Bitterfrost is a captivating thriller that dives in the world of small town politics, murder & mayhem. In this cold town of Bitterfrost, Jimmy Baker is a former hockey player that finds himself primary suspect in a double homicide. Simple enough to plead guilty or non guilty right? Not exactly when you have no memory or recollections of that night. With an already checkered past, people are quick to throw Jimmy under the bus and assume his guilt. With small town corruption front & center, how will Jimmy get out of this? Fast paced story, with easy to love main characters! I did not find a single dull moment in this novel & plan on reading more by this author.

Thank you Severn House and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

An gripping read that kept me hooked all the way through, I couldn't put it down. Pacing was perfect, it was full of suspense and tension and the twists kept me guessing

This book kept me interested the entire way through, the story was easy to keep up with and not so many characters that it got confusing. The twists just kept coming. Loved it

I became a rabid Bryan Gruley fan with the publishing of “Starvation Lake” fifteen years ago; Gruley followed that book with a couple of outstanding sequels that left me yearning for more —so much so that I even wrote to him begging for more. Although Mr. Gruley did author a new series (Bleak Harbor) he didn’t accede to my demands for more “Starvation Lake.” However, I am thrilled to announce that his latest story, entitled “Bitterfrost” may not only be the start of a new series but also may be his best work. “Bitterfrost” immerses the reader into small town, cold, and yes, “bitter” weather conditions of northern Michigan that reflect the harsh living conditions that swirls amongst hissignificant characters.
Mr. Gruley has a beautiful, lean writing style that reflects his Pulitzer Price writing efforts in his non-fiction life. Ah yes the plot: the protagonist is Jimmy Baker, a retired former minor league hockey player who was the dedicated “goon” on his teams. The goon’ role was to be the enforcer of physical punishment to opponents usually with hard hip checks followed by a fist fight on the ice. Retired from his hockey career and living a modest life as a Zamboni driver Baker is caught in the middle of a double murder mystery that may involve drugs, politics, and perhaps even the mob. The narrative, the characters, and the tone of “Bitterfrost” reminds me of a Midwest version of James Lee Burke.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read “Bitterfrost” and now I shall wait impatiently for the next chapter in what I hope will be how Mr. Gruley spends the next decade in his writer’s loft.

Bitterfrost, the first in a new mystery series by Edgar Award winner Bryan Gruley, is an uneven but memorable legal thriller set in Michigan’s harsh north country—about as far north as one can go before crossing to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Jimmy Baker—Bakes when he’s on the ice playing hockey—is a local legend. As a kid Jimmy played for the local hockey team, the Ice Kings, and later went on to play in the minors. As a professional hockey player Jimmy was a team enforcer, or a “goon,” tasked with intimidating opposing players with his fists. A role he did well, until he walked away from the game after sending an opponent to the hospital.

Now Jimmy works at Bitterfrost’s ice rink, where the Ice Kings play, driving the Zamboni, nicknamed Zelda, and trying to piece his life back together after a divorce. Everything changes for Jimmy when two strangers from down state—read that as Detroit—are beaten to death. One was found near Jimmy’s house and the other outside the ice rink where he works. Jimmy is the logical suspect since he had a run-in with the men at a local bar the night they were killed and everyone knows Jimmy is violent. Jimmy’s friend, Devyn Payne—whose mother owns the ice rink and the hockey team—takes Jimmy’s case. What she finds is a labyrinth of crime wreathing just beneath Bitterfrost’s placid looking surface.

Bitterfrost’s opening chapter is as close to brilliant as any you’ll read in popular fiction. It is atmospheric and claustrophobic as Jimmy awakens on his kitchen linoleum with no memory of the previous night. His knuckles are scraped, a bruise on his head, and a text on his phone he doesn’t remember sending. The narrative falters as additional characters are introduced, including the heroine, Devyn Payne, but recovers in the novel’s second half as all the pieces begin clicking into place. The small-town politics, especially the rivalry between the Paynes and a duplicitous bunch called the Dulaneys, are well crafted and impact the story just right. The bitter cold Michigan winter adds flavor, too. Bitterfrost is a tale you need to be patient with—there are a few contrived oh my God moments for the characters that are never shared with the reader—but the ultimate payoff is worth wading through the flaws.

