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Ali Dawson #1
The Frozen People
Some murders can’t be solved in just one lifetime.
Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Nobody knows that her team has a secret: they can travel back in time to look for evidence.
The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London to clear the name of Cain Templeton, an eccentric patron of the arts. Rumor has it that Cain is part of a sinister group called The Collectors. Ali arrives in the Victorian era to another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions.
As the clock counts down, Ali becomes more entangled in the mystery, yet danger lurks around every corner. She soon finds herself trapped, unable to make her way back to her beloved son, Finn, who is battling his own accusations in the present day.
Could the two cases be connected? In a race through and against time, Ali must find out before it’s too late.
Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Nobody knows that her team has a secret: they can travel back in time to look for evidence.
The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London to clear the name of Cain Templeton, an eccentric patron of the arts. Rumor has it that Cain is part of a sinister group called The Collectors. Ali arrives in the Victorian era to another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions.
As the clock counts down, Ali becomes more entangled in the mystery, yet danger lurks around every corner. She soon finds herself trapped, unable to make her way back to her beloved son, Finn, who is battling his own accusations in the present day.
Could the two cases be connected? In a race through and against time, Ali must find out before it’s too late.
292 pages, Hardcover
First published July 8, 2025
1404 people are currently reading
23207 people want to read
About the author
Elly Griffiths
74 books9,409 followersElly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly's husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton. Though not her first novel, The Crossing Places is her first crime novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,459 reviews
September 3, 2025
A new series from Elly Griffiths and let me tell you, it is amazing!! I have become a bit of a fan of this author since I discovered her books. I have been playing catch-up on the Ruth Galloway series and living it, but very happy to get in on book one for this new series. A mix of historical fiction and police procedural, The Frozen People was so hard to put down. I tried to savour it as much as possible but I was desperate to see what was going to happen next.
We meet Ali Dawson, an old case detective working in London. Her team are asked to investigate an MP's great-grandfather and the rumours about him. This takes them back to the 1850s and Victorian London. And when I say it takes them back, I mean they go back in time. Ali finds herself stuck in a time where things are very different to the present day on the trail of a possible killer.
I absolutely loved this book. Ali was a great character, she loves her son and her cat and will do anything for them. She is sassy and determined and I am looking forward to learning more about her in future books. The story was so clever with the past and present playing their own roles, really well done.
Do yourself a favour and get this on your TBR and get ready to time travel!! Out on February 13th. Thanks so much to Quercus Books for my early copy to read.
We meet Ali Dawson, an old case detective working in London. Her team are asked to investigate an MP's great-grandfather and the rumours about him. This takes them back to the 1850s and Victorian London. And when I say it takes them back, I mean they go back in time. Ali finds herself stuck in a time where things are very different to the present day on the trail of a possible killer.
I absolutely loved this book. Ali was a great character, she loves her son and her cat and will do anything for them. She is sassy and determined and I am looking forward to learning more about her in future books. The story was so clever with the past and present playing their own roles, really well done.
Do yourself a favour and get this on your TBR and get ready to time travel!! Out on February 13th. Thanks so much to Quercus Books for my early copy to read.
July 2, 2025
Something new from Ellie Griffiths has to be good but having not read the blurb I got a surprise by the way this story went! It reminded me very much of a book I read a long time ago by Connie Willis where history students were travelling back in time to actually experience the period they were researching.
Similarly in The Frozen People someone has discovered a way to to travel back in time. It is still very experimental and so far has only gone as far as 1976 but due to a ministerial request Ali sets out for 1850. There is a lot of interesting information about clothes and customs and even bathroom facilities and a lot of stress about whether she can come back.
This is a delightful mix of genres - time travel, historical fiction, mystery and police procedural. The author must have had so much fun writing it. By the end of the book there are a few loose ends and a big hint that there is more to come. I hope so as I would very much like to read what happens next to Ali, Finn and Jones.
Similarly in The Frozen People someone has discovered a way to to travel back in time. It is still very experimental and so far has only gone as far as 1976 but due to a ministerial request Ali sets out for 1850. There is a lot of interesting information about clothes and customs and even bathroom facilities and a lot of stress about whether she can come back.
This is a delightful mix of genres - time travel, historical fiction, mystery and police procedural. The author must have had so much fun writing it. By the end of the book there are a few loose ends and a big hint that there is more to come. I hope so as I would very much like to read what happens next to Ali, Finn and Jones.
July 11, 2025
4.5 stars. TBH I haven't read much of Elly Griffiths work, I do know her big series is quite beloved, but I'm not going to start it at this late date - my TBR is pretty full. So when I heard she was starting a new one with a time-traveling female detective, I decided to give it a try. And I am really glad that I did - I enjoyed it - especially DS Ali Dawson and her "Dept. of Logistics" crew who use short time hops to try to solve cold cases in London. I liked the way the science was handled & the 1850 case is quite intriguing and also somehow reminded me of a movie I saw long ago... Anyway, I'm hooked & will be looking out for the next installment!
December 10, 2024
I have to say, when I first read the synopsis of The Frozen People - a secret cold case team within the Met who time travel to gather evidence on historical crimes - my initial reaction was to think "Really?! This is what's replacing our beloved Ruth Galloway series?!" And it's a bonkers premise, let's be honest, but somehow it kind of works. This is down entirely to the strength of Griffiths' writing, and especially her character development. Quite rapidly the reader understands who Ali is, what makes her tick, and why we should care about her. And care we do, so when she gets stuck in the mid-19th century while investigating the ancestor of a prominent MP (an MP for whom her son happens to work), we want badly for Ali and her team to work out how to get her back to the present day.
There's a little too much going on in the narrative, what with mysterious chairs and a sinister secret society and a present day murder case and and letters from the past suggesting that Ali will return to 1850 at some point, but altogether it manages to (just about) cohere into an enjoyable and well paced mystery. I shall certainly read the next in the series.
There's a little too much going on in the narrative, what with mysterious chairs and a sinister secret society and a present day murder case and and letters from the past suggesting that Ali will return to 1850 at some point, but altogether it manages to (just about) cohere into an enjoyable and well paced mystery. I shall certainly read the next in the series.
March 18, 2025
I read this UK edition as a buddy read with Hilary and Margie. It was exciting to read an untranslated (from British English to U.S. English) copy and to read the book before its U.S. publication date. It was published in the UK In February but it won’t be in the U.S. until July.
I really liked this new first book in a series. I am not sure yet how much I’ll love the series but I do plan to keep reading it.
The storytelling is brilliantly done.
The author does a fabulous job of creating believable characters and relationships and she writes superb dialogue. I found the characters relatable and grew emotionally attached to a fair number of them.
This is a genre mashup for sure. It’s a mystery, a historical fiction book, and a science fiction with time travel book. I like all of those genres and they all worked well together in this book. Given how much of it was speculative fiction it was surprisingly easy to suspend disbelief and the story worked for me.
I cared about quite a few of the characters and found both Victorian London as well present day England fascinating.
That clock!
The settings were vividly described. I could feel and sense exactly what the characters were experiencing.
There is suspense. There is not too much violence, thankfully.
