Kill Them Cold

Hidden Norfolk #7

by J.M. Dalgliesh

One lie requires commitment... Multiple lies require dedication...

When the remains of a young woman are discovered near to Branodunum, a Roman archaeological site on the Norfolk coast, DI Tom Janssen and his team must work to discover who she was and how she came to be buried there.

The area is steeped in myth and folklore, a site excavated many times over the years. Just how long has she lain there... and who wishes she'd never been discovered? As the victim’s life comes into sharp focus, it appears there is far more to those who crossed her path than anyone previously realised.

Uncovering dark secrets at every turn, DI Janssen must unravel the web of deceit in order to unmask a killer; possibly the most cold blooded and dangerous murderer he has ever faced.
Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.

Kill Them Cold is the seventh novel in the Hidden Norfolk series of thrillers from Amazon number one bestselling crime writer, JM Dalgliesh, the author of the Dark Yorkshire books. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, JD Kirk, Angela Marsons, Joy Ellis and Damien Boyd.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Thriller, British Literature, Detective

307 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2021

About the author

Jason Dalgliesh was born on the south coast of England and grew up in Hampshire, UK. He has worked in the power transmission industry, the retail sector, call centres and as a night-owl in a bakery. His greatest challenge of all is ongoing, as a stay at home parent.

He is presently writing the Dark Yorkshire crime-series, featuring DI Nathaniel Caslin.

The novels are set in Yorkshire, England. The medieval City of York is Caslin's home town and the plot lines take in some of the UK's most rugged and beautiful landscapes, from the windswept North Sea coastline and across the stunning North York Moors.

Penned in the style of the Crime Noir genre, Caslin is a deep character, as flawed as he is brilliant, battling his own demons as much as those he is pitted against. Readers who enjoy gritty, atmospheric thrillers will find the series a must read.

Having spent time abroad, Jason has lived and worked in various parts of England as well as the Scottish Highlands. He currently resides in the East Riding, with his wife and two young children.

You can reach him via his website at www.jmdalgliesh.com

You can also follow him on social media;
facebook.com/jmdalglieshauthor
twitter.com/darkyorkshire

Reviews

[Lewis Weinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a bit of a slow start, the pace picks up and the investigative process is fascinating ... some of the Q&A is just brilliant

[Shannon M (Canada) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. There are times when I just want to read pulp fiction — a book I can read in a day, doesn’t require any deep thinking, and makes me feel comfortable. Dalgliesh writes good pulp fiction, priced appropriately. KILL THEM COLD is another good one in his Hidden Norfolk series.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dalgliesh Never Disappoints!

I’ve been waiting so long for another of Jason’s books but I have to say, it was most definitely worth the wait. I wish he could turn a book out every week but I know how impossible that is! It’s just that I love his writing so much. I am enthralled and find I’m imagining myself within the book. The storyline is so intriguing and captivating, it has you guessing until the end. So worthy of 5 stars. Please let us have another one soon Jason, perhaps a Yorkshire one?

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty Mundane Stuff

Old overdone English serial killer stuff. Unbelievable that a 20 year old killing would take up a full detective and forensic team's every waking hour.
None of this felt real to me. I skipped several boring chapters to get to the end of this one, too many just like it in the shed.

[Martina Kovaříková · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I like the series and as much as I like to remember the days when I was an archaeologist... I have to admit that the book was disappointing. And to be very honest, Cassie was really, really, really getting on my nerves like never before! She was just single minded and fully cofused on her goal and did not want to hear anything else. And the way she was puttin Eric down, was just ... Also I felt towards the end the book was unnecessarily long, like too long and for little gain.
And the ending just left some sour taste in my mouth.
I will not say its badly written book, I guess it is not, but I really did not enjoy it like the other books in the series and not sure I will go back to this one.

