This is what first caught my eye - The Sun City Serial Killer just made his sixth kill. Who’s next?

Frozen: The Author's Cut is a great read that will have you on the edge of your seat. Don't read it at night. Highly recommend this book.

FBI profiler is upset that he has yet to figure out who the Sun City serial killer is after the 6th murder. After being forced to take a leave, he teams up with Maura County to investigate a 6000 year old mummy. They find that the Sun City Serial Killer also took the mummy's life. They are thrown into a paranormal investigation. Great book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

FBI profiler Ulysses Grove’s skills are not as good as they once were. At one point in his career he could “see” the killer and what his next steps were. Grove is trying to catch the Sun City serial killer. Before he kills again. He has already claimed the lives of six people. Ulysses is becoming more and more stressed and it is causing him not to focus on what is important. There is now a science journalist who also needs his help. Maura County needs Grove’s forensic expertise in order To help with a frozen mummy that was found over a yr ago. While Grove feels that he is forced to go with County when he looks at the mummy he sees something that catches his eyes. The mummy is over 6000 years old yet everything about how the mummy died leaves him to believe it was the Sun city killer. How could that be? This story begins to steer you into the paranormal realm and the author does a great job at keeping the readers entertained as well as focused on the characters.

You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com

Actual rating of 2.5

As Special Agent Ulysses Grove is investigating the recent spat of horrific murders, he is sent to investigate an odd discovery. His boss, worried about Grove burning out, sends him on a run of the mill profile for an ancient mummy that has been unearth in the Alaskan wilderness. What Grove discovers is that the six thousand year old mummy was murdered in the same way as the more recent Sun City murders he's been investigating. Thrown into a nightmare, Grove must work even harder to capture the Sun City Killer before he strikes again, and he MUST figure out the connection to the mummy that has been unearthed, how can they have the same M.O? Maybe, just maybe, there's more at work here than meets the eye...

The premise of this story was super interesting. I love a good crime/murder/killing novel, so this one jumped out at me, especially because of the mummy aspect thrown in. Having a six thousand year old corpse that is showing signs of being murdered in the same way as the current killings, just sold it for me. I sort of had an inkling that there would be a supernatural aspect to this story due to the relation between the mummy and the current victims, as no one can live for six thousand years; but I wasn't entirely thinking about that until I happened across another review that actually said there was a supernatural element to it. This doesn't bother me, I'm a massive fan of supernatural and paranormal stories so it sorta just made it even more appealing if I'm honest.

The character of Ulysses Grove was well written, he's a man facing life after losing his wife, trying to do his job the best that he can in order to stop other people from dying. I did find that the character was suffering a little bit from the "chosen one" thing though. He's good looking, fit, gets stared at at all hours of the day by passers by, he's the toppity top in his field, there's no one better. Yes, he's going through some stuff, but it didn't detract from his 'perfect' character. I like a character with a bit of flaw, it makes them more human and they come across more real to me. This wasn't a deal breaker, it was just something that I noticed, and if you're one of the those people that absolutely hate the 'perfect character' thing, then maybe this book isn't for you. The supporting characters were well written, however, I didn't entirely see the point of Maura County. Yes she was the journalist that was working on the mummy case, and yes it was from her insistence that Grove made the trip to profile the mummy, but she just felt more like a pawn to help move the story along than a character all of her own. There just didn't seem to be much of a point to her being there. And Okuda was an interesting character, yet he sorta just fell off the map near the end which was a little disappointing. There was a lot of allusion to things that Okuda was doing, and was involved in, but once again, I didn't see the point in it? I feel like attempts to make the characters deeper and more dimensional sort of fell flat in that it just made me question why these things were even included in the final edition of the story at all.

The story itself, as said above, had a super interesting premise. I mean come on, a modern day serial killer with the same M.O as the murderer of a mummy from 6000 years ago? What's not to love!! ....Unfortunately, the execution. I felt that the idea was fantastic, but the execution was lacking. The pacing of the story fell incredibly flat and I felt like it took me way too long to get through this book. It's taken me about a week, which is not normal. I turn over books in a matter of days. There was no drive that kept moving the story forward, and I found myself getting frustrated at certain points because it felt like we were stagnant and that nothing was happening. There were some questions answered in the ending, but for the most part, I just felt like the story came out rather messy, there was a few loose ends that I still wanted answers for, and other stuff just seemed to wrap up a bit too quickly.

All in all, this wasn't a terrible book by any means, it just didn't work too well for me. I felt like the pacing needed work and maybe another round or two of editing to get the flow of the narrative working better for the story itself. I also felt there needed to be a bit of work done on the characters and their roles in the story as some of them just didn't feel like they needed to be there.

Frozen by Jay Bonansinga is a crazy combination of The X-Files and Supernatural. This book is seriously good!

I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN! Mummy’s, bear attacks, Mummy’s, demonic possession, Mummy’s, and exorcisms. Did I mention MUMMY’S! I did not see that coming, not at all. When I started reading this book I was getting some strong X-Files vibes (cue theme music). As I read my way through this bloody masterpiece it became apparent that X-Files was TAME compared to this book. I really enjoyed the mix of genres. You get a little true crime, thriller, mystery, suspense, and HORROR! Jay Bonansinga is incredibly talented. He is the writer behind The Walking Dead novel series. These books are amazing so naturally, I looked into other books by him which led me to Frozen. His stories are often fast-paced, action-packed, and filled with suspense. In addition to that, Frozen is extremely intelligent. Jay Bonansinga’s writing in this book can be compared to that of Michael Crichton. I enjoyed this read a lot but I found the ending to be a little off. I’d love to see this continue in a series but the ending has me thrown for a loop. Regardless of that, the author is sure to enthrall you with this thrilling and intelligent read that will certainly leave you wanting more.

“There is no explanation for evil. It must be looked upon as a necessary part of the order of the universe. —W. Somerset Maugham”

This book has a little bit of everything for readers. Much like the X-Files, the story has supernatural elements that trickle into an FBI investigation. I know there are lots of you that think that many X-Files episodes were scary but they were not like this. The Antagonist in this story embarks on a bloody massacre and he doesn’t give a shit what the FBI thinks. TRUST ME, this book is fast-paced adding the thrill to the read. You're either uncovering big clues surrounding the mystery behind the mummy creature or you're witnessing its macabre killing through demonic eyes. The HORROR of it all! Jay Bonansinga is not new to creating characters that will haunt the pages and Frozen is proof of it. I remember reading The Walking Dead Governor series and thinking that the author did such an amazing job making the zombies scary and he definitely did that again here. When I picture a mummy (if that's what he is) I picture the living dead, which doesn’t always mean scary because there are lots of zombies that are slow shambling creatures that aren’t that effective unless they attack by surprise or in a mass horde. The antagonist in this book is a decaying beast that will leave you with chills as you follow its journey. It was the perfect adversary for the protagonist.

“The old fart’s done it this time, Olivia thought to herself as she looked around the dim room and heard that crackling sound again beneath her. She looked down and her heart started beating faster. Blood.”

Credibility. This is something extremely important to me when reading. Authors that write with intelligence and accuracy build credibility and readers notice. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good story. I know that fiction is exactly that, fictional. BUT, when I read a book I expect that the writer has done their research in some way shape or form. I've heard of writers riding in the back of a cop car or shadowing people for research so they get the details that give their writing credibility. I don’t know the lengths Jay Bonansinga went to get the details that stitched this story together but im confident that he did and it shows in his writing. I can’t say how much I appreciate this.

“By 8:30 that morning, in the veils of mist billowing in from the Pacific coast, the Regal Motel teemed with somber activity. A kaleidoscope of cruiser lights and emergency flares streaked the sheets of rain with bloody watercolours, attracting onlookers like flames beckoning a swarm of moths.”

I refuse to say that the ending was bad… It just didn’t seem right. I think that maybe I just didn’t agree with the ending and thats why it threw me for a loop. There was a lot going on in the end and it was all very unexpected. The ending was just different from the rest of the story. Have you ever read a passage or a chapter that seemed wrong, almost like the writer was in a different place when they wrote that part of the story. Well that was what the ending was like for me. Not bad, just wrong…

I rate Frozen by Jay Bonansinga 4 / 5 stars. I recommend this story to those of you that are intrigued by the supernatural and have an investigative mind. You won’t be able to help but have tremendous confidence in the writer with this fast-paced and chilling tale that will be sure to entice most audiences. I didn’t really like the way the story wrapped-up but this was still extremely entertaining to read. Move over Mulder and Scully, there's a new team in town. And don’t forget folks, The truth is out there.

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disclaimer: i received a copy of this book via burns & lea books in return for an honest review.

the description of "frozen: the author's cut" by jay bonansinga caught my attention and seemed like a story i'd enjoy. i didn't know how right i was.

bonansinga slams you into this story with the very first sentence and doesn't let you go. he effortlessly merges the pursuit of a serial killer with an archeological find and a centuries old supernatural power without it all seeming contrived. additionally, he creates rich characters who you invest in almost immediately and infuses a sense of urgency without it feeling artificial.

i finished this book in one night and am happy to report that it's only the first in a series. i'm looking forward to following ulysses grove on further investigations.

four out of five stars

There's a lot I wanted to like about this - FBI profiling, elusive serial killer, a paranormal twist - but this is a heavily flawed book.

If you've seen "Hannibal", you'll recognise a little Will Graham in Ulysses Groves in the way he reads a crime scene, which I struggled to get past. There's quite a few far fetched events as well, such as academics suddenly being able to fly round the world at a moment's notice just to attend a meeting to see how many have discovered evidence of similar crimes. In a world of email and video conferencing, it simply wouldn't happen.

Overall, this isn't bad but it isn't great. However, I have an open mind about subsequent books in the series, which I feel has potential.

I was instantly drawn in to this book because of the premise. serial Killers, frozen mummies had me excited for this story.

The pacing on the book was off to me. The set up for the trip to see the frozen mummy and the set up for why he had the stress induced breakdown at the beginning of the story happened too fast.

Though overall it was a okay story that had me guessing and the premise of a character who can see details in a crime scene others can't was interesting I wish it was a bit better executed.

Firstly, thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for a free ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Introducing Ulysses Grove, an FBI profiler with an uncanny ability to see things at crime scenes that nobody else can. He is able to piece together incidents by experiencing visions of the crimes. In Frozen, Ulysses is tasked with tracking down the Sun City killer, a murderer who poses his victims bodies post mortem in a strange manner, with their arm in the air, as if reaching for something. The problem is, the killer is proving to be very elusive, impossible to track down, and the bodies start piling up.

I love FBI profiler stories. There is something about the way these people can look at a crime and work out exactly what kind of person could commit those crimes that just fascinates me. Add a little bit of the paranormal, and you've hooked me in. It almost seems like cheating that Ulysses has his abilities, which he doesn't want to admit could be supernatural, but he uses them anyway.

I really enjoyed this book, and it turned out to be the page turner it promised. The plot was very well laid out, the twists around the culprit was interesting and the ensemble of peripheral characters were good. My only real criticism was that I didn't feel like Ulysses Grove 's background was explored enough. There were touches of information about his Kenyan/Jamaican heritage, a little bit about his poor relationship with his mother, but not enough to really fill him in as the mystery he turns out to be. I'm hoping that, as this is book 1 of a series, that the author fills that in a bit more.

Otherwise, a good entertaining read.

Tom Grove is a paranormal FBI profiler working for the Behavioral Science Unit. With an extremely high success rate he is under pressure to solve a string of murders committed by a killer dubbed the Sun City Killer and having the same signature.

Maura is a magazine editor with a special interest in the recent discovery of a mummified body dating back to the middle century.

The connection they feel may never have the opportunity to grow into a relationship if one of them is forced to take the hand of evil.

What I thought was going to be similar to others I have read and enjoyed ended out in front eg by inclusion of the mummified body and possession.

Grove was my favourite character. A man open to new possibilities despite heartbreak in the past, having special skills and good looking without vanity. An appealing and somewhat complex fellow.

This is a serial killer story with an unexpected twist guaranteed to keep you interested, guessing and on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the uncorrected proof in return for an honest review.

I received a copy of Frozen: The Author’s Cut from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. So, thank you NetGalley and Burns and Lea Books for my copy.

FBI Profiler Ulysses Grove was once the FBI’s top closer. He has a unique knack for catching killers: he can ‘see’ into their mind, and he knows what they are going to do next. But, this ability to track killers is weakening, and he is tormented by his failure to catch the Sun City serial killer, who has just claimed his sixth victim.

When Grove’s boss receives a message from science journalist Maura County, asking for some assistance on her story about a strange ice mummy excavated in Alaska, it gives him the perfect opportunity to give Grove some well earned rest. However, this story turns out to be a lot more than anticipated. Grove and County soon find evidence that the Ice Man was also killed by the Sun City killer – six thousand years ago.

This discovery plunges them both into a nightmare of paranormal evil as they struggle to stop a force as eternal and powerful as time itself.

When initially reading the synopsis for this book, I was so intrigued that I had to see how this story played out in full. However, I didn’t enjoy this reading experience as much as I thought I would. Don’t get me wrong, the story is okay, but quite predictable, and a little boring at times.

By half way through, you already know the identity of the killer, and that for me was where the book went downhill. All of the mystery of the story was gone, and it definitely got less exciting from that point. The idea of a serial killer who has been at large for six thousand years is so unique, and in theory a brilliant plot, but for some reason, this just didn’t seem to work.

I felt completely disconnected from the characters, and didn’t really care for their back stories. Parts of the story didn’t even seem to make sense, and other parts just weren’t necessary.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed, but the story wasn’t terrible, so I give it a 2/5 rating.

Frozen is about an FBI agent Ulysses. He's investigating a serial killer that kills his victims the same way every time. He starts to burn out while on the case, so his boss sends him on another case in Alaska to give him a break from the serial killer case. In Alaska, they have discovered a 6000 year old body that's been preserved in a glacier. When he examines the body, he discovers similarities in the Alaskan case with the serial killer case! I really enjoyed this book. It's a thriller mystery that keeps you guessing and wondering the whole time. It has a lot of twists and surprises throughout the book.

Frozen is an interesting book though at the beginning I found some difficulties as I felt that I was put in the middle of a situation with Grove, the main character. This was rectified that once I finish reading the book, I realised that this was series which explains my feelings at the beginning.

Bonansinga has an interesting character in Grove and proves to be the fascinating inspiration that carries the story forward. The mystery unfolds in an interesting way but at times sometimes the mystical gets lost within the science.

He has done his research in the pathology and crime labs which really make the story shine. The exposition for the crimes and the investigation is very high calibre. This is where the novel really comes into its own. The human relationships sometimes take a backseat but again this may have to do more with this being the middle of a series and there may be a lot of juxtaposition with character that may have come from previous instalments. Saying this, this does not take away from the overall enjoyment of the novel.

The mystery and suspense work very well and following along with Groves as he tries to catch a serial killer work very well. When the story turns to something beyond the realms of this world, then the story slowly loses some of the grit and grime that was before. Personally, it felt a bit rushed and felt like an afterthought. This did not spoil the overall enjoyment because Bonansinga has a great main character in Groves but it did make me waver slightly.

Overall, this is a quick fun read and does keep you on tenterhooks. This is an author’s cut and as I had not read the original cut, the slight problems I found could be in this edit of the book. I do recommend the book and think that if you like your crime fiction with colourful characters that take a slight turn off the beaten track that you really can’t go wrong but a tighter control of the mystical side would be the perfect win.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!

I haev to start this off by saying I love Jay bonansinga. If you've read his other work, than you already know how amazing his writing is.

This book was no different. The characters are likable, and after about 15%, i was hooked.

Frozen by Jay Bonansinga
Frozen
by Jay Bonansinga (Goodreads Author)
M 50x66
Lou Jacobs's review May 06, 2019 · edit
really liked it

Enter the paranormal world of FBI profiler: Ulysses Grove. Grove throughout his childhood has experienced crazy spells ... visions .. not hallucinations. He has used these visions and dream images like a mathematician uses equations. As a wizard uses runes. His ability to make cerebral leaps is legendary amongst the bureau. He finds himself to be embroiled and frustrated in an ongoing series of homicides involving the Sun City serial killer. The victims are dispatched with a sharp weapon (spear; sword; or arrow) to the back of the neck in the high cervical region and then posed post-mortem in identical fashion ... with one arm and hand raised in a "summoning" fashion. Despite the murder count climbing to seven .. they have no identifiable motive. The usual psycho-social need or fetish in the crime is not present. His superiors sense his frustration and "burn-out" and divert him from the investigation by sending him away on a PR mission to help provide a profile involving an archeological find and possible murder. The "Mount Cairn Ice Man" was found in the Alaskan Lake Clark National Park ... uncovered was a Neolithic male from the Copper Age and carbon-dated to approximately 6,000 years ago. The preserved Mummy appears to have been murdered or sacrificed.
Ulysses, even after a cursory review, realizes that this Neolithic male was murdered with an identical signature of the Sun City serial killer. The implications are myriad and at the same time, unfathomable.
Bonansinga provides a lyrical narrative that in a cinematic fashion reveals the escalating bloodshed and mayhem. The suspense is sequentially ratcheted up with the reader inadvertently turning pages faster and faster at a breakneck rate. The reader is easily able to suspend his belief system and accept the twisted paranormal events.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an Uncorrected Proof of this definitive Author's Cut of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I now have another writer to add to my Must Read List.

I have a weakness for serial killer thriller suspense books. As long as they are fictional, haha. Frozen was heart grippingly suspenseful in the best kind of way. Jay Bonansinga made it feel like you were right in the book and when I put it down, it took me a few minutes to grasp reality again. My favorite kind of book!

I liked this book quite a bit. The protagonist reminded me of a cross between ex-President Obama and the character Alex Cross in the series by that name James Patterson writes, both moral men. I would have given this 5*s but I found the beginning a bit slow and it took a while for me to get into the story, but once it got going, I was there. I've read several of Jan Bonansinga's books in the Walking Dead world and know he's a great wordsmith. He really excels in actions scene because of the sharp and eloquent descriptions and this novel is no exception. The ending in the mountains, for example, is terrific and the language used to describe the tense situation is just about poetic. The scene that followed—the exorcism—felt a bit quick and skimpy in detail, kind of rushed. As it happens, I saw Otzi at the South Tyrol Museum when I was in Italy a while ago, The Ice Man mummy used as the basis of the story, so I could easily picture him. A clever idea overall.