There is humor.
I loved the cat character and I’m looking forward to a dog character that I think will be in future books.
What I didn’t like so much is – plot spoiler: It’s a richer reading experience to have more than one mind paying attention to a book. I sometimes miss my real world book club but buddy reads can be even more gratifying since we chat as we read, in this case every four chapters taking 11 days to read 44 chapters.
There were a couple of brilliant twists, especially one toward the very end that I did not see coming. I guessed the identity of the culprit but I’d had other wrong guesses too; I was never certain until the reveal in the story. I’d been worried that this wouldn’t feel like a complete book and that the reader would have to wait until the next book to find out what had happened and to have anything resolved but, while there are definitely things that will have to continue in future books, this book had a satisfying end. There was a lot in those last 25 pages!
I would like more Ruth Galloway books but I can see this series becoming my second favorite of the author’s, maybe even my favorite depending on how things go given how much I like Ali and Finn.
A solid 4 star read. Both my buddies really liked the book too which was a relief since I suggested the book and we all had to buy a copy in order to read it.
I’m looking forward to book 2 but have no idea when it might be available. This author is prolific and writes books for several mystery series.
ETA: This UK cover is beautiful but not only the cover is attractive. On the inside covers there is a gorgeous picture map of Victorian London that matches the cover. The entire book is gorgeous looking.
I really liked this new first book in a series. I am not sure yet how much I’ll love the series but I do plan to keep reading it.
The storytelling is brilliantly done.
The author does a fabulous job of creating believable characters and relationships and she writes superb dialogue. I found the characters relatable and grew emotionally attached to a fair number of them.
This is a genre mashup for sure. It’s a mystery, a historical fiction book, and a science fiction with time travel book. I like all of those genres and they all worked well together in this book. Given how much of it was speculative fiction it was surprisingly easy to suspend disbelief and the story worked for me.
I cared about quite a few of the characters and found both Victorian London as well present day England fascinating.
That clock!
The settings were vividly described. I could feel and sense exactly what the characters were experiencing.
There is suspense. There is not too much violence, thankfully.
There is humor.
I loved the cat character and I’m looking forward to a dog character that I think will be in future books.
What I didn’t like so much is – plot spoiler: It’s a richer reading experience to have more than one mind paying attention to a book. I sometimes miss my real world book club but buddy reads can be even more gratifying since we chat as we read, in this case every four chapters taking 11 days to read 44 chapters.
There were a couple of brilliant twists, especially one toward the very end that I did not see coming. I guessed the identity of the culprit but I’d had other wrong guesses too; I was never certain until the reveal in the story. I’d been worried that this wouldn’t feel like a complete book and that the reader would have to wait until the next book to find out what had happened and to have anything resolved but, while there are definitely things that will have to continue in future books, this book had a satisfying end. There was a lot in those last 25 pages!
I would like more Ruth Galloway books but I can see this series becoming my second favorite of the author’s, maybe even my favorite depending on how things go given how much I like Ali and Finn.
A solid 4 star read. Both my buddies really liked the book too which was a relief since I suggested the book and we all had to buy a copy in order to read it.
I’m looking forward to book 2 but have no idea when it might be available. This author is prolific and writes books for several mystery series.
ETA: This UK cover is beautiful but not only the cover is attractive. On the inside covers there is a gorgeous picture map of Victorian London that matches the cover. The entire book is gorgeous looking.
August 31, 2025
DS Ali Dawson was part of a Cold Case team which investigated crimes many years old - that were "frozen in time". The team was also part of a new initiative where they could travel in time to investigate said crime. Since Ali had only travelled a short time into the past, when she was asked to go back to 1850 to look into one of London's top MP's great-great-grandfather, Ali was uncertain. Preparations were made, the clothing that would make Ali authentic acquired, and she was off. Her arrival shocked her - she was where they sent her; the same home that wasn't far from where she lived in 2023, looked good. It was a boarding house. When Ali entered, she soon got to know the residents and Clara, who did the cooking for the residents. She also discovered a dead woman in the attic, with a man standing over her...
When Ali went back to the spot where she'd arrived, she was unable to return. What had happened? Was she stuck in 1850 forever? She decided to make the most of whatever had happened, making friends with the ancestor she was supposed to research. But was that a good idea? And when she discovered her son had been arrested for murder, she knew she had to get home, and fast.
The Frozen People is the 1st in a new series (Ali Dawson) for Elly Griffiths and it was fun and entertaining. Ali is a wonderful character, strong, determined, never afraid to take a chance, even without knowing the outcome. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series, catching up with Ali & Finn again. Highly recommended.
When Ali went back to the spot where she'd arrived, she was unable to return. What had happened? Was she stuck in 1850 forever? She decided to make the most of whatever had happened, making friends with the ancestor she was supposed to research. But was that a good idea? And when she discovered her son had been arrested for murder, she knew she had to get home, and fast.
The Frozen People is the 1st in a new series (Ali Dawson) for Elly Griffiths and it was fun and entertaining. Ali is a wonderful character, strong, determined, never afraid to take a chance, even without knowing the outcome. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series, catching up with Ali & Finn again. Highly recommended.
September 24, 2025
Do you have certain kinds of books that are almost a “heck, yes” decision when reading the blurb or review on Goodreads? Well, if a book involves crime, the 18-19th centuries, England, and time traveling, then I’m all IN!
I loved this book because while it deals with a thoroughly unrealistic crime solving technique (momentary steps back in time— it’s a new technology and completely classified and untried… for now) and an authentic team who have been brought together to use the new technology (so not a spoiler here) to solve cold (I mean frozen tundra cold) cases.
Elly Griffiths is an author who populates her books with authentic people, eccentric people, or folks who are a bit of both. She does the same in this book— which I dearly hope will be her new series.
Tension, good guys that seem bad and bad guys that seem good— and loads of red herrings— in both time periods. I’d say the best way to go into this book is to just start reading and go with the flow… most will be revealed (in one way or another) and the ending is a good one!
(I’d say that fans of the Pendergast series will find plenty to like about this one). So anyone know when the next book might be coming out?
I loved this book because while it deals with a thoroughly unrealistic crime solving technique (momentary steps back in time— it’s a new technology and completely classified and untried… for now) and an authentic team who have been brought together to use the new technology (so not a spoiler here) to solve cold (I mean frozen tundra cold) cases.
Elly Griffiths is an author who populates her books with authentic people, eccentric people, or folks who are a bit of both. She does the same in this book— which I dearly hope will be her new series.
Tension, good guys that seem bad and bad guys that seem good— and loads of red herrings— in both time periods. I’d say the best way to go into this book is to just start reading and go with the flow… most will be revealed (in one way or another) and the ending is a good one!
(I’d say that fans of the Pendergast series will find plenty to like about this one). So anyone know when the next book might be coming out?
April 26, 2025
The Frozen People completely drew me in, atmospheric, so beautifully written, and hard to put down. As a huge fan of time travel, I absolutely loved it and I can't wait for the sequel.
March 14, 2025
The Frozen People had such a unique premise that really pulled me in — time travel, cold cases, victorian era; check, check, check!
