The End of Winter

by T.D. Griggs

Surgeon Michael Severin flies to disaster areas all over the world - floods, earthquakes, fires. He is good at his work, courageous and skilled - a natural rescuer.

But at what cost to himself and those he loves? Returning early from an assignment he finds his wife Caitlin dying from a brutal assault in their London home. His world shattered, Severin sets out to unravel the tangled skein of events which led to the tragedy.

He finds more questions than answers. And he is forced to confront the biggest question of all: do you ever really know the one you love?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime

350 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

T.D. GRIGGS was born in London and has lived and worked on four continents. He holds British and Australian nationality, and has worked variously as a truck driver, journalist, film extra, MD of a successful communications consultancy, and - for about seven sweaty hours - as a volunteer fire fighter. Despite that, much of the Australian bush survives.

He has written many short stories, and three other novels, including the father-son drama THE WARNING BELL (written as Tom MacAulay), and the Victorian epic DISTANT THUNDER, under his own name.

T.D.Griggs is also a professional business writer with an international client base. He lives with his wife Jenny in Oxford, UK.

To find out more visit www.tdgriggs.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @TDGRIGGS1

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: London; present day. Michael Severin is a surgeon and a valuable member of Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) so is often out of the country on rescue missions leaving his beloved wife Caitlin behind. Michael is committed to saving people thanks to a family tragedy when he was a child - for which he holds himself responsible. Returning early from a mission in Venezuela, Michael arrives home to find his wife has been the subject of a vicious assault and he is unable to save her. As Michael tries to find out what happened to Caitlin and who killed her, he finds that she was leading a secret life totally without his knowledge. As the police investigation reaches an impasse, one of the detectives starts to believe Michael may have arrived home and killed her himself. Michael is aided in his grief and his investigations by family friend Malcolm (who raised him as a child) and Tessa, a nurse at the hospital and fellow member of MSF.
This was quite an entertaining murder mystery - I was convinced that I had worked out who had killed Caitlin only to find myself proved totally wrong at the end! - and I found it to be a good read rather than a great one. Certainly would keep my eyes out for more of this author's work - 8/10.

[T de V · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE END OF WINTER would be a lovely read were it only for description of the surroundings and views in which the reader is immersed. Griggs has an exquisite use of colour, light, moisture, juxtaposition and much more.

THE END OF WINTER by T.D. Griggs ©2004 is a story about seeking redemption. Dr. Michael Severin, driven by childhood trauma, spends part of the year saving the unfortunate in third world countries. He hasn’t done a good enough job as a saviour because now he must (re)discover the wife he thought he knew and learn what no one left alive can know. The characters are rich and quirky and one comes to feel deeply for them.

Days later, the story is still with me. Very satisfying.


It is with great sadness I discovered that I can’t tell Tim how much I enjoyed this story as he died last fall. But I will definitely be reading more of his books.

Theresa de Valence
http://www.ReviewsByTdeV.com

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic page turner of a crime novel which kept me guessing right to the end. The characters were really three-dimensional and a leap away from the cast of many crime novels. The story centres around a roving surgeon who describes himself as "in the rescue business". His past pushes him into far-flung places with Medecins Sans Frontieres alongside his work in a London hospital.
He returns home early from a trip to find his wife dead on the stairs of their house. The story flashes from past to present in a seamless way showing his motivations and relationship with his wife as well as putting together how and why she was savagely killed and what he didn't know about her.

[Fiesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. A medical Doctor, arrives home from Emergency work with the M.S.F, to find his wife dying on the stairs of their home - having been brutally assaulted.
In the course of the book, the Doctor finds that he knew almost nothing of the life that his wife had been living, while he travelled the world saving lives. We also (eventually) learn why he is, how he is...

[Evangeline · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, the story and protagonist sounded interesting. Unfortunately though, he didn't ring true to me, and neither did any of the other characters. His wife's 'secret life' wasn't interesting or original in any way, and the flashbacks probably annoyed me most of all - they were cliche and didn't add to the story, only slowed it down, and I'm really sick of the 'poor little rich girl' thing now. Why has there always got to be fabulously wealthy people in just about every novel? Authors should really think about writing more about normal people that their readers can relate to.

I was initially impressed by some of the vocabulary at least, but if I hadn't heard of a certain word and looked it up it usually turned out to be a really old-fashioned word that was out of use.

The ending and 'big reveal' was disappointing too. I admit to falling for the red herring and not actually guessing the real culprit, but that might partly have been because it just wasn't realistic. It wasn't a spectacularly dramatic reveal either, pretty anti-climatic. I'm just sorry that I couldn't find much to like about this book at all. I think I might go easy on the Kindle Daily Deals for awhile unless I've actually heard of the book and wanted to read it beforehand!