This review will be published at darkcityunderground.blogspot.com & gravetapping.blogspot.com on Mar. 31, 2025.

Bitterfrost was my introduction to Bryan Gruley and to the frigid winter climate and topography of north Michigan and it left me craving more of both. Bryan Gruley has written a tight, pacey thriller with brilliantly drawn characters and wonderfully atmospheric descriptions of the small town community of Bitterfrost in which the action is set. The book is an enticing mix of small town life, murder mystery and legal drama which drew in this reader from page one. Recommended.

This was a really good book. I enjoyed it. Didn't take long to figure out who the killer was, but I still enjoyed it.

This was an engaging and masterful piece of writing .,overall it was a good book and an excellent addition to the genre
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher and the publisher for letting me review the book

Bitterfrost by Bryan Gruley is a gripping crime thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The suspense is masterfully crafted, making it a fast-paced read that’s nearly impossible to put down. I’m eagerly anticipating more captivating stories from Mr. Gruley!

This was a good story and I think you would probably enjoy it a lot more if you were a fan of hockey. Jimmy Baker (Bakes to his friends), drives a zamboni for a small town hockey team, he's a solitary sort of guy, keeps to himself, doesn't bother anyone and expects the same in return. Except one night he wakes up on the floor of his house with no memory of how he got there or why his truck has blood inside it. Detective Klimmek is the local police detective, he's called out to a scene where a body has been found, trying to identify it might be difficult as it appears most of the face has been obliterated. Not long after he gets another call, a truck has been found abandoned and the detective thinks it may be belong to the man found earlier. Jimmy used to be a hockey player, he used to be what was called a 'goon' someone who went on the ice with the sole purpose of beating another player up, and he did that one time and the player was severely injured and Jimmy quit hockey. Because of this history, Klimmek likes Jimmy for the murder and a number of items that appear to tie Jimmy to the murder, Jimmy is soon arrested and charged. He hires Devyn Payne a local lawyer to defend him and good thing he did, another body is soon found and Klimmek likes him for that one too. The story is told at a fairly quick pace, I really liked Devyn, she really cares about her clients and going the extra mile. Overall a good story and I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Severn House for the ARC

The small town setting is perfect when it comes to winter stories. This setting makes the whole book so much more creepy and thrilling. I loved it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by this author. Set in the town of Bitterfrost, a town named by the Finns when they came to America because of it's icy coldness lives Jimmy Baker. Baker is a former Ice Hockey Champion and had to retire 13 years earlier when during a game a attacked an opponent badly leaving him wheel chair bound. So now he is a ice resurfacer for the local ice rink in Bitterfrost and does not play anymore. One morning he wakes covered in blood and is quickly arrested for a gruesome double murder, which he cannot remember anything about. His friend, Devyn Payne, an attorney and the town's chief detective Garth Klimmek race to find the truth. This is a nailbiting read. A small town mystery and you can really feel the coldness, violence and power coming through the book. I enjoyed this book immensely.

I've chosen to read Bitterfrost by Bryan Gruley attracted by the cover, and the premise of a murder in a small isolated town during a snowstorm, but other than that I've also got a good story.

Jimmy Baker, the zamboni driver for the Bitterfrost hockey team, is accused of a gory murder. Unfortunately for his aggression as a previous hockey player and an alleged memory loss for the time of the crime, he seems the prefect culprit for Detective Garth Klimmek. Now Jimmy's only hope is his friend and attorney Devyn Payne, will she lodge a reasonable doubt in the jury and save him from jail?

Jimmy, has many flaws, but the acceptance of his destiny almost without any fought, and his love for his daughter show his inner good self.
Devyn is my favourite character, she doesn't give up on her friends and clients, seeking the truth at any cost, even putting her career and her life at risk.

The author writing, the fast pace, and the atmosphere brought the story to life. The investigation details sounded truthful and, discovery after discovery, I felt part of the story. Even if at some point the murderer seemed clear, I kept reading with bated breath because the intrigues and the web of deception still needed to be unveiled.

I liked how the last pages set up the next book, I look forward to seeing what the rest of the series has to offer.

