The Snow Killer -Ross Greenwood
‘Fear the north wind. Because no one will hear you scream…’
A family is gunned down in the snow but one of the children survives. Three years on, that child takes revenge and the Snow Killer is born. But then, nothing – no further crimes are committed, and the case goes cold.
Fifty years later, has the urge to kill been reawakened? As murder follows murder, the detective team tasked with solving the crimes struggle with the lack of leads. It’s a race against time and the weather – each time it snows another person dies.
As an exhausted and grizzled DI Barton and his team scrabble to put the pieces of the puzzle together, the killer is hiding in plain sight. Meanwhile, the murders continue…
My thanks to the publishers for my review copy which I received through Netgalley
The blurb announces that The Snow Killer is the first in a new series – a welcome confirmation as the lead detective, DI Barton, comes across very well and I would absolutely seek out the next titles as they release.
First things first…The Snow Killer. A police procedural but one where the reader gets to see the murderer from the outset. We know what motivates the killer, what he is thinking and why he has chosen the path he has. We also get to see the police trying to make sense of the murders as they occur (and there are plenty of them).
The Snow Killer is targeting local drug dealers. Not just the street pushers but the two sisters who run Peterborough’s drug network. Police have not been able to get close to a conviction on the two young women who took over their father’s empire but they know full well who controls the flow of illicit substances in the city. The Snow Killer does too and is on a mission to resolve matters to his own satisfaction.
Protecting potential victims becomes part of the investigative process and Barton and his team will be stretched. The tension and frustration comes through and this feeds well into the urgency Barton feels to identify their killer.
Very importantly for any police procedural is not just the lead character but the supporting cast in the squad room. This is where I was sold on the The Snow Killer – I loved the good guys. They have character, depth and are fun to read about. I was happy to leave the murders and the investigations to hear about their private lives too – relatable and engaging characters make for a better reading experience.
A couple of minor niggles around dialogue becoming a bit too formal and forced mid conversation. It just took a little pace out of some scenes. Also I got the impression the author is a big fan of Peterborough, lots of positives about the town were peppered through the story which was a wee bit unexpected. Minor issues as this was a damned good read and it caught me with the good surprises which were set up very well.
The Snow Killer is published on 12 November 2019 and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XLFWZ7D/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0