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DI Winter Meadows #9

The Crimson Harvest

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A rural Welsh community is beset by a series of cruel murders...

Putting his wedding plans on hold, Detective Winter Meadows resolves to unmask the serial killer on his patch.

The only connection between the victims is the stick dolls left by their bodies. That and the fact they don’t seem to have been particularly popular.

People are ruffled. Scared. Meadows must isolate the killer fast but the evidence is brittle.

The key to unravelling the mystery is in the stone church, in the creaking homes, and in the slowly thawing fields.
Only a detective who truly knows his world can unlock the identity of the killer.

THE CRIMSON HARVEST is the ninth standalone mystery in the DI Winter Meadows series. It can be enjoyed entirely on its own but look out for the other bestselling books.

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 13, 2024

294 people are currently reading
85 people want to read

About the author

Cheryl Rees-Price

19 books131 followers
Cheryl Rees-Price was born in Cardiff and moved as a Young child to a small ex-mining village on the edge of the Black Mountains, South Wales, where she still lives with her husband, daughters and two cats. After leaving school she worked as a legal clerk for several years before leaving to raise her two daughters.

Cheryl returned to education, studying philosophy, sociology and accountancy whilst working as a part time book keeper. She now works as a finance director for a company that delivers project management and accounting services.

In her spare time Cheryl indulges in her passion for writing, the success of writing plays for local performances gave her the confidence to write her first novel. Her other hobbies include walking and gardening which free her mind to develop plots and create colourful characters.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for Alan Cotterell.
562 reviews190 followers
May 12, 2024
Can’t believe we are up to book, 9 with this fantastic series with all the twist and surprises we come to expect. This series is definitely unusual with the DI from a commune, smoking Cannabis and the rural; Welsh settings.

Once again a great book full of twists , surprises, gruesome murders, intrigue and suspense. Love the reason behind the title.

Highly recommend to fans of murder mysteries with a psychological twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an Arc in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for TheLisaD.
1,110 reviews21 followers
May 9, 2024
I could not put this one down it was so good and had so many parts to it that really made you think you knew the murderer or what all happened but you really didn’t. This is a first time read for me by this Author though I will be checking their other books.
Profile Image for Tiffany aka Chai Tea And Books.
1,011 reviews50 followers
June 5, 2024
This is a good twisty thriller. You can tell that it is part of a series, with the amount of characters that are mentioned and being alluded to. It worked as a standalone, but I probably would have had an easier time reading it and understanding references if I had read the previous books in the series. The plot was well done, and I enjoyed the fact that I could tell it was well researched. The fact that I knew everyone was lying, but not why and what they were lying to try and protect, had me wanting to keep reading to figure everything out. Overall? A very solid book, I will definitely have to check out the others in the series.

Detective Winter Meadows has another case on his hands, and this one is a doozy. His victim was viciously attacked, and everyone they question seems to be lying. Everything is pointing towards the family. Until another victim shows up with the same creepy doll left at the scene.

Thank you to The Book Folks for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for karla_bookishlife.
1,103 reviews38 followers
May 29, 2024
After reading the last book in this fantastic series of standalone murder mysteries featuring DI Winter Meadows, I couldn't wait to find out what book 9 had in store. I was delighted to discover another twisty murderous read, this time tracking down a serial killer loose in Wales. The atmosphere pulls you in from the offset with ominous descriptions like: "The winter winds have stolen the last of its leaves. Now its branches stretch out to the house like gnarly fingers waiting to pluck out the ocuppant". What an opening to the book!

The murder locations are all set in strange and disturbing homes and frosty, barren landscapes. The victims all unlikeable with dark pasts and each one linked to the killer by the offering of a stick man left at the crime scene. The killer is deeply unsettles and disturbed by a history that is undisclosed to us at the beginning and that they themselves are trying to oppress and forget. The suspense is epic. As the body count rises, the reasons slowly unravel and the suspect pool closes in. This is a superbly paced and tension filled read that will keep you hooked to the end. #thecrimsonharvest #cherylreesprice #thebookfolks #diwintermeadows #book9 #standalonemurdermysteries
Profile Image for mommy_and_books.
1,399 reviews35 followers
June 8, 2024
"[...] Whatever lies in the recessions of my mind is something so terrible it steals the breath from my lungs. [...]"

