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Detectives Kane and Alton #32
In the Dead of Winter
Not yet published
Expected 15 Dec 26The frozen ground crunches beneath her feet as the deadly snap of metal bear trap clamps around her leg. Her scream shatters the silence of the forest, but the monstrous look on the face of the man striding toward her says he hasn’t come to help. He set the trap, and now she is his prey…
As snow swirls around the small town of Black Rock Falls, a lone suitcase is abandoned at the bus station. Sheriff Jenna Alton and her deputy David Kane hold their breath and carefully draws back the zipper. Inside, curled up like a sleeping animal, is the lifeless body of a beautiful young woman.
The victim is divorcee Kate Bell, often seen walking the isolated woodland paths with her dog. It’s clear from the dirt on Kate’s clothing and the deep red lacerations matching the jagged teeth of a bear trap, that she was trapped in the pine forest before being killed and transported here. What kind of monster would do such a thing? And why?
Days later, another suitcase is found in the middle of a frozen lake. Inside, the body of sales assistant Lila Hart, last seen heading into the wilderness with her camera. In Lil’s final photo, Jenna can just make out the grainy figure of a man hidden in the trees, watching and waiting to strike.
With vital clues being lost under a blanket of fresh snow, Jenna must work fast to stop more innocent lives being taken. But a frantic phone call from a woman trapped in the woods, begging for help, has her rushing into a treacherous blizzard. Will Jenna unmask the murderer hunting women in her beloved town? Or will she be the next body delivered home in a suitcase?
Readers will be totally gripped by this gripping crime thriller from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, D.K. Hood. Perfect for fans of Kendra Elliot, Mary Stone and Lisa Regan.
**Each Kane and Alton book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone**
What readers are saying about D.K.
“Addictive… Had me completely hooked from the first chapter… Keeps you saying ‘Just one more chapter’ until suddenly the book is finished… The ending absolutely blindsided me… Impossible to put down.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Unputdownable… I read to the end in one sitting… I love these books!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“I devoured it in a few hours, so addictive… Had me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages as quickly as I could.” Mandylovestoread, 5 stars
“Oh wow, I can’t say enough about this one!! So good!! Literally had me guessing until the reveal… Captivated.” Sip_andread, 5 stars
“I blew through this like the wind! Fantastic read!” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Wow! Still trying to catch my breath.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Exceptional… My word, I couldn’t put this down… Compulsive reading and I couldn’t stop and had to read to the end.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Wow… Amazing… Fantastic… Bone chilling.” B for Bookreview, 5 stars
“A cracking page-turner with some omg moments that will keep you reading late into the night.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Wow, what an epic story. My heart was pounding… I’ve not been able to put this down. A page-turner from start (no spoiler but that first chapter had me hooked) to finish (and explosive ending for sure!). I cannot recommend this book enough.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“So good on so many levels… An unputdownable addition to this fabulous series.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Grab your coffee and settle in for a whirlwind, mind-boggling experience.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
As snow swirls around the small town of Black Rock Falls, a lone suitcase is abandoned at the bus station. Sheriff Jenna Alton and her deputy David Kane hold their breath and carefully draws back the zipper. Inside, curled up like a sleeping animal, is the lifeless body of a beautiful young woman.
The victim is divorcee Kate Bell, often seen walking the isolated woodland paths with her dog. It’s clear from the dirt on Kate’s clothing and the deep red lacerations matching the jagged teeth of a bear trap, that she was trapped in the pine forest before being killed and transported here. What kind of monster would do such a thing? And why?
Days later, another suitcase is found in the middle of a frozen lake. Inside, the body of sales assistant Lila Hart, last seen heading into the wilderness with her camera. In Lil’s final photo, Jenna can just make out the grainy figure of a man hidden in the trees, watching and waiting to strike.
With vital clues being lost under a blanket of fresh snow, Jenna must work fast to stop more innocent lives being taken. But a frantic phone call from a woman trapped in the woods, begging for help, has her rushing into a treacherous blizzard. Will Jenna unmask the murderer hunting women in her beloved town? Or will she be the next body delivered home in a suitcase?
Readers will be totally gripped by this gripping crime thriller from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, D.K. Hood. Perfect for fans of Kendra Elliot, Mary Stone and Lisa Regan.
**Each Kane and Alton book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone**
What readers are saying about D.K.
“Addictive… Had me completely hooked from the first chapter… Keeps you saying ‘Just one more chapter’ until suddenly the book is finished… The ending absolutely blindsided me… Impossible to put down.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Unputdownable… I read to the end in one sitting… I love these books!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“I devoured it in a few hours, so addictive… Had me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages as quickly as I could.” Mandylovestoread, 5 stars
“Oh wow, I can’t say enough about this one!! So good!! Literally had me guessing until the reveal… Captivated.” Sip_andread, 5 stars
“I blew through this like the wind! Fantastic read!” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Wow! Still trying to catch my breath.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Exceptional… My word, I couldn’t put this down… Compulsive reading and I couldn’t stop and had to read to the end.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Wow… Amazing… Fantastic… Bone chilling.” B for Bookreview, 5 stars
“A cracking page-turner with some omg moments that will keep you reading late into the night.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Wow, what an epic story. My heart was pounding… I’ve not been able to put this down. A page-turner from start (no spoiler but that first chapter had me hooked) to finish (and explosive ending for sure!). I cannot recommend this book enough.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“So good on so many levels… An unputdownable addition to this fabulous series.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Grab your coffee and settle in for a whirlwind, mind-boggling experience.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
Kindle Edition
Expected publication December 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 13, 2026
It is Christmas time in Black Rock Falls but somebody forgot to tell the serial killers. The whole team is in this one, including Beth and Styles. 2 very different cases, both sickening and brutal.
I loved the addition of a new character in this book, one that I would love to stick around for more books. He seems like a good fit with the rest of this team of characters.
Danger is around every corner when chasing a serial killer, and the snowstorms and blizzards do not help matters at all,
Book 32 and I am not at all bored with this series, the opposite in fact. I always look forward to the next adventure with Jenna and Dave, life is never dull in serial killer central that is for sure. I powered through this one in an afternoon, never a good time to stop reading, so I didn’t!
Thanks so much to Bookouture on NetGalley for my early copy of this book to read. Published on December 15th, just in time for Christmas.
I loved the addition of a new character in this book, one that I would love to stick around for more books. He seems like a good fit with the rest of this team of characters.
Danger is around every corner when chasing a serial killer, and the snowstorms and blizzards do not help matters at all,
Book 32 and I am not at all bored with this series, the opposite in fact. I always look forward to the next adventure with Jenna and Dave, life is never dull in serial killer central that is for sure. I powered through this one in an afternoon, never a good time to stop reading, so I didn’t!
Thanks so much to Bookouture on NetGalley for my early copy of this book to read. Published on December 15th, just in time for Christmas.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is another gripping and thrilling book in the Kane and Alton Series.
Serial Killer Central is a magnet for serial killers. Not sure why people move there, but hey, I suppose the fact that there is a 1st class Sheriff and her trusty team, they would feel safe!
There is a vicious man living in the forest that lays bear traps and traps women walking in the forest, and calmly watches them bleed out.
None of the team are safe. They know they are being watched while in the forest looking for the crime scenes, but the guy knows how to stay out of sight.
The bodies aren't found in the forest. They are stuffed into suitcases and left in public places for discovery.
Beth and Styles from the FBI are in town investigating the appearance of a young girl. She claims to have a sister, but there is no sign of another child. Beth realises there is more to discover and gets to work on the dark web.
So much is packed into this book. But the investigations are carried out and not one member of the team can take all the credit. That truly is team work!
I can't wait for the next instalment of this series. I can't claim to have read them all, but when I see a new one, I grab it with both hands and binge read it!
The characters are like family to each other, and I really like that in a book.
I recommend this book 5/5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Serial Killer Central is a magnet for serial killers. Not sure why people move there, but hey, I suppose the fact that there is a 1st class Sheriff and her trusty team, they would feel safe!
There is a vicious man living in the forest that lays bear traps and traps women walking in the forest, and calmly watches them bleed out.
None of the team are safe. They know they are being watched while in the forest looking for the crime scenes, but the guy knows how to stay out of sight.
The bodies aren't found in the forest. They are stuffed into suitcases and left in public places for discovery.
Beth and Styles from the FBI are in town investigating the appearance of a young girl. She claims to have a sister, but there is no sign of another child. Beth realises there is more to discover and gets to work on the dark web.
So much is packed into this book. But the investigations are carried out and not one member of the team can take all the credit. That truly is team work!
I can't wait for the next instalment of this series. I can't claim to have read them all, but when I see a new one, I grab it with both hands and binge read it!
The characters are like family to each other, and I really like that in a book.
I recommend this book 5/5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I hate to say this as I love this series, but this was probably my least favourite so far. We're back in Black Rock Falls and following the investigation into a serial killer targeting women with bear traps. Now this storyline was great! I loved the action, suspense and thrill of trying to work out who the killer was and if the team could stop them before they killed another. However, there was also another storyline running alongside featuring a case from the previous book featuring Katz and Styles and their investigation into missing children. This storyline I couldn't get into as much and I much preferred having the whole book focussing on the serial killer plot! I also missed Ty Carter and Jo Wells, with them only having a brief appearance.
But, as I said the main storyline was everything I'd expect from this author and I loved the anticipation as it came nearer to revealing the killer! For me personally though, keep Katz and Styles to their own series and give me much more of Sheriff Jenna and Deputy Dave!
But, as I said the main storyline was everything I'd expect from this author and I loved the anticipation as it came nearer to revealing the killer! For me personally though, keep Katz and Styles to their own series and give me much more of Sheriff Jenna and Deputy Dave!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews