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The Ice Maiden
Crime thriller mystery series set in the sixties. Simply waiting for a bus why should Anne ever dream of dying? He was an opportunist driven by lust, needing to climax while looking into her eyes as she died. Found two months later she will be like all the others - frozen in time. Hunting the killer down is Detective Inspector Jack Gilbert, a dinosaur of the old school, a fish out of water in the swinging sixties, but with a reputation second to none. What is Jack’s sad secret? What does the future hold for him?
Read the ICE MAIDEN and there’s a link at the end allowing you to download for FREE, number one in the Jack Gilbert Series – THE CHOCOLATE KILLER. For you, chocolate will never taste the same again!
Read the ICE MAIDEN and there’s a link at the end allowing you to download for FREE, number one in the Jack Gilbert Series – THE CHOCOLATE KILLER. For you, chocolate will never taste the same again!
88 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2018
424 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 14, 2019
A remarkably quick to read novelette that introduces you to Detective Inspector Jack Gilbert and his solving of murders in 1960's England. I enjoyed this "prequel" far more than the first book of the series, it being more cohesively written and having characters that were much more pleasant. Very enjoyable.
October 13, 2024
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Esta é uma obra pequena, com menos de 100 páginas, um thriller que encontrei no kindle e como bónus estava disponível de forma gratuita!
A narrativa decorre na década dos 60, depois de um infeliz evento no seio familiar, o detective Jack regressa ao trabalho e vai investigar o desaparecimento/reaparecimento e homicídio da Anne, uma jovem que após um concerto ia apanhar o autocarro para casa mas que nunca chegou ao seu destino.
Este livro tem a particularidade de à medida que vamos lendo, acompanhamos o decorrer dos eventos e atitudes do assassino, sabemos logo o que se está a passar mas jamais quem é o perpetuador, a não ser na fase final do livro.
Dá-se reincidência e mais crimes são cometidos mas eventualmente os caso são resolvidos e a justiça é cumprida. Que sirva de alerta para todos.
Esta é uma obra pequena, com menos de 100 páginas, um thriller que encontrei no kindle e como bónus estava disponível de forma gratuita!
A narrativa decorre na década dos 60, depois de um infeliz evento no seio familiar, o detective Jack regressa ao trabalho e vai investigar o desaparecimento/reaparecimento e homicídio da Anne, uma jovem que após um concerto ia apanhar o autocarro para casa mas que nunca chegou ao seu destino.
Este livro tem a particularidade de à medida que vamos lendo, acompanhamos o decorrer dos eventos e atitudes do assassino, sabemos logo o que se está a passar mas jamais quem é o perpetuador, a não ser na fase final do livro.
Dá-se reincidência e mais crimes são cometidos mas eventualmente os caso são resolvidos e a justiça é cumprida. Que sirva de alerta para todos.
May 13, 2018
"A chilling thriller"
Well-written police procedural based in the Sixties. A decent short story with all the ingredients for a series. I'm certainly tempted to read the second book, to see whether the premise can sustain a full-length novel.
Well-written police procedural based in the Sixties. A decent short story with all the ingredients for a series. I'm certainly tempted to read the second book, to see whether the premise can sustain a full-length novel.
August 4, 2019
The Ice Maiden by Michael Saunders is a British detective mystery, a short story (80 pages) and a prequel. “Prequel” was not noted on the site where I downloaded the book. I don’t usually read prequels, but the word that trumped (don’t go there) everything else was an all caps “Free.” I like to keep some of these in my go bag when I am paying more serious attention to longer reads such as Lincoln in the Bardo.
I am not a first-line addict, but this is not one of the more attractive first lines for inviting readers. ““What a shit Christmas,” he said to himself; little knowing that next year’s Yuletide would be even worse.” (Kindle location 49 for the fastidious, but it is redundant. This is a first line). At least it is not near Christmas. Bah, humbug.
True, Detective Inspector Jack Gilbert was having a bad day. His wife, Viv, was in hospital but was expected to be discharged within the week. Jack was on compassionate leave, but who in their right mind enjoyed compassionate leave? His mindset would be better if he were back in his office at the Peterborough City Police Force. Jack might be able to lend a hand in the search for a missing girl, Anne Trayhorn.
And so it was. Jack found himself back in the company of two other Police Constables, drinking either the predictable tea or predictable coffee, and working on the next case. There was a wrinkle in that his boss had informed Jack that there was a downsizing of resources. Five departments were to be combined into one. Jack would have a new office in a new headquarters within a week. He had one week to solve the case of Anne Trayhorn, who was first missing and then found dead. After an autopsy, it was determined that Anne had spent a few weeks between kidnapping and death frozen. The search was on for very large freezers that could store bodies without being checked for long periods.
Meanwhile, a stereotypically handsome twenty-year-old had discovered a new hobby, one that involved sex and freezing. Early success demanded more victims. Jack and his constables were in a race to solve the mystery.
The principal interest I had in this novel is British English. I am always entertained by the dry, understated nature of British English. I rated this short prequel at three Amazon stars, but it was interesting enough for me to download a free full-length novel by Michael Saunders that follows, The Chocolate Killer. The free novel is not available on Amazon and can be found with a hyperlink found at the end of this prequel Michael Saunders has written several novels which are available on Amazon. The Ice Maiden is available on Amazon as a free purchase, USD 0.00.
I am not a first-line addict, but this is not one of the more attractive first lines for inviting readers. ““What a shit Christmas,” he said to himself; little knowing that next year’s Yuletide would be even worse.” (Kindle location 49 for the fastidious, but it is redundant. This is a first line). At least it is not near Christmas. Bah, humbug.
True, Detective Inspector Jack Gilbert was having a bad day. His wife, Viv, was in hospital but was expected to be discharged within the week. Jack was on compassionate leave, but who in their right mind enjoyed compassionate leave? His mindset would be better if he were back in his office at the Peterborough City Police Force. Jack might be able to lend a hand in the search for a missing girl, Anne Trayhorn.
And so it was. Jack found himself back in the company of two other Police Constables, drinking either the predictable tea or predictable coffee, and working on the next case. There was a wrinkle in that his boss had informed Jack that there was a downsizing of resources. Five departments were to be combined into one. Jack would have a new office in a new headquarters within a week. He had one week to solve the case of Anne Trayhorn, who was first missing and then found dead. After an autopsy, it was determined that Anne had spent a few weeks between kidnapping and death frozen. The search was on for very large freezers that could store bodies without being checked for long periods.
Meanwhile, a stereotypically handsome twenty-year-old had discovered a new hobby, one that involved sex and freezing. Early success demanded more victims. Jack and his constables were in a race to solve the mystery.
The principal interest I had in this novel is British English. I am always entertained by the dry, understated nature of British English. I rated this short prequel at three Amazon stars, but it was interesting enough for me to download a free full-length novel by Michael Saunders that follows, The Chocolate Killer. The free novel is not available on Amazon and can be found with a hyperlink found at the end of this prequel Michael Saunders has written several novels which are available on Amazon. The Ice Maiden is available on Amazon as a free purchase, USD 0.00.
August 20, 2022
Quick read, though felt very amateurish. Won’t be reading more in the series.
January 14, 2019
This was nothing original and actually felt very amateurish. I wasn't expecting much due to it being a free kindle book, and I didn't get much, so I wasn't disappointed at least.
I'm not sure I would call it a thriller, seeing as it wasn't very... well... thrilling. But because it's so short, it moves along at a good pace and you don't have to wait long between the more exciting passages. I think the murders were done quite well, but I'm not sure the murderer would have been so lucky in real life picking random girls up off the street, and with a 100% success rate to boot!
Good for wiling away the hours at work (naughty, I know) but not ground breaking.
I'm not sure I would call it a thriller, seeing as it wasn't very... well... thrilling. But because it's so short, it moves along at a good pace and you don't have to wait long between the more exciting passages. I think the murders were done quite well, but I'm not sure the murderer would have been so lucky in real life picking random girls up off the street, and with a 100% success rate to boot!
Good for wiling away the hours at work (naughty, I know) but not ground breaking.
January 28, 2026
Excellent writing
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Glad I found it and now I know the series will be good. I was concerned at first the story would be too graphic regarding the assaults. While I enjoy mysteries I don't like vivid descriptions of the violence. Main reason I've switched to mainly cozy mysteries. This author gave you just enough to know how deviant this murderer is but not so much that it will effect my sleep. Anyway, if you like British law enforcement stories in small villages, I think you will really enjoy this one. It's not a cuties cozy, which are good, but a grown, intelligent, flawed detective, who gets his man. Thank you Mr. Saunders
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Glad I found it and now I know the series will be good. I was concerned at first the story would be too graphic regarding the assaults. While I enjoy mysteries I don't like vivid descriptions of the violence. Main reason I've switched to mainly cozy mysteries. This author gave you just enough to know how deviant this murderer is but not so much that it will effect my sleep. Anyway, if you like British law enforcement stories in small villages, I think you will really enjoy this one. It's not a cuties cozy, which are good, but a grown, intelligent, flawed detective, who gets his man. Thank you Mr. Saunders
June 19, 2018
DI Jack Gilbert investigates the serial killings of young women in the 1960s - no mobile phones, you need to find the nearest phone box to call for help! The first victim is found in a field some time after she went missing - and she has been deep frozen. Not a bad story although the police did get more than their share of good luck. A novella and I read it in one sitting (on a train).
May 13, 2022
For me this was a great introduction to Jack Gilbert, career-wise and personally. The thing that really drew me into the narrative was the sections of narrative written from the viewpoint of the criminal. Not in the first person but as if viewed from his eyes. You could feel the emotions that were driving him. I will definitely be following Jack's career and his future detection challenges.
September 14, 2018
No tension whatsoever
As well as being occasionally misspelt (‘want’ instead of ‘wont), with eccentric punctuation (question mark at the end of the paragraph, instead of within quotation marks) and historically inaccurate, it’s completely lacking in tension.
As well as being occasionally misspelt (‘want’ instead of ‘wont), with eccentric punctuation (question mark at the end of the paragraph, instead of within quotation marks) and historically inaccurate, it’s completely lacking in tension.
June 17, 2018
Read better books
It started out holding my interest. The guy was really sick, it always shows spoiled kids when parents have money the think they can do anything.
It started out holding my interest. The guy was really sick, it always shows spoiled kids when parents have money the think they can do anything.
August 18, 2018
The IceMaiden
This is an intriguing story about a murders with a bizarre taste in crime. Well worth a read.. And at the moment you get after book to download!
This is an intriguing story about a murders with a bizarre taste in crime. Well worth a read.. And at the moment you get after book to download!
October 4, 2018
Gripping short
Nice short story looking forward to next book hopefully a bit longer read. Will there be more in the series
Nice short story looking forward to next book hopefully a bit longer read. Will there be more in the series
October 12, 2018
Interesting prequel
Good story well written. Having grown up in the 1960's, I could relate to the references from that era, which made the book that much more enjoyable.
Good story well written. Having grown up in the 1960's, I could relate to the references from that era, which made the book that much more enjoyable.
December 12, 2018
Very good
I have never heard of the author my friend recommended this author
To me so I downloaded the book to me
I have never heard of the author my friend recommended this author
To me so I downloaded the book to me
January 17, 2019
The Ice Maiden
9
Enjoyed reading a book set in the doctors using groups that I
Grew up with. Recommend reading this book.
9
Enjoyed reading a book set in the doctors using groups that I
Grew up with. Recommend reading this book.
April 18, 2019
Definitely a slow read, it was very hard getting into it
November 13, 2019
A very quick read by Michael Saunders.
A gripping tale of a great story.
A gripping tale of a great story.
January 2, 2020
Good book
April 12, 2020
I really liked the storyline, it kept me reading to find out what happened next, but it ended all too abruptly without much of a BANG!
I was disappointed and left wanting a little more.
I was disappointed and left wanting a little more.
August 5, 2020
A good investigative thriller. Its a prequel that definitely gets you invested in the upcoming series of which I have already downloaded the first book.
August 15, 2022
Good read indeed
February 25, 2025
The Ice Maiden
It was a fairly good read. Felt sorry for Jack as it seemed his superior seemed not to appreciate him. But Jack stuck to his guns and solved the case.
It was a fairly good read. Felt sorry for Jack as it seemed his superior seemed not to appreciate him. But Jack stuck to his guns and solved the case.
July 16, 2025
The author missed a chance to prove the case better when he didn't write Gilbert asking for the WPC to look in the interview room to seal the doubt about the killer!
October 21, 2024
#1 KINDLE
October 16, 2018
Not bad
It was an ok read but finished a bit soon, I would of liked to of read a bit more .
It was an ok read but finished a bit soon, I would of liked to of read a bit more .
September 11, 2018
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews