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karlyo83's review against another edition
5.0
This is the fourth book in the DI Barton series and I have been really looking forward to it. I really like the style of these books and how the author gives chapters to various character's. We always hear from the killer and DI Barton but in this book we heard from a couple of other perspectives which I quite enjoyed.
The Cold Killer has you questioning whether you are going for the good guys or the bad guys, there are some questionable people getting killed and you, like me, might find yourself going, well they did deserve what they had coming. But justice is justice and the police have a job to do, so Detective Inspector Barton and his team are tasked with an impossible feat of finding a killer amongst criminals, in a prison.
I enjoy the fact that you get some background on each of the characters, including the killer. It is good to hear a bit from Barton's family and find out what is going on, the references back to the older books is always good too because for those of us that have been reading along from the start I like those tie ins I think they make a difference.
For me there was a little bit of confusion and I got a little lost with the story in a couple of sections and I almost rated down one star. However, how could I this story grabbed me and entertained me and I really did love it so how could I give it anything other than 5 stars. I am going to blame tired eyes from reading too late into the night on my confusion.
No spoilers from me, do yourself a favour and go back and read them all if you haven't already this is a really great series and this book is an excellent edition to it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Author - Ross Greenwood and Boldwood Books for an advance copy for an honest review.
The Cold Killer has you questioning whether you are going for the good guys or the bad guys, there are some questionable people getting killed and you, like me, might find yourself going, well they did deserve what they had coming. But justice is justice and the police have a job to do, so Detective Inspector Barton and his team are tasked with an impossible feat of finding a killer amongst criminals, in a prison.
I enjoy the fact that you get some background on each of the characters, including the killer. It is good to hear a bit from Barton's family and find out what is going on, the references back to the older books is always good too because for those of us that have been reading along from the start I like those tie ins I think they make a difference.
For me there was a little bit of confusion and I got a little lost with the story in a couple of sections and I almost rated down one star. However, how could I this story grabbed me and entertained me and I really did love it so how could I give it anything other than 5 stars. I am going to blame tired eyes from reading too late into the night on my confusion.
No spoilers from me, do yourself a favour and go back and read them all if you haven't already this is a really great series and this book is an excellent edition to it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Author - Ross Greenwood and Boldwood Books for an advance copy for an honest review.
namitakhanna's review against another edition
4.0
A prisoner dies in prison and DI Barton is back with his team to investigate the death. At first it seems like the prisoner died of natural causes but when more bodies start piling up the Barton knows there is a killer at loose going undetected.
The Cold Killer is the fourth book in this gritty police procedural DI Barton series. A gripping story with lots of twists and turns, it's a great addition to the series .. Looking forward to reading the next one
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group , Netgalley & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
The Cold Killer is the fourth book in this gritty police procedural DI Barton series. A gripping story with lots of twists and turns, it's a great addition to the series .. Looking forward to reading the next one
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group , Netgalley & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
pippad's review against another edition
5.0
Just when you think that it can't get worse, an inmate is found dead in his cell and Barton has to investigate and speak to those on the wing to find out if it was MURDER or just you know his time to die.
Then the dead guys house is burgled, and there's a fire and his widow is missing...
Soon everyone that Barton wants to talk to is missing and thanks to some rather brutal murders Barton realises that he needs to go back to the start because sometimes people think that some people deserve to die (and to be fair for some of the people in this story I feel that they may be right) and if he isn't careful Barton may be a victim too.
Then the dead guys house is burgled, and there's a fire and his widow is missing...
Soon everyone that Barton wants to talk to is missing and thanks to some rather brutal murders Barton realises that he needs to go back to the start because sometimes people think that some people deserve to die (and to be fair for some of the people in this story I feel that they may be right) and if he isn't careful Barton may be a victim too.
bookswithemily's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! It was so gripping and fast paced. I have not read any of the other books from the series but I definitely want to now. This thriller really kept me on the edge.
The plot was very unique and I thought gave the reader a good perspective on prison and prison leavers. The point that made me think was the fact prisoners are released into society but some have no support or housing so have to live homeless and this gives a higher chance to reoffend. It really highlights this point to the reader. I loved the beginning when DI Barton and his team conduct interviews with the prisoners, this gave the reader an insight each prisoner. This also gave the reader a good chance to think about suspects.
I thought the first chapter, which was spoken in the perspective of a prisoner, was amazing at drawing the reader in. It left the reader wondering who this prisoner was and what impact they are going to have on the story. The chapters alternated between chapters in the perspective of the unknown prisoner and DI Barton. I enjoyed reading both chapters!
This book kept me guessing and kept me thoroughly entertained. I could talk about this book for a while because of how detailed it was, but I don’t want to spoil anything.
The plot was very unique and I thought gave the reader a good perspective on prison and prison leavers. The point that made me think was the fact prisoners are released into society but some have no support or housing so have to live homeless and this gives a higher chance to reoffend. It really highlights this point to the reader. I loved the beginning when DI Barton and his team conduct interviews with the prisoners, this gave the reader an insight each prisoner. This also gave the reader a good chance to think about suspects.
