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Jeremy Winter Thriller #1
Coming of Winter
Catherine Mae Blackston is missing. She is not the first. While investigating Blackston's recent activities, FBI Agent Jeremy Winter stumbles upon a string of missing persons within state parks. Unable to convince his boss that Blackston's disappearance is anything other than a lost hiker, Winter joins forces with a local police officer to continue the search. As the clues mount, a dark figure from Jeremy's past emerges with an ultimatum — one that could force him out of the Bureau. Afraid that his girlfriend, fellow agent Maggie Keeley, will be dragged into a high-stakes political game, he delays his decision. But as the tally of missing persons increases, Winter closes in on the unlikeliest of suspects. The bodies are out there.
He just has to find them before his past catches up with him. Written for the General Market : Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language. May also contain some content of an inspirational/religious nature. Similar suspense novels in this genre may be categorized as: suspense, thrillers, suspense thrillers, Christian suspense and Mystery & Suspense.
He just has to find them before his past catches up with him. Written for the General Market : Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language. May also contain some content of an inspirational/religious nature. Similar suspense novels in this genre may be categorized as: suspense, thrillers, suspense thrillers, Christian suspense and Mystery & Suspense.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2018
4755 people are currently reading
3914 people want to read
About the author
Tom Threadgill
11 books390 followersTom Threadgill's books have a distinct focus on clean, suspenseful action with strong character development. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In his downtime, Tom enjoys woodworking, riding his Harley, and chasing the elusive Yard of the Month award. He currently resides with his wife in the Dallas area and can be reached through his website at TomThreadgill.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 491 reviews
March 20, 2019
Very well written. I liked the structure of the story, and the character’s development.
Not the usual suspense theme with guessing who the bad guy is.
Many chapters told from the killers POV, a lot about his family, his love and devotion to his wife and kids. Creepy setting… The true devil is not a scary-looking person, but a nice man with a standard looks and lovely family, which is statistically the real profile of a serial killer in reality.
The book is full of triggers. Murders on page – but without any torture of the victims – the creepy things happened after their deaths. Murder of stray dogs – one of the heaviest scenes in the book. Death of a good side-character. Loss of a child. PTSD.
Light religious thread.
Interesting and well-developed main character. A bit of romance, no sex.
All the crimes/murders didn’t have any sexual background, no torture/rape. Different victims of both genders, but tragically also teenagers.
The book is extremely engaging, but at the same time very heavy and depressing.
It was more like a true crime story, than a fiction.
Very well written and very poignant, IMO.
Not the usual suspense theme with guessing who the bad guy is.
Many chapters told from the killers POV, a lot about his family, his love and devotion to his wife and kids. Creepy setting… The true devil is not a scary-looking person, but a nice man with a standard looks and lovely family, which is statistically the real profile of a serial killer in reality.
The book is full of triggers. Murders on page – but without any torture of the victims – the creepy things happened after their deaths. Murder of stray dogs – one of the heaviest scenes in the book. Death of a good side-character. Loss of a child. PTSD.
Light religious thread.
Interesting and well-developed main character. A bit of romance, no sex.
All the crimes/murders didn’t have any sexual background, no torture/rape. Different victims of both genders, but tragically also teenagers.
The book is extremely engaging, but at the same time very heavy and depressing.
It was more like a true crime story, than a fiction.
Very well written and very poignant, IMO.
June 29, 2018
Seriously? I have to wait until the Fall to continue to follow Agent Winter? I'm not an avid reader but I'm hooked on this series. Lots of twists and turns, you have to stay on your toes but once you identify with the characters it's easy. Surprises throughout.
I really enjoyed it & would recommend it to everyone!
***I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.***
I really enjoyed it & would recommend it to everyone!
***I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.***
April 13, 2025
At first, FBI agent Jeremy Winter takes his former acquaintance's concern about his missing ex-wife lightly. Jeremy has his own problems. For some reason he cannot discover, he has been relieved from his duties as a successful D.C. serial killer hunter and sent to St. Louis to a white-collar crimes unit, away from his girlfriend Maggie, also a FBI agent. As he looks into his friend's request, some things seem suspicious. Her car is found in a national park. She's been gone for weeks without notifying anyone or using her credit cards or phone. Working with a young cop with a lot of potential, Troy Obion, Jeremy works the case with miniscule progress for months.
When a colonel from Jeremy's past shows up in St. Louis, Winter finds out that their shared history will cost him unless he yields to the colonel's and his wife's demands. His wife is a U. S. Senator with connections. Those connections sent Winter to St. Louis and are not beyond threatening Maggie.
