Tempest Michaels has always been clear about his views on the paranormal: nothing of the sort exists. But what is a paranormal investigator to do when he comes face-to-face with one of its very real creatures?

Jagjit has recommended Tempest’s services to the owner of the French Alpine hotel where he and his new wife, Alice, are honeymooning, as Hubert Caron’s daughter, Marie, was slaughtered by a Yeti. He and Big Ben, along with Bull and Dozer, make their way to Tignes to join the rest of the crew, expecting to find a man in a costume. What he finds, though … is a nine-foot-tall beast with two rows of teeth, giant tusks, enormous paws, and a hellacious roar he can hear all too well as he’s frantically snowmobiling away from it.

And to up the ante, just as the Yeti makes a special mid-blizzard appearance in front of the hotel, who should enter stage right but Vermont Wensley and his henchmen, Stefan and Arthur, certain that their special tools and spiritual skills will slay the supernatural animal.

As the creature claims two more lives and fear rises in the tiny mountain village, Tempest uses his Army training, common sense, and the cooperation of the local le chef de la police, Francois Delacroix, to not only ferret out the mystery of the Yeti, but uncover the truth of Marie Caron’s grisly death … and, after all is said and done, welcome Amanda for their first romantic rendezvous.

Paws of the Yeti is Steve Higgs’ most adventurous Blue Moon mystery so far … not only he does he solve his most difficult case to date, but he and Amanda finally match their starry-eyed timing. It’s a wonderful schuss down the slopes.