Read if you like: Holiday thrillers, multiple POVs, procedural cop dramas, autism disorder representation, short chapters

The Santa Killer is coming to town. One night less than two weeks before Christmas, a single mother is violently assaulted. It’s a brutal crime at the time of year when there should be goodwill to all. When DI Barton begins his investigation, he’s surprised to find the victim is a woman with nothing to hide and no reason for anyone to hurt her.

A few days later, the mother of the woman attacked rings the police station. Her granddaughter has drawn a shocking picture. It seems she was looking out of the window when her mother was attacked. When her grandmother asks the young girl who the person with the weapon is, she whispers two words. Bad Santa.

When I got this book I didn't realize it was apart of a series. I'm excited to see all of the books are on Kindle Unlimited and I will be reading the rest. It was easy to read even having not read the previous 5 books. It definitely kept me guessing. The characters were well done. The twists were good. I enjoyed it. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and Boldwood Books for the gifted ebook. ❤️

This DI Barton detective story is the perfect antithesis of the season of goodwill, set predominately in the festive season with echoes from the killer's past. It's a compelling noir crime novel with a sensitive exploration of grief, mental health and deprivation.

The festive setting accentuates the horror of the crimes. The balance of personal and professional lives of the investigative team is what makes this believable and page-turning. The characters are realistic, and you care what happens to them. There are numerous false leads and twists in the plot that builds its suspense slowly.

I like the DI Barton character, the vividly described settings and the clever plotting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Dark and grim, but so well-written! If you've really enjoyed reading about DI Barton and his team, you'll be disappointed to find out this is the last instalment in the series. If this is your first Ross Greenwood book, don't worry-it can be read as a standalone and you can always go back and read about the team's previous cases.
A single mother is brutally attacked practically on her doorstep, but the only witness, her young daughter, is on the autism spectrum and can only draw a picture and say two mysterious words -'Bad Santa'. When another woman is assaulted in a similar way and a local DJ receives an ominous letter saying that the Santa Killer is coming to town, the race to solve the mystery and find the attacker begins.
As this is another compelling page-turner from Ross Greenwood, expect lots of suspects and unpredictable twists and turns that will keep you reading into the small hours.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Santa Killer by Ross Greenwood. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing an ARC to review.

I had a lot of thoughts as I read The Santa Killer, and while not all of them were positive, it did make for a very invested read. First, I enjoyed that it was a mix of the scary serial killer and scary real-life people issues that surround you. While I enjoyed both aspects, the many antagonists did make for a very busy novel. I'm not sure if I enjoy how chock full of drama it was. I also had some problems warming up to DI Barton. He was competent as a detective, but often, I was taken out of the story when his family and friends' real lives popped into the narrative. It is a personal preference, but I tend to like a little less life story when it comes to my protagonists. I give The Santa Killer 3/5 stars. While not the best mystery, it still kept me invested to the end and provided several surprises.

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. Great characters, Awesome plot that keeps you guessing, and edge of your seat action. Look forward to more.

This is was my first book of the series and will most likely be my last. I originally requested it because it was a Christmas thriller, however it was very slow and not as dramatic as I was expecting it to be. Overall it was okay.

it's a dark and twisty story, one that surprised me with each turns. Well plotted and gripping, it's a good addition to this series.
It's bit slow at the beginning.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

bad santa is coming to town....

an autistic young girl witnesses her mother being attacked right on their doorstep, when the police come she draws a picture and eventually says bad santa

when the local radio station tells the police they have a note written by the santa killer saying hes coming to town burton and his team pull all their energies into finding the perp who is attacking women on their doorstep

an intriguing read as it has elements that i would be drawn to christmas and murderers....and there were many twists and turns with this one and i did wonder why after everything was sorted there was still more to read

this is the possibly the final book in this series thought the author does say at the end though some of the characters may turn up in next series hes planning on writing so i then understood why he carried on with the storyline as he did

he does have a way of drawing you into his stories and his characters were very lifelike and based on people that you possible know

This was my first introduction to the DI Barton series and whilst I haven’t read the previous five books in this series, the book is so well written that it is perfect to read as a stand alone book.

I loved Barton and his team and of course Barton’s ever patient Wife Holly who sounds just perfect. Obviously by the title you can guess that this book is set around Christmas but there are no cosy Christmas vibes here!

When a single mum is attacked on her very own doorstep, it is up to Barton and his team to find out who the culprit is, but then more attacks occur and the killer is sending notes and has dubbed himself as the “Santa Killer”

This is a book of delicious plot twists and turns as we delve deeper and deeper into the story, it is told from different POV’s which I feel added to the intrigue of who did it ad also delved into the mind of the killer.

It was a well written pacy read that I couldn’t wait to solve but have to admit I was a little sad to get to the end. I will definitely be reading the previous books in this series.

If you are already a fan of the DI Barton series then this is a definite must read for you. If like me you love crime thrillers with a touch of christmas thrown in then this book is right up your street.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in return for a free and honest review.

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

This crime thriller is the sixth in the DI Barton series set in Peterborough.

A woman is brutally attacked outside her home, she is still alive, but DI Barton is brought on to the case to investigate. With the team stretched tight he tries to find out what motive there could have been for the attack.

When someone else close to the victim also gets attacked, the motive seems clearer but then reports of seeing the perpetrator dressed as Santa makes the case a bit unusual.

With a possible other murderer making there way down the country DI Barton must work out if the cases are linked before his town becomes targeted.

Are the cases linked? Who is attacking these women?

I lam loving reading this series, and although I have only read three out of the six, I am keen to catch up on the ones I have missed. I just love how DI Barton is with his team and how he puts the extra effort in to make sure they are ok not only at work but in their personal lives too. He also takes time to take part in the investigation to show he will put in the extra work too as part of the team.

This part in the series has a lot of suspense as you try and work out who could be carrying out the attacks, as there are a few people it could be.

It also shows the limitations and struggles that the Police force are dealing with since Covid and other financial cuts, which I liked as it seemed more real rather than them having unlimited resources which just wouldn’t happen.

Overall, an amazing crime thriller where the perpetrator might be attacking woman dressed as Santa.

I saw this book advertised and the title and cover drew me in. However, I didn't finish it. It was slow for me. I tried skimming it even and just couldn't get into it.

In the lead up to Christmas a single mother was brutally attacked just outside her front door. Her 9 year old, mostly non-verbal, daughter witnessed the attack. But she did draw a picture and when her granny asked who it was she said “bad Santa”. The woman, Maggie, was well liked by everyone and police are at a loss to find a motive.

A few days later, Maggie’s gym buddy and work colleague, Anne-Marie, is similarly attacked by her front door one night. DI John Barton, his team depleted through COVID, must soldier on regardless. There is a range of potential suspects and things get even more confused when a local DJ gets a letter saying the Santa killer is coming to town. Isn’t he already here? But wait, Barton’s team becomes aware of an actual killer (as opposed to an almost killer) attacking, and killing, women in a swathe of places getting closer to Peterborough.

There are plenty of suspects and many red herrings which make this an enjoyable and quite suspenseful mystery towards the end. I think this is Barton’s swan song as he has accepted a new training role with set hours much to his wife’s delight. But who knows …

I really enjoyed this rather twisty mystery. Many thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

The next installment of the D.I. Barton series finds John seriously understaffed when he's called to the home of a young woman who's been attacked. Who would want to hurt this seemingly quiet and likable woman?

With Christmas just around the corner D.I. Barton and his team are up against time to stop it happening again before someone is killed.

This is a fast paced page turner that will keep you intrigued til the very last page.

I love these character's and I highly recommend this series to all crime genre fans.