This is one the most well-written suspense stories I've read in a long time. The characters stand out. Threadgill provides enough setting to give the story depth but not to slow the story down. Despite covering months, the story does not bog down. I've already promised myself that I will be reading more from this author.
When a colonel from Jeremy's past shows up in St. Louis, Winter finds out that their shared history will cost him unless he yields to the colonel's and his wife's demands. His wife is a U. S. Senator with connections. Those connections sent Winter to St. Louis and are not beyond threatening Maggie.
This is one the most well-written suspense stories I've read in a long time. The characters stand out. Threadgill provides enough setting to give the story depth but not to slow the story down. Despite covering months, the story does not bog down. I've already promised myself that I will be reading more from this author.
November 15, 2020
Nice start to this suspense series. Special Agent Jeremy Winter has been reassigned from countrywide cases to white collar crimes and from Washington DC where his girlfriend lives to St. Louis. He becomes aware of a potential serial killer and sets aside his assigned cases to work on one more interesting.
January 28, 2019
I only read up to chapter seven. The book starts with a man putting a body through a hay bailer. Later he takes his young sons out to shoot stray dogs. This book had a lot of good reviews, but too much violence from the start. Not something I wanted to continue reading.
February 8, 2019
Since I don’t like hunting, too much details on that was a put down for me. There was really no reason for the killer to be a killer other than boredom and maybe other authors elaborate a bit more on the background to justify all the killings. Too weird or sick too, having some lines between husband and wife killers (because she is an accomplice and knows about it and wants his share too) about the bodies in the barn and then in the next line talk about breakfast or their kids. Too dark for what I’m used to read which are thrillers. The main character story was left unsolved conveniently to keep you hooked on the next book. I’ll read it if it’s free but won’t buy it. He has a "dark secret" which turns out is during an interrogation he wanted to kill the guy he was talking with but didn't because the translator had a grenade and they died. Really? That's it? I also don't see why the guy that took him for that job wants him to sign a confidentiality agreement and then starts harassing him and his girlfriend and her child. Oh, and the murders really didn’t get solved with the guy dead and the wife not talking!!! Frustrating!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2022
“His hands…The killer took them.”
“There’s always another killer. Always. And no matter how many people were slaughtered, no matter how many grieving family and friends were affected, there was only the killer. No balancing of the scales.”
“Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. People to fertilizer.”
I enjoy Tom Threadgill novels. His books always have such a nice mix of gritty realistic crime drama, humorous moments, authentic dialogue, and some faith elements. Coming of Winter is no exception. Although I didn’t like it as much as the Amara Alvarez books he wrote, it looks to be a really good and promising series. And Jeremy Winter is a much different character than Amara so it’s nice to see something different. Coming of Winter started out slow but built nicely into exciting moments. This is not a whodunnit, as we are introduced to the serial killer from the beginning. Instead, this is more procedural in how Winter suspects a serial killer out there and the process to find him. So while you won’t spend time guessing who, it does give you a unique glimpse into the serial killer as the book shifts back and forth between him and Winter. There was also a nice backstory for Jeremy Winter from Afghanistan, which added a layer to his character. And one of the things I really, really like about Tom Threadgill books is that he is not afraid to do something unexpected as opposed to the typical happy endings where everything goes perfectly. He shows gritty reality. Will definitely read book two.
“There’s always another killer. Always. And no matter how many people were slaughtered, no matter how many grieving family and friends were affected, there was only the killer. No balancing of the scales.”
“Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. People to fertilizer.”
I enjoy Tom Threadgill novels. His books always have such a nice mix of gritty realistic crime drama, humorous moments, authentic dialogue, and some faith elements. Coming of Winter is no exception. Although I didn’t like it as much as the Amara Alvarez books he wrote, it looks to be a really good and promising series. And Jeremy Winter is a much different character than Amara so it’s nice to see something different. Coming of Winter started out slow but built nicely into exciting moments. This is not a whodunnit, as we are introduced to the serial killer from the beginning. Instead, this is more procedural in how Winter suspects a serial killer out there and the process to find him. So while you won’t spend time guessing who, it does give you a unique glimpse into the serial killer as the book shifts back and forth between him and Winter. There was also a nice backstory for Jeremy Winter from Afghanistan, which added a layer to his character. And one of the things I really, really like about Tom Threadgill books is that he is not afraid to do something unexpected as opposed to the typical happy endings where everything goes perfectly. He shows gritty reality. Will definitely read book two.
