Member Reviews
The Killer in the Cold is the next amazing instalment in the DCI James Walker series. I really enjoyed this book and I love reading them around winter. The book starts immediately in the action of the crime and I was hooked from the start. The book has me guessing but I never guessed correctly.
The plot is fast paced as the police start their investigation on a body found dressed in a Santa costume. There are so many twists in this book but it is easy to follow. I enjoy reading about DCI James Walker and his team, it is nice to read about them as individuals. The short chapters make the book so quick to read and with some ending on cliff hangers, it made me want to continue on.
I definitely highly recommend this book and especially this series. The book doesn’t have to be read as part of the series, but I find the police team comforting to read about in each book.
Absolutely loved this book. The whole series is great and I highly recommend them! A great read cosy, winter season read.
The Killer in the Cold (DI James Walker Series, Book 5) by Alex Pine is a thrilling and expertly crafted addition to the series. Set in a frosty, tense environment, the novel follows DI James Walker as he investigates a chilling murder that seems to have no clear motive. Pine’s sharp writing and atmospheric setting keep the reader hooked from the first page, with twists that unfold at just the right pace.
DI Walker remains a standout character—complex, determined, and empathetic—while the secondary characters and their interactions add depth to the story. The plot is cleverly woven, with Pine skillfully leading readers through a maze of secrets, lies, and unexpected revelations.
The Killer in the Cold is a compelling, fast-paced thriller with strong character development and a satisfyingly tense conclusion. It’s a must-read for fans of British crime fiction and a great entry point for those new to the DI James Walker series. I was given an advanced copy of this book to review.
Another Christmas, another DCI Walker novel from Alex Pine… thank goodness! I was a little late reading the 5th book in this very popular series as although I was definitely having a quieter Christmas than DCI Walker and his long suffering wife Annie, I still didn’t have much time to read! And I was very frustrated as having started The Killer In The Cold just before the Big Day, I was desperate to find out who had murdered Santa.
This series really is at the top of my Christmas reading list. It’s cozy Christmas murder at its finest and is an easy and enjoyable read with plenty happening and an ocean full of red herrings. I do think at any other time of year, I would probably feel they are overly twee and DCI Walker a bit of a wimp with so many emotions going on whenever he talks or enters a room, but for Christmas I’m very willing to just go with the flow of a very popular series.
I’m very much looking forward to Mr Pine’s next Christmas offering and can’t wait to find out what’s happening with DCI Walker and his team.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an eARC of this book.
Fanatic read, and really kept me wanting to read more! I couldn’t put it down.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
That time of year again – it’s basically tradition now for me to pick one of these up every December.
We have similar vibes as the others - police procedural, cosy mystery, short chapters, dead bodies and of course, a killer on the loose. The crime itself is a proper head-scratcher but, as always, everything gets tied up neatly by the end.
That said, I’ve got to be honest – this wasn’t my favourite of the series. It kicked off really well, but the middle dragged a bit. There was a lot of back a forth with Walker and his team and not many suspects to go around - so I worked out the whodunnit pretty easily.
Still, it’s a decent read, and you can bet I’ll be grabbing the next one when December rolls around again!
Ah, it's that time of year again to head back to Cumbria to see what wintery crime DI James Walker and his team have got themselves into this time. A body is discovered dressed in a Santa suit and he's quickly identified as a retired police officer. If that wasn't enough, a second body turns up. Pressure mounts for Walker and it is a race against the clock to find who the killer is.
The Killer In The Cold follows the tried-and-true formula from the previous books, meaning it's part police procedural, part cosy mystery with short quick chapters making it a quick read. The crime is a puzzling one but gets wrapped up nicely by the end of the book.
I'm going to be honest, this isn't my favourite of the series. It started off strong, but there was a significant lull in the action in the middle of the book. I felt we were watching Walker and his team going around and around in circles and there was a distinct lack of suspects, making it quite easy to guess whodunnit.
Despite this not being my favourite, I will, of course, be on the lookout next year for another book in the series!
If you love a wintery mystery set in a small, close-knit village and a cosy feel then I'd still recommend this to you.
I have to admit that I am a big fan of this series, and I always look forward to the next book coming out.
Alex Pine's latest edition does not disappoint. It is possibly my favourite so far.
It is worth noting that although this is part of a series, all of the books may be read as stand alone stories.
Set in Cumbria around Christmas time....an idyllic village setting, plenty of snow and all the festive trimming.... It is easy to get cosy and allow yourself to become lost in the atmosphere of it all. However, these stories go beyond the usual 'cosy crime' genre and have enough bite to keep you on your toes.
I've read a couple of Alex Pine's books & enjoyed them so when his latest book was available on NetGalley I requested it.
His books always follow the same format, sleepy little village, always snowing at Christmas & always a gruesome murder to solve. It is book 5 of a series but can be read as a standalone book (I read it straight after reading book 2 & I didn't feel like I was missing anything) Each book has a little run down of characters & a little catch up of what has happened inbetween books. It's an easy read & an enjoyable story but I was so fed up of reading the sentence ".... the terrible murders four years ago...." it didn't need to be mentioned as much as it was.
If you are in the mood for a cosy Christmas murder then I recommend reading it & the other books in there series too.
This is one of my favourite series. Every year I eagerly await for the newest release and it is fair to say that I am never disappointed.
This year's installment saw two ex police constables brutally murdered on Christmas eve and we follow James and his team as they look to solve this double murder case. I managed to guess the killer from very early on in the book, I have to confess, and that did spoil it a little bit for me. Although I wasn't disappointed, something about this book didn't seem to have the same grip factor that some of the others did.
I did however thoroughly enjoy it and as such have rated it 4 stars.
I do love a good Alex Pine book and again this one didn't disappoint. With a body dressed as Santa found just outside a small village DCI James Walker is on the case. But when more bodies appear Walker must find the killer and he must find them quickly. Set in a small village in the dead of winter this certainly is a chilling read which had me on the edge of my seat.
Alex Pine is a master of suspense and thrills and I just couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A well written novel that has it all and more. I couldn't put it down. The writing just reels you in and takes you on a wintery, chilling ride with a great setting and great characters. I enjoyed every minute of this book and look forward to seeing what comes next.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for giving me the chance to read and review this book.
A festive thriller full of twists and turns. A great read that keeps you hooked from the very first page.
In the fifth instalment of the DI James Walker series and is this the year he is finally going to get to have a peaceful Christmas with his family? Of course not!
When a dog walker finds a body dressed as Father Christmas, James finds himself at the middle of a double murder investigation. Not only are the victims neighbours and friends of James, they are also both retired police officers, so the investigation is extra personal for the team. With a long list of suspects, will they work out the who and why before someone else gets hurt?
Loved the character list at the front of the book! I am a regular to this series, but still as handy for me as to those who are reading as a standalone. Looking g forward to another one next Christmas, but will James and his family still be in Cumbria?!
If you want a change from the chick lit, romance, Christmassy kind of book. This is it.
Why not treat yourself to a whodunnit instead?
Set in a quiet town in Cumbria with scene setting Christmas and cosy vibes. Who knew a killer would be in the midst?!
On the other hand there is also the seriousness of detailed police procedures and suspense to make a great story.
This book is fifth in the series but can be read as a standalone with no problem too.
I now find myself wanting to read the others.
I would recommend.
I was really disappointed by this book, I am struggling to find a good Christmas thriller that keeps me hooked, it was enjoyable but just didn’t satisfy as much as I thought it would.
This is the fifth instalment in this DI James Walker series set in the picturesque village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria. James has enjoyed a peaceful Christmas with his family, but of course, it is not going to last, and when a dog walker stumbles upon a body dressed as Santa, the family plans are put on hold. James is drawn into an investigation involving a double murder that leaves the whole village reeling.
Whilst I found the snowy atmosphere of the village perfect for a Christmas read, I did find this book to be a little slower than the others in the series. I felt the investigation, lack of suspects, and red herrings dragged on a bit and was a little disappointed that nothing really happened until the 90% mark. The repetition of certain themes circled back time and time again, and this didn't help with the lack of momentum.
I enjoyed the writing as usual and did feel I was investigating with James and the team, but I wish a little more had happened to keep me dying to get back to the book.
Will James and Annie stay in Kirkby Abbey or will they leave the fated village? Will they ever get a peaceful Christmas?
I enjoyed revisiting DCI walker and the village and did enjoy the story overall, I just found this one to be quite repetitive. I guessed the whodunnit very early on too. I feel like this series has become a Christmas tradition though and I will look forward to the next one.
The Killer in the Cold is part of a series by Alex Pine but works equally well as a standalone novel. It's a Midsummer Murders type of story, an interesting narrative detailing the murders of two former police officers in a village that is no stranger to this type of crime. It doesn't dwell on too much gory detail, just the interesting and often relatable characters both in the investigating police force and the villagers attempting to come to terms with yet more violence in their residential area.
An easy and enjoyable read which allows the reader to solve the murder pretty easily I'd say.
The 5th in the series - Another year later and another murder case for James to solve!
Lots of suspects to keep you guessing but somehow I wasnt shocked by this one so it isn't my favourite in the series. Still a great read with lots to keep you interested
With this beautiful snowy festive cover it came as a shock to discover that the dog walker found the dead body of...Father Christmas. As it turns out, it was actually the retired Inspector in fancy dress, Still sad of course.
This is the latest seasonal book by this author and fifth following Detective Chief Inspector James Walker. In case the reader has just dropped into the series there is a cast list at the start of the book complete with name, job title and a brief history. Very thoughtful. Set in a village in Cumbria, Christmas is an unusual but deserved break this year so the DCI can spend some time with his young family. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work out that way when the victim is a neighbour and friend.
This is a detailed police procedural that includes press conferences and interviews with friends and family, made even more difficult because they are all known tho the DCI. There are the usual search for suspects, weapons and so on, but it is carried out in a slow, gentle manner, with everything found out repeated often while the police try to decipher the pattern of events and possible reasons for the crime. This is undoubtedly very realistic and the pace will be in keeping with the rural aspects as well, but often this is a tad drawn out as we wait for the next discovery. However, the chapters are short and thus keep the tempo.
In the main, this investigation is from the viewpoint of DCI Walker, but there are some chapters from his wife as she rearranges family plans and puts a more local and domestic element to the story. Interesting characters from the past increase the suspects list making a real whodunnit. I had no idea who the culprit was until the very end.
A story about family, entitlement and accountability, this is a good read for the time of year - who needs high action when that's what the build up to Christmas is in real life? There is a good sense of place here, with real areas interwoven into the tale including Lake Windermere and Kendal for example, as the landscape and seasonal snow makes the whole thing feel Christmassy.