Well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that had me gripped from the start and on the edge of my seat. It is twisty and unpredictable with a dark ad creept undertone and a tense atmosphere. I really enjoyed it,

It's the run up to Christmas and someone is targeting women. DI Barton has been tasked with the investigation. Resources are scarce due to the pandemic so he is mostly working with one or two other people. That is until a local DJ comes forward and says that he has been sent a letter stating that the Santa Killer is coming to town.
It begs the question if the assailant is the same person as a witness said that the attacker was wearing a red coat.
When .he liaises with other areas, they work out that the Santa Killer has been working his way from Anglesey across the country and Peterborough seems the likely next stop. It's down to Barton and his team to stop this person. In between things, Barton has a decision to make and it will affect his future.
I enjoyed this book and it is very nicely paced

A chilling and tense read, that had me hooked from the first pages.
A killer is attacking women on their doorsteps dressed as santa casting a shadow over the festive season.
It's a really fantastic read, the different threads of the story and threat of what is coming, makes this a tense and interesting read.
It's well paced and complicated, making it compelling reading. I also loved how I wasn't able to completely work out the plot. This kept me reading and gave a few twists and surprises.
I really loved following the personal lives of the detectives and enjoyed the characters. So much so, I look forward to reading other books from this series as the characters are likeable and easy to get on board with.
A great chilling read, perfect for the winter months.

I have not read any books in the series yet, though I found it easy to follow. I loved DI Barton and his crew. The book was not at all predictable, and the pacing is quite fast, which is something I enjoyed

The Santa Killer is horrifyingly good! Ross Greenwood hit a bullseye with this novel.
DI John Barton with his team of inspectors are on the twisted hunt for The Santa Killer, but find much more mayhem than they expected.
I enjoyed every lunatic minute of this twisted book.
I can actually see this this as a British TV show.
Strong Five stars.
#TheSantaKiller
#RossGreenwood
#NetGalley

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Boldwoodbooks for my copy of #TheSantaKiller by #RossGreenwood.
It’s two weeks to Christmas and a woman is brutally attacked just as she reaches home one night.
DI Barton is on call and takes on the case. With no witnesses or evidence it looks like this might not be solved until the victims daughter draws a picture.
A very good book that keeps you reading until well into the night.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a way to say goodbye to the team. Still infused with it’s usual mix of mystery and tension, the book is also one that will tug at the heartstrings, and which feels sadly all too familiar and uncomfortably close to home in the financial political and economic climate. 

At surface level, this is the story of the team’s investigation into the brutal assault of a single mother. Left unconscious outside of her own front door, it soon becomes clear that her young daughter may well have witnessed the assault. Her description of the attacker? Well it’s far from being unique or helpful to be honest but does give the exam pause for thought.



There are no end of suspects, from her colleagues, some of whom may well have been more than a touch jealous of her recent promotion, a boss who is far more familiar with his staff than he really ought to be, or maybe even the victim’s fitness instructor who has been showing a lot of personal interest of late. There were clear motives for all of them and I love that Ross Greenwood kept us all guessing to the end.

This isn’t the only case that the team are faced with and Barton soon finds himself on the periphery of a case in which a previously undeclared serial killer seems to be making their way ever closer to Peterborough in a case that bears some similarities to the assault case. It’s a mild distraction and we do have to wonder how the two cases tie up if they even do.



If you have read any of the other books in the series, you will be used to the narrative style, with the majority of the scenes following the investigation but being threaded with some that are told from the point of view of the ‘killer’. There is a twist to this narrative this time around but I’m not going to say what. It works perfectly, drives the tension and, to a degree, the empathy for the perpetrator as much as for the victims. What happens cannot be condoned, but the more we learn, the easier it becomes to understand what comes to pass.



There is areal socio-political heart to this story, one which could, and probably will, easily be replicated across the country in the coming months. Poverty, grief, and mental health all have a bearing on these cases. It is fair to say that the subject of family, be it of the victims, the perpetrator or the Detectives themselves, plays a very large part in the story. 

Barton has always been a family man, and it is down to his family and all that he is missing that a rather game-changing decision is made. But for every moment of darkness or sadness, there is an equal moment of humour and lightness, and scenes which made me both laugh and smile, just what I have come to love from these books.



I will miss Barton and co but this was a fitting ending with tension sky-rocketing and stakes being raised right to the end. And the final chapters - I can’t think of a nicer way to say goodbye. Or maybe it’s adieu? I can always re-read the books after all. If you love the series you will love this one too, even if it leaves us with one of those bittersweet moments fans of a fabulous series all come to dread - the very, very last page.