Whether you are a fan of mysteries or a fan of hockey (GO AVALANCHE!), Beneath Silver Ridge Arena is an engaging read that features both. The book is also the perfect length at 166 pages that will appeal to those readers avoiding the much longer middle grade novels.

Here’s the official synopsis of the plot:

Owen Mercer has been dreaming about the Silver Ridge Invitational all season. Four days in the mountains with his team. Seventy-five years of history. One silver cup. And this year, he wants the Winterfield Wolves’ name on it.

Then the cup vanishes from its locked case.

While the lobby buzzes with rumors, Owen and his friends discover clues that don’t add up. A mysterious gray door. Strange sounds beneath the floor. Pieces of the arena’s history that seem to be disappearing.

Between games, the more they uncover, the more the missing trophy looks like only part of the story. As the Wolves battle for the title on the ice, the five friends must find what’s hidden beneath the arena before the truth gets buried all over again.

Owen and his teammates each have their own unique personalities. They are on display in tournament play, their investigation while away from the rink, and at mealtime. The hockey matches include just enough detail and tension to keep the story moving forward at a rapid pace. The mystery angle is what makes this plot unique. As you read the 21 chapters you’ll be trying to figure out what is going on right along with the Wolves hockey team.

BENEATH SILVER RIDGE ARENA would make a great gift for any hockey or mystery fan. I’ll be cheering on the Wolves in future books.

Paperback ($9.99): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HP3NK9ZV
Kindle ($3.99): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HN3GY8Q3
Free Chapter One: winterfieldwolves.com/chapter-one

ABOUT THE AUTHOR and An Interview

B.D. Atherton is a dad, youth hockey coach, and longtime mystery fan who lives in Colorado with his wife and three children. Beneath Silver Ridge Arena is his first novel and the beginning of the Winterfield Wolves series.

INTERVIEW:

1. How did you come up with the idea for writing Beneath Silver Ridge Arena?
It started with my son, Camden. He loves playing hockey and reading the same kind of mystery books I enjoyed at his age. I figured there had to be a series that combined the two, but I couldn’t find quite what I was looking for. So I decided to write one for him. I’ve spent a lot of weekends at youth tournaments as a parent and a coach, so I wanted to recreate that world and create a space for kids to read about their favorite sport while solving a mystery. Camden was the first to read it, and when he finished he thought other kids might enjoy it too.

2. What process do you use in writing stories? Planner or Pantser?
Mostly a planner, though by the end it turned into a mix. I started with an outline: the tournament weekend, the hockey games, the five main characters, and roughly where each clue should land. The hockey side came naturally since I’ve lived much of it.

The mystery was the real puzzle, and inventing it was the fun part. Making it hold together was the hard part. As the story grew, I kept going back to move clues earlier, add a red herring, or cut one that gave too much away, so the ending would feel surprising but fair. So the outline got me started, and a lot of rewriting got the mystery right.

3. Are there going to be more middle grade stories about hockey or other sports from you in the future?
Yes! The Winterfield Wolves will be back for another mystery in Book 2, with the same five friends. I’m hoping to start writing in January.

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