DI Barton is back in this 4th instalment. A prisoner dies of what appears natural causes in prison, but has to be investigated. But the prisoners wife is nowhere to be found when Barton arrives to deliver the news and the house appears to be burgled and set on fire. Meanwhile, a top dog in prison is knocked off his perch by new inmates and is put in the vulnerable prisoners unit. A group from the vulnerable prisoners unit are released and then someone starts to kill them. Barton is against the clock to find the culprit.
A really enjoyable book, like the rest of the series. It can be read as a standalone as well.

First of all thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this amazing ARC I was enjoyed reading it

DI Barton investigates the death of an inmate, only to discover that everyone he wants to talk to has vanished. His investigation takes him through a series of murders back to the prison where he started his investigation. There's a violent killer on the loose, who wants everyone to learn it's hard to live when you deserve to die. found.

I really enjoyed reading this book. This is my first time reading something by Ross Greenwood, and it definitely won't be the last. It's already on my list to read the first 3 books and also the rest of them after this one. The writing, the story, the characters, and the details. They are incredible. DC Barton is an amazing character, and for sure, you will want to have a person like him in your life.

Holy smoke….please tell me there is going to be another book! From start to finish this book is the bomb and well worth the wait.

I have devoured it in a day it has certainly kept me entertained while curled up on the sofa recovering from a throat infection. With an OMFG start, Ross Greenwood puts all of his personal prison experience into this story with a lot of it set in Peterborough prison. How I love a prison story!

The Cold Killer is another excellent edition to the DI Barton series and and the author has totally nailed it. The story alternates between The Cold Killer POV to DI Barton. Giving the reader and perfect mix of the investigation, Barton’s personal life and we get inside the mind of the killer.

I am not normally a fan of first person POV but this is definitely the authors stamp on this series. I love it. The Cold Killer is full of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. Oh and what a ending! I wasn’t expecting that.

I cannot recommend this book/series enough. Giving it all the stars.

Massive thank you to Rachel Gilby for a copy and for the blog tour invite

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy of The Cold Killer, the fourth novel to feature DI Barton of the Peterborough Police.

When an old man dies in prison DI Barton and his team are asked to investigate if it is natural or murder. They haven’t got too far when there is a fire at the man’s house and his wife disappears as do his confederates.

I enjoyed The Cold Killer, which is a well plotted novel with several twists. It is unusual in that spends as much time with the killer as it does with the investigators and takes the time to make him human. He is unidentified for much of the novel and he doesn’t discuss the murders, instead he describes prison life, his regrets and plans for the future. I found it interesting and I came to like him, the current him that is, not the violent brawler he once was.

I must admit that I allowed the author to lead me for much of the novel, but once I got back my critical faculties I could see where it was going, just slightly before the reveals. Of course it’s one thing to get a sense of direction, it’s another to anticipate the twists that finish it off. I loved the final twist, which I didn’t see coming and, I thought, finished the novel with a flourish.

I like DI Barton and the team, who have a good working relationship and a friendship outside the office. It is a pleasant change to read about a well oiled team with no in fighting or politics.

The Cold Killer is a good read that I can recommend.

A great detective story, set in Peterborough in the UK. The book is told from different perspectives, not all initially introduced, but as the book progresses you come to recognize who it is and the plot becomes clearer. Partly set in a prison and involving historical child abuse (though no graphic detail) the subject matter is at times gritty.
I liked the detectives, the main character is Barton, Lots of interesting details of personal lives of both the potential perpetrators and detective team which made for an interesting and realistic read.
As often with this type of book, there are twists in the plot . It is surprising and well written with well fleshed out characters. The plots and deduction are well thought out
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Fantastic addition to this great series, another gripping fast paced storyline. I devoured this in one sitting. If you haven't already then I definitely recommend this whole series

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "The Cold Killer" by Ross Greenwood.
The 4th instalment in the DI Barton series is basically a tale of revenge and very well plotted out - both by the villain and by the author.
When the person we only know as The Cold Killer was young, one of his best friends killed himself and subsequently exposed a terrible family secret.
Now, years later, three men - one of whom is the father of that young boy - are about to be released from prison for their various, unspeakable crimes; but one of them does not make it out, dead in his cell from either natural or (probably) unnatural causes. And that's when DI Barton and his team begin the investigation.
Alternating chapters between the investigation and the acts of The Cold Killer, we witness how the two remaining criminals, as well as one all-too-willing accomplice, are brought down - tortured and/or killed. (One memorable conversation between investigators: "We've found a foot." "Who's Affoot?" "No, sir, a foot").
We, the reader, as well as the investigators, really don't have a clue who The Cold Killer actually is, but in the highly charged finale, all becomes clear.
This is the third of the series that I have read (I missed one, but I'm going to make up for that soon), and I highly recommend them.