I thought the first chapter, which was spoken in the perspective of a prisoner, was amazing at drawing the reader in. It left the reader wondering who this prisoner was and what impact they are going to have on the story. The chapters alternated between chapters in the perspective of the unknown prisoner and DI Barton. I enjoyed reading both chapters!
This book kept me guessing and kept me thoroughly entertained. I could talk about this book for a while because of how detailed it was, but I don’t want to spoil anything.
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
charlotte_hampson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rainbowsick's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jo85_booklover's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.75
achoward's review against another edition
5.0
Nothing starts a book off right like having someone getting their arm chainsawed off by a career criminal. Amazingly enough, it turns out to be self-defense.
That pulls us into the story. But it is not quick to action, at least for DI Barton. Instead, we pop into the POV of a prisoner, and how he has always been top dog in prison, but he's older now, slower, and can't take down the prisoners who attack him in his cell (which he shares with the career criminal's son). This takes up a good part of the beginning, since this is where the prisoner is getting to the area of the prison where the child molesters are. There, he discovers that the father of his best friend is in the same block. His best friend committed suicide in front of this prisoner and the career criminal above, as his father had moved on from abusing him to abusing his younger brother. He figures justice needs a little help, since the man was going to be released soon (as were a few others on the block, including the POV prisoner) so he smothers the old man in his cell.
Now Barton makes an appearance, as any unexplained death in the prison has to be investigated. From the looks of it, it's just old age. Barton and one of his team members, Strange, interview the 60 or so inmates on the block, looking for a possible killer. They're all creepy in their own way, but none seem like killers. The autopsy reveals some things that may be consistent with suffocation, but then again, may not be. Result: inconclusive, leaving Barton to figure it out.
Then one of the released pedophiles is found dead, and Barton believes it's all connected, so his team starts digging. Are they being targeted? If so, by whom,and why, other than they're all scumbag deviants?
It's a good investigation, and flows along smoothly, with occasional scenes from Barton's home. His mother has dementia, with moments of clarity, but he and his wife and kids are happy to be able to spend whatever time she has left with her.
As the story moves toward its end, the bodies are piling up, and strangely, the prisoner who killed the old man in prison turns out to be a bit of a sympathetic character. the pedophiles, not so much.
There aren't any real draggy parts in the middle/guts of the investigation. I've not read any other books in the series, and that made keeping track of all the people on Barton's team a little difficult. Additionally, they have a shared history that would have been helpful to know about before going into this book, but it can be read as a standalone.
Generally, I'm not a fan of mysteries where there aren't enough clues for the reader to determine who the murderer is, but the mystery is so complex here, and the story well told, so that issue is offset for me.
Four and a half stars out of five, rounded up to five.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the reading copy.
That pulls us into the story. But it is not quick to action, at least for DI Barton. Instead, we pop into the POV of a prisoner, and how he has always been top dog in prison, but he's older now, slower, and can't take down the prisoners who attack him in his cell (which he shares with the career criminal's son). This takes up a good part of the beginning, since this is where the prisoner is getting to the area of the prison where the child molesters are. There, he discovers that the father of his best friend is in the same block. His best friend committed suicide in front of this prisoner and the career criminal above, as his father had moved on from abusing him to abusing his younger brother. He figures justice needs a little help, since the man was going to be released soon (as were a few others on the block, including the POV prisoner) so he smothers the old man in his cell.
Now Barton makes an appearance, as any unexplained death in the prison has to be investigated. From the looks of it, it's just old age. Barton and one of his team members, Strange, interview the 60 or so inmates on the block, looking for a possible killer. They're all creepy in their own way, but none seem like killers. The autopsy reveals some things that may be consistent with suffocation, but then again, may not be. Result: inconclusive, leaving Barton to figure it out.
Then one of the released pedophiles is found dead, and Barton believes it's all connected, so his team starts digging. Are they being targeted? If so, by whom,and why, other than they're all scumbag deviants?
It's a good investigation, and flows along smoothly, with occasional scenes from Barton's home. His mother has dementia, with moments of clarity, but he and his wife and kids are happy to be able to spend whatever time she has left with her.
As the story moves toward its end, the bodies are piling up, and strangely, the prisoner who killed the old man in prison turns out to be a bit of a sympathetic character. the pedophiles, not so much.
There aren't any real draggy parts in the middle/guts of the investigation. I've not read any other books in the series, and that made keeping track of all the people on Barton's team a little difficult. Additionally, they have a shared history that would have been helpful to know about before going into this book, but it can be read as a standalone.
Generally, I'm not a fan of mysteries where there aren't enough clues for the reader to determine who the murderer is, but the mystery is so complex here, and the story well told, so that issue is offset for me.
Four and a half stars out of five, rounded up to five.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the reading copy.