While the plot itself was solid, I couldn’t help but feel that there was so much potential that went either unexplored or done, but badly - how you can make the victorian era this dull, I will never know.
The story really had the bones of something gripping and innovative, but overall it fell completely flat for me.
Overall, a decent read. I will be back for #2 hoping for a redemption arc as I do think there is still potential for something exciting here!
While the plot itself was solid, I couldn’t help but feel that there was so much potential that went either unexplored or done, but badly - how you can make the victorian era this dull, I will never know.
The story really had the bones of something gripping and innovative, but overall it fell completely flat for me.
Overall, a decent read. I will be back for #2 hoping for a redemption arc as I do think there is still potential for something exciting here!
January 22, 2025
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
I read this at the perfect time, with a freezing fog descending on England and ice everywhere. The Frozen People was atmospheric and moody, following police officer Ali and her journey back and forth to Victorian London in search of answers to a cold case over 150 years in the making. In her quest for answers she'll meet several shady characters (mainly men), a belligerent housekeeper and one rather charming aristocrat who also happens to be the major suspect to a murder.
I really enjoyed Ali as a character. She's incredibly sassy, intelligent and independant. I mean at the start of the book she's got three ex husbands and bright red hair. She's the perfect protagonist to send to Victorian England in my opinion, as her personality is so at odds with the rather sombre mood that permeats the era. She's also good at making friends, making her inquiries and inquisitive questions a part of her personality and charm rather than coming off as abrasive. She's appreciative of her Victorian housemates, never condescending and that made her more likeable.
I also thought the plot was well paced and thought out. With time travel, especial dual as in this case, it's easy to let the timeline run away with the story but this is tightly controlled with the help of a strong science based logical explanation of how the travelling works, and the character of Jones to keep it grounded. If anything I would have liked to have seen more of Ali's colleagues and their initial dilemma with Ali's situation to help build up their on page relationships instead of relying on being told how close they are as a team.
With any dual timeline there's always one I'm less interested in, and as perhaps expected, the modern day timeline was less interesting even with Ali. I wasn't expecting the curveball thrown in half way through however, and that certainly helped to keep my attention to the end. Far and away however, the Victorian timeline was superior in every way. It had the intrigue and atmosphere and by far the better characters.
Really unique blend of historical mystery and science fiction that I feel would appeal to a broad audience. It's got a flavour of Sherlock Holmes and the St Mary's series, but perhaps slightly more on the serious side of the scale.
I read this at the perfect time, with a freezing fog descending on England and ice everywhere. The Frozen People was atmospheric and moody, following police officer Ali and her journey back and forth to Victorian London in search of answers to a cold case over 150 years in the making. In her quest for answers she'll meet several shady characters (mainly men), a belligerent housekeeper and one rather charming aristocrat who also happens to be the major suspect to a murder.
I really enjoyed Ali as a character. She's incredibly sassy, intelligent and independant. I mean at the start of the book she's got three ex husbands and bright red hair. She's the perfect protagonist to send to Victorian England in my opinion, as her personality is so at odds with the rather sombre mood that permeats the era. She's also good at making friends, making her inquiries and inquisitive questions a part of her personality and charm rather than coming off as abrasive. She's appreciative of her Victorian housemates, never condescending and that made her more likeable.
I also thought the plot was well paced and thought out. With time travel, especial dual as in this case, it's easy to let the timeline run away with the story but this is tightly controlled with the help of a strong science based logical explanation of how the travelling works, and the character of Jones to keep it grounded. If anything I would have liked to have seen more of Ali's colleagues and their initial dilemma with Ali's situation to help build up their on page relationships instead of relying on being told how close they are as a team.
With any dual timeline there's always one I'm less interested in, and as perhaps expected, the modern day timeline was less interesting even with Ali. I wasn't expecting the curveball thrown in half way through however, and that certainly helped to keep my attention to the end. Far and away however, the Victorian timeline was superior in every way. It had the intrigue and atmosphere and by far the better characters.
Really unique blend of historical mystery and science fiction that I feel would appeal to a broad audience. It's got a flavour of Sherlock Holmes and the St Mary's series, but perhaps slightly more on the serious side of the scale.
October 4, 2025
Ali Dawson and her team investigate cold cases. With some secret research, they’ve experimented with time travel to investigate crimes in the past. However, they’ve so far gone back a few decades, but their newest case has Ali traveling back to 1850’s London. A teammate has questions about his family’s past, so Ali travels back to discover the truth about a murdered woman.
She goes back to in period clothing, but she’s not prepared for the cold and other elements. Cold outside, and a boarding house with just fireplaces to heat. The task is to spend one hour and then return, but things aren’t working correctly… she has no idea if or how she can return. As she is living in the past, her son Finn has been accused of murder in the current day.
The characters and storyline were interesting, but I’ve read other mysteries involving time travel, and for me those have been a higher level. 3-1/2 stars, which I’ll round to 4.
She goes back to in period clothing, but she’s not prepared for the cold and other elements. Cold outside, and a boarding house with just fireplaces to heat. The task is to spend one hour and then return, but things aren’t working correctly… she has no idea if or how she can return. As she is living in the past, her son Finn has been accused of murder in the current day.
The characters and storyline were interesting, but I’ve read other mysteries involving time travel, and for me those have been a higher level. 3-1/2 stars, which I’ll round to 4.
July 9, 2025
A deeply frustrating mess of half-formed ideas, sluggish pacing, and a total lack of narrative tension.
The dual timeline setup could have generated suspense, but there’s none. We know Ali’s safe, then she’s replaced by a guy we don’t know or care about. Meanwhile, Finn seems nonplussed in jail, and the evidence is so patently flimsy (they think he’s having an affair with the MP because of DNA on a lip? Dear me), it’s just a matter of time before he’s released.
Every historical detail is shoved in with a neon sign: “Look! I did my homework!” Not a single reference can be left unexplained.
The writing is so bad:
“Now it’s a kaleidoscope of brightness, partly because of a preponderance of flower shops, filling the air with a green, stalky scent that reminds Ali of one — maybe all — of her weddings. Most of these establishments have teenagers outside them, taking selfies.”
Oh, of course — you can’t walk down a street without seeing teenagers taking selfies in front of flower shops.
Almost nothing anyone does in the second half of the book makes sense. No one seems to have any sense of urgency. At 5 p.m., one of the team goes off on a date and the office is empty, despite one colleague being trapped in the past and another’s son being wrongly imprisoned for murder.
And the ending is absurd — dropped out of nowhere and completely incoherent. Then the kicker: the only person who knows how the time travel works volunteers to maroon themself in the 1850s.
Oh, and several plot threads just remain hanging — not in an intriguing, cliffhanger way, but in a way that makes you check if you’re missing pages. Burbage’s murder, the chairs, the “don’t trust Dickens” references — never explained.
I can’t tell you how annoying this book is. Who was meant to be editing this? It’s an insult to readers.
The dual timeline setup could have generated suspense, but there’s none. We know Ali’s safe, then she’s replaced by a guy we don’t know or care about. Meanwhile, Finn seems nonplussed in jail, and the evidence is so patently flimsy (they think he’s having an affair with the MP because of DNA on a lip? Dear me), it’s just a matter of time before he’s released.
Every historical detail is shoved in with a neon sign: “Look! I did my homework!” Not a single reference can be left unexplained.
The writing is so bad:
“Now it’s a kaleidoscope of brightness, partly because of a preponderance of flower shops, filling the air with a green, stalky scent that reminds Ali of one — maybe all — of her weddings. Most of these establishments have teenagers outside them, taking selfies.”
Oh, of course — you can’t walk down a street without seeing teenagers taking selfies in front of flower shops.
Almost nothing anyone does in the second half of the book makes sense. No one seems to have any sense of urgency. At 5 p.m., one of the team goes off on a date and the office is empty, despite one colleague being trapped in the past and another’s son being wrongly imprisoned for murder.
And the ending is absurd — dropped out of nowhere and completely incoherent. Then the kicker: the only person who knows how the time travel works volunteers to maroon themself in the 1850s.
Oh, and several plot threads just remain hanging — not in an intriguing, cliffhanger way, but in a way that makes you check if you’re missing pages. Burbage’s murder, the chairs, the “don’t trust Dickens” references — never explained.
I can’t tell you how annoying this book is. Who was meant to be editing this? It’s an insult to readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2025
I enjoyed Ruth and Nelson and I love the Victorian era so this was promising.
Maybe my expectations were too high but the book was a major disappointment. The Victorian scenes lacked the atmosphere of dickens or Sherlock Holmes and the characters were somewhat lacking. Also got annoyed with all the little pro - left wing liberal comments- none major but unnecessary and surely the product of a sensitivity reader. Really spoiled the book for me. I won’t be buying any sequel and will probably give up on Ruth and Nelson now. For me the writer has spoiled her copybook.
Incidentally, surely once you combine crime and time travel there’s always the possibility hovering that you can simply return to immediately before the crime and watch it happen?! Instant witness and crime solved, no?
Maybe my expectations were too high but the book was a major disappointment. The Victorian scenes lacked the atmosphere of dickens or Sherlock Holmes and the characters were somewhat lacking. Also got annoyed with all the little pro - left wing liberal comments- none major but unnecessary and surely the product of a sensitivity reader. Really spoiled the book for me. I won’t be buying any sequel and will probably give up on Ruth and Nelson now. For me the writer has spoiled her copybook.
Incidentally, surely once you combine crime and time travel there’s always the possibility hovering that you can simply return to immediately before the crime and watch it happen?! Instant witness and crime solved, no?
March 26, 2025
Have been a fan of Griffiths' previous books especially the Ruth and Nelson series but this was such a disappointment. I really struggled with the plot, the writing felt mundane, the resolution out of the blue, rapid and ridiculous - felt like the author had met the word/page count so lets wind it up! I spent most of the book thinking What! Really! How can the Victorian era be so mundane? And as to the contemporary sections - a potential letter from the 1850s going through a photocopier! No wonder it had to be sent to preservation.
March 20, 2025
Ali is a police officer in London allegedly working cold cases, but she's also involved in a top secret project: time travel. Her group is asked by an important politician to travel back to 1850 to find out if his ancestor was really a murderer. She's transported, but the plans for getting her back to the present don't work as they are supposed to. Without spoiling the plot it's difficult to say more, but this is a very different kind of writing for Elly Griffiths. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
November 18, 2025
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
It's like a hair-pulling frustration, because the potential was right there. The author crafted such a compelling and unique mystery that could have been delved into deeper, created something out of it; but just when we were getting to the meat of it, she did not even bother expanding on it. 🤦🏻♀️ Rather she did a complete cop-out by having it just fess up to it in the hastiest of fashions, without any real conclusive feeling to it that neither resolved or absolved the past or the present with any real feeling to it. 😮💨
The fact that I had figured out who it was even before, for how thick the author was laying it on, really perturbed me. 🙎🏻♀️ I was not a fan of who the suspect was, because it left an unpleasant taste in my mouth of a rather bad impression on the author's part. It was also lazy writing, something I noticed in their earlier work of how the author spends so much time on building characters and wasting time on simple interactions, that by the time it comes to actually solving the mystery, it's a half-hearted attempt with no real deductive skills to it. It's deeply upsetting. 😒
“They come back to me in the music, in the wind, in the dead stillness of the night, in the revolving years.”’ - Charles Dickens
I was eager to find how the parallels would overlap, how Ali would figure out the clues, because traveling in the past was all about gathering evidence to solve cold cases. But all she did was gripe about how bereft and lost she was in the past, lamenting about her lack of romance, and her urgency to return to her son, Finn. The past had such a gripping feel to it, shady characters with hidden motives and a unique set-up of the Collectors that never reached its full fruition of suspenseful darkness and mystique it gave off. 😕
Can you tell I'm mad? Not mad, I'm vexed. 😣 The idea of The Frozen People working on cases so cold, they're frozen, was good in theory, but never developed into something concrete. And it shows how everything was brushed and rushed off at the end. I can even forgive how much of the first quarter of the book was dedicated to building character profiles, because it is a series, but... I'm so mad. The time travel idea is something I've even entertained for myself and to see its wasted potential is hurting me. 💔😞
“She feels numb, disassociated from reality. Or is it just that she’s frozen with despair?”
I was engrossed and intrigued. I even warmed up to Ali! I wanted to see her in action as a fifty-year-old strong policewoman, who put her mind to good use. But it never happened! 😫 You can actually see the dip in quality when I stopped highlighting passages, because it was floundering with no real idea how to get out of the conflict created - in both the story-telling and the writing.
Despite these harried emotions, I will still be continuing the series; not because I'm a stubborn mule, but because I like the idea of crossing the gate through time. ⌛ I just hope the execution can deliver by bringing the storylines together in a more convincing and believable and conclusive fashion that makes it more worth my time, which in real life, I can't turn back the clock to tell myself to be prepared for the eventual disappointment - nay, disgruntlement that would evidently follow. 😢
“ We collect evidence. We don’t do anything.’”
It's like a hair-pulling frustration, because the potential was right there. The author crafted such a compelling and unique mystery that could have been delved into deeper, created something out of it; but just when we were getting to the meat of it, she did not even bother expanding on it. 🤦🏻♀️ Rather she did a complete cop-out by having it just fess up to it in the hastiest of fashions, without any real conclusive feeling to it that neither resolved or absolved the past or the present with any real feeling to it. 😮💨
The fact that I had figured out who it was even before, for how thick the author was laying it on, really perturbed me. 🙎🏻♀️ I was not a fan of who the suspect was, because it left an unpleasant taste in my mouth of a rather bad impression on the author's part. It was also lazy writing, something I noticed in their earlier work of how the author spends so much time on building characters and wasting time on simple interactions, that by the time it comes to actually solving the mystery, it's a half-hearted attempt with no real deductive skills to it. It's deeply upsetting. 😒
“They come back to me in the music, in the wind, in the dead stillness of the night, in the revolving years.”’ - Charles Dickens
I was eager to find how the parallels would overlap, how Ali would figure out the clues, because traveling in the past was all about gathering evidence to solve cold cases. But all she did was gripe about how bereft and lost she was in the past, lamenting about her lack of romance, and her urgency to return to her son, Finn. The past had such a gripping feel to it, shady characters with hidden motives and a unique set-up of the Collectors that never reached its full fruition of suspenseful darkness and mystique it gave off. 😕
Can you tell I'm mad? Not mad, I'm vexed. 😣 The idea of The Frozen People working on cases so cold, they're frozen, was good in theory, but never developed into something concrete. And it shows how everything was brushed and rushed off at the end. I can even forgive how much of the first quarter of the book was dedicated to building character profiles, because it is a series, but... I'm so mad. The time travel idea is something I've even entertained for myself and to see its wasted potential is hurting me. 💔😞
“She feels numb, disassociated from reality. Or is it just that she’s frozen with despair?”
