Cover Image: Cold Reckoning

Cold Reckoning

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Member Reviews

This book was everything I hoped it would it be.
I was hooked quickly and completely unwilling to put this down. I devoured this book in just one sitting. I have no regrets and can’t wait to read more by this author.

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This is the third book in a series. This book is well plotted and plenty of twists and turns. The storyline is so interesting and kept me entertained. An excellent gripping thriller/ police procedural.

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Holy wow! #RussThomas has spun a story of murder, intrigue, double crossing and family. I have to admit I've developed quite a soft spot for DS Adam Tyler. He's flawed and tries to hide it but knows he's doing a terrible job. Like with Thomas' previous book, #Nighthawking (also highly recommended), #ColdReckoning leaves us on a cliff hanger and honestly, I'm okay with that. I just hope he's already writing whatever happens next.

Thanks to @simonandschuster
UK and @netgalley for the free e-ARC in return for an unbiased review.

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This is the third outing for Russ Thomas’ DS Adam Tyler in the next Sheffield story.

This book is an amazing read and a must buy for anyone who likes a crime novel on the gritty scale.

I must admit, after an amazing debut and a not as good second book I was nervous about the third book and boy, was I wrong!

Adam Tyler is a sometimes hard-to-like flawed individual but manages to entice and entertain leaving us eagerly waiting for the next instalment.

As with the genre, DS Tyler is flawed but this is not a tick box exercise of writing. Although our protagonist is gay this is not his defining feature. This is refreshing as any of us in the LGBTQIA community are not defined by what makes us different.

The mystery around Adam’s father’s death continues helping with the round out the story. A body has been found in a Sheffield beauty spot linking to an historic crime. The complex mystery entertains and hooks the reader into the wanting more and more is delivered in spades.

This book is recommended to anyone who enjoys books by Val McDermid and Ian Rankin.

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Having read the earlier two books in the series, I was very much looking forward to picking up this latest outing for DS Adam Tyler. This really is a must read series for me and fans of the earlier books will find much to enjoy here.

The crime discovered at the start of the book is that of the murder of a male, whose frozen body is found at a local reservoir. The overarching story of the death of Adam's father Richard, and the conspiracy he was trying to uncover also take more of a centre stage in this book I felt. For me, this was intriguing and very much enjoyable as we edge closer to finding out what is going on. It might make it challenging to anyone just picking this book up and looking for something to read as a standalone though.

We see a little bit more about our main characters and get to know them a little better, as they each start to get to know each other better. Being based nearby the Sheffield setting is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse with this series, as its fun to see local places and landmarks included, but then it also makes some of the plot developments seem a little hard to swallow. I was willing to buy it though, and became immersed in the book so I think that's a testament to Thomas' writing.

I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

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The third in the Adam Tyler investigation and it is the strongest yet - which is saying something as I love this series.

The mystery - and its unravelling - demonstrate Russ Thomas's skill and growing confidence as a writer. Can't wait for the next one in the series.

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This series is quickly becoming one of my favourites. The way Russ Thomas has taken the classic detective novel and given it a revamp is amazing. One of the main features of these books that I love is that there is a wide variety of lgbtqia+ characters, however, it is done in a way that isn't stereotypical and doesn't make it their main personality which is something really refreshing to read. As well Thomas is one of the very few crime novelists that doesn't bore me with the stories that they create, all are incredibly readable and make me want to continue on with the series. Especially with the cliffhangers, which was once again a major part of my enjoyment of this novel and makes me want to immediately get my hands on the next instalment! I can not wait!

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Thank you Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.
Wow, wow and wow again - a definitely 5/5 and the best in the series so far.
This is the third instalment in the DS Adam Tyler series and definitely the best.
It follows on from the previous two books and I would defintely recommend the first two are read before this one.
It deals with DS Tyler's father's death as well as a body is found in a frozen lake which is linked to a cold case.
I highly recommend reading this, but do read the other two first.

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A very welcome addition to the Adam Tyler books. This is the third in the series, and I feel they should be read in order as this cycles us back to the death of Adam's father which was an important part of the other two books and in doing so takes us through a rollercoaster ride of corruption at the highest levels, and it's affect on people lower down the pecking order.
It's been really interesting going on a journey with debut author Russ Thomas and feeling that he has now found his writing style and his readers have got to know the main characters, and as a result, I think this is the best of the three books. I did find the ending quite sudden and abrupt though, but I'm hoping it's leading on to book four.
Thank you to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an advance copy of this book

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This is the jam packed third addition to Russ Thomas's Sheffield based crime series featuring the gay police detective DS Adam Tyler of the Cold Case Unit, working with his colleague DC Mina Rabbini who takes a very dim view of being protected from danger by being left out of cases, Tyler and DI Jim Doggett have been looking into the cold case 'suicide' of Richard Tyler, Adam is convinced his police officer father was murdered. After the tragic death of police officer Guy Daley in the previous book, Tyler is feeling the heavy burden of guilt and he is deeply worried by the ominous disappearance of his godmother and mentor DCI Diane Jordan. Under the new ACC Laura Franklin, the police find themselves at a strange crime scene at a boathouse by the reservoir, with a frozen dead body from some years ago in the water and evidence of a more recent fatal shooting, but the victim is missing.

Young schoolgirl Edith Darke has learned to fade into the background, she is bullied at school and has the burden of looking after her mother Melanie with her deteriorating health. She is curious about who her father is, but her mother has not been inclined to give her any information about him. When she is out early morning near the reservoir, she hears gunshots, and when she sees a threatening and menacing man, she runs for her life. As the police start looking into a number of botched police cases from the past, including the 2002 death of a security guard at a steel factory robbery, old school villain, Joey McKenna once again gets in touch with Adam, Superintendent Roger Stevens goes missing, and Adam's long absent brother, Jude, come back into his life.

This is a stellar addition in Thomas's series, it is well plotted, with the intricate and complex threads skillfully connected together in the narrative. There is oodles of suspense and tension culminating in a thrilling finale in this riveting and engaging crime story with its wonderful cast of characters, it has me looking forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

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5/5

The book is the third instalment of the DS Adam Tyler series and it is by far the best one yet! Thank you so much Netgalley for approving me to review this!

The third book follows on from the previous two books and follows the investigation of the death of DS Adam Tyler’s father.

Along with this investigation, a body is found in a frozen lake. The body is linked to a cold case from 2002. As the book goes on, we learn that the body from 2002 is linked with the death of DS Tyler’s father.

I loved every second of this book and I would really recommend to everyone! It was so gripping and cleverly written.

Unlike some detective series, I would strongly suggest reading the other two books first as this book ties them all in together so well!

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Having loved the rest of this series, Russ Thomas is outdoing himself with this one. A true triumph in his story telling and characters that have been enjoyable to read and see become more and more developed throughout the 3 books. The narrative of this one is perfect and the plot is sublime. Russ Thomas now has me in his grips for all future instalments!!
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Thanks to Netgalley & Simon and Schuster for the ARC!!

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This is the third book in the Adam Tyler series, with Tyler alongside Rabbani and Doggett investigating a cold case uncovered alongside a more recent murder. The book picks up shortly after the previous book, Nighthawking ended with Tyler continuing to investigate his Father's death. This all makes for a tense and compelling read. The book is very well-plotted and whilst I really enjoyed the first two books, this one was even better with an engaging writing style and complex characters which are developing as the series progresses. I absolutely loved the book and can't wait to read the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Schuster for the opportunity to read this.

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Cold Reckoning is Russ Thomas’s best entry in the DS Adam Tyler series yet. It had me on the edge of my seat for the entire 464 pages, and the ending left me wanting so much more.

The book picks up pretty much immediately after the conclusion to Nighthawking and, since that was left on a rather large cliffhanger, I’m going to do my best to avoid spoilers here. Jordan is dead or missing, and Tyler is feverishly trying to find her, along with Doggett, as they both work to uncover a conspiracy within the force and beyond. All without anyone finding out. And then a cold case comes to light that might have links with their present investigation.

What I love most about reading a debut series is that you can watch a writer improve their craft in real time, and that’s what feels like has been happening across this one. Of course, I loved Firewatching and Nighthawking, but Cold Reckoning is, by far and away, the best of the books so far. The writing is more assured and the plotting is tighter. The book, really, is a bit more of a thriller than the previous two, but there’s still plenty of mystery to keep you intrigued.

And entirely intrigued I was. It’s one of those books that keeps you guessing. And it’s one that I was too engrossed in to even really try. Normally, I like to see if I can guess who was behind everything, but in this one, I was so into the book that I couldn’t take the time to think about it. (And, also, it’s one of those ones where the who is partially obvious, it’s the why that matters more.)

Genuinely, I don’t think I can understate just how much I like this series. It’s probably one of my favourite mystery series going around right now, and one that would definitely be a go-to rec for mysteries. I can only hope that there’ll be a book four because I so desperately need it.

So, really, if you consider yourself a fan of mysteries, then I would highly recommend not only this book but the entire series. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.

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This brilliant series just got even better! Russ Thomas is a fine writer, the characters are beautifully drawn and Sheffield makes the perfect backdrop. In addition to his work on cold cases Adam Tyler is determined to get to the truth about how his dad, also a cop, died. Much is revealed here and the story grips from the start. Wonderful!

