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Inspector Winter #5
Frozen Tracks
From the land of the midnight sun, a compelling and dark thriller by a master of crime fiction
The autumn gloom comes quickly on the Swedish city of Gothenburg, and for Detective Inspector Erik Winter the days seem even shorter, the nights bleaker, when he is faced with two seemingly unrelated sets of perplexing crimes. The investigation of a series of assaults and a string of child abductions take Winter to "the flats", the barren prairies of rural Sweden whose wastelands conceal crimes as sinister as the land itself. Winter must deduce the labyrinthine connections between the cases before it is too late and his own family comes into danger. Stylish, haunting, and psychologically astute, Frozen Tracks features characters who would be at home in any American procedural, but with a sensibility that is distinctly European. Frozen Tracks will appeal to fans of Henning Mankell and George Pelecanos, and to anyone who relishes superbly crafted crime novels.
The autumn gloom comes quickly on the Swedish city of Gothenburg, and for Detective Inspector Erik Winter the days seem even shorter, the nights bleaker, when he is faced with two seemingly unrelated sets of perplexing crimes. The investigation of a series of assaults and a string of child abductions take Winter to "the flats", the barren prairies of rural Sweden whose wastelands conceal crimes as sinister as the land itself. Winter must deduce the labyrinthine connections between the cases before it is too late and his own family comes into danger. Stylish, haunting, and psychologically astute, Frozen Tracks features characters who would be at home in any American procedural, but with a sensibility that is distinctly European. Frozen Tracks will appeal to fans of Henning Mankell and George Pelecanos, and to anyone who relishes superbly crafted crime novels.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
46 people are currently reading
1538 people want to read
About the author
Åke Edwardson
68 books261 followersÅke Edwardson is a Swedish author of detective fiction, and a professor at Gothenburg University, the city where many of his Inspector Winter novels are set. Edwardson has had many jobs, including a journalist and press officer for the United Nations, and his crime novels have made him a three-time winner of the Swedish Crime Writers' Award for best crime novel. His first novel to be translated into English, in 2005, was Sun and Shadow. The second, Never End, followed in 2006.
Series:
* Inspector Winter
Series:
* Inspector Winter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
December 1, 2015
There's maybe something wrong about enjoying dark frozen murder stories in the middle of Wisconsin winter, but whatever.
May 8, 2010
This book was a typical crime thriller which forms part of the Inspector Winter series. I have never read any Inspecter Winter books before but I will certainly look out for them. He is a likeable chap (unlike his fellow cantakerous literary detectives comme Morse and Wallender) and he seems to be affected quite deeply by the circumstances of the case (which is often poorly done in crime writing).
I thought it was an interesting and slightly different story and I had no idea what the twist/who the bad guy actually was - despite being introduced to him in the first few chapters.
My criticism is limited to 2 matters. 1, it ended far too abruptly for my tastes, almost like the author ran out of steam. DONT READ THE LAST PAGE FIRST WHATEVER YOU DO! Secondly the translation was fairly dire. I've now read a number of swedish crime books which have been poorly translated (for example poofter is spelt thus not pooftah nor would a child refer to a man as a mister or the mister). Such is the nature of the book (hardly great work of literature) that it doesnt really detract from the stories, however, it is sad that publishers are so keen to make a fast buck with a ripping yarn that they compromise on the translation.
Nevertheless a good read and I highly recommend it for some thrilling late night pageturning.
I thought it was an interesting and slightly different story and I had no idea what the twist/who the bad guy actually was - despite being introduced to him in the first few chapters.
My criticism is limited to 2 matters. 1, it ended far too abruptly for my tastes, almost like the author ran out of steam. DONT READ THE LAST PAGE FIRST WHATEVER YOU DO! Secondly the translation was fairly dire. I've now read a number of swedish crime books which have been poorly translated (for example poofter is spelt thus not pooftah nor would a child refer to a man as a mister or the mister). Such is the nature of the book (hardly great work of literature) that it doesnt really detract from the stories, however, it is sad that publishers are so keen to make a fast buck with a ripping yarn that they compromise on the translation.
Nevertheless a good read and I highly recommend it for some thrilling late night pageturning.