I was engrossed and intrigued. I even warmed up to Ali! I wanted to see her in action as a fifty-year-old strong policewoman, who put her mind to good use. But it never happened! 😫 You can actually see the dip in quality when I stopped highlighting passages, because it was floundering with no real idea how to get out of the conflict created - in both the story-telling and the writing.
Despite these harried emotions, I will still be continuing the series; not because I'm a stubborn mule, but because I like the idea of crossing the gate through time. ⌛ I just hope the execution can deliver by bringing the storylines together in a more convincing and believable and conclusive fashion that makes it more worth my time, which in real life, I can't turn back the clock to tell myself to be prepared for the eventual disappointment - nay, disgruntlement that would evidently follow. 😢
July 29, 2025
And now for something completely different. I love Elly Griffiths’ books. When I heard that she was writing a new series about a cold case investigator, I got quite excited. “This will be great!” I thought. Then I realized that this cold case unit time travels to the time of the crime to solve their cases. “Weird,” I thought. “Doesn't sound like the Elly Griffiths I know.” But once I got started, the story drew me right in and fascinated me. When I think about it, what cold case investigator wouldn't want this ability?
Ali is such a modern woman that she is an unlikely time traveler. She has a great deal of trouble acting like anything but a feminist police officer, and draws a bit of attention as a result. Of course, there wouldn't be much drama if things ran as intended. Ali finds herself marooned in Victorian London and spending time with Cain Templeton, the man she's been sent to investigate. There's also a missing murderer, Thomas Creek—did he take Ali's place, traveling forward to the 21st century?
Meanwhile, in modern London, her son Finn finds himself accused of the murder of a descendant of Cain. Is this a coincidence or are the events of past and future connected? Like any of us, when he's faced with adversity, he wants his mother. Her cold case unit sends officer John Cole to take her place, so Finn gets his wish.
Bottom line: Griffiths is a talented writer and she need not be limited to the mystery genre. I am thrilled to see that this book is the first of a new series. I will be watching for volume two!
Ali is such a modern woman that she is an unlikely time traveler. She has a great deal of trouble acting like anything but a feminist police officer, and draws a bit of attention as a result. Of course, there wouldn't be much drama if things ran as intended. Ali finds herself marooned in Victorian London and spending time with Cain Templeton, the man she's been sent to investigate. There's also a missing murderer, Thomas Creek—did he take Ali's place, traveling forward to the 21st century?
Meanwhile, in modern London, her son Finn finds himself accused of the murder of a descendant of Cain. Is this a coincidence or are the events of past and future connected? Like any of us, when he's faced with adversity, he wants his mother. Her cold case unit sends officer John Cole to take her place, so Finn gets his wish.
Bottom line: Griffiths is a talented writer and she need not be limited to the mystery genre. I am thrilled to see that this book is the first of a new series. I will be watching for volume two!
March 17, 2025
It took me a little while to get into the "vibe" of The Frozen People, but as I've loved time-travel stories since I was a child, and am a big fan of Elly Griffiths previous work, I was committed to reading this first instalment in what promises to be an intriguing new series. Like Ruth Galloway (the heroine of Griffiths' previous series that bears her name), police officer Ali Dawson is a complex character who it takes a little time to get to know, but by the end of the book I was on board, and can't wait to read future instalments in the series.
Fifty-year-old Ali Dawson is a police officer with a MET Cold Cases Unit ("so cold they're frozen"), which operates out of a nondescript building in the East End of London, on a floor that's curiously identified as the "Department of Logistics". Under the management of DCI Geoff Bastian and physicist Seraphina "Jones" Pellegrini, this small team undertake a very specialised type of criminal investigation - they use "gates" to travel back and forward in time, thereby viewing crime scenes and identifying suspects that would be out of reach using traditional detection methods. To date, the team's excursions have only been over relatively small time periods - most recently, they've solved the 1970s disappearance of Laura Mulholland.
Now, DCI Bastian confronts Ali with a challenging new assignment. She's to travel back to Victorian London, 1850 to be precise, to ascertain whether philanthropist Cain Templeton and the notorious group he was associated with really did murder one or more women as suspected. This is at the behest of Templeton's great-great-grandson Isaac Templeton, a Tory MP who's senior enough to be au fait with the real workings of the Cold Case Unit, and who also happens to be the boss of Ali's adult son, Finn.
It's a gripping concept - Ali prepares herself over the course of a week, cramming 1850 social conventions, acquiring contemporary currency and learning to dress herself in clothing appropriate to the time, before stepping through the "gate" into a different, yet eerily familiar world...
Chapters alternate between the present, in which Ali's son Finn becomes aware of what type of work she's been engaging in, and Ali's adventures and discoveries in Victorian London. Past and present collide when Ali's "gate" is misused, threatening the safety of both herself and those she cares about in the 21st century.
The Frozen People is an unusual style of crime fiction / mystery, and requires the reader to be in the right headspace to accept some sci-fi and fantasy elements into what is otherwise a police procedural narrative. I struggled a little with the concepts myself, and will probably re-read the book at a later date, as I don't feel I've yet explored it to its full potential. Elly Griffiths has clearly researched Victorian-era London extensively, and the scenes set in 1850 are immersive and fascinating. The characters are multi-dimensional and convincing, especially the somewhat quirky Ali, for whom I developed empathy over the course of the book.
I'd recommend The Frozen People to readers who are looking for something a little bit different in their crime fiction, albeit from a well-established and respected author who really knows her craft. Enough loose threads are left hanging at the end of this book to provide plenty of anticipation for the next instalment in the series.
Fifty-year-old Ali Dawson is a police officer with a MET Cold Cases Unit ("so cold they're frozen"), which operates out of a nondescript building in the East End of London, on a floor that's curiously identified as the "Department of Logistics". Under the management of DCI Geoff Bastian and physicist Seraphina "Jones" Pellegrini, this small team undertake a very specialised type of criminal investigation - they use "gates" to travel back and forward in time, thereby viewing crime scenes and identifying suspects that would be out of reach using traditional detection methods. To date, the team's excursions have only been over relatively small time periods - most recently, they've solved the 1970s disappearance of Laura Mulholland.
