I read The Christmas Killer last Christmas and am always on the lookout for a thriller set during the festive season, so I was excited to pick up the second book in the series, The Killer in the Snow.

While I enjoyed the first book, I did find it a little slow at the beginning, although I was still excited to see more from the characters. And this second instalment definitely picks up the pace. There’s a lot of action throughout, the pace is quick, and it’s an exciting case to follow.

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.

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.

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.

A definite improvement on the first book, I look forward to seeing what DI James Walker is faced with next and whether he can get through a Christmas without a murder happening on his doorstep.

DI James Walker is hoping for a quiet Christmas in Kirkby Abbey this year after the horrific events of the previous one. After a peaceful couple of days he returns to work to the news that 3 bodies have been found at a remote farmhouse in what looks like a murder, suicide.
However the scene throws up too many questions for the case to be solved so easily and it quickly becomes clear that the 3 people were murdered.
As the investigation progresses James finds that he has more suspects than evidence to link any of them to the crime. He also discovers an eerily similar event took place at the farm 24 years ago. Could the past and present crimes be somehow linked.
I loved this book. How things were exposed layer upon layer and you just didn't know what would be unearthed next. DI Walker is rare in that he has a happy settled home life and he's not constantly in conflict with his bosses and I really like that.

I was so pleased to get this book after reading The Christmas Killer which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Personally I felt this one was even better, a great story line that kept me involved from the beginning to the end. All the characters were interesting and I particularly enjoyed how the two cases in this book came together and I just love the Lake District so I was familiar with the areas in the book.

I think D.I. James Walker is fast becoming a favourite of mine along with Alex Pine being one of my top authors.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book, five plus stars from me and I look forward to number 3.

A digital copy of this book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When the gruesome deaths of Robert and Mary Bateman and their 24-year old daughter, Charlotte are discovered at Oaktree Farm the scene is eerily similar to a murder suicide of the previous owners of the same farm. DI Walker and his team start to gather clues and multiple suspects come to light. The investigation leads to them searching for the answers to the first crime committed 24 years ago. To top that off, his former nemesis Sullivan has escaped the Met's radar. I really enjoy this series. So far both books have taken place over the Christmas holidays. This is an easy read.

Thank you NetGalley, Alex Pine and Avon Books UK

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC, I was so intrigued and excited to read this book but by chapter 16 I had to unfortunately dnf this one. I loved that the author jumped into the plot right away, but after the crime that drives the plot happened, I became bored and starting fighting myself to read this book. I loved the mirror crimes between past and present at the same location but It was too procedural for my liking. Nothing past the first two or three chapters was really driving the plot along to keep my interest.

3.5 stars
Killer in the Snow is the second book in the DI James Walker series. Its Christmas Eve and although everything seems quiet and peaceful a family is found dead at their farmhouse and the scene is reminiscent of murders that occurred 24 years earlier. Is there a link between the two and can DI Walker solve not only the present murders but the ones from the past too?

This was a very enjoyable crime thriller and the murders happening in the present and then switching back to what happened in the past was really intriguing and I was eager to find out what happened. Lots of suspects made the novel more interesting and I was gripped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

The Killer in the Snow is the second novel in the series by Alex Pine featuring DI James Walker.
The novel can be read as standalone but I'd recommend starting with the first book, The Christmas Killer as this gives backstory and depth to the characters. This is a police procedural that follows DI Walker and his team. There is a side story which connects to the previous book but its not the main focus.

The setting is set in Kirkby Abbey, a small village and surrounds in Cumbria where DI Walker and his wife moved in the previous novel. While the first book focused on a series of murders, this one involves a complex and layered crime which has ties to a cold case from years prior involving a missing baby. While the ending was fairly predictable, this didn't take away from the enjoyment of seeing it all unfold. The story comes together nicely and all wraps up by the end.

DI Walker is a well written and likeable character. Unlike other lead detectives, DI Walker is wholesome, respected and gets along well with his superiors and team. The side characters are interesting too. The details of the crimes aren't graphic and the overall tone is not too heavy, meaning the book appeals to a wider audience. The heart of the story is the setting and characters.

The book is well paced and easy to read. Overall, this is a solid, well written police procedural crime novel. The book will appeal to anyone looking for a fun and engaging series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of the book.

My full review of The Killer in the Snow can be found on the My Weekly website in a short while.

The Killer in the Snow is a fast paced narrative with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing from start to finish as DI James Walker find himself under pressure personally and professionally. Perfect for Christmas reading, this isn't a cosy crime!

Psychological thrillers and crime stories with more twists and turns than a maze are great but sometimes you just want to read a good solid police procedural. In that case you will really enjoy this book, the second in the series. I loved that the main character is happily married and has a good relationship with both his superiors and those officers under his command. This may be book 2 but it can easily be read as a stand alone. In fact the author manages to reference the previous case just enough to whet your appetite without giving anything away.

