Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
The case is a really interesting one to follow and will feel similar to certain true-crime documentaries that have been popular this year, with a desolate farm being the setting for a crime in both the present and past. The story started out a bit slow but soon towards the middle, it got a bit more interesting as the secrets started revealing about the family and that there was another murder that happened on the very same farm almost twenty four years ago with a baby missing. Soon, this begins a cat and mouse chase game and then there were some twists and turns that it got fast paced until the end. In many respects, Wind River is a standard procedural, a follow-the-bread-crumbs thriller about an FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) investigating a rape and murder with guidance from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent (Jeremy Renner) who has a better feel for the territory and its customs. Yet Taylor Sheridan sets the film on a Wyoming Indian reservation in the middle of winter, and does everything possible to emphasize its brutality: The official cause of death is a pulmonary hemorrhage caused by breathing the subzero air, and conditions are so terrible that it’s a challenge just to get to the scene of the crime without perishing, too. The weather is one obstacle among many, but Sheridan frames it as a symbol of a Native American culture that’s intensely insular and unseen. Dead of Winter (1987) I haven’t read the first book, The Christmas Killer, but as this book worked as a standalone and I was intrigued enough by the plot that I decided to give it a read, though I never felt like I got to know DI James Walker fully or appreciated his character in the way I would have had I read the first book.
What a puzzle! On Christmas Eve, at Oaktree Farm, the owner, his wife and daughter are found murdered. Twenty four years earlier, at Oaktree Farm, the owner and his wife were found murdered. Their infant daughter was never found. The plot felt fast and edgy, plus, the investigation had many leads to it, including a few red herrings. Given that I read a lot of thrillers I tend to have a good idea early on what has happened and by 38% of the way through the book I made my prediction which turned out to be near as damn right. This, however, didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book as I then needed to see if I was right or what I had missed.Perfect for fans of smash-hit TV series Whitehouse Farm, Simon McCleave’s The Snowdonia Killings and Catherine Cooper’s The Chalet. The investigation is just getting underway when DI Walker is made aware of a similar murder/suicide at the farm twenty years ago, one in which the couples baby daughter went missing, presumed dead. Could the cases be linked? I felt like DI Walker had found his feet a little more in this book. He hadn’t long moved to the village in the first book and there was a little tension within the team. It seemed like he’d built stronger relationships within his team this time around and I liked to see the rapport start to grow. I think Alex Pine settled into his writing a bit more in this book which is natural and expected after writing a debut. The language between characters felt a lot more natural and it was good to see some relationships start to build between the characters.
Although the case is complex with two stories coming together, it’s easy to follow and constantly intriguing. I did guess the twist early on after making a wild prediction, but I was still excited to see if I was right and how the answers would be revealed. 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. This is the second DI James Walker book and once again it is twisty and complex from the very start. Although I worked out a main thread of the story quite early it was still a very enjoyable read and the various other twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. The Killer In The Snow has a fast and furious pace making it an exciting read. Dated entries for the investigation give a sense of real time passing. Having said that, some of the timescale for forensic evidence and various warrants is perhaps more contracted than might happen in real life. This has the effect of increasing the adrenalin of the story.Wondering how these cases could be related, DI James Walker and his team begin to investigate. Robert Bateman, killed on Christmas Eve, had a gambling problem and was about to lose the farm. Threats are found on his phone. His daughter Charlotte is dating a possible drug dealer. And, behind the boarded over cellar door, there’s a peephole where someone has been watching the Batemans. Someone who left bloody shoe prints from the outer cellar door. Prints that don’t match any found near the bodies. As Walker tries to unravel the mystery behind the killings, he faces another threat. Andrew Sullivan, a gang leader, is out of jail and looking for revenge. Walker and his wife are on his list. The narration by Sid Sagar is excellent throughout and added to my enjoyment of this murder mystery. It’s set in Cumbria over Christmas. A former Met police officer, DI Walker has moved away from London for a quieter life after a case which left him and his family being threatened. 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.
The pace is fast in this twist filled read. There's also plenty of suspects to choose from. This is quite a good series so far. The books can be read as standalones. I read this book in a small cabin in the woods in the dark of night, deliberately setting the scene for maximum enjoyment of this thriller. The introduction to DI Walker and his colleagues is helpful and I really like the plot building. So well done. Walker's relationship with his wife is refreshingly a loving and caring one.
The DI Barton Series in Order (6 Books)
Suspense and thriller readers, do not miss this perfectly dark (yet not a Horror) story. To me it is the perfect balance of past and present happenings, psychological mind plays and importance of unshakeable relationships.
Great Deal 
New Comment