; election rallies held by Prime Ministers William Lyon Mackenzie King and Pierre Trudeau; and the historic bout between Muhammad Ali and George Chuvalo—this work details the storied saga of Toronto’s once premier showcase.

Views of the edifice over the years and shots of the many events and the audiences who attended are among the book’s never-before-seen photos.

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The Road To The NHL: The Incredible Stories of 25 Maritimers Who Made It To The Show

From Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand to Paul MacLean, Al MacInnis, and Brad Richards, these are the stories of 25 Maritimers and their journey to the National Hockey League. Road to the NHL: The Incredible Stories of 25 Maritimers Making It to the Show chronicles each player’s days from when they first laced up skates in cities and small towns throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, to that very special moment of putting on a NHL uniform and knowing they were there to stay. Penned by one of Nova Scotia’s most preeminent sports journalists, The Road to the NHL is filled with tales of sacrifice, fortitude, and inner personal strength and is a must-have resource for any fan of ice hockey.

About the Author

Philip Croucher is an award-winning journalist and is the managing editor of the Metro Halifax newspaper. He has written about sports in the Maritimes for more than a decade and is the former sports editor of the Halifax Daily News. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Doug MacLean is a Sportsnet analyst, a cohost of Hockey Central at Noon, and a former professional hockey coach and general manager in the National Hockey League.

Buy The Book - Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

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Don't Call Me Goon: Hockey's Greatest Enforcers, Gunslingers and Bad Boys

Co-authors Greg Oliver and Richard Kamchen bring us Don't Call Me Goon: Hockey's Greatest Enforcers, Gunslingers, and Bad Boys

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Professional hockey enforcers—popularly known as “goons”—finally get their due in this rollicking look at the players who have perfected the art of making mayhem. Whether they are called upon to duke it out with a fellow troublemaker or intimidate an opponent’s top scorer, these are the men who get the crowds to their feet, the sports radio shows buzzing, and the TV audience spilling their beers in excitement.

Old timers like Joe Hall and Red Horner are profiled here, along with legendary heavy hitters Tiger Williams, Stu Grimson, and Bob Probert, fan favorites Tie Domi and Georges Laroque, and contemporary hockey stars Arron Asham and Brian McGrattan.

The book also delves into the intense debate over the issue of violence on the ice as well as the personal and professional dramas of the NHL’s bad boys: the suspensions, the concussions, and the constant controversy of their role in the game.

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Hockey Hall of Fame Book of Players

Profiles, stories, artifacts and archival images of every player in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The greatest individual honor that can be bestowed upon a professional hockey player is to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hockey Hall of Fame Book of Players  celebrates each and every player who has been so honored since the first class in 1945, and all the way to the class of 2013.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Here are just a few of the Hockey Hall of Fame's most famous inductees:

• Wayne Gretzky
• Bobby Orr
• Maurice Richard
• Guy Lafleur
• Patrick Roy
• Tim Horton
• Johnny Bower
• Ken Dryden
• Mark Messier
• Frank Mahovlich
• Brett Hull
• Steve Yzerman
• Joe Sakic

Hockey Hall of Fame Book of Players also features artifacts and memorabilia from the Hockey Hall of Fame's extensive archive, including: Bill Barilko's Stanley Cup-winning puck (the last goal he ever scored), Wayne Gretzky's record-setting 802nd goal puck and Mario Lemieux's 1987 Canada Cup jersey.

Complete with more than 300 photos and 100 artifacts -- as well as stats, facts, quotes and other interesting stories and snapshots from each star's career -- Hockey Hall of Fame Book of Players is the definitive book on the stars who have been awarded hockey's most prestigious honor.

The Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum in Toronto, Ontario, honors and preserves the history of ice hockey and those who have made outstanding contributions and achievements in the development of the game.

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Keith Magnuson: The Life and Times of a Beloved Blackhawk

Keith Magnuson: The Inspiring Life and Times of a Beloved Blackhawk was written with the full support of Keith Magnuson’s wife and children. It is a thrilling and insightful biography pays tribute to a Chicago icon and true hockey legend.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

One of the most popular Chicago Blackhawks of all time, defenseman Keith Magnuson was raised on the raw, rough traditions of hockey in western Canada.

He captained the University of Denver to its second straight NCAA championship in the spring of 1969 and by autumn joined Blackhawks stars Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Tony Esposito, becoming the much-needed “policeman” for the team. Over the course of the next several seasons, Magnuson and the Blackhawks would fall painfully short of their Stanley Cup aspirations; nonetheless, Magnuson’s leadership qualities led to his being named captain of the team.

On December 15, 2003, Magnuson was in Toronto riding in a car driven by former player, Rob Ramage: he was killed when the car veered over the center line and struck an oncoming vehicle. As veteran sportswriter Bob Verdi described Magnuson upon his retirement from the Blackhawks, “there have been many finer athletes in Chicago, but not one finer person,” and this biography shares the story of his remarkable life.

Doug Feldmann is a professor in the College of Education at Northern Kentucky University and a former scout for the Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres. He is the author of numerous books, including El Birdos, Fleeter Than Birds, Miracle Collapse, September Streak, and St. Louis Cardinals Past and Present. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cliff Koroll and Keith Magnuson were teammates growing up in Saskatchewan, at the University of Denver, as well as on the Chicago Blackhawks. He delivered the eulogy at Magnuson’s funeral and is the current president of the Blackhawks Alumni Association. He lives in Chicago.

Of course, long time Keith Magnuson fans will remember his early autobiography None Against way back in 1973:

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Tales From The St. Louis Blues Locker Room by Bob Plager and Tom Wheatley

Nobody bleeds Blue like Bob Plager, considered one of the funniest men in hockey. This rollicking book details Plager’s romance with the Bluenotes from day one in 1967 to the present day. He was an original Blues player, a rugged defenseman whose specialty was the hip check. He remains an original personality and a good-humored man whose specialty is now the quick quip. As a master storyteller, Plager packs Tales from the St. Louis Blues Locker Room with insights from every level of the hockey rink.

He chronicles the puzzling mind games of a young Scotty Bowman, the quirky coach whose legend began with the original Blues. In those old-school days, Plager learned memorable lessons from veterans like Al Arbour, Doug Harvey, Glenn Hall, Dickie Moore, and Jacques Plante, all future Hall of Famers. The early years also brought the three Plager brothers—Bob, Barclay, and Billy—together in St. Louis. Bob played long enough to help break in two Western Canadian kids, future captain Brian Sutter and future Hall of Famer Bernie Federko. Plager later coached a new generation of stars in St. Louis, players like Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, and Curtis Joseph.

The tears and the cheers, the fun and the frustration—it is all found in Tales from the St. Louis Blues Locker Room: A Collection of the Greatest Blues Stories Ever Told

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

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