A very interesting read. You hear about these types of crimes on real crime shows. Things seem very coincidental, but they really aren’t. There were a few points where I could guess what was going to happen next, but there was enough of a storyline to keep the reader interested.
I liked the characters and felt the story was believable. I’m not sure I’ll be popping up there any time soon.

The Killer in the Snow will keep you turning the pages to solve this murder. Not only a family that turns up murdered but also a cold case with similar details. Add into this a criminal that wants revenge. Lots of irons in the fire, plus a lack of witinesses.

DI James Walker Series #2

A year has passed since DI James Walker cracked his biggest case yet, and he's hoping for peace and quiet this festive season. But across the fells, a local farmer returns home on Christmas Eve to find footsteps in the fresh snow that lead down to his unused basement - and no footsteps leading away. Days later, his body is found, alongside his wife and daughter.

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.

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 would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #AlexPine for my ARC of #TheKillerInTheSnow in exchange for an honest review.

DI James Walker returns to investigate an apparent murder suicide, but is all as it first appears?
There are many twists and turns in this story and it makes for an intriguing, enjoyable read.
The characters have depth and are personable in their nature , the writing is of a decent pace not too fast or slow. There are enough threads in the book to keep the readers interest , and kept me guessing until near to the end.
An enjoyable read , sit back with a mug of hot chocolate and spend the time wallowing in the snowy depths of Cumbria, you’ll not regret it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

Detective James Walker is returning to work after the Christmas break and is hoping for a quiet start to the new year. Unfortunately the discovery of three bodies at a remote farm not far from his home village in the Lake District.

An apparent murder suicide the case seems open and shut. However, things are not as they seem and there are links to deaths at the same location 20+ years ago.

I enjoyed this book and found it easy to read. It was good to return to the setting after the first instalment and revisit some old characters. I wasn’t as shocked by the ending as I have been with other thrillers but an engaging read nonetheless.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author of this book.
On a remote farm, the bodies of 3 family members are found and DI James Walker is going to try and find out who did it. It's not going to be easy because there are plenty of suspects.

Thank you to @avon for the advance copy of this! This arc was sent to me in exchange for an honest review of the book.

I read the first in the series last Christmas so was looking forward to another instalment of DI Walker.

I thought this book was a bit of a slow burn. The action happened in the first few chapters, then what followed was the police investigation, then eventually it all solving in the end. The chapters were all short which helped with the tension.

When the reveals came at the end, I’d guessed 2 out of the 3, but that didn’t make them any less shocking. I was going to give this four stars but the ending just fell flat for me. I know they’d wrapped everything up, but the ending was just flat. There was no door left open for a potential sequel, it just ended!

Apparently this is the second instalment in the Detective James Walker series who lives with his pregnant wife, Annie, in Kirkby Abbey, Cumbria after moving from London when his life was threatened. I had not read the first book in the series but it mattered not..

This murder mystery book revolves around the bloody deaths of a husband, wife, and daughter on their remote Cumbrian farm over Christmas. DI Walker sets about unravelling the case with many twists all written in, what I call, an uncomplicated way. A really satisfying read with many characters/red herrings.

I would have liked a little more personal background on James and his wife, and a little humour (gallows?) would have been welcome but overall these did not reduce the stars from five.

Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books UK for the chance to read and review.

The second in a series, again set against a snowy, Christmas backdrop. DI James Walker and his now pregnant wife have moved to a northern village to escape a gangland criminal in a minor subplot. For the second year running Christmas has been ruined not this time by a serial killer but potentially by a spree killer. A second family has been wiped out in the same isolated farmhouse twenty years later but it is not clear whether this is suicide/murder or just murder. Suspects aplenty and there a a baby has been missing for twenty years... a little too slow paced for me but an enjoyable read nevertheless

So I stupidly requested this book not realising it was part of a series.

I brought the first book and ended up dnf-ing it so I don't think I'll be giving this one a go. I just didn't get on with the writing style and the pace of the book.

Sorry!!! This is my own fault so I've given it 3 stars.

Robert Bateman has a quick drink in the pub on Christmas Eve, buys a couple of bottles of wine and heads home to celebrate the last Christmas at the farm where he lives with his wife. His daughter and her partner will be joining them. However on his return home he sees footprints leading to the cellar and hears glass smashing in the kitchen.
A couple of days later after spending a peaceful Christmas DI Walker is contacted with news of three deaths at the farm. His detective work links this case with a previous case of a suspected murder/suicide at the farm 24 years previous. He and his team have to pick through all the evidence to come to a shocking conclusion. And at the same time he's faced with the discovery that the mob killer Sullivan is still on his tail.
A refreshing detective series in that the main protagonist is a happily married man with good work/play ethics which seem to be lacking in a lot of detective series. This book is a standalone from the first novel The Christmas Killer but just as enjoyable
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review