I look forward to these books every year. This one definitely held my interest and kept me guessing to the end.

I'll admit that this isn't my first trip to DI James Walker's Lake District - I read and enjoyed 'The Killer in the Snow', the book prior to this one in the series, so I was pleased that NetGalley granted me access to this one.

As with the previous books, it's winter and Cumbria is icy and treacherous - but the surroundings present minimal danger compared to the humans existing in the bleak landscape who have immense capacity to harm.

This book opens at a New Year's Eve wedding at an exclusive hotel on the banks of Lake Windermere. DI Walker's DC, Jessica Abbott, is at the event and witnesses some strange behaviour before the maid-of-honour seems to vanish between the ceremony and the speeches. Rachel, the sister of the bride, is nowhere to be found and the circumstances are suspicious - meaning that it's time for DI Walker and the scenes of crime team to move in and find her.

I liked that this book takes place over a relatively condensed period of time - it felt like being immersed into a mystery and then being able to follow the police team through the crucial early days of the investigation when evidence is fresh and emotions are running high among the small field of suspects. In this sense, the book is a thorough and detailed police procedural with the focus very much on the intricacies of the investigation. This absolutely isn't a fast-paced thriller with piles of twists, but more a well-plotted and methodical approach to crime fiction - with some surprises along the way.

DI Walker is a steady and reliable figure at the helm - his biggest personal problem is that his baby has a bit of a cold. This niggling worry is a relatable one, and I quite liked that James Walker is an everyman with a realistic family context. His relationship with his team is also quite gentle and without tension - nothing to distract from the actual policing, really!

This is a well-paced and character-driven police procedural. It won't keep you on the edge of your seat with tension but it is entertaining and engaging. You'll definitely want to know whodunit - and enjoy the path that takes you to the satisfying denouement.

Excellent! A gripping thriller that had me reading into the night - it is true what they say, families can be murder!

I really enjoyed this book. Excellent read with great characters and a really good storyline. I would recommend this book.

This book is set in England's Lake District and I actually read it while I was visiting the Lake District. That made it a fun read because I could picture the hotel on the lake and the other locales. I had not read the previous books in the series. In The Winter Killer, a lavish wedding is taking place at a lakeside hotel on New Year's Eve, and DC Jessica Abbott is a guest. The bride's sister goes missing after the ceremony and DS James Walker is called in. Soon the sister's body is discovered in the lake, the victim foul play. There are a number of suspects, from the bride herself to a mystery lover to an ex and vindictive boyfriend (and a few others). Even though this is a police procedural it still had a cozy feel to it.

I enjoyed the first two books in this series, so was excited to be approved to read a review copy via netgalley. Unfortunately, this third book just didn’t hold my interest and I’ve decided to DNF it at 50%. I can’t put my finger on why this didn’t grab me, but I feel life is too short to slog through books you’re not enjoying. Sorry, not for me & I do not recommend.

As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, DI James Walker receives a phone call that puts paid to his Christmas break. During the wedding of the year at a lakeside hotel, the bride’s sister has vanished. When Rachel left the wedding breakfast before her speech, newly-wed Libby was furious. But as the night went on with no sign of her maid-of-honour, Libby started to realise something was very, very wrong. Before the wedding night is out, the lake is being searched for a body. This is the 3rd in the DI Walker series and maybe the best! A gripping whodunit with well developed characters, believable dialog and a good ending that wrapped the story up perfectly. I’m looking forward to book 4 which I hope comes soon. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

It's wintertime, and there is another murder in Cumbria for DI James Walker and his detectives to solve. This one has a glamorous wedding setting with numerous secrets and suspects. The investigation is full of twists and gives the reader enough clues to become part of the investigating team. I like the thoroughness of the inquiry that realistically varies in pace. I like the characters, but I would like more depth into their lives outside the crime scene. The story is suspenseful, and the ending, whilst not a total surprise, is impactful.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This novel is a marvellous read – the pacing is comfortable, it is well-plotted and the story is intriguing.

Based in Kendal, forty-one-year-old DI James Walker is on his Christmas and New Year Break in the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey, Cumbria but it comes to a swift close when he takes a call from his detective constable informing him there is a matter needing his attention at The Fells Hotel, Cumbria involving new bride-to-be, Libby Elliott, who is marrying Greg Murphy. DC Jessica Abbott is the fiancée of the groom's good golfing friend, Sean and she is looking forward to meeting the happy couple. The couple marries but directly afterward, the bride's sister, Rachel is nowhere to be found, however, items belonging to Rachel are found by the nearby jetty on Lake Windermere which is overlooked by the hotel.

Walker and his wife, Annie relocated to the small, remote Kirkby Abbey and it's a big change from London where Walker worked for the Met. Annie was born in Kirkby Abbey. There is never a dull moment in this dark and atmospheric story and I was riveted from start to finish. The characters are solidly drawn, lending credibility to the festive mystery/ thriller. I look forward to seeing more of DI Walker in future instalments.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Avon Books via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

It is New Year’s Eve and DC Jessica Abbott is attending the wedding of her fiancé’s friends. When the maid of honour, the brides sister goes missing. Everyone is looking for her when her bloody glasses and bag are found by the lakeside. Jessica calls in DI James Walker and soon Rachael’s body is found and the wounds indicate murder. Is the killer a guest?!
The Winter Killer is the third book in the series, and a good addition. Lacks the grip of the first two, but still a fantastic read with a very unexpected twist

The Winter Killer is the third outing to the Lakes with DI James Walker and after enjoying the first two in the series, I was looking forward to catching up with them!