Now, DCI Bastian confronts Ali with a challenging new assignment. She's to travel back to Victorian London, 1850 to be precise, to ascertain whether philanthropist Cain Templeton and the notorious group he was associated with really did murder one or more women as suspected. This is at the behest of Templeton's great-great-grandson Isaac Templeton, a Tory MP who's senior enough to be au fait with the real workings of the Cold Case Unit, and who also happens to be the boss of Ali's adult son, Finn.
It's a gripping concept - Ali prepares herself over the course of a week, cramming 1850 social conventions, acquiring contemporary currency and learning to dress herself in clothing appropriate to the time, before stepping through the "gate" into a different, yet eerily familiar world...
Chapters alternate between the present, in which Ali's son Finn becomes aware of what type of work she's been engaging in, and Ali's adventures and discoveries in Victorian London. Past and present collide when Ali's "gate" is misused, threatening the safety of both herself and those she cares about in the 21st century.
The Frozen People is an unusual style of crime fiction / mystery, and requires the reader to be in the right headspace to accept some sci-fi and fantasy elements into what is otherwise a police procedural narrative. I struggled a little with the concepts myself, and will probably re-read the book at a later date, as I don't feel I've yet explored it to its full potential. Elly Griffiths has clearly researched Victorian-era London extensively, and the scenes set in 1850 are immersive and fascinating. The characters are multi-dimensional and convincing, especially the somewhat quirky Ali, for whom I developed empathy over the course of the book.
I'd recommend The Frozen People to readers who are looking for something a little bit different in their crime fiction, albeit from a well-established and respected author who really knows her craft. Enough loose threads are left hanging at the end of this book to provide plenty of anticipation for the next instalment in the series.
April 13, 2025
For her latest series, Elly Griffiths has managed to come up with something totally unique, original and daring. Ali Dawson is a police officer in a Cold Case squad, but here the cases are so cold they are jokingly referred to as frozen. Thanks to a brilliant female Italian scientist usually just known as Jones, Ali and her colleagues have the ability to travel backwards in time to solve cases from earlier periods. So here we have Police Procedural meets Doctor Who.
For her latest assignment, Ali has been sent back to 1850 London to investigate the ancestor of a current Tory MP who was, allegedly part of a sinister group called The Collectors; the rumour being all members had to have killed a woman. As well as being stuck in a somewhat alien world, Ali soon discovers she can’t make her way back to the present and fears she could be stuck forever in the Victorian era.
Once I’d got my head around the outrageously original idea I soon found myself enjoying yet another action packed adventure with plenty of witty social observations.
For her latest assignment, Ali has been sent back to 1850 London to investigate the ancestor of a current Tory MP who was, allegedly part of a sinister group called The Collectors; the rumour being all members had to have killed a woman. As well as being stuck in a somewhat alien world, Ali soon discovers she can’t make her way back to the present and fears she could be stuck forever in the Victorian era.
Once I’d got my head around the outrageously original idea I soon found myself enjoying yet another action packed adventure with plenty of witty social observations.
March 15, 2025
Oh dear, looks like I have to add 'time travel' to the list of plots to avoid (along with crime novels that feature remote islands, long dead teenage girls and true crime podcasters). This definitely looked like an intriguing concept, but unfortunately Griffiths doesn't do anything remotely interesting with it. The lead character Ali Dawson, goes back to the 19th century and does precisely nothing, one wonders why she went at all (except to work out what people of yore did with a privy!) The plotting was messy, unconvincing (time travel always requires a huge leap of faith by the reader) and once we get to the denouement, anticlimactic and a huge letdown. The ginormous elephant in the room, is since they have this time travel gizmo, why can't they just go back and see firsthand who murdered the politician? Well, apparently not, as Ali's son sits in jail an accused murderer whilst his mum has access to an actual TIME MACHINE (explained away here by some mumbo jumbo about 'precise physics' or some such) which can exonerate him completely! Yes, it is a complex web we weave when we start to play with time and Griffiths just does not pull it off convincingly. Which is shame as I thought she was an entertaining writer, with good characterisations, but the plotting is a big letdown. By the end, Griffiths is setting up the next instalment, but I won't be joining Ali on any more time travel adventures. 'The Frozen People' just left me cold, not recommended.
May 13, 2025
The Frozen People is the first book in the Ali Dawson series by award-winning, best-selling British author, Elly Griffiths. Finn Kennedy, special advisor to the Minister for Justice, Isaac Templeton, is worried about his mum. He thought her work at the Department of Logistics, with a Met Police team investigating the coldest of cases, would be safe. But now, fifty-year-old DS Alison Dawson is missing, and when he visits her office, her boss reveals that she’s been time-travelling.
Her current mission is to look for evidence about the murders of three women that took place in 1850, for which Cain Templeton was a suspect who was never charged. Cain’s great-great-grandson, Isaac, writing a family history, wants to clear his ancestor’s name, and his high government status means Ali’s boss, DCI Geoff Bastian is willing to agree.
The team consists of the Italian physicist who discovered how to time travel, her young assistant, an IT expert, and two Met Detectives, Ali and her abstentious alcoholic colleague. They all seem very concerned, but nonetheless confident they can bring Ali back to 2023.
Back in 1850, at Templeton’s Hawk St house, Ali arrives just as the body of one of the women is discovered, and when she can’t get back to 2023, ends up invited to stay in his house, where he gathers artistic types. Her evidence gathering includes asking him about his involvement with an exclusive group of men, The Collectors, whose membership requires the killing of a woman.
Ali’s return to 2023 becomes imperative when there’s a murder and Finn is arrested. Does she unwittingly have information about it that will save her son? Before matters are mostly resolved, there are two more deaths, one in each timeline, time travel by a very nasty type, and there’s a strong indication that Ali will be returning to the mid-19th Century.
Once again, Griffiths gives the reader a gutsy female lead backed up by an interesting cast. The how of the time travel aspect is vague enough to not be a credibility issue, but it facilitates some exciting twists and turns before a resolution. Three narrators carry the story over the two timelines, and Griffiths renders the mid-nineteenth Century with consummate ease. More of this cast and setting will be most welcome.
Her current mission is to look for evidence about the murders of three women that took place in 1850, for which Cain Templeton was a suspect who was never charged. Cain’s great-great-grandson, Isaac, writing a family history, wants to clear his ancestor’s name, and his high government status means Ali’s boss, DCI Geoff Bastian is willing to agree.
The team consists of the Italian physicist who discovered how to time travel, her young assistant, an IT expert, and two Met Detectives, Ali and her abstentious alcoholic colleague. They all seem very concerned, but nonetheless confident they can bring Ali back to 2023.
Back in 1850, at Templeton’s Hawk St house, Ali arrives just as the body of one of the women is discovered, and when she can’t get back to 2023, ends up invited to stay in his house, where he gathers artistic types. Her evidence gathering includes asking him about his involvement with an exclusive group of men, The Collectors, whose membership requires the killing of a woman.
Ali’s return to 2023 becomes imperative when there’s a murder and Finn is arrested. Does she unwittingly have information about it that will save her son? Before matters are mostly resolved, there are two more deaths, one in each timeline, time travel by a very nasty type, and there’s a strong indication that Ali will be returning to the mid-19th Century.
Once again, Griffiths gives the reader a gutsy female lead backed up by an interesting cast. The how of the time travel aspect is vague enough to not be a credibility issue, but it facilitates some exciting twists and turns before a resolution. Three narrators carry the story over the two timelines, and Griffiths renders the mid-nineteenth Century with consummate ease. More of this cast and setting will be most welcome.
August 24, 2025
The Frozen People versus The Chronicles of St. Mary's
On reading this book, my first thought was disappointment that the scenario for ‘The Frozen People’ is similar to the extensive timeslip/time travel book series written by Jodi Taylor. In my opinion The Chronicles of St. Mary's books are better than author Elly Griffiths first book in this novice time travel series. Okay, Elly Griffiths husband is an archaeologist and if you have read the brilliant Ruth Galloway series of novels you will understand her interest in the past. However, this attempt does not come close to Jodi Taylor’s time travel Chronicles of St Mary’s which have better characters, more adventure, more depiction and less clichéd filmscript dialogue. Quote He has to believe in her but he knows that there is a chance that he could be trapped in this strange world forever. So many missed opportunities to shine. In short, this book ‘The Frozen People’ is rather stuffy and slow with the usual ‘stuck in time’ scenario and no strong element of threat. There are several people to keep track of, kind people, bad people, bad food, and uncomfortable clothing coupled with cold weather. Who can police officer Ali Dawson trust in 1850s London? Is it really earth-shatteringly worth helping to clear the name of long-dead ancestor Cain Templeton for Ali’s son’s boss MP Isaac Templeton? Sigh. I will read more of this fledgling series as it progresses but I am disappointed in the way things are shaping up for Ali and her family/work life. Perhaps aimed at a younger reading audience I will let you know if things get any better in the future.
On reading this book, my first thought was disappointment that the scenario for ‘The Frozen People’ is similar to the extensive timeslip/time travel book series written by Jodi Taylor. In my opinion The Chronicles of St. Mary's books are better than author Elly Griffiths first book in this novice time travel series. Okay, Elly Griffiths husband is an archaeologist and if you have read the brilliant Ruth Galloway series of novels you will understand her interest in the past. However, this attempt does not come close to Jodi Taylor’s time travel Chronicles of St Mary’s which have better characters, more adventure, more depiction and less clichéd filmscript dialogue. Quote He has to believe in her but he knows that there is a chance that he could be trapped in this strange world forever. So many missed opportunities to shine. In short, this book ‘The Frozen People’ is rather stuffy and slow with the usual ‘stuck in time’ scenario and no strong element of threat. There are several people to keep track of, kind people, bad people, bad food, and uncomfortable clothing coupled with cold weather. Who can police officer Ali Dawson trust in 1850s London? Is it really earth-shatteringly worth helping to clear the name of long-dead ancestor Cain Templeton for Ali’s son’s boss MP Isaac Templeton? Sigh. I will read more of this fledgling series as it progresses but I am disappointed in the way things are shaping up for Ali and her family/work life. Perhaps aimed at a younger reading audience I will let you know if things get any better in the future.
August 15, 2025
How do you make a Victorian-era murder mystery with time travel boring? Somehow, this book manages it.
The premise sounded great, but the summary is misleading: there’s almost zero investigation into the 19th-century murders. Instead, we get a pile of clichés and unrealistic elements. Allison works for a secret time-travel unit and yet arrives in the Victorian era with zero historical knowledge and casually breaks fundamental rules because she finds things “charming.”
The writer repeatedly reminds us how modern, empowered, and liberated Allison is — not subtly, but hammered into the text over and over. It turns into a constant “down with the patriarchy” speech, spelled out as if the reader is incapable of catching the implicit. Add in some out-of-place romance/random lust (apparently being stuck in the 19th century with greasy hair, poor hygiene, and a nearby murderer aren’t enough to kill the mood if you’re a zealous feminist), and you find yourself wondering what you signed up for.
Even the title feels like part of the misleading promotion. There’s little connection to the “cold case” promised, and while I’m aware it’s the first book in a series, a first installment should still deliver on its own hook. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t.
The premise sounded great, but the summary is misleading: there’s almost zero investigation into the 19th-century murders. Instead, we get a pile of clichés and unrealistic elements. Allison works for a secret time-travel unit and yet arrives in the Victorian era with zero historical knowledge and casually breaks fundamental rules because she finds things “charming.”
The writer repeatedly reminds us how modern, empowered, and liberated Allison is — not subtly, but hammered into the text over and over. It turns into a constant “down with the patriarchy” speech, spelled out as if the reader is incapable of catching the implicit. Add in some out-of-place romance/random lust (apparently being stuck in the 19th century with greasy hair, poor hygiene, and a nearby murderer aren’t enough to kill the mood if you’re a zealous feminist), and you find yourself wondering what you signed up for.
Even the title feels like part of the misleading promotion. There’s little connection to the “cold case” promised, and while I’m aware it’s the first book in a series, a first installment should still deliver on its own hook. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t.
December 20, 2025
Ellie Griffiths like always is putting a lot of herself in this book; her ancestry (Italian), aging with confidence and wisdom, feminism, motherhood, history, the coffee that she loves and always a crazy cat. In her writings Griffiths always produce strong and independent women and that is why I tend to read her more often than other writers.
Griffiths is giving us a well written book that encompasses a lot of historical research. The first part of the book was slower than her usual offerings but once the mystery started I was glued to the pages. It seems that time travel is a hot topic again. I am also reading Jodi Taylor and will continue until Griffiths produce the next book in the series. Time travel interests me and when humor is added it is always a plus.
Griffiths is giving us a well written book that encompasses a lot of historical research. The first part of the book was slower than her usual offerings but once the mystery started I was glued to the pages. It seems that time travel is a hot topic again. I am also reading Jodi Taylor and will continue until Griffiths produce the next book in the series. Time travel interests me and when humor is added it is always a plus.
April 17, 2025
I received this as a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you to the author and publisher.
I suppose I could start with some awful saying, “I really wanted to like this”. No shit, why in the hell would a person read it otherwise!! But I didn’t like it so I will say the following.
Not good! A mess that went nowhere. Down to the time traveling furniture. Ugh what detritus! do not recommend!
I suppose I could start with some awful saying, “I really wanted to like this”. No shit, why in the hell would a person read it otherwise!! But I didn’t like it so I will say the following.
Not good! A mess that went nowhere. Down to the time traveling furniture. Ugh what detritus! do not recommend!
May 8, 2025
Disappointing. I’ve enjoyed all of Elly Griffith’s other series and I love a time travel story but this one just didn’t come together for me. Nothing feels fully realized - not the characters, not the super secret police department, and certainly not the time travel mechanics. It’s all a bit too hand-wavy. Not to mention the complete lack of concern about solving the cold case the team is assigned which sets this story in motion.
That said, I’ll probably give the 2nd book a go when it comes out, but it best be spectacular if I’m going to go any further with this series
That said, I’ll probably give the 2nd book a go when it comes out, but it best be spectacular if I’m going to go any further with this series
Read
August 26, 2025I don't like to rate books that I skim through and DNF. This book had so much potential. I did read 75 full pages and skimmed the rest to the ending. I love time travel stories but not enough time was spent doing that. Too much time was spent on what characters were thinking instead of action. There were also a lot of gratuitous modern references and relationships that annoy me in a book. Each to his own. Not judging. I just want to focus on the story and action. There was not enough that interested me and too much that turned me off.