July 16, 2018
It begins with a phone call from someone FBI Special Agent Jeremy Winter knew in Afghanistan. The caller’s number three ex-wife is missing—hasn’t cashed her alimony checks in three weeks. Still angry at being re-posted from Washington, D.C. to St. Louis and reassigned from his specialty of catching serial killers to routine white-collar crime, Winter welcomes the chance to look at something different. That visit dead ends, but another case turns up. And soon Winter is convinced he is looking for a serial killer. His fascination with that puts him in conflict with his new boss, who doesn’t want him wasting time based on mere supposition.
Winter has other problems: anger management after Afghanistan, a well-connected officer from those days who pressures him to sign a nondisclosure agreement, and the difficulty of handling a long-distance courtship with a lady in Washington.
Author Threadgill weaves these disparate elements into a rich narrative tapestry that keeps the reader looking for what happens next toward solving the crimes. But perhaps his best achievement is taking the reader into the mind of a very different kind of serial killer. The two narrative tracks—the killer’s actions and Agent Winter’s efforts to find him—build through increasing tension to an unexpected and thrilling climax.
The result is a suspense novel that readers will remember long after they finish reading it. Highly recommended.
Winter has other problems: anger management after Afghanistan, a well-connected officer from those days who pressures him to sign a nondisclosure agreement, and the difficulty of handling a long-distance courtship with a lady in Washington.
Author Threadgill weaves these disparate elements into a rich narrative tapestry that keeps the reader looking for what happens next toward solving the crimes. But perhaps his best achievement is taking the reader into the mind of a very different kind of serial killer. The two narrative tracks—the killer’s actions and Agent Winter’s efforts to find him—build through increasing tension to an unexpected and thrilling climax.
The result is a suspense novel that readers will remember long after they finish reading it. Highly recommended.
March 12, 2020
FBI agent with personal problems stalks a serial killer, even though nobody wants him to do it.
Meh.
Meh.
January 7, 2025
Just fell short of the mark
I.liked the book very.much and I plan.on reading the next one but it was a little slow in parts. I hated the fact that he taught his kids to kill dogs and then I was like but what about the people he kills? I might be a little twisted on that. His wife was extremely odd for sure. That was kind of shocking. Jeremy was a good hero.with classic broken qualities I hated the Colonel and I think he is going to try to kill.Jeremy or someone he loves. I hope it doesn't happen but I see it.leaning that way.questions remain on what happens to Masons wife and kids. I am looking forward to the next book!
I.liked the book very.much and I plan.on reading the next one but it was a little slow in parts. I hated the fact that he taught his kids to kill dogs and then I was like but what about the people he kills? I might be a little twisted on that. His wife was extremely odd for sure. That was kind of shocking. Jeremy was a good hero.with classic broken qualities I hated the Colonel and I think he is going to try to kill.Jeremy or someone he loves. I hope it doesn't happen but I see it.leaning that way.questions remain on what happens to Masons wife and kids. I am looking forward to the next book!
June 27, 2018
I loved this thriller, packed with suspense and great character development. I could NOT put it down. It is a intelligent detective story with lots of interesting twists.
I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.
I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.
June 30, 2018
This book grabbed me from the first paragraph. Don't want to give anything away, so that is all I will say.
January 12, 2022
3.5 stars
"Find something that may not exist and prove it to someone who doesn't believe. God help him."
F. B. I. Agent Jeremy Winter has been transferred to a desk job that he doesn't want, but had to accept, in a location where he doesn't want to live, but had to go, both residing and working hours away from the ones who are his future. The "how" and "why" will soon present itself, but in the interim a phone call from a casual acquaintance breaks the monotony. An ex-wife appears to be missing and local law enforcement simply don't have the evidence to prioritize a search. Much to the frustration of his supervisor, Jeremy gets involved, discovering fragments of evidence from multiple victims in various locations with no apparent connections. Someone is getting away with murder.
What a story! Grizzly in places, the reader not only joins Jeremy in his determined search for truth and justice, but has to share space in the head of a seriously deranged killer. But the two fit together perfectly and the corresponding sub-plots; both personal and professional, provide time away from thinking through psychopathic behaviors. Personally, I'm hooked! Plus, I am very optimistic that Jeremy's restoration from past torments is going to be something that I don't want to miss!(I'm pulling for you Maggie!)
Note: this book is written primarily to fit the general market fiction. It is clean, but the crime details are marginally graphic.
"Find something that may not exist and prove it to someone who doesn't believe. God help him."
F. B. I. Agent Jeremy Winter has been transferred to a desk job that he doesn't want, but had to accept, in a location where he doesn't want to live, but had to go, both residing and working hours away from the ones who are his future. The "how" and "why" will soon present itself, but in the interim a phone call from a casual acquaintance breaks the monotony. An ex-wife appears to be missing and local law enforcement simply don't have the evidence to prioritize a search. Much to the frustration of his supervisor, Jeremy gets involved, discovering fragments of evidence from multiple victims in various locations with no apparent connections. Someone is getting away with murder.
