The Killer in the Snow: The new and most chilling British detective crime fiction book you’ll read this year (DI James Walker series, Book 2)

Product Information

Alex Pine seamlessly weaves together two murder cases, decades apart, with a memorable group of suspects and a distracting outside threat in this well written, suspenseful police procedural. The conclusion is a total surprise. 5 stars. I enjoyed the mystery being linked to what had happened on the farm twenty four years earlier, even though it was pretty apparent what had happened. It was the 'how' that kept me reading. Pine starts off by summarising the events of the first book without giving any spoilers, so this can easily be read as a standalone. I also love that he provides a set of character profiles at the start for any new readers, making sure that everybody starts off in a knowledgeable place. In a farm, a father, mother and a daughter were found dead inside the barn. It happened to look like a suicide--daughter was stabbed, the mother was shot and the father shot himself. But when the detectives finds that the father, Robert Bateman is in huge debts and the Bateman seemed to be having enemies, they soon ruled this case as a murder.

Initially there are a handful of suspects for the current killings and I did enjoy the resolution. I just wish that it had been a bit less plodding and a lot more suspenseful. I also think that the inclusion of a gangster 'out to get James' was unnecessary and distracted from the main storyline. It just didn't seem to 'fit', and served no useful purpose. I would say the ending wasn't overly surprising, but there were a good few twists in there to keep me guessing.

I was so glad to see DI James Walker for a second outing after I read and enjoyed the first in this series, The Christmas Killer last year. There's no need to worry if you haven't read the first though, it's easily read as a standalone. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys tense and twisty police procedurals. There are some really creepy ideas and situations in the book so it probably isn’t for the faint of heart. However, there’s lots to enjoy and it would make a lively festive read…if Christmas bloodbaths are your thing. Last Christmas, DI James Walker and his team had to investigate a serial killer in the quiet Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey. This year, James is enjoying a quiet Christmas with his wife, Annie, as they make plans for the birth of their first child. DI Walker is still his likeable self and even his wife Annie, who annoyed me a little in the first novel, has grown on me a little more during the novel.

This marks yet another series that I’ve jumped into at a mid-point! This is the second book in this series, following on from ‘The Christmas Killer’– although I think this works fine as a stand alone novel.DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK for providing the digital ARC, and Harper Collins UK audio for providing the audio ARC of The Killer in the Snow by Alex Pine for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. I thoroughly enjoyed both books in this series and honestly hope there will be a next one. It's the same reason I love the Midsomer Murders TV series. Murders in an unlikely setting with an interesting group of characters. I still absolutely love the setting of Cumbria. It's almost like another character and the vast countryside really adds to the tension of the story. DI James Walker is investigating what looks like a murder/suicide of a farmer. his wife and daughter. But the more James Walker and his team investigate into the family, the more intriguing the case becomes. Over twenty years ago, the previous owners met a similar fate. There's also a dangerous London gangster who's went that's vowed vengeance on James Walker.