The book is more of a police procedural and was slow to start with. The pace picks up only about 2/3rd of the way through. The characters could have been developed more. 3.5 stars.

This is the author’s first novel in the DI Barton crime series and boy what a start.

The title and the fact that the author sets the story at the coldest time of the year, still didn’t have me realise just how much of a chilling reading experience that I was letting myself in for.

How the story starts had me well and truly hooked. It was a great setting for the rest of the story which had me in turmoil. To a certain extent I had empathy for the killer which felt wrong but I couldn’t help myself.

As for DI Barton and his team, well it was a great way of getting to know them. I liked the fact that Barton and his wife have a fairly happy normal home life. It’s not often you have a detective who isn’t divorced, some sort of alcoholic or fighting their own demons. It does make for a refreshing change.

The recent murders have the police totally baffled. I enjoyed the cat and mouse game between the killer and the police. It makes for some riveting reading. There was a very unexpected shock that had me going back and having to reread parts as I was totally knocked for six by the revelation.

The Snow Killer is a chilling and brilliant start to a new series. There is enough going on throughout the story to ensure that you won’t be going anywhere soon as you get wrapped up in the shocking case. The ending was both explosive and emotional, leaving me impatient for book two. Can not wait to see what else the author has in store for us.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy of The Snow Killer, the first novel to feature DI John Barton of the Peterborough Police.

Fifty years ago a family was gunned down and only a teenager survived to take vengeance a few years later and become The Snow Killer. Fifty years later the snow awakens a deadly need and the killings start again. DI John Barton leads the investigation but, struggling for a motive, it isn’t easy.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Snow Killer which is a high octane procedural with a twist. Yes, there are plenty of plot twists, some more guessable than others, but the real twist lies in the narrative which alternates points of view between the unnamed killer in the first person and John Barton in the third. I’m not usually interested in the killer’s point view as it is normally banal and fairly pointless to the more reasonable reader but this is different. This voice sparkles with intent, reasonableness (even if it is a bit psychopathic) and a terrible history. It really makes sense and creates a compelling narrative.

I also liked the plot which builds relentlessly to an action packed finale. I was a bit worried before I started the novel that I would find it a bit preposterous - fifty year old crimes casting a long shadow - but it all slots together seamlessly. I found it to be absorbing reading and while I guessed some it some of it was quite a surprise. I also thought it was quite credible on procedure.

I like the team in this novel and would gladly read more about them. DI John Barton is a reassuringly normal detective with a happy home life, a likeable personality and a supportive team player mentality. What a lovely normality. I like that it is not only about him as his team and their lives get attention too and it makes them more accessible to the reader. The dialogue, on the whole reflects the close bond between them with a few humorous lines. My only niggle is that some of the dialogue is a bit clunky, explaining things that the team should know or be able to deduce as seasoned officers.

The Snow Killer is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This book had ns engrossed in the story right away. I really liked the characters. Unfortunately the story is too tied to the police procedures to me and I feel the look into the mind of the killer is left not as deeply involved. Dont het ne wrong we see his motives and what drives him to kill but I feel so much more could have been done here. Good book overall. If you like police procedures this book will be s satisfying reas. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

I’ve enjoyed all of Ross Greenwood’s books so I was very keen to read The Snow Killer. It is different to his others but certainly not in a bad way. Some excellent characters and a great twisty plot had me gripped. I hope to read more of DI Barton in the future. Great stuff. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

Fifty years earlier, all but one member of an entire family was killed. That person went on to become the Snow Killer and seek revenge. In the present day, similar killings start up again, and DI Barton and his team investigate. This was the first in a series, and I enjoyed it. Four stars. I will continue this series when new books come out.

"The Snow Killer' by Ross Greenwood is a riveting read from the first page to the last page. It is a chilling account about the pursuit of justice by a serial killer unlike any other. The author deftly tells a tale which spans decades and never fails to engage the reader. The two protagonists are skillfully portrayed and Greenwood does a masterful job of alternating their stories throughout the novel. The book does not disappoint and I hope some of the characters will return again with the north wind. This is a perfect example of a can't miss book. Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the first book I've read by Ross Greenwood and it won't be the last. I'm becoming a bit wary of police procedurals , there are so many out there with the invariably tortured soul as a lead character , invariably a maverick on the verge of losing his job. Greenwood's D.I. John Barton is refreshingly normal, he has a happy family life , he's not a closet drug addict ,not a drunk, doesn't have a serial killer or a gangster for a relative and ....whoopee!!.. we're not treated to contents of his music collection in minute detail.

The plot has 2 threads, an attempt to wipe out an entire family 50 years ago which was almost successful,and the deaths of suspected drug dealers in the present day. Part of the tale is told in the first person by the killer so readers will know the 2 are linked before the police are. There is a twist,knowing that I guessed it quire easily....and was totally wrong,top marks for that one Mr Greenwood and the "real" twist is genuinely that.
I really enjoyed this book, Barton is very well drawn and as an "older bloke" I could relate to a lot of his thoughts and feelings. As the first book in a series we get to meet new characters that I'm sure will become old favourites,,I'll certainly be reading more in this series. I didn't get much feeling for Barton's mate Zander but the others came across as real people and not the caricatures too many crime writers seem to fill their books with.The "perp" wasn't the stereotype "bad guy" and I think someone many readers might sympathise with , to a degree at least.

A book I really enjoyed and I look forward to more John Barton stories from Ross Greenwood.

Big thanks to Ross Greenwood, Netgalley and Boltwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.

Excellent entertaining police procedural with a new group of characters led by D.I John Barton searching for a serial killer in Peterborough. A first body discovered in snow with no apparent suspects leads eventually to crimes committed 50 years ago but as the victim count rises is it a copycat or something rather unbelievable. Mixing the D.I's home life with the investigation works as this will become a series. Lots of red herrings are fed to the reader until the surprise and violent ending. Good yarn, roll on more!

Absolutely brilliant !!
When I first started to read this book I wasn’t so sure I was going to like it for some unknown reason but OMG was I wrong it was a superb read and what a twist a real jaw dropping moment and now I am desperately waiting for the next in the series.
So we have a book written from two points of view, the snow killer and DI Barton and it’s a real atmospheric read. The character of DI Barton is very realistic and likeable as are the rest of the team and I particularly liked the fact that he really cares for the people he works with and also his family while struggling at times with a feeling of inadequacy and depression.
The plot line is well crafted and clever and grows more and exciting keeping you guessing as the book progresses and as I mentioned the ending is just amazing and I take my hat off (if I had one !!) to Ross Greenwood as I never saw that coming at all.
A fabulous read and hopefully we won’t have to wait so long for the next in what promises to be an excellent new series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

From the start, we know who The Snow Killer is. Or at least we think we do. 50 years ago a family were gunned down by three men. A 15 year old was wounded in the attack, but the teenager's Uncle Ronnie removes his relative from hospital, fearful that the killers would finish the job. The two live off the grid and when Ronnie dies, the Snow Killer assumes his identity.
A few years later, the fake Ronnie has wreaked revenge on the men who carried out what became known as "The Snow Killings" after having sent each of them a chilling warning - ‘Fear the north wind. Because no one will hear you scream...’ .
The subsequent police investigation stalled, possibly because the 3 victims were major criminals and many felt they were better off dead. Ronnie Smith carries on a normal life.
Decades pass and suddenly The Snow Killer feels the need to kill again, this time targeting a drug gang operating in the city of Peterborough, in the east of England. The gang is headed by the Chapman sisters and, over the years, Peterborough police have been unable to find them guilty of any crime and adopted a "better the devil you know" attitude towards them.
As the death toll mounts, Detective Inspector John Barton and his team struggle to solve the case. Throughout the book we gradually learn details of the personal lives of Barton and the Snow Killer and the backgrounds of other members of the detective squad - particularly Barton's colleague Detective Sergeant Shawn Zander and DS Kelly Strange, newly transferred from London.
Barton comes across as an old-fashioned cop who's come to terms with modern policing methods as well as office politics in a busy police station.
The dialogue is stilted in places and here and there is an element of soap opera, but the author - a former prison officer - seems to know his stuff about murder investigations and doesn't rely on stereotypical police or criminal characters. Indeed, Barton expresses sympathy for the drug addicts who feature in his investigation and also for the Chapman sisters who had a hard upbringing.
This is a crime novel with a social conscience.
Part police procedural, part psychological thriller with a twisted killer at its heart, it is the first in a series featuring Barton and his squad. The action moves along at a fast pace with a shocking twist as the story nears its end and Barton realises that the killer has been in plain sight all along.
My thanks to the publisher Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.

An absolutely amazing crime cop thriller. I loved it and was very intelligent and unique. Loved it. Would love to read more by this author x

I didn't finish this.
I found the writing overly simple .
Gave up at 38% when not enjoying.

Only giving one star as won't allow me to do none.