Books
10 books to get you in the mood for winter
There’s a chill in the air – but is it from the looming winter, or the spine-tingling novel you’re reading? If you’re anything like us, the cold weather makes you want to cancel your plans, find your warmest jumper, and stay at home with a book. But, just as we love desert island murder mysteries in the summer and cosy crime at Christmas, we enjoy a snow-covered caper as we enter the colder months.
If you’re looking for inspiration before the snow hits, we recommend the following wintry reads.
The best books for winter reading
Snow Fall by Jørn Lier Horst
Snow Fall by Jørn Lier Horst
Nobody writes Nordic noir quite like Jørn Lier Horst. In Snow Fall, amateur sleuth Astri Arctander posts on an internet forum that she has uncovered a crucial clue to the murder of backpacker Ruby Thompson. Then she vanishes. Detective William Wisting is on the case, travelling from snowy Norway to the scorching Catalan hills to find justice for both women.
The Girl on the Ice by Amy McCulloch
The Girl on the Ice by Amy McCulloch
In the icy depths of Antarctica, where the sun never sets, Olivia and her boyfriend Aaron are on a once-in-a-lifetime cruise, marvelling at the cliffs of ice, the penguins and the tranquil sea. But then Aaron vanishes, Olivia fears she is being watched, and someone finds a dead body. This is a creepy, atmospheric novel that transports you to a beautiful but unnerving location.
Arctic Sun by Jack Grimwood
Arctic Sun by Jack Grimwood
In this Cold War thriller, a secret research station in northern Russia has been destroyed by an explosion. The Soviets will do anything to cover it up, so when British researcher Dr. Amelia Blackburn stumbles upon the truth, her life is in danger. Major Tom Fox has been sent to the Kola Peninsula to find Amelia. But as the temperature drops, will he make it out alive?
The Christmas Stocking Murders by Denzil Meyrick
The Christmas Stocking Murders by Denzil Meyrick
Following on from last year’s popular Murder at Holly House, Denzil Meyrick has penned a new cosy crime novel. This time, Detective Frank Grasby and his boss, Juggers, investigate a bizarre murder in a remote fishing village: a man’s body has been found on the beach, with a stocking tied around his throat. As more stockings wash up on the shore, and another murder takes place, Grasby and Juggers realise that everyone in the village is a suspect.
One By One by Ruth Ware
One by One by Ruth Ware
At a snow-covered ski resort, a group of shareholders and directors gather for a corporate retreat to decide the future of their company; they have been offered a billion-dollar buyout, but not everyone would benefit. Time is running out on the offer, and they’re at a stalemate. But when a board member goes missing in the snow, and an avalanche cuts the group off from the outside world, could there be a killer among them?
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
Detective Elin Warner arrives at a hauntingly beautiful but isolated hotel in the Swiss Alps, which was formerly a sanatorium, for her brother’s engagement party. The following morning, the bride-to-be is nowhere to be found. Then a storm sets in, cutting off access to the hotel, and the guests begin to panic – especially when more people go missing…
The Killing Place by Tess Gerritsen
The Killing Place by Tess Gerritsen
Trapped in a snowstorm in Wyoming, forensic pathologist Maura Isles and her group of friends take shelter in a village. When they stumble across 12 identical houses, all abandoned, they realise something is eerily wrong – but it’s too late to turn back now. Days later, Detective Jane Rizzoli arrives in the village, searching for her missing friend. But neither of the women are safe as a killer lies in wait.
The Hunger by Alma Katsu
The Hunger by Alma Katsu
A group of travellers journeying to the West of America in 1846 try to take a shortcut but end up stranded in the snowbound Sierra Nevada. With depleting resources and no means of escape, tensions are at an all-time high and the group resorts to shocking methods of survival. Inspired by the chilling true story of The Donner Party, The Hunger will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
The Dead of Winter by Stuart MacBride
The Dead of Winter by Stuart MacBride
From the outside, Glenfarach looks like a sleepy, snow-dusted village. But the CCTV-laden area is home to prisoners who have served their sentences but can’t safely be released into the public. Detective Constable Edward Reekie has been tasked with delivering a new inmate. Upon his arrival, however, an ex-police-officer-turned-criminal is found murdered in his bungalow. As a blizzard approaches, time is running out for Edward to find the culprit – and make it out alive.
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
A young boy awakens to find his mother has disappeared. The only clue left behind? A snowman in the garden, wrapped in his mother’s scarf. Detective Harry Hole believes the disappearance could be connected to a string of unsolved cases relating to missing wives and mothers. And when another woman vanishes, his fears are confirmed: a serial killer is terrorising the neighbourhood.
What is your favourite crime novel to curl up with during the winter months? Let us know in the comments below…
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