Winter Kill

by E J Pepper

Ollie Moorhouse is a struggling journalist, heavily in debt and fearful of losing his increasingly restless girlfriend. When his editor offers him the chance of pursuing an intriguing story, Ollie is hopeful that it will solve his personal and financial problems. His investigations lead him to an eccentric peer of the realm, a grieving philanthropist, a homeless drug addict and a wealthy landowner. But what is it that connects them?

As events move between London, Wiltshire and Eastern Europe, Ollie finds himself caught up in a web of blackmail and murder. With the help of his girlfriend, he starts to piece together the puzzle but, in the process, becomes a key suspect. What is motivating the murderer, and who is the real killer?

Winter Kill is a gripping and thrilling read and the third book from the author of The Colours of the Dance and Flight Path.

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2024

Reviews

[Chantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the pleasure of reading "Winter Kill" by E J Pepper through NetGalley, I found that this book is a gripping thriller that follows the journey of Ollie Moorhouse, a struggling journalist desperate to solve his personal and financial woes. The author weaves a complex tale filled with intrigue, blackmail, and murder, as Ollie's investigation leads him to encounter a diverse cast of characters with hidden motives as the book goes on. The story is set against the backdrop of London, Wiltshire, and Eastern Europe, and keeps readers on the edge of their seats as Ollie races to unravel the mystery before becoming a key suspect himself. The author's skillful storytelling and vivid descriptions create a suspenseful atmosphere, making "Winter Kill" an enthralling read from start to finish. With its intricate plot and compelling characters, this book is sure to captivate fans of the thriller genre. I enjoyed this book and hope that you do as well.
Happy Reading

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very beginning the author had me gripped by the intense threat of menace, and an unusual investigation into something both unknown and unsavoury. The plot is intricate and woven from several different strands which eventually converge for an explosive event and the added mystery of whodunit.
The characters are often not quite whom they seem to be and the suspense is heightened by duplicity and betrayal. There are twists and turns and shadows hiding secrets from the past.
This is skilful storytelling with scenes shifting from the rundown top floor London flat of a young drug addict, brutally manipulated by an evil man, to a stately home in the wilds of Wiltshire, where blood will be spilled. The characters are diverse - a Scottish lord, a cat lady driven to the edge of madness, and the beautiful woman hiding in plain sight, but from what - and there are moments of affecting sadness, but also moments of poignant kindness.

[The Literary Chimera · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Zero spice
Trigger Warnings:
Mentions of substance abuse
Physical altercations
Theft
Death
Mentions of gambling
Human trafficking of children
Pregnancy
Brief mention of abortion
Mention of suicide

"Winter Kill" is a triumph of twists, turns, and surprises. It definitely keeps one in suspense.
EJ Pepper introduces a myriad of interesting characters and does a beautiful job laying out the clues for us readers to piece together. A pet peeve of mine is when things are too predictable, so I was excited that the author was successful in keeping me guessing. I rate it a solid five out of five stars. Overall, I found "Winter Kill" to be a true "page-turner", and I highly recommend it to any murder mystery or thriller fans.

[Ash Rush · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a political mystery that is rather slow moving. There’s a lot of characters that were hard to keep track of in the beginning, but once the story took off, they all played an important part of the story.
Ollie, the protagonist, is a bit weak and frustrating. He bumbles along and uncovers the mystery more out of luck than any skill.

Overall I enjoyed the book and was interested to read until the end. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Christine Revely · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get in to this book but it did get much better and had me hooked from about half way until the end.
Ollie is a struggling journalist trying to make money to afford him and his girlfriend a better life. However, he gets caught up in a web of politics, blackmail and deceit culminating in murder. At one point he becomes the main suspect.
As things begin to untangle Ollie finds that honesty is definitely the best policy
Lots of characters to keep up with but it eventually became an enjoyable read.

[Book To Nature · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was a bit slower placed than my usual reads but I guess that is because of the political elements. I like the main character Ollie and could see how he got himself into bad situations for the sake of his finances. There were a lot of characters to keep track of which I do struggle with but overall an interesting story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!
This book is full of excessive descriptions that made my head spin. Also, I wasn't able to keep track of characters so I was lost the majority of the book. The mystery never interested me and I was left wanting. Unfortunately not my cup of tea. Take an ibuprofen before reading this book

[Maura Fisher Peake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this. Pacy and quirky. Crime fiction is big really my bag but I really wanted to know ‘who done it’. Bravo EJ Pepper. MFP