What a story! Grizzly in places, the reader not only joins Jeremy in his determined search for truth and justice, but has to share space in the head of a seriously deranged killer. But the two fit together perfectly and the corresponding sub-plots; both personal and professional, provide time away from thinking through psychopathic behaviors. Personally, I'm hooked! Plus, I am very optimistic that Jeremy's restoration from past torments is going to be something that I don't want to miss!(I'm pulling for you Maggie!)
Note: this book is written primarily to fit the general market fiction. It is clean, but the crime details are marginally graphic.
June 13, 2023
4.5⭐️ If you’re a fan of clean suspense that’s a little dark, check this one out! There are many layers to what’s going on in this book and the ending has me heading to Hoopla for the next book in the series right now!
September 7, 2018
I have to admit- I almost did not finish reading this book after reading the first chapter. It was disturbingly graphic from the start (which continued throughout the book in different segments). I was also surprised that the killer was revealed in the very first chapter, too. In most mystery thrillers the suspense is drawn from trying to figure out "who done it", but in this novel the suspense is more around "how will the killer be stopped." Jeremy's time-sensitive hunt was intriguing, but even in the end the killer didn't really get caught- the only "evidence" was the killer's final act, but there was zero hard evidence tying him to the crimes. I liked Jeremy Winter's character and the thrill of the chase centering on how he was going to stop the bad guy, but I just wasn't expecting a psychopathic killer along the lines of Stephen King.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. A review was not required but was voluntary and contains my own thoughts and opinions regarding this literary work.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. A review was not required but was voluntary and contains my own thoughts and opinions regarding this literary work.
August 3, 2023
This is pretty much a standard serial killer mystery. What I did like about this one is that you know who the killer is right off the bat and the book is just watching and waiting for the two sides to collide.
I liked the character of Jeremy and really liked seeing how his mind worked with his “hunches” and thoughts on linking the crimes together. I got invested in his story and the investigation. There are several scenes that pack an emotional punch and intensity that the author did a good job on.
The mystery man from Jeremy’s past was a lame side plot and I hope it doesn’t continue with the rest of the series. I also wasn’t impressed with his girlfriend Maggie who is supposed to be another FBI agent, but the author has her come off as naïve and almost ignorant of the real world that she is just basically window dressing.
The narrator was just okay. The military guy from Jeremy’s past had a terrible voice and the one for Jeremy’s girlfriend wasn’t that great either.
I liked the character of Jeremy and really liked seeing how his mind worked with his “hunches” and thoughts on linking the crimes together. I got invested in his story and the investigation. There are several scenes that pack an emotional punch and intensity that the author did a good job on.
The mystery man from Jeremy’s past was a lame side plot and I hope it doesn’t continue with the rest of the series. I also wasn’t impressed with his girlfriend Maggie who is supposed to be another FBI agent, but the author has her come off as naïve and almost ignorant of the real world that she is just basically window dressing.
The narrator was just okay. The military guy from Jeremy’s past had a terrible voice and the one for Jeremy’s girlfriend wasn’t that great either.
July 8, 2018
A great introduction to Jeremy Winter, an FBI agent with many issues/ The story is fraught with peril as he struggles to show that a serial killer has been active for several years. The killer and his family are unusual to say the least, and Jeremy becomes a target as the investigation grow hot. There is just the right amount of description, the characters are realistic, and the story creates growing suspense and horror. Some of the issues affecting Winter are left to subsequent books, but the main case is resolved.
July 19, 2018
A farmer’s dark secret and an FBI Agent’s dark past makes this well-paced suspense novel impossible to put down. The author’s chilling, deep insight into the mind of a serial killer, and the steadily growing backstory of the detective, makes the pages nearly turn themselves. From the first hair-raising paragraph to the explosive conclusion, if you’re a fan of murder mysteries, you’ll enjoy this new addition to the genre.
*I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.
*I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.
December 2, 2022
If you have ever seen an episode of the old, old TV series Dragnet with Jack Webb and liked the characters' dialogue, then you will love this book. Otherwise I would advise staying away to avoid horribly stilted dialogue and an extremely worn-out formulaic plot.
January 6, 2020
DNF Chapter 7
November 19, 2021
Switching back and forth between the POVs of FBI agent Jeremy Winter and the serial killer he is trying to track down, this series opener does an excellent job at keeping up the suspense despite letting the reader in on the identity of the killer from the start. When I picked this up from Audible's plus catalogue programme I wasn't aware it was classified as "Christian Fiction", a genre I tend to avoid as it tends to be entirely too preachy for my liking, but thankfully this book wasn't particularly heavy on that aspect.
November 30, 2021
3.9 stars
A nice start for a new series. Jeremy Winter is soon to be an ex FBI agent but he needs to catch a serial killer first. I like the story and both the current investigation and Winter’s past catching up are interesting but overall they both felt less gripping than they should. But I will read the next one because I think there are more of Jeremy Winter that I want to see.
A nice start for a new series. Jeremy Winter is soon to be an ex FBI agent but he needs to catch a serial killer first. I like the story and both the current investigation and Winter’s past catching up are interesting but overall they both felt less gripping than they should. But I will read the next one because I think there are more of Jeremy Winter that I want to see.
August 31, 2025
“His hands…The killer took them.”
The first installment of Tom Threadgill’s “FBI Agent Jeremy Winter” trilogy started off with weird Johnny Depp in Secret Window vibes. We know from the very first that Mason Miller is a farmer, a husband, a father… and a serial killer.
FBI Agent Jeremy Winter is a haunted man. With trauma from the Iraq War only to come home to have his wife and child murdered has made him work obsessed. And only he has noticed strange disappearances of hikers from Indiana state parks.
But with the past coming for Winter and the future uncertain, Jeremy has been given limited time to prove his serial killer theory, one that may have dire consequences for Winter…
Along with the weird Secret Window vibes, I was genuinely surprised and impressed by this one. Coming of Winter had me on the edge of my seat till book’s end. Hard to put down!
“There’s always another killer. Always. And no matter how many people were slaughtered, no matter how many grieving family and friends were affected, there was only the killer. No balancing of the scales.”
The first installment of Tom Threadgill’s “FBI Agent Jeremy Winter” trilogy started off with weird Johnny Depp in Secret Window vibes. We know from the very first that Mason Miller is a farmer, a husband, a father… and a serial killer.
FBI Agent Jeremy Winter is a haunted man. With trauma from the Iraq War only to come home to have his wife and child murdered has made him work obsessed. And only he has noticed strange disappearances of hikers from Indiana state parks.
But with the past coming for Winter and the future uncertain, Jeremy has been given limited time to prove his serial killer theory, one that may have dire consequences for Winter…
Along with the weird Secret Window vibes, I was genuinely surprised and impressed by this one. Coming of Winter had me on the edge of my seat till book’s end. Hard to put down!
“There’s always another killer. Always. And no matter how many people were slaughtered, no matter how many grieving family and friends were affected, there was only the killer. No balancing of the scales.”
July 6, 2018
Spellbinding!
The author's artistic mastery allowed me become fully immersed in the story.
I've been a fan of suspense and thriller novels for quite some time, and this novel was a true joy to read. Being able to immerse oneself in a great story is an experience not to be missed.
*I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.
The author's artistic mastery allowed me become fully immersed in the story.
I've been a fan of suspense and thriller novels for quite some time, and this novel was a true joy to read. Being able to immerse oneself in a great story is an experience not to be missed.
*I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.
July 7, 2018
Although seeing into the mind of a serial killer is quite eery and disturbing, I still enjoyed the suspense and plot twists of this book. As the story and characters developed, I found it harder and harder to put the book down! It has all the makings of a great suspense thriller. I can't wait to read the next one!!
***I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.***
***I received an advanced copy of this book and was in no way compensated or compelled to write a review. All opinions given are my own.***
July 9, 2018
This book was very interesting from the very beginning! Love Agent Winter and can't wait to follow more of his adventures.
I received an advance reader copy of this book and want to make it clear that in no way did that influence my review of this book.
I received an advance reader copy of this book and want to make it clear that in no way did that influence my review of this book.
July 25, 2018
this story will chill you to the bone, you read both sides to the crime. the fbi and the killer. hard to believe the wife. if you like suspense/thrillers you will like the story. I was given a copy of the book but this is an honest review.
February 23, 2019
Great serial killer book! If you like the TV show, "Criminal Minds," you'll like these books. The story is told through the killer and the FBI, so you know the killer right away...but the books are still page turners.
October 4, 2021
Coming of Winter is truly a thriller! The serial killer’s descriptions were a bit hard to read, but I couldn’t put the book down. I don’t recommend reading it before you go to sleep:) Looking forward to reading the next two books in the Jeremy Winter series.
July 23, 2023
What a wild ride! I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book. This book is well written and pulls you in.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 491 reviews