SHE THOUGHT SHE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER BROTHER. SHE WAS WRONG.

It’s a tough life for 18-year-old Betsy Racine, trying to take care of her disabled grandfather and alcoholic mother. Even worse, over a year ago, her brother disappeared in a snowstorm, and now she learns that he had with him more than three million dollars of someone else’s money. Someone who just got out of prison and will do whatever it takes to get it back. Others join the hunt and they all want Betsy to help them find the cash. But why would she? She doesn’t care about the money and her brother is dead…isn’t he? As new clues surface, she begins to wonder. Just to make sure, she tags along with a group of seekers and finds herself sucked into a world of danger far greater than anything she could have imagined.

The setting splits between the wild Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York and the gritty streets and underground of New York City. The story is geared to readers who like quirky unpredictable characters, fast-paced action with uncertain outcomes, family issues, and a bit of romance.

‘Cold Cash’ is the latest novel from New York based, Canadian-born author, Dan Yokum. We meet Betsy Racine who has a very tough life living in a trailer, looking after her disabled grandfather and alcoholic mother. Betsy’s brother, Ethan, is a petty crook who was involved with his friend, Roy, in attempting to meet a drug dealer to buy heroin. Bigger league players are involved here and in the chaos of a shootout, Ethan escapes with a bag containing several million dollars in cash. There is uncertainty as to whether Ethan died during a snowstorm or whether he managed to escape with the stolen money.

Several people are looking for Ethan; a prison guard, a local criminal and an ex-convict, as well as Betsy and Roy. Whilst the others are desperate to find the money, Betsy just wants to discover if her brother is alive and although Roy seems like a friend, can Betsy be sure his motives are entirely altruistic?

Set against the backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains in north eastern New York, this is a tale of poverty, greed, betrayal and despair, contrasting with strength, hope, love and loyalty. It is written in the third person and the past tense with the action being seen from the perspective of several different characters. We are also provided with some backstory in the form of flashbacks.

The structure is straightforward without much in the way of subplots or unexpected twists. The action is consistently fast-paced as this disparate bunch try to discover Ethan’s fate and that of the coveted money. It could be argued the story lacks depth and the villainous characters are stereotypical but the descriptive passages are engaging. The author shows extensive knowledge of the areas in which his story is set and it’s a very easy read.

I think this book will appeal to anyone who enjoys an undemanding wholesome adventure without excessive violence. I award four well-deserved stars.

Dan Yokum’s work history has mostly centered around the visual arts: as a glass artist, a high school art teacher, and a graphic designer. However, he has always loved to write, and as a graphic designer, he often created and edited text for print and the web.

Writing fiction is also in his blood, dating back to grade school, and over the last few years, he has transitioned to doing it full time. He grew up in a small state college town near the Canadian border, about an hour from Montreal, and currently lives in Ithaca, New York. He spends his free time hiking, traveling, reading, listening to or playing music, and contemplating the nature of reality.