I really enjoyed this book despite it being set in Michigan, a state which I know little about, and in the world of ice hockey, about which I have zero knowledge. I liked the way that the author didn't spoon-feed the reader with explanations; I had to look up UP and Zamboni for instance. One of the main characters is obsessed with the correct use of grammar and apostrophes, which chimed with me as I can be a bit of a pedant on these matters. This obsession even becomes an important plot point at one stage. There is a clever twist right at the end, which I'm not going to reveal but made me think again about the whole premise of the book. The last sentence also opens up the possibility for one of the major characters to be present in the next book in this series. I'm still puzzled by the relevance of Hardy's hair though! It's inspired me to look at other books by this author.

I read Bryan Gruley's Starvation Lake series in 2023 and loved it which shocked me because I am not a hockey fan and hockey plays a major theme in these books so when I saw that he had a new book coming out called Bitterfrost I immediately wanted to read it.

I enjoyed the two main characters, Jimmy Baker, an ex-NHL player that has anger issues, and his female friend, Devyn Payne, who is a lawyer and plays on the amateur hockey team in the town of Bitterfrost. Jimmy has returned to his hometown and is now the Zamboni driver for the rink. The plot is that two men are brutally killed and Jimmy is charged with their murders and his friend, Devyn is his defense attorney.

To be honest, I was disappointed in this book. It seemed to take so long to get to the meat of the story and by the time we actually got to it, my interest had waned. For me personally, the book was okay but I don't think the plotline is as crisp and sharp as his Starvation Lake series.

This was really good I look forward to reading more from this series. The characters were really likable and I liked the small town feel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Bitterfrost by Bryan Gruley The Bitterfrost series is off to a intense start, with a fast-paced, suspenseful crime legal thriller that blends small-town mystery, legal drama, and high-stakes crime thriller. Included is a detailed and vivid depiction of Michigan hockey culture. Will Devyn and Garth uncover the truth in time to save Jimmy Baker?

Thank you to Bryan Gruley, Severn House and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Solid first entry in the Bitterfrost series which introduces us to the new characters of Jimmy, who is accused of a double murder he can't remember being involved in, and his friend Devyn, a defense lawyer who takes his case trying to find out what really happened. Of course, because it's Gruley, hockey plays a big part in the story. The characters are interesting and give the book a homey feel that is customary with a Gruley book. The eventual details on the motive for the killings are a bit sketchy and don't fully explain why they happened, and the dialogue is a bit clunky at times, but overall, it's entertaining and keeps you engaged throughout. Not quite as good as his earlier books but a definite improvement over the last one. It appears that Gruley is returning to the form that hooked me in the first place. 3-3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first time I have been lucky enough to read anything by Bryan Gruley, it will certainly not be the last. I hope to see more of this set of characters as this makes a great start for a series.

Mr Gruley clearlys loves ice hockey and is a superb writer. A double murder in the frozen Michigan countryside in the town of Bitterfrost (great name) with a chief suspect, Jimmy Baker, who cannot remember the night in question. Baker is a former ice hockey player who appears to be suffering from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

Gruley writes extremely well and weaves a tale of substance and depth where the light of truth ends up revealing who/m is/are responsible for the double killing.

The characters are strong - Klimmek the police officer, Dervyn Payne - the tenacious defence attorney, Philip Hardy - father of one of those killed and many more.

This is a clever murder mystery that is well worthy of your time, I got to read this when there was snow outside in winter, it added to the brilliant atmosphere of the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

5/5 an excellent read.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview Bitterfrost.
This will be the first in a series. Police procedural written in the voice of a retired hockey player Jimmy. He’s had a rough life and now he drives a Zamboni for a local hockey franchise. He’s mostly a loner and gets by with his job and memories.
One night he goes to the local bar. He has his one drink. He wakes up the next morning and is covered in blood and has no idea what has happened. He does know he was in an argument at the bar but after that he recalls nothing. But one thing he does know is that something happened because not only is there blood but he has a black eye and his hand is bleeding and damaged.
The local police have discovered the bodies of several men and they are beaten to death. They have a case to solve and soon they arrive at Jimmy’s door.
Jimmy does not remember anything but he does know he is not going to admit to these murders. He believes he is innocent. He turns to his longtime friend who is a lawyer to help him and she is the only one who believes he is not guilty.
But this crime has the markings for a set up but only Jimmy can prove that. With no memory it is going to be hard and who would set him up for this crime.
He faces a maximum sentence and his life is on the line whatever is left of it anyway.
Good book. 3.5 stars