[Karen Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more a 3.5

[Shuaronda Loney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like reading this author’s book. I have read all the books in this series, however this is the first time I felt as if his minor characters were under developed. I think some more emphasis should have been placed on the killer. We didn’t really get an insight to his character until the very end. Without giving away the story line there was one other character I felt should have been more developed as well. Also the traditional character Alice, Tom’s girlfriend and her daughter Saffy was missing from this book. I felt their characters were more like an honorable mention. I think I was a little disappointed as the last book they were kind of the emphasis. I was also expecting the author to pick up their story line from the end of the book but that didn’t happen it was almost as if this was a totally separate book not really a part of a series.
Another thing I did not enjoy about this particular book is I feel the ending was rushed. Once the detectives had their final interview with the killer the book kinda just stops. The author leaves you with a lot of questions.
Overall I enjoyed the book as always the author keeps you guessing until the very end. You really do not know who the true killer is until the author reveals it. The way he keeps the reader in suspense, especially the last five chapters is so tantalizing I could not stop until I finished the book. The author is very descriptive so the reader can fully picture the scenes in the book. As stated earlier I have read all the books in the series and I truly enjoy reading this author’s books. I would highly recommend.

[Pamela Paterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

All 4 detectives were on the job for this case, the uncovering of the body of a girl who has been missing for 20 years a case that I imagine would be extremely hard to solve. Up until last week I had never heard the term ‘cozy mystery’ but that is exactly what these books are. ‘Cozy’ and also unexciting, I read a couple of other authors JD Kirk and David Gatward and while Gatward’s character DCI Harry Grimm isn’t the most charismatic of characters he isn’t one dimensional like DI Janssen and his crew. Even when the characters were taking a night off and meeting at the pub I can’t for the life of me see what any of them have in common with each other besides their jobs. The attempts at banter which are part and parcel of both Kirk and Gatwards’ books just fall flat, but I digress………

The cozy mystery isn’t that cozy as DI Janssen and crew go after their prime suspect with avengeance and its this less than subtle approach that makes you know for a fact that this is not the killer. As for DS Knight she is a bit of a rabid dog. She is very much a detective of Occam’s Razor, when she was first introduced I liked her but the past 2 books I have found her to be really annoying. Needless to say they get their person in the end and thankfully it wasn’t up to DS Knight to tie everything up.

With only book 8 left to read before the release of 9 I think I’m going to take a break so that in a couple of months I might get to like these characters again.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in just two days, which is very quick for me. It is excellent and Mr Dalgliesh is fast becoming one of my favorite authors.

This series and the characters in it are completely different yet equally compelling, if not more so than the Dark Yorkshire Series. Both series are modern day detectives working to solve murder cases, but that's where the similarities end. DI Tom Janssen in this series is a very different character to DI Caslin in the Yorkshire series, and I'm fascinated to see how the author writes two such diverse personalities with such competence and expertise.

There is no doubt that whilst the crimes involved are equally serious the atmosphere created throughout the two series is very different. Who knew that York was such a dark and forbidding place compared to Norfolk? Just so very well written.

This book, number 7 in the Norfolk series is a compelling and easy read with very few dull moments. The characterisation and their interaction are fantastic. If push comes to shove I prefer the Norfolk series but book 6 of the Yorkshire series which I read prior to this book was also excellent. I highly recommend both series although each book does stand alone the characters build through repetition and it's well worth reading them all.

[Steven Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yorkshire Police are on the Case

We rejoin the familiar characters we’ve been reading about in previous books of the series for another mystery. Tom Jansson continues to be the natural leader although he isn’t a DCI yet. It’s a pretty close knit team now and they need all their skills when a skeleton is turned up by a farm plow. It’s known that there’s an archaeological site nearby and at first the detectives think the deceased might have been Roman in date. Forensics says no in short order and the case leads naturally to the archaeologists who last excavated the site. The academic staff are believable and suspicion falls on one of them in what eventually becomes a series of killings.

