Linking The Past & Present

The Winter Killings by Wes Markin is a marvellous contemporary novel that I just could not put down. It is part of The Yorkshire Murders series but can be read as a stand-alone. For maximum enjoyment I recommend reading the previous books first. It will enable you to track character development.

Once more we meet up with the police team trying to solve present day crimes. Cold case crimes have links in the present. Long buried secrets are unearthed that threaten innocent lives today.

We witness the destructive power of revenge when it has ruled a life. Back in the 1990’s, a future was stolen on a day. A character has never forgotten.

There is the theme of nature or nurture. A family in the past has committed horrendous acts of cruelty. Could these traits lie dormant in the genes? Are monsters made by society? Or bad genes? The fear of the latter dominates a character’s thinking.

In present day we see an undercover police officer going above and beyond. His future was stolen from him in the past. Now he lives with one eye and his heart on heaven. Readers of previous books will know of his personal tragedy.