The Christmas Killer (DI James Walker series, Book 1)

Alex Pine

Oct 2020 · DI James Walker series Book 1 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

The most chilling read of the Christmas season.

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?

The first in a new series, Alex Pine has written a dark, atmospheric crime novel, set in a snowed-in Cumbrian village, for fans of Val McDermid, Ross Greenwood and LJ Ross.

Ratings and reviews

DI James Walker and his wife have recently relocated to a small remote village. It's a big change from London, but they're both working on fitting in. There's not much crime here and Walker finds himself a little bored ... he's used to all the 'big' crime in London. But when someone from their past gets out of prison prematurely, they are threatened and in order to appease his wife, they leave, and don't bother with a change of address note. It's almost Christmas and Walker's thoughts are about decorating, buying presents, and his wife has invited his whole family to spend Christmas with them. Returning home after another long day, he finds an early Christmas on his front porch. What he finds when he opens the box, inside is a grisly surprise with a note attached. Think 12 days of Christmas ... promising a body for every day until Christmas. This was just the first. It's not too long before another body is found, buried in the snow. How many more bodies will be found before the killer is caught? Is this connected to the reason they left London? Is there somewhere in their new home town who has taken issue with him and/or his family? A new crime series is always welcome... especially when it begins with a lot of suspense that steadily increases until the very end. (No cliffhangers here). This is action packed and will keep you riveted from start to finish. The characters are solidly drawn lending credibility to the story. I look forward to more adventures of DI Walker. Many thanks to the author / Avon Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

D.I. James Walker, was expecting a quiet family Christmas, however his expectations were doomed to be destroyed. Arriving home from work whilst his wife, a primary school teacher, was helping out at the Nativity Play, he finds a present left on their doorstep addressed to Detective Walker. Needless to say it doesn't contain a present, it holds a dead partridge and a card informing him that there will be 12 murders committed over the 12 days of Christmas and each victim will deserve their death. James hopes it's a hoax but calls it in anyway...just as well, some hopes are doomed to disappointment. What a brilliant book, I am very pleased that this is the first in a series! I loved Alex Pine's style of writing and really took to his characters, he really kept me guessing right the way through. The setting, a snowbound small village in Cumbria, is perfect for a Christmas crime fest, definitely one to curl up with. Perfect!

About the author

Alex Pine was born and raised on a council estate in South London and left school at sixteen. Before long, he embarked on a career in journalism, which took him all over the world – many of the stories he covered were crime-related. Among his favourite hobbies are hiking and water-based activities, so he and his family have spent lots of holidays in the Lake District. He now lives with his wife on a marina close to the New Forest on the South Coast – providing him with the best of both worlds!