This was my second reading encounter with the works of Cheryl Rees-Price and her detective Winter Meadows. I hope that the author will not stop at the ninth volume. She created an amazing series of adventures of Detective Meadows and his colleagues. In the ninth volume titled "The Crimson Harvest", our hero will have his hands full. The matter, or even matters, will not be that simple. Someone dies and someone is responsible. Who is the murderer? Is it a man or maybe a woman? To be honest, I didn't expect such an ending to our affairs. I was betting on a completely different person. In fact, she had completely different people in her sights. I'm glad that the author surprised me so brilliantly. Apart from Detective Winter, the main character is a murderer. Of course, we don't learn his name. There will be time for that later. First, we learn his motive. We know that something happened once and now those responsible must be punished for it. Anyone who is guilty should not feel safe. The interesting plot did not allow me to put this e-book aside even for a moment. The fast-paced action and its twists were amazing. DI Winter Meadows is one of my favourite characters. I supported him very much in his professional and private life. There's a lot going on in his private life. Whether good or rather bad, you will find out while reading. If you like crime stories that keep you in suspense, you've come to the right place. Are you interested in getting an inside look at detective work? I encourage you to read Cheryl Rees-Price's latest book titled "The Crimson Harvest". As I have already written to you, this is the ninth volume in the "DI Winter Meadows" series. You don't have to know the previous parts to understand this story. I started my reading adventure with this hero with the eighth volume titled "Harbor no secrets". Of course, I will be happy to catch up with the remaining volumes. I encourage you to do the same. What can I say about the cover? It is very mysterious and eye-catching. If you don't know Cheryl Rees-Price's work yet, I advise you to do so quickly. This author is worth your attention. Her work does not bore the reader. Her stories remain in memory for a long time.
Profile Image for Nessa’s Book Reviews.
1,427 reviews67 followers
August 31, 2024
The Crimson Harvest by Cheryl Rees-Price


What a fun, intriguing read! This novel takes us into the heart of a rural Welsh community, where an eerie series of murders has left everyone on edge.

Detective Winter Meadows, who’s juggling wedding plans with the demands of his job, finds himself caught up in a race against time to stop a serial killer. The murders are brutal, and the only clue left behind at each scene is a strange stick doll, creep alert!

Rees-Price captures the atmosphere of the rural, quaint setting. The stone church, the creaking homes, and the thawing fields are more than just backdrops, steeped in history and secrets that only a local detective like Meadows can truly understand.

As Meadows digs deeper, it becomes clear that the victims weren’t exactly beloved by their neighbours. But in a small community where everyone knows everyone else’s business, the pool of suspects is vast, and the evidence is frustratingly elusive. Rees-Price keeps the tension high, unraveling the mystery in a way that keeps you guessing until the very end. Whenever I thought I knew who was behind it all, I would then have to rethink it all. Loved the suspense.

The Crimson Harvest is more than just a whodunit; it’s a study in community dynamics, the impact of secrets, and the lengths to which people will go when they feel threatened. Rees-Price has created a world that’s hauntingly realistic.
Profile Image for Kelly.
2,485 reviews118 followers
June 1, 2024
I received a copy of this for free, to review as part of a tour with The Book Folks.

This is a murder mystery set in the Welsh countryside. From the first few pages, I was drawn in. I felt the author had presented me with a character who needed to be understood. I wanted to know who this character was, what they had done, and why. To find out, I knew that I had to keep reading.

This book features Detective Winter Meadows as the protagonist, and I quickly warmed to him and liked how he worked. Given that the storyline involves hunting down a serial killer, I could have found this quite dark to read, as sometimes portrayals of such characters can seem unsettling. However, I find that a countryside backdrop always balances out the mood for me and brings a sort of cosiness, so it didn't feel too dark to read.

This was a very light read, but it was also a gripping murder mystery that kept me turning the pages, and it is the type of book that often appeals to me. Although it's one of several books featuring Detective Meadows, and I haven't read any of the others previously, I enjoyed this one by itself, and would probably like to read more from this series.

Thank you to The Book Folks, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.
407 reviews13 followers
May 27, 2024
I was super excited when @the_book_folks invited me to take part in their blog tour for THE CRIMSON HARVEST. This is actually my first blog tour. I jumped at the chance to take part because there is nothing I love more than a book that covers police procedural and a serial killer.

THE CRIMSON HARVEST by @cherylreesprice is the ninth instalment in the DI Winter Meadows series, set in Wales. Yet it can easily be read as a stand-alone book.

I liked the character of DI Winter Meadows and his way of leading his team. There was plenty of banter between Winter and his colleagues.

There are a lot of characters to get your head round, but the cast of characters is integrated so well into the double-layered mystery. It is clear from the beginning that the victim families are lying, and it makes you wonder what they are hiding.

The author keeps a brilliant pace throughout the book. The rural setting was well described, and the killings are gruesome. There are plenty of twists and suspects in the story.

THE CRIMSON HARVEST should happily appeal to anyone who likes excellent police procedurals, strong characters, and an interesting plot.
Profile Image for Kelly .
272 reviews51 followers
June 2, 2024
Set in Wales with a stellar cast of characters. When one murder leads to another, the team must work hard to solve the case and stop any more killings.

I learned that this is book nine in the series which I was surprised by. I didn’t feel that I had missed anything by not reading the previous books. I am sure there will be familiar elements that those who have read all the books will pick up on.

I was really into the case. I had no idea who the murderer was. All my guesses were wrong. I really enjoyed the quality of the writing. It is really meaty and there is a down to earth real life feel to it. For it to be this far in the series it felt fresh and modern. 

As always I am transparent in my reviews and  I started reading the paperback but the font was too small. I had to go and buy the Kindle book. I would really recommend a larger font for the next print run. That has no reflection on the story.
The cover was fine, it wouldn’t draw me in necessarily. It could be updated to be a little bit more modern to match the quality of the writing. It may be why I haven’t seen this series before. 

But I would most definitely auto buy any books now by Cheryl Rees-Price and I would love to see the author at some crime fiction events here in Scotland.
If you like a book that is engaging with short chapters and brilliant writing I highly recommend The Crimson Harvest. A definite five star read from me. 

If you are a fan of Clare MacIntosh’s writing you will love this book. 
Profile Image for Donna Morfett.
Author 9 books71 followers
June 1, 2024
Wow what a read.
Set in Wales, the author has made the most of the location and almost used it as another character. Very atmospheric and top level creepy.
There's a serial killer on the loose and DI Winter Meadows has to try and track them down before they kill too many more. The Killings are different and gruesome and the calling card is a stick doll.
There are lots of secrets and mysteries. No one is quite who they seem and no one is telling the truth. As everything's revealed, layer by layer, its shocking and unexpected.
With the wonderful DI Meadows and his team and the banter in between, and some good news for him, it's a hugely satisfying read.
All the storylines come together brilliantly.
Despite this being the latest in the series, it read perfectly as a standalone. The only thing I probably missed out on was the romance building between Daisy and Winter. You can be sure that I am going back to read more by this author though!
Profile Image for Rebecca Hill.
Author 1 book66 followers
May 16, 2024
DI Winters has been handed another case, just before he is set to be married. As he works to solve the case, it seems that the killer is trying to right a perceived wrong, leaving a trail of blog posts as the reasoning for his crimes. While the motives are not entirely clear at the beginning, the more bodies that begin to pile up, the more it seems that their circle is narrowing around a suspect.

This was a great read! I absolutely enjoyed it. I have started working through this series through Audible, and when this one came up, I knew I had to dive in. It definitely did not disappoint. I could not put this book down, and read through it in one sitting.

If you are looking for a mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat, The Crimson Harvest is a winner.
Profile Image for Mags Shaw.
140 reviews
May 18, 2024
The Mirror of Reality

Unfortunately this book shares the sadness of what too often occurs in today’s society. Fortunately, it demonstrates what occurs when people standby and say nothing and reminds every one of us we have the opportunity to make a positive difference. The twists and turns as usual with Author Rees-Price are well researched and leave us guessing, and the occasional humor between characters permits a step away from the anxiety of the plot. It seemed shorter than other of her books, but maybe it was the suspense. Still enjoyed it a great deal. It had been a couple months since I finished her last book of the boxed series. Enjoyed how as she brought the team in for the first meeting, she refreshed us on who they were and what their primary role was.
Profile Image for Joyce.
1,834 reviews40 followers
June 3, 2024
297 pages

4 stars

This is the ninth (nine? already?), novel in the DI Winter Meadows series.

Elderly people are being horribly murdered in a small village in Wales. Stick figures are left near the bodies. What is the meaning of the “dolls?”

This is a twisty police procedural with a few surprises. The police are competent and dedicated. They work well together as a team.

This book is well written and plotted. Ms. Rees - Price is at her best. The book reads quickly and is entertaining. I recommend it to all who love mysteries or police procedurals.