James is enjoying a quiet New Year at home with his wife and baby daughter when he gets a call from a colleague to report a missing person. His colleague DC Abbott is a guest at the wedding of hotel owner Gregg Murphy and he has just married new wife Libby when the brides sister goes missing in suspicious circumstances. When James arrives and starts to investigate, it seems this is anything but a straightforward case.

This story is packed full of twists, turns and lots of suspicious characters to keep you guessing!

This is the third in an enjoyable crime series featuring DI James Walker. A murder takes place at a local wedding where his DC is present as a guest. Strangely, she is allowed to continue being involved in the investigation. I recently read another book with a very similar plot where the police/guest was removed from the investigation for this very reason. Still I like the main protagonist and will continue to follow his adventures in further books. Thanks to Netgalley.

The Winter Killer is the 3rd book in the DI James Walker series. This can be read as a standalone for those that have not read the previous books in the series.
When a murder takes place on New Year’s Eve, DI James Walker is called out to investigate. That the murder took place at a wedding makes things even harder to figure out. So many guest and employees to sort through along with many secrets. So many clues seem to have the Detective running in circles.
A excellent murder mystery that I highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the first Alex Pine book I've read. It's the third book in the series but that doesn't matter as brief character rundowns are included at the beginning of the book.

Wedding celebrations soon turn to upset as the bride's sister goes missing.
DI James Walker and his team are called out to 'The Fells' hotel in Cumbria to investigate her mysterious disappearance.
The more wedding guests they talk to, the more they realise that Rachel wasn't very well liked and for a number of differing reasons.
Someone on the guest list is the killer......but who is it?.....and why?

A very suspenseful page turning read that I couldn't put down, my mind changed often throughout the book as to who I thought the killer was and had me guessing until the very last minute.
I enjoyed it so much that I'm now off to buy the other books in the series!
Thank you @netgalley for my arc.

Having read the previous books in the series, I was keen to start The Winter Killer, I enjoyed the previous book and have got to know the characters well. I was pleased to find that from the very first few pages I was sucked in to into the instant drama and tension.
It starts off strong and continues to jump from suspect to suspect throughout. A cracker of a whodunit, although the perpetrator was on my list, I was never quite sure and didn't guess the ending. You truly are thrown from theory to theory, and I loved that!
Although this is part of a series, it could easily be read as a standalone. However, it was definitely my favourite book so far, but the others really do add to that background. I look forward to reading the next!

I was so excited for this book! I've read the first two DI James Walker books in the series and loved them both! I was super lucky to be able to read this book early on Netgalley. Another amazing book by Alex Pine. The story of who done it kept me on my toes. I went through the whole book not knowing who done it. At different points in the book different people looked so guilty so it kept me guessing to the end. I would really recommend this book if you loved a who done it mystery. This could also be read as a standalone.

You do not have to read the first books in the series as it can easily be read as a standalone.

The author provides a bit of background on the main characters and it helps to make a wide view of who they are and what’s their place is within the story.

A wedding couldn’t be more beautiful in an idyllic winter setting. But unfortunately, the ending is splashed by murder.

I enjoyed the previous stories and was looking forward to this new book.

Detective Walker is a character that grew out on me throughout the series and I wanted to see how quick he can resolve this new investigation.

The pace is much faster than the others and I liked that.

The side characters are a mix of good and bad and unreliable ones. They made the whole puzzle much more interesting and added character to the story.

I guessed pretty early on who the killer was, but that didn’t deter me from carrying on reading and exposing if my theory was right.

Captivating police procedural book. Looking forward to see what case DI Walker has to solve next.

Christmas has arrived in Cumbria and a wedding is happening on New Year's Eve. Rachel, the bride's sister, is the maid of honor but is missing right before she makes her speech.. DI James Walker gets a phone call to come to the Fels Hotel to investigate the murder. This is the 3rd book in the series and the story moved forward and never let up until the surprised ending. I read the 2 other books in the series and they were great! This is another great read by the author. If you love mystery thrillers then you will love this book. I look forward to the next book in the series and I would like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

This is a Police Mystery, and this is the third book in the DI James Walker series. I have read the first two books in this series before picking up this book, but I do think this book could be read as a standalone without any problems. I really loved the beginning of this book because I loved the hotel setting. This book kept me guessing, and I did part of the reveal. I did enjoy the ending of this book. The characters take some time to really get to know. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Avon) or author (Alex Pine) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

It's New Year's Eve and DI Walker is enjoying an evening at home with his wife and baby. DC Abbott is at a wedding at a hotel on Lake WIndermere. The maid of honour goes missing and DC Abbott calls in the troops. Eventually her body is found and the conclusion is that she has been murdered. The problem is that there are many suspects and it's down to Walker and his team to get to the bottom of it.
This kept me changing my mind about whodunnit right up until the end.