February 15, 2012
Book3, in the Erik Winter series
This author is slowly growing on me or is it that I am now becoming more accustomed to his style, a style that is haunting and psychologically shrewd. “Frozen Tracks” is a superbly crafted crime novel, a compelling and dark thriller, definitely the best I have read from this author so far.
A glimpse into the story:
DCI Erik Winter and his team are baffled by a rash of beatings in Gothenburg that have nearly killed several young men, a distinctive mark left by the attacker's mysterious weapon leads them to believe they have a serial offender on their hands. The mystery is: why is someone doing this and how far will he go…
…
At the same time, the police force is faced with another high priority that is also escalating. At first, police treat reports of nursery school children being lured to a car of a strange “mister” offering candy with importance but when a boy is found badly beaten in the woods and another is kidnapped from a school yard the s..t hits the fan … One of the children at the school is Winter’s daughter, without question he wants in on the investigation and his first instinct tells him there might be a connection between these two major cases. Gradually the plot lines converge and the suspense and intrigue rapidly intensifies when the monster the police are hunting for targets Winter’s family in order to fulfill his sadistic needs.
The story highlights the importance of team work and good leadership, the dialogue is heavy in nature and many facts are revealed through a free flow of vital and trivial information among team members. Once I became tuned in to the names and the culture differences I didn’t mind the slow pacing of the plot’s rhythm, it created the perfect tempo to divulge all the sordid secrets behind the crimes. Although the author stays away from graphically detailing violence he never shies from describing its effects or the emotions it leaves behind. The plotting is well-constructed and carefully developed from start to finish resulting in a gripping police procedural saga populated with a very engaging and well-drawn cast. Although the ending is rather gloomy there are no loose ends and the mystery is played out full circle.
This author is slowly growing on me or is it that I am now becoming more accustomed to his style, a style that is haunting and psychologically shrewd. “Frozen Tracks” is a superbly crafted crime novel, a compelling and dark thriller, definitely the best I have read from this author so far.
A glimpse into the story:
DCI Erik Winter and his team are baffled by a rash of beatings in Gothenburg that have nearly killed several young men, a distinctive mark left by the attacker's mysterious weapon leads them to believe they have a serial offender on their hands. The mystery is: why is someone doing this and how far will he go…
…
At the same time, the police force is faced with another high priority that is also escalating. At first, police treat reports of nursery school children being lured to a car of a strange “mister” offering candy with importance but when a boy is found badly beaten in the woods and another is kidnapped from a school yard the s..t hits the fan … One of the children at the school is Winter’s daughter, without question he wants in on the investigation and his first instinct tells him there might be a connection between these two major cases. Gradually the plot lines converge and the suspense and intrigue rapidly intensifies when the monster the police are hunting for targets Winter’s family in order to fulfill his sadistic needs.
The story highlights the importance of team work and good leadership, the dialogue is heavy in nature and many facts are revealed through a free flow of vital and trivial information among team members. Once I became tuned in to the names and the culture differences I didn’t mind the slow pacing of the plot’s rhythm, it created the perfect tempo to divulge all the sordid secrets behind the crimes. Although the author stays away from graphically detailing violence he never shies from describing its effects or the emotions it leaves behind. The plotting is well-constructed and carefully developed from start to finish resulting in a gripping police procedural saga populated with a very engaging and well-drawn cast. Although the ending is rather gloomy there are no loose ends and the mystery is played out full circle.
September 6, 2012
This story held me just captivated enough to keep reading, even though something about Edwardson's writing style really annoyed me. There were things I liked about this book: the personal lives of the detectives; the role of the cold, gray climate; the whole Christmas factor...made it a cozy read. I held out for what I thought was sure to be a great suspenseful ending, and the payoff wasn't entirely satisfactory. The last 30 or so pages of this book are so ambiguous and convoluted that I had to keep going back and rereading. Then it ended so abruptly that I was afraid I'd missed something. Edwardson may pride himself on his style of writing, but this reader wasn't terribly impressed.
July 23, 2008
Way too much dialogue & about 30% of it totally trivial or unnecessarily repetitive. Two different story plots evolving at the same time & unrelated to each other. The motive for some of the crimes in one plot line is extremely lame, when it's finally revealed. And the other plot line, when solved, leaves more questions than answers about the motivation behind the perpetrator. I won't be reading this author again...
July 15, 2022
By "Frozen Tracks", the 5th in the Erik Winter series, the good inspector is no longer the 'youngest DCI in Swedish history' as he was touted in the earlier novels. But what he's lost in youth he's gained in professional experience and he's given a pair of challenges in Frozen Tracks that certainly tested him.
2 seemingly disconnected crimes in scenic Gothenburg are being investigated by Winter and his crew. Several college students who apparently are strangers to one another are attacked at different times outdoors at night and clubbed with some sort of unknown object. During daylight hours, strange reports of children being temporarily kidnapped but quickly returned to their respective daycare facilities occur. In the former situation, all of the victims seem to be lying and the police are forced to test various hypotheses in order to make progress. The latter case is even stranger, as the children themselves are unreliable witnesses and their parents aren't even sure what they said took place actually happened. That is, until one of the children returns from an encounter with severe injuries. The cases seem to be connected only by their strangeness.
The Winter series is obviously translated, but the writing is pretty solid and Edwardson does a nice job ratcheting up the suspense. One technique he uses is to have chapters interspersed that narrate the story through the POV of the person who is kidnapping the children. He's a truly disturbing man and this approach allows you to witness his downward through his narration. Winter's a character whose special skills and personality drives this excellent series. I've read them in order and Frozen Tracks is the best of the lot. So far......
2 seemingly disconnected crimes in scenic Gothenburg are being investigated by Winter and his crew. Several college students who apparently are strangers to one another are attacked at different times outdoors at night and clubbed with some sort of unknown object. During daylight hours, strange reports of children being temporarily kidnapped but quickly returned to their respective daycare facilities occur. In the former situation, all of the victims seem to be lying and the police are forced to test various hypotheses in order to make progress. The latter case is even stranger, as the children themselves are unreliable witnesses and their parents aren't even sure what they said took place actually happened. That is, until one of the children returns from an encounter with severe injuries. The cases seem to be connected only by their strangeness.
The Winter series is obviously translated, but the writing is pretty solid and Edwardson does a nice job ratcheting up the suspense. One technique he uses is to have chapters interspersed that narrate the story through the POV of the person who is kidnapping the children. He's a truly disturbing man and this approach allows you to witness his downward through his narration. Winter's a character whose special skills and personality drives this excellent series. I've read them in order and Frozen Tracks is the best of the lot. So far......
October 26, 2017
Review: Frozen Tracks by Ake Edwardson. 10/21/2017
It takes some time to get used to Ake Edwardson’s writing style but once I got use to it the story moved along. His writing at times slows down the story but it’s haunting and psychologically clever. The author doesn’t create a lot of suspense but his plot is well developed and he isn’t cautious when describing how the violence effects or the emotions it leaves behind for the reader. Edwardson creates great characters and I enjoyed the police procedurals but wished the investigator would pep-up some so I won’t figure out what comes next before he does.
The story setting is Gothenberg, Sweden and feathers Detective Erik Winter and his team investigating a sudden rash of assaults on male college students, who have been bludgeoned from behind suffering severe head trauma. The mark left on the head is some kind of symbol as if the person was branded. Detective Winter has his hands full with another unconnected case that he just obtained. This case is a sudden simultaneous abduction of four-year-old nursery school children who are lured into a car by tempting a child with candy. This case puts stress and pressure on Detective Winter because it places his daughter in danger who attends one of the understaffed schools that was hit by the predator. Members of his team are also showing signs of intense personal issues which affect their focus on crime.
There is high priority on both of these cases which holds Winter’s back from his plans of traveling for Christmas. Because of the nature of the crimes it was more important to show leadership and team work. Some of the facts about the cases are revealed through a flow of vital information among team members. Plus, it was a plus when the author disclosed much of the sordid secrets behind the crimes. The story kept me interested throughout the book…
It takes some time to get used to Ake Edwardson’s writing style but once I got use to it the story moved along. His writing at times slows down the story but it’s haunting and psychologically clever. The author doesn’t create a lot of suspense but his plot is well developed and he isn’t cautious when describing how the violence effects or the emotions it leaves behind for the reader. Edwardson creates great characters and I enjoyed the police procedurals but wished the investigator would pep-up some so I won’t figure out what comes next before he does.