February 28, 2025
Disappointed
Usually really like Elly Griffiths’ books and had been looking forward to a new series, but this was a disappointment; silly premise (been done better by other authors) and a story that did not engage.
Usually really like Elly Griffiths’ books and had been looking forward to a new series, but this was a disappointment; silly premise (been done better by other authors) and a story that did not engage.
February 7, 2025
3.5 rounded down
November 15, 2025
Ali Dawson works in a cold case team in the Met, investigating cases “so cold they’re frozen”. Tory Cabinet Minister Isaac Templeton has used his clout to get the team to investigate a crime that affected his family long ago, when his great-great-grandfather was suspected of having murdered three women. The crime was never solved and Isaac feels it’s a blot on the family name. But how would the police re-investigate a crime that happened in 1850? Not a problem for Ali’s team – they can time travel! Serafina Pelligrini, normally known as Jones, has found a way to circumvent the laws of physics – Ali doesn’t understand the mechanics, but she knows it works. She’s already travelled back to the 1970s on a previous case. But this will be the furthest leap back yet, and before she goes Ali will have to learn all about the Victorian era so that she will be able to fit in…
Despite being one of my favourite crime writers, it was always going to be a difficult task for Griffiths to win me over to the idea of time-travelling ‘tecs, and I’m afraid it didn’t happen. The explanation given of how it works is cursory to the point of non-existence, and therefore failed to convince me. Not because of its impossibility – I can park my disbelief in the corner and read Wells and watch Star Trek quite happily. It was because I felt that Griffiths hadn’t convinced herself – it was all a bit too much ‘abracadabra’, when at the very least I was expecting a tachyon burst or some other made-up piece of tech wizardry.
Aside from that, the book is fairly enjoyable, set at the lighthearted end of crime fiction. Ali is 50, three times divorced and currently single, with a grown-up son and a cat. She has to ditch her fire engine red hair and nose piercing before heading to 1850, and grapple with the mysteries of Victorian corsetry. Her history degree won’t help – wrong period – but she still has contacts at her university who can give her tips on customs and language. The Royal Mint is able to help with currency. The plan is that she’ll only be there for one day, but of course the plan goes wrong and she’s stuck, renting a room in the house of a possible murderer, where another woman had been murdered on the very day she arrived. This is one of the murders she has gone back to investigate, so she decides that while she waits hopefully for Jones to sort out the problem she might as well start asking questions…
I wanted to like this more than I did, but as well as the time-travelling problem, I had a couple of other issues with it. Ali is a left-wing progressive and her son, Finn, works as a ‘spad’ – special adviser – to the very Tory Isaac, so we get politics thrown at us constantly, of course taking the line that progressive is good and Tories are, as Angela Rayner would put it, scum. Whether I agree with an author’s politics or not, I don’t want them pushed in my face, nor do I want to be told that I’m one of the good guys if I think one way, but a nasty, stupid person if I think differently. I never understand why authors of light fiction decide to alienate a significant portion of their possible readership in this way. I also found that splitting the story between past and present meant that there were far too many characters for any of them, other than Ali and Finn, to be well developed. They all seemed two-dimensional (irony unintentional). And the use of present tense didn’t help win me over, either.
Lastly, and I know I’m over-analysing, I couldn’t believe that, if someone invented time-travel, the government would decide the best use for it is investigating old crimes. In reality, we all know that it would be handed over to the military so that they could wreak havoc, as happens with all scientific breakthroughs. And given that the PM and Home Office know all about it, not to mention the police and all the civil servants, and Finn, and probably even Terry the cat, I couldn’t quite believe they’d managed to keep it a secret.
The real problem is that it requires a much greater suspension of disbelief than I could manage. Wrong reader, wrong book. For people who can cope with fantasy, magical realism, steampunk and all that jazz, I’m sure this will work fine. So my advice is to pay no attention to my grumpy criticisms, and check out the many glowing reviews from people who found the whole concept fun! Meantime, I shall wait patiently for the super-prolific Griffiths to return to the present…
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Despite being one of my favourite crime writers, it was always going to be a difficult task for Griffiths to win me over to the idea of time-travelling ‘tecs, and I’m afraid it didn’t happen. The explanation given of how it works is cursory to the point of non-existence, and therefore failed to convince me. Not because of its impossibility – I can park my disbelief in the corner and read Wells and watch Star Trek quite happily. It was because I felt that Griffiths hadn’t convinced herself – it was all a bit too much ‘abracadabra’, when at the very least I was expecting a tachyon burst or some other made-up piece of tech wizardry.
Aside from that, the book is fairly enjoyable, set at the lighthearted end of crime fiction. Ali is 50, three times divorced and currently single, with a grown-up son and a cat. She has to ditch her fire engine red hair and nose piercing before heading to 1850, and grapple with the mysteries of Victorian corsetry. Her history degree won’t help – wrong period – but she still has contacts at her university who can give her tips on customs and language. The Royal Mint is able to help with currency. The plan is that she’ll only be there for one day, but of course the plan goes wrong and she’s stuck, renting a room in the house of a possible murderer, where another woman had been murdered on the very day she arrived. This is one of the murders she has gone back to investigate, so she decides that while she waits hopefully for Jones to sort out the problem she might as well start asking questions…
I wanted to like this more than I did, but as well as the time-travelling problem, I had a couple of other issues with it. Ali is a left-wing progressive and her son, Finn, works as a ‘spad’ – special adviser – to the very Tory Isaac, so we get politics thrown at us constantly, of course taking the line that progressive is good and Tories are, as Angela Rayner would put it, scum. Whether I agree with an author’s politics or not, I don’t want them pushed in my face, nor do I want to be told that I’m one of the good guys if I think one way, but a nasty, stupid person if I think differently. I never understand why authors of light fiction decide to alienate a significant portion of their possible readership in this way. I also found that splitting the story between past and present meant that there were far too many characters for any of them, other than Ali and Finn, to be well developed. They all seemed two-dimensional (irony unintentional). And the use of present tense didn’t help win me over, either.
Lastly, and I know I’m over-analysing, I couldn’t believe that, if someone invented time-travel, the government would decide the best use for it is investigating old crimes. In reality, we all know that it would be handed over to the military so that they could wreak havoc, as happens with all scientific breakthroughs. And given that the PM and Home Office know all about it, not to mention the police and all the civil servants, and Finn, and probably even Terry the cat, I couldn’t quite believe they’d managed to keep it a secret.
The real problem is that it requires a much greater suspension of disbelief than I could manage. Wrong reader, wrong book. For people who can cope with fantasy, magical realism, steampunk and all that jazz, I’m sure this will work fine. So my advice is to pay no attention to my grumpy criticisms, and check out the many glowing reviews from people who found the whole concept fun! Meantime, I shall wait patiently for the super-prolific Griffiths to return to the present…
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