An unusual take for a thriller with commentary from the killer and the policeman. Big twist but not a good enough story to hold my interest.

DI Barton is back. A prisoner is dead while in prison, is it murder or not? The case spirals on brining in child abuse and multiple murders. And Barton also has a sick mom at home.
Engaging read
I was given a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

DI Barton and his team are back. In this 4th outing for the detective, he must investigate the worst of the worst. When an elderly inmate is found dead in his cell the prison is obligated to investigate, so Barton is sent in to interview the inmates. Ultimately it's found the inmate died of natural causes. Case closed. But it's not that simple. The inmate's house is burgled, a fire follows and his widow disappears. What's going on? Has Barton made a horrible mistake? Is someone meting out their own brand of justice? This is an excellent police procedural. I'm a huge fan of this series and highly recommend it.

I am back in Peterborough with DI Barton and his team. Another killer is on the loose. Hooked from the first to the last page. This author certainly knows how to tell a story. He grabs you by the throat and does not let you go until you have turned the last page. I loved the plot and with an explosive ending I never saw coming. Plenty of twists and turns and, heart stopping moments and packed to the rafters with tension and suspense. This series keeps going from strength to strength and The Cold Killer is my favourite in the series so far. Another fantastic five star read from this very talented author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Easy read that captures your attention from the start. The characters are REAL and their motivations are clear with different narrators which gives you an inside look at the story with a unique perspective. Despite the fact that this is book 4 I could follow the story easily and didn't feel like I had missed something important. I liked the people in this book, even the bad ones! good character descriptions with believable details and actions with a nice little hopeful nugget at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review. Final note, RECOMMEND! Good read, I'll be going back to the start!

A good story, well told. Keeps you guessing to the end. I found the prison scenes very atmospheric. This is the only book in the series I have read. It works as a stand alone. I would certainly read the others.

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.

The Cold Killer is the latest book in Ross Greenwood's D.I. Barton series, which has very quickly become established and popular with crime thriller aficionados.

As usual there's plenty of cringe-worthy violence and the book kicks off a bit of gory mutilation by way of an entree, followed closely by a lovingly constructed description of an elderly prisoner being suffocated in Peterborough Prison.
Any death in a prison has to be investigated and Barton and his crew are tasked with interviewing those who might wish the deceased ill,given the nature of his offences that's most of the prison but is narrowed down to the baddest of the bad. Not finding any proof or motive of any crime the investigation is wrapped up only for the man's house to be burgled , a fire started and his widow to disappear .
As Barton tries to find the woman, people associated with her late husband start to disappear and meet grisly ends. Barton comes to realise that the answers he seeks lie in Peterborough Prison and his original investigation..

This series goes from strength to strength and Barton fans will be happy with this latest instalment. There are quite a few twists, some of them stretch credulity more than a bit but as always the story is extremely entertaining. Despite being part of a series the book works fine as a standalone.

I haven’t read the others in the series and this did seem to manage ok as a stand alone but I do often wonder if authors flag a little part way through writing a number of books using one main character. . DI Barton is a great lead and I can imagine some of the other books might have been better. This one just wasn’t for me.

Another good DI Barton thriller. The beginning of the book was slow and felt disjointed. After about 20% of the way the course was corrected and the ride enjoyable. The suspense could be guessed as the author was trying to prolong it for too long.

Another great addition to the series, a big chunk of the book is set in Peterborough Prison, a prison that the author knows well, from working there. This makes for a believable and realistic read which is fast-paced, compelling and although it deals with disturbing crimes there is also humor. I love the main character DI John Barton who can be tough but also has a soft side, especially where his family is concerned and also when he has to give bad news to victims next of kin. This book deals with the aftermath of historic pedophilia and starts with the death of a prisoner who has served his sentence on the special wing for people who commit such heinous crimes. This is just the start of a series of attacks and although some may think they are getting true justice Barton is tasked with finding the perpetrator. The author deals sensitively with the nature of the crimes with little detail to what actually happened to the children involved.
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Another fabulous book from Ross Greenwood, definitely one of those authors I go to without hesitation. I love the character of DI Barton and always find Ross presents a wonderful portrayal of characters who assist in building an intense story that takes you in from the first page and does not let up until the last. If you have not read any of this authors books you need to, you will not be disappointed. Now all I have to do is be patient until the next instalment. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the book in exchange for an honest review.

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.