The action is fast and the ending is surprising, I didn’t guess who did it. There is a tragedy concealed within the mystery that really engages the reader. Possibly the plot is too dark for some readers but with that one caveat I recommend this book.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid police procedural with superb characters. Recommend to crime fiction readers

I enjoy this atmospheric series set in Norfolk with its fen lands, rugged coast, dangerous cliffs, and raging seas. The storyline features a skeleton discovered in an archeological dig in Norfolk. It’s a good cold case, murder mystery that heats up as the detectives begin searching for suspects. The detective characters are well-drawn and mixed group, and the suspects range from seriously erratic to sociopathic. Although I pegged the villain, I kept turning pages until the end to see how author J.M. Dalgliesh wraps up the book.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In plain sight

Great to have another in this series to read. The characters are developing and becoming a great team to work on times that have multiple layers and possible victims and criminals.
The dogged determination of the team to turn over every stone in this procedural detective series has you feeling you are there along side them for the ride.
The more you read the more you are drawn in and the last couple of chapters have you transfixed for the outcome. I would highly recommend this series especially as it's based on Norfolk UK with its wonderful skies and hidden rural communities.

[Scott Kalas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hit!

Kill Them Cold was one of my more favorable reads. I ‘m a fan of cold case crimes. I also like the relationships the main characters have with each. There is no sex vulgar language always a big plus for me. Looking forward to A Dark Sin

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been reading this series on a binge. I am not sure if it is me or the author, but I found this book too long and the characters annoying. I need to take a break.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a farmer is ploughing his field, he uncovers human bones. The police very soon realize this skeleton is not archaeological, but only from a decade or two ago. Can they piece together who wanted this young woman dead and why her remains were hidden away?

I’ve been really enjoying this Hidden Norfolk series. This book very much reads like it can stand on its own. While the police team are working very comfortably and well together – so it’s clear there are plenty of previous stories about this team – the plot and most of the interactions between the group all stand very well on their own with the author not needing to info-dump to the reader or catch everyone up on a lot of history.

Readers who enjoy a British style police procedural should find this an interesting and enjoyable read. I was pleased that – aside from the prologue – there were no flashbacks into the past or jumping back and forth in time. I was very happy for Tom and the team to dig into the archaeological site and piece together what happened via usual police investigation means – asking questions, talking to people who were involved and puzzling it all together. This made for an interesting and well-paced story to my mind, and I really enjoyed it.

Readers looking for a smaller and more country sort of setting and a modern police procedural type of story should find this really fits the bill. I’m enjoying this series and am eager to read more.

[wendi wigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

In plain sight.

A skeleton is dug up by a farmer ploughing a field ready for sowing. It's on the site of a Roman settlement, but the body is of a more modern era - a young woman missing for twenty years.
A dig on the site had been disappointing, the night she vanished those from the dig were having a party to celebrate the closing of the site.
Now she had been found, at the time of her disappearance an investigation had been launched, but the DI at the time didn't spare too much manpower and the case was left to go cold.
The four principals in charge of the excavation are person's of interest to Tom and his team, focusing on Alex Hart & Billy Cannell the joint team leaders.
The plot takes a detour when similar homicides are tied to this one in Norfolk, being young women in Norway & the Netherlands, both locations of archaeological digs led by one of the four. Other members of the quarter visiting the sites to meet their colleagues.
And the plot thickens.
Excellent read, well thought out and skilfully executed. Not until the last couple of chapters did I suspect the true culprit.
Recommended.

[Kerry boswell]

Chilling but great read

I chose this rating because this book so far has been the best one I have read. The sadness is felt within yourself as you get further into the book to know someone was deliberately tampering with another person's life like this story leads you into. The story keeps you guessing and wondering all the way through and as a person who suffers with mental health I can relate to alex in this book. The story line leads you in to believing that the ending is cut and dry, until there is another twist to the ending. All in all the story is a great read, the only negative I can find is that the ending is just left as a cliff hanger that leaves you with more questions than answers, although this is purposely it is also frustrating to end a book on a cliff hanger when so much time and effort has been made to make it a good read. I would really like the. Books to fo!low on from the last so that we know what happens. I am yet to read book 8 so I'm hoping there is some insight as to what happened to dc collett but thank you for another great read

[David Lowther · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all of the Hidden Norfolk series, I enjoyed Kill Them Cold.
The crime, mostly murder, is usually relatively small not involving serial killers, espionage, conspiracies and so on. The small team of detectives whose job it is to track down the killer(s) is bright, efficient and committed.
In Kill them Cold thge first half of the narrative is routine, collection of evidence, interviewing of suspects and involvement of clever forensic specialists. And then, as so often happens in Dalgleish’s novels, there’s a shift in emphasis, something happens or some new piece of evidence emerges which causes the pace to pick up. The result is an acceleration in excitement and, often, a surprise conclusion. A satisfying read.

David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of’39, all published by Sacristy Press.

[Lilly Hi Way · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Excellent Mystery

Dalgliesh just gets better with each mystery he creates. This mystery involves a dead body unearthed at a once active archaeological site by a farmer while plowing his fields. The murder occurred more than a decade ago making even identification difficult besides determination of the circumstances surrounding the crime and possible suspects very tenuous. We learn more and more about past events as the book involves to its suspenseful and shocking conclusion. I highly recommend this book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid mystery

I enjoy this series because I generally like small town investigation mysteries. This series fits the bill in terms of scenic location, small town investigators and interesting mysteries. The characters are generally well written and fairly complex, especially the main character, DO Janssen. I can't say that the rest of them get equal treatment in each book, which can be a bit disconcerting. All in all, an enjoyable mystery series I'll likely confine reading.

[Gary and Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps you guessing

A murdered girl, too many suspects and twenty plus years all add up to a cold case that puts the resolve of our intrepid investigators to test. Working long hours trying to run down witnesses and facts DI Janssen and his team must confront a monster you enjoys killing and manipulating everyone in their path. This book is the seventh in the series and like the others it is hard to put down. Quite enjoyable book.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 7 of 16 KILL THEM COLD (Hidden Norfolk Series) by J.M. Dalgleish. I love this author’s writing style. This book is about a body that turns up in an archaeological dig. There had been a dig 15 years ago with lots of researchers spending time in the area. There are lots of twists to the story making it interesting and difficult to pick out just who might be the murderer. It is not who you think it is. Nice to know there are more books ready to read.

[j r meikle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow start and a frantic end.

I found myself speed reading a chunk of the first 40% or so of this book, I was waiting for it to get going. If I wasn't sure before, I am now that archeology is of zero interest to me even if it involves murder. Luckily the pace picked up in the second half of the book with the characters becoming relevant. Great ending and let's hope that Eric appears in the next book.

[Patricia Done · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another great book by J.M. Dalgliesh. He manages to keep your interest and takes you along on an exciting roller-coaster ride while the dectectives sift through the clues. I have yet to identify the perpetrator in any of this series. I read it far too quickly but I just had to find out who the guilty one was.

[Mr Mark Hawksford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kill them cold

Another good book in the series. I do feel that the relationship between the team does not feel as strong in this book for some reason, especially between the DC and DCI, as it was in the earlier books. However, I was still hooked from the start and found myself turning the pages quicker to try and identify the guilty party. I would give this a 4.5 out of 5.

[K Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

Another of my favourite series. I have read all the series by this author and have thoroughly recommend them all. Kept me up all night needing to know what happens. I have to agree with another review that I'm not keen on the Cassie character but love the rest. Roll on July for the next book.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

What an adventure! Bones found buried in Roman ruins lead to a 20 year old death! Investigation points to members of a university funded excavation on this site at that time. Deeper investigations points to possible string of similar murders over the past 20 years. But which one of the excavation leaders is it? Exciting conclusion!

[Pauline Dowdall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all the characters and the stories and the way they investigated them,the only thing is the author drags it out longer, I was beginning to get bored especially near the end, but saying that I still give it 5stars I’m going to read something else next but I will go back and read the next book in this series.

[Claire Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read

This series of books is growing stronger with each instalment. I did feel that character development stalled a little in this story due in part, I believe, to the big narrative that put everything else in the shade. It’s not necessarily a bad thing as there’s time yet to get to know everyone better in subsequent books. A great read.

[Eirlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cold case mystery

Another thrilling book with characters who were skilfully crafted and believable. The detectives have a good relationship with each other, with their talents interacting to solve murders. I enjoyed this complex mystery, with several suspects and twists that increased the tension exponentially.