Unfortunately, I did not finish this one. I tried twice and, though I got a bit further the second time, it was still kind of dull for me. I just needed more to happen in the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I really enjoyed this book, though I wish I had read the previous books in the series first to allow me to fully understand some of the references. That said, a good read that had me hooked!

The Winter Killer is the third in a series on DI James Walker, a detective in Cumbria. I read this as a standalone, and had no trouble keeping up with everything. The author had a guide tp the characters at the front of the book, which is always a helpful feature in a series.

There is a wedding at a fancy hotel and one of the detectives in the series is there as a guest. The bride's sister disappears just before she is meant to give a speech and is later found dead. All the guests are sequestered so that DI Walker and his team can question them. It turns out there is no shortage of suspects, and I was proud I did guess the killer a little before the reveal.

This book reminds me so much of the Midsomer Murder mystery series, that still plays on various English-related channels. And I mean that as a compliment. It had the cute setting, the English detectives, a twisty murder, and numerous dodgy suspects. This book is a cozy mystery, nothing too graphic or gory. For me, because I prefer my mysteries a bit more giritty, it was a 3.5 read, but I am rounding up to 4 because I thought it was an entertaining cozy for those who prefer that genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Alex Pine, and Poison Pen Press for allowing me to read this ARC in eschange for an honest review.

This book was really difficult to get into. A murder at a secluded wedding weekend. Disappointed as I usually super love this author and everything they put out. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A crime mystery set during Christmas. It was rather slow and I did not realise it was part of a series and I could not finish it.

This was such a good read! Spooky Christmas vibes yes please. Easily a Halloween or Christmas read. I mean anytime is good really.

Alex Pine's winter themed suspense mysteries are starting to grow on me. Cold blooded killers were a recurring theme in book 1 & 2 but book 3 is slightly different. There was no hint of serial killing but a more domestic case than what the description had me believe. Nonetheless this was an enjoyable book almost like a cozy mystery but with much more malice! The plot was interesting right from the start to the end. The middle was only a slight bit dragging but DI Walker with his team sure did see the case to the end. I like how we get glimpses of Walker's personal life with every book & it would be interesting to see what the next installment has in store for the Cumbrian detective and his team!

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture & Alex Pine for an arc!

I have read the previous two books in the DI James Walker series and have not been disappointed.
Christmas has gone, and James is happy that nothing significant has happened like the previous two years he has been a DI in Cumbria.

New Year’s Eve night and his quietness is turned upside down when a person goes missing from a wedding.
The scene is typical of the previous books' lots of snow, which is a hindrance when looking for clues and bodies.

For some reason this book didn’t hit the same as the previous two did, don’t get me wrong, it was still good. I liked the progression of James’s life; his baby daughter was born and his work too.

This was fast-paced with twists. I did not guess who had done it. I never do. The author is good at keeping your mind ticking until the very end.
You could read this as a standalone, however, reading the books in order will help you get to know James much better.

In Alex Pine’s The Winter Killer, the third installment in the DCI James Walker crime thriller series, this cold crime story is bone-cold chilling and will give you goosebumps. It’s winter and almost midnight on New Year’s Eve. when it would’ve been the perfect wedding for Libby Elliott and Greg Murphy in the Fells. But during the reception, Libby’s sister Rachel is missing. When they search for her body, DCI Walker leads his team to look for Rachel and discover her deceased in the frozen lake. Then it was up to him and DS Jessica Abbott to investigate the wedding party and to dig into her life. While they sifted through the truth through the lies like fine gold, they needed a motive and the true culprit on who wanted her dead and why. The closer they dig to the truth, the surprising confession will leave you breathless in the end with a shocking whodunit moment.

This compelling crime thriller is a nail-biter and will leave you at the edge of your seat. I’m fond of James Walker, who’s a new father to baby Bella, and who might be up for promotion. But he worked hard to solve this complex crime by getting the job done. I like the winter season for the Fells and Cumbria, England, which were the perfect scenic settings for the dual locations. The theme of the story is revenge is a powerful motion in the heat of the moment.

I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love heart-stopping crime thrillers that have plenty of twisted turns, non-stop suspenseful dramatic action, and a gripping mystery to solve, the Winter Killer is on the must-have to be read list. This book is recommended for fans of love crime thriller authors like PD James, Deborah Crombie, and Heather Gudenkauf.

Another brilliant read. I absolutely love the characters and the plot kept me hooked from the first page.

Alex pines books are always thrilling and this one certainly didn’t disappoint! I look forward to his work being released every year and this is another fab one!

If you like your cosy Christmas reading with a side of murder, then this is the perfect book for you this winter. The third in the DI James Walker series, sees James once again investigating a murder during the Christmas season. Whilst this is part of a series and does make some reference to the other books, previous knowledge isn't necessary to read this novel. In this chilling crime thriller, the bloody murder occurs of a young woman at her sister's wedding on the shores of one of Cumbria's plushest hotels. It seems the maid of honour had upset quite a few guests and the suspects are multiple. Someone at the wedding wanted her dead. But who? And why?

Thoroughly enjoyed the The Winter Killer, but wish I'd read the previous two books first so that I could follow the story of DI James Walker.
I will endeavour to go back and read them as this may clarify a few missing links for me in The Winter Killer. With a murder to solve, many lies to decipher and plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested this was an easy book to read.

I like the softer side to James’ character as he became a Father and it was good to travel around the outskirts of Kirkby Abbey and into the beautiful area of Lake Windermere.

A great read, but need to go back to the beginning and read The Christmas Killer and The Killer in the snow. Be just in time to read the fourth book The Night Before Christmas then

Another fantastic read by Alex pine and can not wait for the 4th book to come out. Absolutely love this series

The third in the series. Great crime read. I did prefer the other ones but still enjoyable to read. Looking forward to more in the series.

The Winter Killer is the third book of DI James Walker series. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series so far and this one was no exception as we have a murder, lies and so many twists and turns!
 
I really liked the softer side to James’ character in this book where he has become a Father and it was nice to travel outside of Kirkby Abbey into the beautiful setting of Lake Windermere.
 
Now that James has a promotion I hope that this isn’t the end for the DI James Walker series!

My Top 5 things from this book:

•Next in the James Walker Series
•Lake Windermere Setting
•Twisty Story
•Deceptive Characters
•Police Procedural

Good story, but I will admit a few times I felt like giving up and not finishing as I found it didn't grab me as much as other stories I have been reading lately.

Third book in the series from Alex Pine and probably my least favourite, although still a great crime novel.

I felt the plot was slow and although there were plenty red herrings to throw you off...for me the reason behind whodunnit didn't pack enough of a punch in relation to time it took to get to the end.

The personal lives of the characters has been set up well for another book. For me it was all a bit too neat and tidy though.

The third in the D.I James Walker series
And another great read
A real page turner
Had me from page one to the last
Can’t wait for the next in the series
Thanks NetGalley

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Great cover!

This was a quick and entertaining read. Well written and paced. The mystery had plenty of twists and red herrings and kept me guessing until the very end. The characters (most of them) were all quite likable. The ending was wrapped up in a satisfying way. What more can you ask for? 😂

**ARC Via NetGalley**