Cold Reckoning

I read my first Russ Thomas book, Firewatching, at the end of last year and absolutely loved it. It was a book I’d had on my TBR list for a few months, and it was one of those I was annoyed with myself for leaving so long. Nighthawking was similarly excellent, so when I had the opportunity to read a proof of Cold Reckoning I snatched at the chance.

Let me tell you, Cold Reckoning is every bit as good as the first two, if not better. The way the auhtor has grown his character arcs over three books is nothing short of amazing. Having said that, he’s also managed to make each book readable as a standalone as well.

Checking in with DS Adam Tyler is like visiting an old friend. I was eager to find out what had happened since we left him in Nighthawking and this book carries on from that within a few days, so I didn’t feel like I’d missed anything.

Tyler is continuing to try and find out what actually happened to his father all those years ago, but keeps butting up against brick walls. When he’s assigned to the case of a body in a frozen lake, he considers it just another case. Except the body is linked to a cold case from 2002 and when Tyler starts digging he discovers his father was looking into the same case when he died. He is sure there is a link, he just has to find it.

I felt the pacing and tension throughout the book were spot on and I know page-turner is an over-used word, but this really was. I found myself whispering, ‘just one more chapter’ frequently because I had to find out what happened next.

To say I can’t wait for book four is an understatement!