(DI James Walker Book Series, Book 1)
Synopsis:
As the snow begins to fall, the body count begins to
climb…
DI James Walker is ready for a quiet family Christmas in the
sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey.
But when he opens an early Christmas present left on his
doorstep, he soon realises it is no gift. Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a
promise – twelve days, twelve murders. Not long after, the first body is found,
half frozen in the snow.
As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote
Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims
to go, anyone could be next….
Can James stop the killer before they strike again?
Review:
Looks like 2025 is going to be the year of finding new
authors; recommended via Kindle, The Christmas Killer is the first in a series
of six books that follow Detective Inspector James Walker and is written by
Alex Pine. I have to say that my first impressions were very positive as I
began to swipe through the pages; I do enjoy a book that can hold my attention.
The book begins in London, but due to a threat on James and his family, they
relocate to the quaint village of Kirby Abbey in Cumbria; the perfect place for
a murder. I liked that the book was set at Christmas (as are all the books in
this series) and I did indeed read this just as 2025 was beginning, beside my
own Christmas tree.
I get the feeling that DI James Walker is a character that I
will grow to love as I continue through the six book series, similar to Steve
Cavanaugh’s Eddie Flynn and Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar. Having a likeable
main protaganist is a must when it comes to writing a book series; look how
popular Harry Potter became. However, he is not without fault, and a little
short-sighted when it comes to his own investigation. But like every good
detective, he does get to the truth at the end, although I did feel that too
many people came to a nasty end in the process.
There are a number of frequent characters as well as extras
that added to the story, with their own secrets and backstories. The red
herrings were cleverly thought out to try and throw you off the scent; however
I did guess who the killer was early on. I think that was down to the many
years of reading crime books, and watching crime programmes and the believe
that ‘the killer is someone who inserts themselves into the investigation’.
If you are looking for a fast paced, book full of action,
then you will be disappointed. The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine plods along
nicely; something we all do around the festive period. It is not a complicated
or confusing read with a beautiful snowy backdrop and adds to the jeopardy when
a snow storm threatens to cut off the village with a killer on the loose.
I’m looking forward to see how Alex Pine develops the
series, and what crimes he comes up with for DI James Walker to solve next and
how he incorporates Christmas in this. Beware, it might leave you envious of
the constant falling of snow during the festive period. Do you remember the
last time we had a white Christmas?
If you are looking to discover a new author, I would recommend Alex Pine.
Rating: 4 out of 5
What comes next in The DI James Walker series?
The Killer In The Snow
