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Sounds 100% like my kind of thing, bloody Christmas themed murders with a side of whodunnit. But my issue with this book is that it's so lightly written. Simple, short sentences, small paragraphs, unrealistic dialogue, no depth to character. Everything spelled out to the nth degree. There's nothing to it. Thrillers often sacrifice for pace, but there's so little here to hold on to. No tension, nothing that stands out... except perhaps Walker's wife whining her way though the entire book. It's fine, but that's all it is. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m really not sure if this is what Alex Pine was aiming for when writing this book but either way, it worked for me and I enjoyed reading it. It was a bit like a more exciting version of an episode of Midsummer Murders but with swearing.
The length gaps between each victim firstly raises the question if a serial killer is about, there's the odd situation where they needed the second body to discover that it just wasn't a coincidence. The Winter Killer is my first introduction to author Alex Pine. But it won't be my last. As this was such an enjoyable police procedural. That grabbed me from the start and never let go, and honestly, I felt like I was in the middle of a real-life investigation as the pace of it was so relentless. This book is a must-have on your Christmas reading list! You’ll never sing ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ nor sing another Christmas card again without thinking about Kirkby Abbey. So DI James moves his family from London to the Cumbrian village his wife grew up in, in the anticipation of a safer life. There had been threats – or so he believed – against his family in London and his wife was increasingly nervous living there. Her home village was small – less than 1000 people, and set in a lovely part of the world – Cumbria is great – if you can take the weather – another wet, windy and cold area of the world.The multiple POVs - The book shifts between James, his wife Annie, and the victims of the serial killer! I thought it was so cool how the victims’ weren’t identifiable from their POV, so you were left guessing about who was next! Detective Inspector James Walker and his wife Annie have fled to the safety of a Cumbrian village after the threat of vengeance from a London crime boss. In this seemingly quiet, picturesque village of Annie's childhood, with friendly pubs and carols on the Green, past resentments simmer, love affairs are carried out in not-so secret and your darkest deeds and crimes are known to all. This debut thriller is pretty rough around the edges. This is not an ARC copy, so I was surprised to find several glaring grammatical errors in the book, early on- especially as the book has a seasoned publisher. DI James Walker is looking forward to seeing in the New year with his wife and baby daughter, when he gets a call from DC Jessica Abbott who is attending a wedding at ‘The Fells’ a prestigious Hotel in Cumbria with her fiancé. The owner of the chain of hotels is getting married to Libby Elliot. Her Maid of honour, her sister Rachel has gone missing, when the investigate they find evidence of foul play on the pier. They have a pretty good idea that they will find her body in the Lake. DI Walker heads the investigation to find Rachel’s killer. She was not liked much by others. So, who disliked her that much to killer her and what is the motive for her death?
Twelve Days of Christmas and twelve murders, our killer has a hit list and it would seem, a score to settle. Who would have a vendetta against any of the residents of this sleepy little hamlet? Certainly not the warm welcome our new resident detective was expecting having left London to escape the evils of his past case and live a somewhat quieter life.
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As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims to go, anyone could be next…. This book is well crafted with clue after clue given like bread crumbs throughout the story which build the suspense until it reach the big climax at the end. And what is Annie's uncle Bill's role in the grand scheme of things, he's arrived early to spend Christmas with Annie and James but seems to be acting oddly? Alex Pine's debut novel might have it's flaws, but this was exactly the Christmas themed thriller that I was looking for... Overview: This was a great festive read with my reading buddy. I read the first two books in this series last December so was excited to see that this came out last month. As usual I didn't guess the killer. I never do with these books because the author is very clever at throwing numerous red herrings and constantly throwing new suspects into the mix.
With each murder James and Annie learn more about each victim's life, and how intertwined with each they were - this reminded me of the Miss Marple books. The novel opens with a Prologue to establish what made James and his wife, Annie, move to Cumbria. However, this rapidly becomes a red-herring in the story and does not really feature. Indeed, I suspect this will become the basis of a future story in this series and I am sure the criminal will feature again.
Christmas Gifts
Welcome to the small rural Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey where DI James Walker and wife Annie have recently relocated. Formerly a Met officer, this couple have made the difficult decision to leave their London life behind, following the early release from prison of criminal gang lord Andrew Sullivan who blames James for his incarceration and may have an axe to grind. Swapping city lights for glorious countryside views, James is anticipating a very quiet life compared to the one he’s been used to. As Christmas approaches with his family descending on Kirkby Abbey to help the couple celebrate their new home and the festivities, life is calm, peaceful and maybe a touch boring! When D Never knowing what you are going to get when reading from a new author to me, I have to go in with an open mind. This book didn't disappoint, It was interesting, enthralling and gripping. Despite my criticisms, this is a good candidate for a Christmas read. Aside from the obvious, it is not too gory or gritty to make you feel uncomfortable at such a festive time of year. Indeed, it almost felt like a cosy mystery because I could not fathom any danger and was not gripped by the plot development. Instead, it was a gentle read that eventually provided dead bodies and, finally, a killer at the end.
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