Frozen (The Author’s Cut) by Jay Bonansinga goes one step beyond the conventions of the everyday tale of FBI versus a serial killer.

Readers join FBI profiler Ulysses Grove as he agonizes over his inability to solve a case.  The Sun City Killer has taken six lives, and Ulysses is at a dead end.  He cannot sleep.  The stress is affecting him physically.  He suffers from fainting spells.  And beneath it all lies the long-time stress of a strained relationship with his mother and the pain of losing a beloved wife only a few years ago.  Ulysses is a complicated and highly likable protagonist--smart, honorable, elegant, and loyal.  Most important, he demonstrates great respect for humanity as shown when he attempts to revive a dying victim.  Readers will care about him and become loyal followers.  Although Frozen is an extension of a series, readers can enjoy this story without having read any of the earlier novels.

Grove finally gets a tip that seems like a long shot, but he will do anything to catch the Sun City Killer.  Urged on by a science journalist, Grove heads to Alaska to examine a recently-discovered, tattooed, frozen body over six thousand years old.  Experts note that it is posed in a gesture of summoning.  Along with Grove, readers will doubt the possibly of a connection between an ancient mummy, his tattoos, and the Sun City Killer.

The serial killer is a fascinating character.  This successful, well-respected business man is intense, relentless, unpredictable, and demonic.  His determination and strength seem unnatural.  His victims seem randomly chosen.  The unlikely killer is at once disturbing and sympathetic--the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time.  To stop him, Grove must find an explanation for the killing spree and discover his inexplicable motivation.

Bonansinga is a masterful writer.  His prose is clean and smooth.  There are no wasted words or superfluous dialogue tags, so readers will fly through the text without interruption.  Show prevails over tell, thus drawing readers closer into the action.  The backstory is never dumped on the reader, since its elements are strategically positioned throughout the story to tantalize the reader and prepare him for the unexpected conclusion.

The action takes place in interesting locations across the country.  The author takes readers along for the ride via lush and evocative descriptions.  The supporting characters are well-drawn and work together seamlessly, even the less likable. 

The plot is fast paced and never bores.  However, at times one might want the pace to slow down in order to luxuriate in the hints of romance and the unforeseeable, unfolding outcome.  Realistic enforcement procedure creates an aura of authority.

"To paraphrase the Bard, there’s far more in heaven and earth than you’ve ever dreamed, Agent Grove" (Father Carrigan).

One astounding plot twist that makes this mystery unique requires a willing suspension of disbelief that would make Coleridge proud—the inclusion of the metaphysical.

It a time when science and its uncompromising sensibilities rule, Bonansinga’s readers are compelled to accept the possibility of subtle supernatural elements.  Those who may hesitate to accept such content might do well to examine books such as Field Guide to the Spirit World by Susan Martinez, Ph.D. and Self Deliverance by K.A. Schneider.  Both books could serve to urge readers to rethink long-held convictions.

Frozen is a novel that is recommended for readers of mystery, crime, and the supernatural.  The only downside of the novel is the fact that it ends too soon.

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My thanks to Burns and.Lea.books.
Fact is that if you're a zom/poc fan and haven't heard from this author, then truthfully I cannot say you've missed much. It's just a fact. I ain't about to shovel pyrite up your arse, and tell ya ' it's gold. This author has a name I think because of "maybe, the walking dead." I know I've heard of him. Why, when? Seriously I haven't a fucking clue. I will say that 10 years ago, I may have enjoyed this. Seriously, I don't even mean nor intend to knock this author down, but right now, it's kind of lame. I adore zombies. I do. They are fucked.up. That's the best thing ever! Give me every fricking thing you can throw at me. I will believe it. Toss zombies into it, and I know I'm safe..... Unless..dum,.dum, dum...the wormwood has passed overhead! Eek! And stuff!.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a fan of mystery and thriller you will no doubt like this read! The description of the book really speaks for itself.

FBI agent Ulysses Grove is on a search for a serial killer. But when he is forced to take leave, he goes on a wild goose chase to find the site of a six-thousand-year-old mummy. The thing is... the mummy looks the same as the serial killer's victims... how can they look the same?

The book was an interesting plot with some supernatural elements to it, so you will enjoy this book if you are a fan of fantasy as well!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.