The story setting is Gothenberg, Sweden and feathers Detective Erik Winter and his team investigating a sudden rash of assaults on male college students, who have been bludgeoned from behind suffering severe head trauma. The mark left on the head is some kind of symbol as if the person was branded. Detective Winter has his hands full with another unconnected case that he just obtained. This case is a sudden simultaneous abduction of four-year-old nursery school children who are lured into a car by tempting a child with candy. This case puts stress and pressure on Detective Winter because it places his daughter in danger who attends one of the understaffed schools that was hit by the predator. Members of his team are also showing signs of intense personal issues which affect their focus on crime.
There is high priority on both of these cases which holds Winter’s back from his plans of traveling for Christmas. Because of the nature of the crimes it was more important to show leadership and team work. Some of the facts about the cases are revealed through a flow of vital information among team members. Plus, it was a plus when the author disclosed much of the sordid secrets behind the crimes. The story kept me interested throughout the book…
October 3, 2022
Erik Winter is a cool, jazz-loving DCI in Gothenburg, Sweden. He is almost married to Angela, with whom he has a daughter, Elsa. As Christmas nears, a series of young boys has disappeared, sometimes to reappear with very little wrong. When Micke disappears, and does not return, all the police are on edge. Angela flies off to Spain for the holidays, with Erik due to come along. The cases delay him and he listens to a lot of jazz and has some disgusting-sounding shrimp with curry and coriander along with Ringmar, whose wife, Birgitta, has taken the occasion to disappear herself. As is usual with Edwardson, the stories of the department are woven into the stories of the cases. This adds to the continuity of the novels and the Winter series as well as adding a humanity that is often missing in Nordic Noir. Throughout the case the children, who are mostly about four, keep talking about a green or red parrot that they have seen and one of them keeps repeating syllables that make no sense except later as Winter puts together the clues in all the cases. Some might find the going a bit slow, but that is more the function of this being a procedural more than anything in the writing. I found the pace of the novel and its plotting, relaxing for a late-summer read and found it an excellent example of the genre.
January 2, 2024
Il cielo è un posto sulla terra - Ake Edwardson
Un libro che mi lascia un po' così, ne carne ne pesce.
Ci sono passaggi molto interessanti ed adrenalinici, che però si mischiano ad altri lenti e confusi.
Il finale mi ha un po' deluso
Trama:
In una Goteborg autunnale, dove il rapido accorciarsi delle giornate prelude al lungo buio dell'inverno, tre stazioni di polizia ricevono le allarmate denunce di genitori i cui figli sono stati avvicinati da uno sconosciuto. All'apparenza, nessuno dei piccoli ha subito molestie di alcun genere: l'uomo si è limitato a farli salire sulla sua auto e a chiacchierare brevemente con loro. Ma dopo qualche tempo un quarto bambino viene ritrovato gravemente ferito e un quinto scompare, rapito dal passeggino in un centro commerciale durante un attimo di distrazione della madre. Il commissario Erik Winter, che già si sta occupando di una serie di singolari aggressioni a studenti universitari, si sente toccato personalmente, in quanto i bambini hanno grosso modo l'età di sua figlia Elsa. Mette così in campo tutta la sua competenza di poliziotto e il suo intuito di genitore. E a poco a poco comincia a ricostruire l'oscuro legame che unisce i due filoni di indagine.
Un libro che mi lascia un po' così, ne carne ne pesce.
Ci sono passaggi molto interessanti ed adrenalinici, che però si mischiano ad altri lenti e confusi.
Il finale mi ha un po' deluso
Trama:
In una Goteborg autunnale, dove il rapido accorciarsi delle giornate prelude al lungo buio dell'inverno, tre stazioni di polizia ricevono le allarmate denunce di genitori i cui figli sono stati avvicinati da uno sconosciuto. All'apparenza, nessuno dei piccoli ha subito molestie di alcun genere: l'uomo si è limitato a farli salire sulla sua auto e a chiacchierare brevemente con loro. Ma dopo qualche tempo un quarto bambino viene ritrovato gravemente ferito e un quinto scompare, rapito dal passeggino in un centro commerciale durante un attimo di distrazione della madre. Il commissario Erik Winter, che già si sta occupando di una serie di singolari aggressioni a studenti universitari, si sente toccato personalmente, in quanto i bambini hanno grosso modo l'età di sua figlia Elsa. Mette così in campo tutta la sua competenza di poliziotto e il suo intuito di genitore. E a poco a poco comincia a ricostruire l'oscuro legame che unisce i due filoni di indagine.
March 24, 2019
I read this thriller before but due to reading now the Inspector Winter series in the right sequence I wanted to read Frozen Tracks again. And I was not disappointed. On the contrary, many things became clear which were after the first reading left mysterious to me.
It did not at the first reading but now Frozen Tracks appears to be one of the best in the Inspector Winter thrillers I have read. The best. And what I like so much in general about these Edwardson's thrillers is that he gives them a proper ending. When a writer takes so much time to build a story, why finishing it in a rush or rather not finishing it at all? As so many writers do. But not Edwardson, he knows how to respect his readers. And for this reader this respect is mutual!
It did not at the first reading but now Frozen Tracks appears to be one of the best in the Inspector Winter thrillers I have read. The best. And what I like so much in general about these Edwardson's thrillers is that he gives them a proper ending. When a writer takes so much time to build a story, why finishing it in a rush or rather not finishing it at all? As so many writers do. But not Edwardson, he knows how to respect his readers. And for this reader this respect is mutual!
April 17, 2025
Ich wollte wissen, wie es weiter geht, daher habe ich entgegen meinem Bauchgefühl immer weiter zugehört. (Ich habe den Krimi als Audiobuch gehört.)
Die Sprache ist sehr einfach, fast schon langweilig. "Er tat X. Dann passierte Y." usw. Es kamen, wie ich fand, relativ viele Charaktere vor, die mal mit Nachnamen, mal mit Vornamen erwähnt wurden, so dass es für mich sehr unübersichtlich wurde.
Als das Buch zuende war, hatte ich immer noch nicht verstanden, was die Auflösung war. Ich musste noch eine Zusammenfassung im Internet lesen, um es zu verstehen. Aber auch damit fand ich die Geschichte immer noch recht merkwürdig und alles andere als stimmig.
Die Sprache ist sehr einfach, fast schon langweilig. "Er tat X. Dann passierte Y." usw. Es kamen, wie ich fand, relativ viele Charaktere vor, die mal mit Nachnamen, mal mit Vornamen erwähnt wurden, so dass es für mich sehr unübersichtlich wurde.
Als das Buch zuende war, hatte ich immer noch nicht verstanden, was die Auflösung war. Ich musste noch eine Zusammenfassung im Internet lesen, um es zu verstehen. Aber auch damit fand ich die Geschichte immer noch recht merkwürdig und alles andere als stimmig.
September 2, 2019
As always, crimes (or at least crime fiction) is about family. The build up in this - children being abducted, students assaulted - is quite good. Atmospheric Scandinavian noir with appealing cops who are dealing with crime and their own lives. The problem is that the coincidences get overwhelming and the resolution is kind of a train wreck. Also, as the coincidences or synergies pile up Winter - who makes a point of pride about his intuition - somehow ignores two clues to the identity of the abductor that are right in front of him.
May 15, 2018
I read these book way too fast. I will eventually have to re-read them.
Again Edwardson has managed to generate a fresh and compelling police procedural using his wonderful character DCI Erik Winter.
Cleverly conceived and well written. Twists and turns. Desperation at Christmas time.
Winter has fast become one of my favourite fictional cops.
Looking forward to the next instalment and the re-read.
Again Edwardson has managed to generate a fresh and compelling police procedural using his wonderful character DCI Erik Winter.
Cleverly conceived and well written. Twists and turns. Desperation at Christmas time.
Winter has fast become one of my favourite fictional cops.
Looking forward to the next instalment and the re-read.
August 22, 2022
I do believe I'm beginning to really fall into Detective Chief Winter's world more and more but he missed a few strong clues on this one and still managed to persevere. Of course when there are children involved, the read is very fast as they must be saved. His knowledge of communication with four year olds is knowledgeable but he misses certain key signals. In any event, it was an enjoyable reading experience and I can't wait to read the final two books in this series.
December 25, 2024
Reading Challenge 2024
N°7 - Un libro prestato da un amico
Unica cosa che mi è piaciuta di questo libro è il titolo, molto poetico. Il resto da buttare: storia poco interessante e noiosa, personaggi dimenticabili, troppa introspezione nei loro pensieri (con fastidiosi intermezzi in inglese), finale affrettato e poco esplicativo e una costante sensazione di confusione durante tutte le 453 pagine. Non leggerò altro della serie e dell'autore.
N°7 - Un libro prestato da un amico
Unica cosa che mi è piaciuta di questo libro è il titolo, molto poetico. Il resto da buttare: storia poco interessante e noiosa, personaggi dimenticabili, troppa introspezione nei loro pensieri (con fastidiosi intermezzi in inglese), finale affrettato e poco esplicativo e una costante sensazione di confusione durante tutte le 453 pagine. Non leggerò altro della serie e dell'autore.
December 30, 2024
This is number 5 in the series and it is one of those series that really grows on you.
You will have ease your way into the writing style and system that Winter uses in his crime solving.
It is stark and involved. Winter likes or needs to think a lot.
Slow intense build through out the storyline coming to a fast tense ending.
You will either like this style of writing, it will grow on you or maybe you just won't.
You will have ease your way into the writing style and system that Winter uses in his crime solving.
It is stark and involved. Winter likes or needs to think a lot.
Slow intense build through out the storyline coming to a fast tense ending.
You will either like this style of writing, it will grow on you or maybe you just won't.
September 3, 2025
I thought this book ended incredibly abruptly. Was it enjoyable to read? Yes - if you like investigative crime books. However, the plot picked up slowly and I felt like there wasn’t a true climatic moment. I know this book is a part of a series about this Erik Winters (detective in book), and maybe there is a continued plot development for all characters involved, but everything felt… unfinished or unimportant. It is well written, but maybe worth passing if you’re not into the whole series.
October 27, 2020
Overall a very enjoyable read! Starts off a little slow, but everything comes together in such a satisfying way that it makes the initial slowness seems worth it. There is an odd clunkiness to the prose, however, and I'm not sure if it was present in the original or due to the translation. It detracted a little bit from the story, but wasn't so noticeable as to make it a bad reading experience!
April 18, 2025
This is another excellent crime procedural written by Ake Edwardson. Chief Inspector Erik Winter and his trusty team solve another intriguing case in Gothenburg. Some of the team have their own emotional dramas to solve which adds to the overall tension surrounding two seemingly unconnected strands of investigation.
April 6, 2019
(Did not finish)
While nothing specific is wrong with the basic story that was laid out for the first quarter I read, but i cant help thinking there was something lost in translation that created a grueling disconnect I could not get past.
While nothing specific is wrong with the basic story that was laid out for the first quarter I read, but i cant help thinking there was something lost in translation that created a grueling disconnect I could not get past.
Read
September 5, 2019#3
February 10, 2020
I seem to enjoy a well-written police procedural. The last two pages here were a bit of a let-down after the process to get there.
April 19, 2020
I read the first seven chapters of this book but just couldn't get into it. So I won't be finishing it.
June 1, 2020
A good book.
The writing style is a bit different. Filmic, perhaps.
The writing style is a bit different. Filmic, perhaps.
January 22, 2021
Het derde boek dat ik van deze Zweedse auteur heb gelezen. Dat is wel genoeg voorlopig. Lees mijn andere recensies.
January 28, 2021
Another excellent trip to Sweden for me. Detective Winter is a complex thinker and lucky to have his fiancée Angela and their daughter Elsa to keep him grounded.
June 2, 2022
Another meandering yet intriguing "who done it" with Inspector Winter. In this story, the bad guy just kind of dropped into their lap and it wasn't the one they were looking for. Loved it!
August 10, 2022
fast-paced felt real.
March 17, 2023
Il gioco degli occhi
March 24, 2023
Creepy to think of kids abducted from nursery school.....I was a little confused in the end. I like The Winter character though
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews