This is the third book in the series following Detective James Walker. Although this is the third book it can also be read as a standalone as it gives a brief background to each character at the start of the book.
At a wedding at an idyllic venue on new year's eve the maid of honour and sister of the bride is found dead and the rest of the book follows the investigation to find out who killed her and why. What with the setting being at a big wedding there is no shortage of suspects.
I found the book very easy to read as was quite fast paced. However towards the last quarter of the book I did guess who it was which I didn't mind as I still wanted to know the reasons as to why. However I did feel that the ending was quite rushed and it seemed to wrap up too neatly and very quickly. I would have liked to have found out more about the lasting effects on the rest of the characters but that's just my personal opinion .
Overall though an enjoyable read

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was full of twists I wasn’t expecting. Right up until the killer was revealed, I still had no idea who I was expecting! I loved the writing style of the book, it had a good flow and the pace kept me engaged in the story. I couldn’t wait to read this book as I had previously read “The Killer in the Snow” which I also loved (I am still yet to read the first in this series which I will get round to reading). I was excited to follow the detective around another murder case. I thought the scenario was very unique and I could imagine the beautiful setting.

The characters were amazing in this book. The guests at the wedding were all mysterious and I couldn’t tell who had done it at all. Most of the suspects had done something to suggest they could have done it. DI Walker, the main detective, was once again a great character in this story. I enjoyed learning more about his life and getting an insight on his personal life in-between him solving the murder. I felt like I got to know DI Walker even more in this story.

I was hooked from the very first page and I couldn’t put the book down. There were a lot of plot twists in this book which made the book even more exciting to read. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was definitely thinking about it. I find this authors stories are easy to understand and are great reads. I highly recommend this book and this author, especially for the winter crime books.

DI James Walker is back to solve another winter murder. In this book Rachel who is the sister of the bride, Libby, is murdered and Walker is leading the investigation to find the killer.

I really enjoy this series and this was another excellent read. It had a clever storyline that surprised me as the killer was not who I was expecting it to be. The dynamics between the characters are written very well and are all likable and I love the winter setting.I look forward to the next book in the series.

Though this is the third book in the series it can also be read as a stand alone.

Book 3 in the DI Walker series.

Since moving to the Lake District from London 2 years ago this is the first Christmas James and Annie have got to spend it together without a murder disturbing the festivities.

But on New Years Eve a phone call comes in to say a woman has gone missing from her sister's wedding in a big fancy hotel. DC Abbott is already on scene as she was a guest at the wedding.

When a body is discovered in the Lake James must determine if it was an accident or something far more sinister.

Full of suspense this book will keep you guessing right to the end. A brilliant page turner that had me reading late into the night.

I love this series and can't wait to read the next one.

The Winter Killer is the third book in the DI James Walker series and it is fantastic. I have read the previous books in the series and thoroughly enjoyed them all. This instalment focuses on a New Years Eve wedding where tragedy strikes and DI Walker and his team are called in to find the killer. The characters are all interesting and really well written, with some that the reader will love and some they will hate. As always Alex Pine kept me guessing to the very end and I highly recommend this and the two previous books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC.

Ahhhh I love the DI James Walker books so much I love a Christmas/new years murder and you can always guarantee a good one when it’s written by Alex Pine. This is the third book in the DI James Walker series (I’m hoping it’s not going to be the last either) and could be read as a stand alone thriller however I would recommend the rest of the series.

DI James Walker is looking forward to seeing the new year in with his wife and new baby daughter. James’ plans are soon turned upside down when he gets a phone call from on of his DC’s Jessica Abbot who is attending a wedding where the maid of honour has disappeared. As a search for the missing maid of honour Rachel breaks out evidence is found and the matter is handed over to the police.

Soon the hotel where the wedding was taking place is locked down and guest are all told to remain on sight until everyone has been spoken to and given a statement. The area surrounding the hotel is searched and soon Rachel’s body is discovered in a nearby lake.

It soon becomes clear to DI Walker that there could be a number of suspects, Rachel’s sister Libby who had fallen out with her sister prior to her disappearance, Rachel’s boyfriend, an ex boyfriend and a number of other guests at the wedding.

James and his team are under pressure to get this case solved and to get it solved quickly but as ever things are never as simple as they first seem. As more investigating is done it seems that not everyone is being honest, lies are told making James and his team more suspicious.

I loved every word of this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting winter thriller. It was fast paced, twisty and had me guessing right until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review.

During a wedding, the maid of honor, also sister to the bride, goes missing and winds up dead. One of the guests must be a killer, but who will it be and why? DI Walker is back in this new case.

I hadn't read the previous DI Walker books but I definitely will go back and read those now. The mystery was very enjoyable and well-paced. There is not a huge denouement though for those who enjoy that. It wraps up pretty quickly in the last pages, although there is more buildup to it before then.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A New Year’s Eve wedding at an upscale hotel leads to a murder of one of the bridal party. This is the 3rd book in the series but it can be read as a stand-alone. I must say though that the title is misleading. It implies a serial killer. That is not the case. Detective James Walker is leading the investigation into who committed the murder and why.
This is very much a police procedural more than a thriller as the “thrills” are few and far between and most of the novel is spent investigating suspects and following leads.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Winter Killer was an easy read for me. I thought it had a good flow and the story was well told. I liked that although this book is part of a series, you do not need to read them in order to follow along.

I disliked how it wrapped up so quickly and found the characters to be basic. It felt a bit out of touch with reality in that a "bad guy" could abandon his nefarious ways after a strong talking to from our main character.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a light mystery that will wrap up in one book neatly.

The Winter Killer is another DI James Walker story that makes for a dramatic and thrilling addition to the series. If you haven’t read the other books, there is no need to be put off picking this book up; it also works as a standalone.

A classic ‘who-dun-it’ murder mystery with a terrific storyline, keeping readers engrossed and invested. Admittingly, I did manage to guess the conclusion, but this didn’t decrease my enjoyment. I read this in one sitting, as the writing style is straightforward to follow but doesn’t lack anything as standard. I have come to expect various plot twists, deception and suspense from Alex Pine and 'The Winter Killer' does not disappoint!

If you enjoy murder mystery reads, this is definitely one to pick up - Highly recommended.

I was really looking forward to this book after having read number 2 in the series of DI Walker.
Once again Alex Pine didn't disappoint with this third book. The story is engaging and leaves you guessing til the very end. I also like his writing style a lot, short effective sentences, very easy to read, and also it doesn't draw your attention from the plot and the mystery. Another successful read for me.
It can be read as a stand alone, but I'm sure it will make you want to read the previous instalments.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Christmas has arrived in Cumbria, and wedding bells are ringing.
But an ice-cold killer is waiting in the fells…
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While this is the third book in the series, you can definitely read it without having read the first two. The author provides you a list of characters at the beginning of the book to review who is who and allow the readers to understand what all is going on!

This was my first book by Pine and I have to say that it was a really good police procedural book. It definitely kept me guessing until the very end, and I was trying to figure out who the killer was the entire time. Every time that I had a guess, I would end up being wrong. The middle of the book did seem a bit slow at times and I felt like there was just a lot of repeat information that we already knew. The ending also felt a little bit rushed at times. I looked at how much I had left and I had like 8% of the book left when it really picked up so I just felt like the ending could have been parsed out a little bit more. Overall, I am really glad that I read this book and if you like books surrounding police procedures and who dun it, then you will definitely like this book!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

This is the third book in the series featuring DI James Walker but actually the first one I have read. I'm looking forward to reading the previous books as I really enjoyed this one.

I liked the way the characters were all briefly introduced at the beginning of the book making this easy to read as a standalone and I thought this was a great idea.

DC Jessica Abbott attends a wedding on New Year's Eve with her Fiancé Sean. Soon after the ceremony the maid-of-honour, who is also the sister of the bride, goes missing and the only trace of her is her purse and broken glasses smeared with blood.

When a body is found, the whole wedding party are questioned and one by one new suspects are discovered as secrets and lies are exposed.

Chapters are all written in current time as the investigation progresses.

A really thrilling police procedual 'whodunit'. Well written and kept me guessing all the way through.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and author for an ARC.

DI James Walker is back with his team.
After a pretty quiet Christmas murder wise..James is looking forward to spending New Years Eve with his wife and baby daughter.
But he gets a call from DC Jessica Abbott about a possible missing Main of honour at a wedding she is attending with her fience Sean.
The owner of The Fells hotel and groom and brother in law to missing Rachel is shocked that his sister in law has gone missing and with his new wife Libby they immediately ask guests to look for her.
When Rachel's body turns up, was it a unfortunate accident or something more sinister?
What happens amongst the next twenty four hours has you second guessing everyone in attendance.

Who is innocent and more importantly what secrets are people hiding?
Another great read from Alex.

It’s New Year’s Eve and the owner of a hotel group is getting married in one of his own prestigious hotels. All is going well until the bride’s sister goes missing.
DI Walker is called in to investigate and this leads to an enjoyable and intriguing read. There is an abundance of secrets and no one seems to be who they first appear to be .
Walker is an amiable character and leads his team with a calm and collected approach, the writing is of an excellent calibre and makes for an easy read.
It kept me guessing right until the end.
This is the third book in the DI Walker series , but can easily be read as a stand-alone .
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

If you're into mystery, crime and detailed police procedural story, then you can give this one a try.
You can read this one without reading the first two books!

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.
With lots of red herrings thrown in the story, I was surprised by the big reveal at the end.

While I like most of the parts in the story with short chapters, great setting and likeable characters, I found the story a bit dragging during the middle part.
The ending also feels a bit rushed, I wish it was a bit more fleshed out cause I would like to know more of what happen next.

Overall, The Winter Killer is a good addition to this series. I really enjoy getting back to solving crime with Detective James Walker.
I'm looking forward to read the next book!

Actual rating: 3.5⭐

I received an advanced review copy for free from Netgalley, Avon Books and Alex Pine. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It was very difficult to maintain any level of interest in this book. The story was flat and the characters were one dimensional

This is the third book in the series but it can easily be read as a standalone. Set mainly around a wedding venue hotel near the beautiful Lake Windermere. During a wedding on New Year’s Eve the brides sister was murdered and with lots of red herrings we follow DI James Walker and his team as they work out who did it.

This series just gets better and better and I just couldn't put this down. I did guess the killer but not the why. Great ending and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

Imagine it’s the holiday season, it’s you day off and you get all dolled up to go to a fabulous wedding with your fiancé. You will be ringing in the New Year at a gorgeous hotel and you were lucky enough to snag a free room so you don’t have to travel back home in the terrible snowy weather. The venue is beautiful, the views are breathtaking, the food and drinks are flowing and everyone is ready to hear the toast, but wait… the maid of honor and sister of the bride is no there, is she running late? Could she be somewhere sobering up because she had too much to drink because this venue and this wedding is causing her emotional pain? Or did she fall into the ocean? Make sure to pick up a copy of this great book and find out.

I have read all three books in this series and I have to say this is my least favourite. That doesnt by any means mean that this book is bad; its still very good, but I do think it is a lot slower than the others. I liked the premise that the sister of the bride got murdered at the wedding but I just found that there was a lot of circling around to get to the conclusion. Also my biggest bugbear is the authors use of "this from ....." when someone says something OMG I dont even know why it bugs me so much but it just makes the speech sound so false. Can we just say "said....."?!! Anyway its a really good book, one to read over the Xmas/Winter period for those who like a murder mystery instead of a romcom.