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Redemption Blues by this author and didn't like it but I'd already bought this one....so I had put off getting round to it for an age. However, I LOVED it. It made me laugh and cry. It's a lovely book and has an intriguing mystery as well so just my thing.
The characters were likeable in it and the story was really interesting. I really liked dear old Anthony and also Uncle Stanley. Both were similar, kind old gents.
It did spot only one mistake in this line-"Most were in pencil, some few in charcoal" and just the one missed apostrophe. He used a term, Silvertails, that I'd not heard of and couldn't find a meaning of, either.
It's a lovely story and one I'd recommend for sure....

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly enjoyable read. I read the Kindle version, which was refreshingly free of typos! This book is described as a crime thriller, but I would describe it more as a crime mystery: less thrilling, more ambling - but definitely not rambling. I'm not a detailed review writer, but for me this one is well-written, the characters are well developed, and the plot sustains throughout. Highly recommended for those who like books such as Red Leaves (Thomas H Cook), Crooked Letter (Tom Franklin) and similar...

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful treat this novel turned out to be! Purchased as a kindle special deal, it gave me many hours of pleasure reading, and I am very glad I chanced upon it whilst browsing Amazon. The End of Winter is a haunting tale of love, grief, loss and the effects one person’s actions can have on the lives of many different people, packaged in a slowly unfolding murder-mystery. Griggs tells his story through the eyes of an interesting protagonist, MSF surgeon Michael Severin, a man who has dedicated his life to saving others. Like many of his kind, Michael threw himself into his rescuer role as a means to assuage his own guilt over a tragedy in his past, only to find that it has now become an integral part of his personality he cannot easily let go. I found Michael to be a fascinating, well-rounded character, whose melancholy musings over how he ultimately may be to blame for his wife’s death occasionally threw up doubts about his reliability as a narrator, which added to the mystery. The cast of supporting characters were all very well developed, adding an interesting mix of diverse personalities from different social classes into the mix, each with their own crosses to bear and their own potential motives for the crime committed. As Michael sets out to solve the mystery, the story becomes so much more than just a crime novel, but an exploration of the dynamics that drive a relationship, redemption for decisions made and the ability to let go of the past.

The End of Winter may well be one of my favourite murder-mysteries I have read this year, with its evocative voice still haunting me after the last page has been turned. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy a slower paced mystery that focuses on the human psyche and the forces driving our actions, decisions and relationships.

[Savannah Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow Burner, Sad with Happiness

Took me a long while to read, a long while to get into the story, I would say 75% in started to really try to finish the story. At 85% I was hooked & read the end. I feel a split of sadness & ended with happiness (I think). I won’t spoil the story line.

[Eileanór Bláth · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is "slow burn" and then there's Griggs peeing around this pot hoping it's enough to heat it.

Look, dude, I don't have all day for you to get to the point, any point, only for any character to be faced with anything and react like no human ever would.

[LLA · Rating 4 out of 5]

De kaft spreekt niet erg aan en doet het boek ook na het lezen weinig eer aan. Het verhaal zit goed in elkaar en de vele onaangekondigde flashbacks zorgen ervoor dat je als lezer bij de pinken blijft.
Het einde? Ietwat haastig werk.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Wasn't quite what I expected but still a gripping read.

[Whenimnotreadingharrypotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this a better review but I guessed who it was right from the beginning so then it made the story drag for me. However if you hadn't guessed it may have been a better read!

[Sarah Trimble · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just ok, predicted the ending. Read on Kindle

[MariaGrazia Bacilieri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Malinconico, scrittura triste...un protagonista che appare tremendamente fragile.
Non mi ha lasciato sentimenti positivi.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I made it to 54% before giving up. I felt it started off well but became cliched, and I felt I knew where the story was going. I skipped to the end and I was correct about who the murderer was and the fact that the main character was going to fall in love with the suspect's sister so I didn't read any further.

[Alexander Lound · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well for my first ever book review for my blog, I have to admit I couldn’t have picked out many that were better than this. Crime has always been one of my favourite genres, and The End of Winter ticked all the boxes for what I look for in a great Thriller.

From the beginning, T. D. Griggs develops his characters in such a way that the reader will instantly understand them, their personality and their motives. Griggs writes in 1st person from the perspective of the main character, Dr. Michael Severin. Severin is a surgeon who visits disaster zones all over the world, helping the injured. The novel opens with him in Venezuela, where Severin is assisting due to an earthquake.