I want to thank NetGalley and The Book Folks for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in the review are solely my own.
Profile Image for SylviaV.
683 reviews9 followers
May 17, 2024
The Crimson Harvest by Cheryl Rees-Price (DI Winter Meadows Series Book 9)

The latest installment in this series is a great read. The mystery of who is the victim who snapped is very cleverly done. This could be read as a stand-alone book, but as this is book 9 in a series, my opinion is that a lot of the interactions between the various characters will make much more sense if you have read the previous books in the series. Each book builds on the previous book in terms of development of the characters and their interactions. I do hope we will get another book in this series as I enjoy spending time with these characters. 4 stars.
454 reviews4 followers
June 3, 2024
3.5 stars
This was my first in this well-established series following DI Winter Meadows and his team and it’s clear to see why it’s so popular. Cheryl has a lovely style of writing that makes it easy to keep track of the large cast of characters and how they all intersect.
The story is brilliantly twisty and keeps you guessing. Everyone is lying, that much soon becomes clear - it’s their motives for lying that keep the intrigue going.
The central series characters are very easy to like and I would definitely like to read more of the books to get to know them better.
Overall, this works perfectly as a standalone read but it whets your appetite to dive into the earlier books.
Profile Image for Robin Price.
1,167 reviews45 followers
June 14, 2024
This is an absolutely brilliant thriller. I feel like I've won the jackpot in the literary lottery now I have discovered Cheryl Rees-Price. And there's already eight other novels in this series for me to binge read.
The plot is gritty and gripping and full of unexpected twists and dark revelations. It's extremely complex with a vast array of characters. I loved all the characterisation and was almost overwhelmed with emotion as I read of events in the past.
The Welsh countryside and small town communities were a perfect backdrop for the unfolding events.
Fans of top notch crime fiction will rejoice in reading this novel.
Profile Image for Elaine .
659 reviews8 followers
June 15, 2024
This is a good series of murder mysteries set in Wales. Crimson Harvest has a complicated and twisted plot with lots of suspects and intrigue. I enjoyed the mystery and did not figure it out until the end. The police team goes back and forth a lot between different suspects and possible motives but there are many surprises in the end. I like the main character, DI Meadows, who has an unconventional upbringing in a local commune and sees things a little differently. The only negative I have for this book is that there was very little updating of the private lives of the police team members, even with DI Meadows and Daisy set to be married. It made the team feel two-dimensional.
Profile Image for Hannah Paley.
150 reviews6 followers
May 11, 2024
I really wanted to enjoy this book but found it a bit of a struggle. There were a lot of characters and I couldn’t keep track of who they were in relation to the others. The plot as a whole was pretty good and the pacing was ok. I’ve enjoyed others by this author so perhaps just didn’t read it on the right day.
Profile Image for Annarella.
14.2k reviews167 followers
May 30, 2024
A twisty and fast paced read that kept me guessing and reading. It's the second I read in this series and was wondering why I missed the others as it's gripping and highly entertaining.
Atmospheric setting, fleshed out characters, a solid plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
457 reviews5 followers
June 7, 2024
The sins of the past surface.
Deeply hidden secrets come to the surface and results in a series of brutal killings. Winter Meadows and his team are in a race against the clock to find the killer before they can complete their deadly list.
As with the other books in this exciting series, this book is very well written.
It's a good read.
89 reviews1 follower
June 23, 2024
I enjoy this series. This edition was not my favorite, but not my least favorite, either. The regular characters were good, as always. The mystery involved several families, and I had to keep straight which individuals belonged to which family. The mystery was okay. I will continue to read this series.
64 reviews
May 13, 2024
Crimson Harvest

Wow, i read this in one sitting. What a sad story it is, the horrors of the murders, trying to work out who was the killer and why, then the sadness of the childs death. What a story, now Winter is married at last, excellent book.
Profile Image for Liza.
75 reviews
May 20, 2024
Nice books and a sympathetic lead character

I like following winter he's a good person . The storylines are tight the endings always satisfying and there's a faith that your leading copper will always do the right thing. No nasty surprises. Nice and relaxing as a series

Profile Image for Heather Creeden.
296 reviews25 followers
May 21, 2024
What a great book with all the twist and surprises as well as the ah ha moments, it was really a great read. Highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a murder mystery with a Psychological twist.
22 reviews
July 16, 2024
Gripping

This is my first book by Cheryl Rees-Price but it definitely won’t be the last. The story line kept me gripped up to the last few pages when everything slotted in place. Loved the characters of the detectives and their families.
722 reviews3 followers
July 20, 2025
another good one in the series..

Too many characters for me to keep up with all the relationships, but I did guess right on the whodunit.

I think there is only one more in the series, bummerdoodle.
Profile Image for Terry.
147 reviews
December 6, 2025
It was another good story in an excellent series but I found the final ending chapters too long winded and drawn out. Finished the book but I was losing interest. In the final confrontation I was thinking get to the point. The author over cooked the ending too much for me. Hence three star rating.
90 reviews1 follower
May 15, 2024
DI Winter thriller

Great book, with brilliant characters and story. I have read all books in the series and looking forward to next one. Would definitely recommend.
Profile Image for Lynda French.
Author 4 books
May 21, 2024
Great series with suspense, modern relatable characters, and a touch of romance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews

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