Chilling truths are buried in this snow…
When a body dressed in a Santa Claus suit appears in the snow just outside a small village in Cumbria, DCI James Walker is the first to appear on the scene. Almost a year has passed since something so tragic has happened in the close-knit community, and James is hopeful that it’s just an accidental death.
But when he uncovers the body, he discovers something that chills him to the bone. The man, a former police officer, was murdered. And it’s not long before another body appears.
Time is ticking as James races to uncover the killer’s next victim, before they strike again. But can James find them before the snow washes away the evidence?
Finally caught up with this series by listening to the latest book. Heaven help anyone who moves to the town of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria because it is murder- central around Christmas time and this year is no exception. The victims this time live in the heart of the town and are two retired police officers. But why have they been killed at this time of peace and hop and love?
As usual, there are a plethora of suspects to be hunted down and ruled out off the running, each with a valid-seeming motive for wanting the couple dead. It always amazes me how many enemies ordinary people have coming out of the woodwork in small towns in these books. I can’t think of one person who would have enough motive to murder me, never mind several, but that’s half the fun of these stories, isn’t it.
As usual, James is on the case, leaving poor Annie to look after the (now two) children alone over the holidays, although this time she is more involved, passing on village gossip that might help to solve the case. It’s amazing how indiscrete her husband is about police business and I’m not surprised that she is considering moving away from Cumbria, although divorcing her husband might achieve the same result!
This review is obviously very tongue-in-cheek, I actually really enjoyed this book, as I have the whole series so far. They are just what I am looking for in a festive thriller. The narrator is back to the one I like for this book two, rather then the one I found a little distracting in the last one I reviewed, so it’s all good. People who enjoy a not-too-gory Christmas police procedural could do a lot worse than this series.
The Killer in the Cold is out now in all formats and you can buy a copy here.
About the Author
Alex Pine was born and raised on a council estate in South London and left school at sixteen. Before long, he embarked on a career in journalism, which took him all over the world – many of the stories he covered were crime-related. Among his favourite hobbies are hiking and water-based activities, so he and his family have spent lots of holidays in the Lake District. He now lives with his wife on a marina close to the New Forest on the South Coast – providing him with the best of both worlds!