Severin is influenced by his best friend Stella, who is also with him in Venezuela, to go home and try to rescue his relationship with his wife, Caitlin. After a phone call with Caitlin, Severin decides to fly back to London the following day in order to surprise her, only to find her lying on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, dead.

Michael Severin is understandably distraught, and decides to pursue the truth behind his wife’s murder. It is his quest for the truth that in course will turn his life upside down, as he uncovers things about his wife, his past, and those close to him that he never would have believed.

The way in which Griggs approaches this novel from the point of view of Michael is excellent, as he decides to investigate the murder himself alongside the police. This allows us into the mind of Michael, who keeps us constantly second guessing due to his emotions, his resentment and his own leads in the case. Before we know it as the reader, Michael’s perspectives have become our own perspectives, and we feel the same anger towards the accused as he does, no matter how much the facts don’t add up. From the start, Griggs takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions that will end only with the peace of mind that comes with justice, and knowing the truth, no matter how hard it is to gain.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a happy book with a nice ending, don’t bother reading this. But if you’re like me, and you love a gritty novel with plenty of twists, a book that will keep you on edge throughout, then I strongly recommend you read this.

[Anke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not what I expected: While I thought it was a relatively fast-paced thriller, it is instead a slow-moving story of lukewarm regret. Yes, there is a death, and one wonders mildly how it came about, but it's mostly about a man very out of touch with his as well as other people's feeling, to a point where I didn't find it very believable.

He's traumatized, so is everyone else, even when the trauma is only "I'm an overprivileged girl with a strict trauma" in some cases. His wife dies, he realizes he may have loved the idea of her more than the actual person, about whom he actually didn't know very much because he was busy with his job.

It's an okay read, long-winded at times, not badly written but often, nice phrases are recycled a few pages onward. I didn't really like any of the characters and was weirdly indifferent to all of their fates.

[Gerald Sinstadt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is as far removed from the hard-boiled cops and robbers crime story as it is possible to imagine. There is a murder and a police investigation. The field of suspects is relatively small but the reader is led carefully along false trails.

So far, so good, so Agatha Christie. But The End of Winter is much more. The protagonist, a surgeon working for Medecin sans Frontieres, is hardly a hero, too introspective, too indecisive. As much as creating a mystery, the author is interested in exploring relationships, and is not afraid to challenge the reader by showing how painful they can be. The characters feel real as do the environments they inhabit.

This is an adult book and the more welcome for that.

[Wiske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een psychologische thriller over liefde, verlies en vergeving. Hoe goed kennen we onze partners en vrienden echt ?

[Charles Beddingfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crime thriller and, in the end, a love story too. What would you do if you came home and found your wife/husband newly dead, murdered, in the house? Phone the police? Sure, and what then? Get arrested on suspicion? No evidence, of course. If the police fail to find the real killer you’re a suspect forever until you uncover the real story yourself, which is not at all what you expected. T.D. Griggs crafted the sort of ending that I really like. The truth is revealed, but T.D. leaves you wondering if you were in the protagonist’s shoes would you do the same? Five stars. Buy it now.

[Francesca · Rating 2 out of 5]

-Un po' lento-

Il titolo di questo romanzo mi ha attirata, ho iniziato a leggere con chissà che aspettative ma sono rimasta un po' delusa dal contenuto. Ho trovato il libro poco coinvolgente, monotono e troppo introspettivo per i miei gusti. L'uso dei flashback non ha smorzato la monotonia di fondo. Preferisco gialli di altro genere. Sufficiente, niente di più.

[Ane Gaarden · Rating 3 out of 5]

DIE VERSÖHNUNG

Michael Severin ist Artzt, und auch einer der Ärzten Ohne Grenzen.
Als er zurückkommt von einer der Hilfsprogramme ist was geschehen mit seiner Frau - und während sich die Geschichte entfaltet, findet man aus dass er seine Frau eigentlich gar nicht kennte..

Ein besonderes Buch!!

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I read the book ftom this author. The plot is quite interesting although it seems a little slow to start with. I couldn't see it coming though, so the ending did surprise me. All in all its a good read.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too long - getting bored as the story unfolds.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book BUT it was glaringly obvious how it was going to end

[Rachel Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed this book although I found some of the characters a bit annoying. Good story

[John Husband · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very enjoyable. However if I had one criticism I did not find the characters very likeable apart from uncle Stanley And Anthony Gilchrist.

[Simon Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, but ridiculous conclusion that was just completely implausible. A holiday flick to be forgotten as soon as you've finished.

[Helena Aarons · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pleasant read, that is all.