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This is the third in the Adam Tyler series and welcomes back old favourites Doggett and Rabbani as well as a few new faces.
This series is best read in order as their is a continuos thread throughout the series that is best understood if followed form the beginning.
The body of a man found under frozen water in a boat bar is made even more mysterious by evidence of a much more recent shootingin the same shed but with no body.
As Tyler and his team try to find links between the more recent shooting and the cold case of the recently defrosted body we are taken on a web of intrigue that dives deep into corruption and leaves Tyler unsure who to trust.
This is an intense read with lots of intrigue, red herrings and heart racing moments.

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I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy of Cold Reckoning, the third novel to feature DS Adam Tyler of the Sheffield police.

Tyler, as he prefers to be known, has been secretly investigating the death of his father 16 years ago. The official verdict is suicide, he believes it was murder. Then he is asked to investigate a cold case from 2002 which he isn’t initially enthusiastic about until he discovers links to the last case his father investigated. With new impetus he digs deep and discovers a morass.

I enjoyed Cold Reckoning, which is an action packed read with more than a few twists, but first I would offer a word of caution. I joined the series at book 2 and got lost in many of the reference to prior events, but this was easier for me as I was more up to speed, therefore I would strongly recommend starting at the beginning and reading the novels in order because it’s all about the murkiness of Richard Tyler’s death as an ongoing thread.

This is a very busy novel so the reader needs their wits about them and their concentration dialled up. There are so many incidents that the novel doesn’t lack excitement, but it’s keeping up with the web of relationships and understanding who did what and why that requires close attention. I think I got it all, but maybe not as it doesn’t feel crystal clear in my mind. The bottom line is police corruption and all the dodgy dealings that involves. The novel answers some of the questions and identifies some of the players, but not all. This could leave room for more novels on the same subject or the author could leave it there as a reflection of the reality that not every criminal gets caught.

I don’t think the characterisation is particularly strong, but it doesn’t need to be as the plot is so strong. There’s Tyler who has one focus, catching his father’s killer and no obvious life outside of that. He’s smart but his people skills are lacking with anyone but the victims of crime. That doesn’t make sense although it is explained as him being one and can thus empathise. His partner is Mina and she’s the stereotypical woman who gets stroppy when excluded from discussions.

Cold Reckoning is good but tough read that I can recommend.

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This was a good read that is well written with a compelling storyline that is twisty and unpredictable and well developed characters all wrapped up in a good setting. I was gripped the whole way thorugh and I can';t wait to read more in this series, as well as more by the author.

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Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of Cold Reckoning. I love the writing of Russ Thomas and the story he has created over the 3 books he has written in the Adam Tyler series. Reading a series set in my hometown definitely adds to the visual that is created throughout,, We are following DS Adam tyler, a cold case detective as him and his team work together to solve crimes of both past and present.

I love how the books are linked and how points from Nighthawking are followed up in Cold Reckoning. The way the plot and the characters develop in this book have made it the best in the series and the way that this installment ended as made me more excited for what comes next.

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There is a nice opening to Cold Reckoning. Edith is out for some early morning exercise that takes her around a reservoir. At one point she sees a man. One look at his eyes tells her she should run and she does - he runs after her. So starts Cold Reckoning and it had me interested. It was edgy and tense.

Very shortly after that a body is found at the reservoir which appears to relate to a significantly earlier case. However that might not be the only mystery there. The book follows the developments of the case. As it is a "cold case" issue DS Tyler is involved with DC Rabbani. DI Jim Doggett is also involved in the case. In practice Tyler and Doggett have worked together on an investigation under the radar for some time. Has the time come to be a little more public about what they are looking at? Family issues are involved as one of the cases they are looking into is the suicide of Tyler's father - also a police officer - some years ago. Throw in the fact that there is a DCI missing and there is plenty of "story" available here.

The setting here was good and the pace and tension well worked. Coming to a series part way through can often be a challenge and I certainly would have liked to have read the earlier books. I'll probably do that as time goes by. The characters generally were good. I liked Tyler and I found Mina Rabbani very good too. I really liked Edith and her aspect of the story. Maybe some of the others lacked some depth but none were actually "bad". I did find the quite large cast of characters a little confusing initially but that might have been me or simply the fact that this was the 3rd book in the series.

There is no question that I found this more compelling as time went by. From the start there are some "transcripts of recordings" between a caller identified as ICER and other callers. These were intriguing though possibly not very convincing to me. Indeed my feelings about this book are rather divided. The story overall and some aspects of it particularly were good. Some parts I found rather stereotypical though. A real bugbear for me was the fact that all the story was in the present tense and written in the 3rd party. I've read other book like that but this one didn't quite carry it off for me. My feeling is that this is above a 3 star book but I'm not sure how far above that. In the end the story did get to me so I'm inclined to round this up.

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