The Coldest Mile

Cold #2

by Tom Piccirilli

Raised to be a thief and getaway driver, Chase left the bent life after he found his true love, Lila. For ten years he walked the straight and narrow—until Lila was murdered. Now Chase is looking for his grandfather Jonah, the stone-cold-killer con man who raised him anis the last living repository of his family’s darkest secrets. In returning to his criminal roots, Chase hopes to save Jonah’s infant daughter from the life that Chase himself can’t escape.

But first he’ll need a score. Chase thinks he’s found it as a driver for a dysfunctional crime family that’s anything but organized. With the Langans’ patriarch dying, the once powerful syndicate may unravel before Chase can rip it off. If he survives the bloodbath to come, he’ll face an even uglier showdown. Because his grandfather Jonah is waiting for him at the coldest family reunion this side of hell.

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Noir, Mystery, Fiction, Novels, Ebooks

335 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Thomas Piccirilli (May 27, 1965 – July 11, 2015) was an American novelist and short story writer.

Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. He was a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for "Best Paperback Original" (2008, 2010). He was a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and the winner of the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of "Best Poetry Collection".

Reviews

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing with my belated exploration of the late great Tommy Picc I am blown away by how he takes on the heist sub-genre of noir fiction, The Coldest Mile feeling like an evolution of the Parker series except with a protagonist completely fallible, and the novel feeling all the better for it. The Hunter aside this is far better than most of the Parker series.

Chase is a fantastically conflicted character, a driver, a wheelman, raised to be a career criminal and now needing to take on a mob crew for all he can get his hands on; the large cash bankroll supposed to help him rescue his two year old aunt from the clutches of his cold hearted villainous grandfather who he suspects killed his mother when he was only ten. Yeah, the dysfunctional families dial is cranked to eleven in this book and it doesn't even feel ludicrous such is the quality of Piccirilli's writing.

Piccirilli gives you an insight in to the intricate criminal behaviours without getting bogged down in particulars, he talks cars - his protagonist is a driver afterall - without boring the non-petrolhead to tears, he discusses the nature of existence, of love and of belonging without taking pages to get to the point and most impressive of all is his take on the staple of the noir novel, the dream sequences as surreal interludes, which he gives a unique spin and makes them integral to his story rather than simply doing it because it is apparently a requirement of the genre and a good way to write a bunch of crap and pad your page count.

The book finishes with an obvious bump for a sequel except this was six years ago for an author who could churn out quality work like a regular Simenon so I have to assume he had no intention of continuing this story, which only makes the final page that much more brilliant.

This is the second book in the series but it feels like a standalone novel, the content, tone and attitude of the protagonist is markedly different from The Cold Spot which as far as I'm concerned is a good thing and means you can read one without the other. Although having said that after finishing The Coldest Mile you'll most certainly want to read The Cold Spot and there's more than a bit of plot from the first book referenced in this one so why ruin The Cold Spot for yourself in that way?

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot understand why Tom Piccirilli is not more widely read. Picking up where The Cold Spot left off, Chase is recuperating from injuries suffered in the retribution in Newark for his cop wife's senseless killing, and has found a job driving for a NJ mob family. His agenda is to steal some money and then go after his crazy, larcenous grandfather and Chase's young step-sister, who he may have with him. After all, what is more important than family? As in the prior book, Chase lays it all on the line, befriending some and alienating others. Good characters, fast paced. Fun, but quite violent.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

You think you've read all about dysfunctional families until you meet grifter and wheelman Chase. For the past decade, he's gone straight and known conjugal serenity with Lila until she's murdered. Chase targets his rage on his grandfather Jonah, the ace of cold-blooded sociopathic killers and conmen. Jonah is bringing up his little daughter Kylie in the "bent life," something Chase can't tolerate. He takes off to rescue his little aunt. This is an immensely enjoyable hardboiled crime tale steeped in treachery, double-crosses, and carnage. Through it all, the beat up Chase keeps to his quest, something to be admired.

[Gatorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Satisfying entry in the Cold/Chase series. Has a nice edge to it with good characterization and solid writing as always from Piccirilli. I've heard that the third in the series is coming soon. Looking forward to reading that. You will need to start from the first one, though, as it references much from that book and a reader can get lost. Highly recommended.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first book this series but this one, although still enjoyable, wasn't quite as great. The highlights of both books are scenes involving the grandfather character, Jonah and he didn't appear until three quarters of the way through this one. Still keen to hunt down anything else that Piccirilli has written though.

This book ends in such a way that there should be another one in the series but I understand that Tom Piccirilli is very ill just now - get well soon, Tom.

[Marleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Coldest Mile starts right off where the Cold Spot left us with Chase looking for his grandfather Jonah, in the aftermath of the Newark shoot-out. It’s best to warn the reader that it won’t make much sense to read this instalment without having read the first book as it constantly refers to events occurring in the Cold Spot.
I have to say that I’m totally fascinated by Chase. Tom Piccirilli created a unique and amazing protagonist; raised by his grandfather to be a thief from a very young age, Chase has worked as a skilful get-away driver until he met Lila and got out of the bent life. Unfortunately after a few years a crew of very deviant crooks violently cut his “normal” life short, and once more the young and troubled Chase sees himself returning to his criminal roots mainly to rescue Jonah’s little girl.
As with the first Chase-book there’s a lot of heart to it, but here more dark feelings take the overhand, as Chase gets closer and closer to the truth about his grandfather.
In my opinion, the story-telling was not as well-rounded as in book one, but still very compelling and edgy. Can't wait to read more!

[Mohammed Abdikhader Firdhiye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The getaway driver Chase and his life is still a very good read in this second book in the series. Contemporary Hardboiled crime writing at its finest. Its hard,unflinching story,characters but also a very good story about humans,family. It has depth and its not a one dimensional crime book about criminals.

I enjoy his writing,dialouge like few other contemporary crime writers. You can see he is an award winning author.

[Alan Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Piccirilli is such a natural noir writer that these books are an utter joy to read, even while they're dark and brutal and unforgiving. A bloody shame the author died so young for many reasons, especially the natural injustice if it, but not least because there's clearly a third book here that we'll never have now. But we can be thankful for these two (this one and The Cold Spot) because they are truly brilliant.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book about a wheelman named Chase and it had me up in the wee hours trying to finish it before crashing for my day job. I do not like to spoil things for other readers so let me just tell you that, if you are addicted Andrew Vachss' Burke books and Richard Stark's Parker books, well, IMHO, you just got a new drug, pally.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The continuation of Chase' story is great, but I didn't feel it was as well written as the first. the violence seemed gratuitous, and the explanations and retelling of the first book were un-necessary. The ending was such a WTF, I had to make sure that B&N hadn't accidentally cut off the last few chapters.

[M. Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it so much I bought it, read it, misplaced it, and then bought another copy.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m all Piccirillied out! This is a brief hiatus I’m sure. But I’ve read 5 of this author’s novels back to back and I can’t take another kidney punch without some respite!

But what did I think about this one, sequel to The Cold Spot? I thought it was great. It picked up exactly where Cold Spot left off. Chase, forlorn, bereaved, still searching for answers, now with a child to rescue, takes up with a disorganised mob outfit intending a quick score to fund his quest. His lethal grandfather is still out there and their paths will converge in another bloody climax. There are still unresolved issues at the conclusion that might have made another novel but Chase has his answers.

As anticipated, this was another slick and gripping crime thriller that takes you by the seat of your pants and drags you to the finish line. I’m exhausted!

[M. Sprouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This two book series by Tom Piccirilli is very good, especially if you don't like your good guys too good and you prefer your villians downright nasty. This 2nd and last book is significantly better than the first. It moves fast, has high levels of suspense and action, and even a little sex, even though there's no actual sex. Just missed a 5 star rating mainly due to our main character be unrealistically stupid when it counted. Not quite as well written as the author's Terrier Rand series.

[Mike Nesemann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can see where people would enjoy it. Piccirilli gets into his protagonist's head and it's a reasonably dark ride. But for me the characters were too formulaic and unbelievable. Again, I get how it would be popular, but if you want somewhat more prosaic circumstances, character development, and a fairly believable tale, then unlike Bud, this one's not for you.

[Sudhagar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the book.

As a thriller afficiados I am shocked that Piccirilli flew under my radar until now.

Definitely among the Top 10 to 15 thriller writers.

Strong, noir style writing. Superb dialogues and characters. Fast moving and unpredictable plot. Realism like an upper cut to the jaw. Violent, fun and gripping plot.

I am gonna devour the rest of the series.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: Chase left the bent life after he found true love. He walked the straight and narrow until she was murdered. Now he needs to go back.

[Mike Kazmierczak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Piccirilli's second book involving Chase, a thief and getaway driver. The first THE COLD SPOT was awesome! A hard to put down novel that sucked you in. Fortunately THE COLDEST MILE is equally strong. The action picks up shortly after the end of THE COLD SPOT. Chase is recovering from his injuries and still dealing with the emotional aspects of what happened. However, he also has a goal, a goal reinforced by the ghosts of his loved ones who have died. The goal: to rescue his grandfather's daughter, Kylie, from being raised in a life of crime by his amoral grandfather. To finance that goal, Chase has a score in mind of robbing a weakening and dysfunctional crime family. Once he scores the money, then he'll hunt his criminal grandfather and rescue Kylie.

The book is moody, brutal and addictive! The action is equally intense as the previous book but at the same time it almost seems subdued. Chase is dealing with issues and problems that take up most of his attention. So the action becomes almost secondary to a lot of what is happening to him. But this also means that Chase is not thinking about what he is doing and making mistakes. It is these mistakes and the brutal bursts of action combined with Chase's emotional turmoil that suck us in. We can't turn away from watching someone hurt and try to do something about it. And having the whole book be retro-pulp noir set in today makes it even more enthralling. A fact that even Chase acknowledges when he notes his "throwback mentality" for using the term strongarm. This time the story is about love and moving on and having to continue to face life. A fact that slaps us across the face at the end of the book. There were revelations made at the end that totally flipped the story and left me aching for more. There is obviously more story beyond this book. Most likely one more novel to complete the trilogy. According to Wikipedia, it is tentatively titled THE COLD AND THE DEAD with no release date planned. I hope that Piccirilli doesn't forget about writing it because I know that I will snag it up in an instant.

[Larry H]

Tom Piccirilli needs a better agent, and maybe even a better publisher. Because this man's books should be in everyone's hands, they should be in everyone's briefcase or beach bag, and they definitely should be on the bestseller list. I've now read three of his books and each one has been a terrific thriller that has kept me completely engaged. I've been stuck between wanting to fly through each book to finish as quickly as I can and wanting to savor it so it lasts. (Usually the former wins.)



The Coldest Mile picks up where The Cold Spot left off, although you could read this one without having read the previous one. Chase is a grifter, licking his wounds from his most recent revenge-fueled encounter. He starts out working for the Langan Family, a mafia family in the process of splintering, but after sticking his nose where it doesn't belong a time too many, he flees for Florida to take care of some unfinished business. There's not much more to say about the plot that won't give it away, but I definitely recommend this book and Piccirilli's others!

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book of the series was one of the best crime/noir novels I've ever read and so this book had to be compared to the quality of it. The Cold Spot definitely had a tighter plot. It was very straightforward and clear. That changed a lot with this book. At times the purpose of some characters and settings became unclear and made the novel a little bit confusing. The ending wraps the loose plotlines up, though.

The focus was also even stronger on the action scenes which are quite amazing. The inner troubles of the characters on the other hand remained but it seemed like they were not elaborated as much as in The Cold Spot. Somehow the novel still had an atmosphere that was so extremely dark that it got scary.

The Coldest Mile didn't reach the level of its predecessor but it was a very exciting read.

[William M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 AND 1/2 STARS.

Piccirilli, as usual, is in a league of his own. He is so superior to other writers that I can only compare his work to his own prior work. I didn't realize that this book, The Coldest Mile, was a sequel to The Cold Spot. For me, this was maybe a half notch down from the previous book, but still an incredible read. The excitement, the complex characters, the razor-sharp dialogue, and the dry humor were all there, but I didn't feel Chase's motivation this time was as strong as his last outing in The Cold Spot. I absolutely recommend this book, but readers should read The Cold Spot first to get the full experience.

[Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot that I could criticize in this book. To say that the writing is pedestrian is to be generous, and the characters are one-dimensional. Parts of the plot don't make sense. On the other hand, it's your basic noir, crime thriller, which I like. The protagonist, Chase, is a thief and a driver, i.e., a man who specializes in being behind the wheel on criminal capers. He's definitely on the wrong side of the law. He kills people and he steals from them, but they're all criminals like him, only worse. He doesn't mess with "civilians", and you can't help but identify him.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprise that the sequel was better than the first book. Chase's job with the Langan mob family was a great way to start the book but at some point I was starting to wonder when the action would really kick up and when it did I was not disappointed. His journey down to Florida was a very entertaining ride with an ending that was both satisfying but left me ready for more. Tom has seem to find his niche with Crime Noir.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Coldest Mile is an awesome and dark noir tale. Tom Piccirilli has quickly become one of my favorite writers. He should be at the top of every crime fans reading list. Fast-paced and sharply written The Coldest Mile, as well as the first book in the series The Cold Spot, are highly recommended reads.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

TOTAL CLIFFHANGER! And, it turns out I came into this series halfway through, the first being "The Cold Spot" - which I knew of, but didn't know was connected to this one. Probably won't get that one, but hope this one gets finished off, soon...

Anyway - as always, tight, awesome, obsessively readable prose. Pacing fantastic. Fast, enthralling, gritty!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked The Cold Spot, but I REALLY liked this book. No more stereotypical southern dialogue, just a deeper understanding of Chase and what motivates him. He is such a complex character, both dark and light at the same time. This is fast paced, super smart, and gritty. Piccirilli definitely left more story to be told, just hope I can find it. I'd love to follow Chase and Jonah on another ride.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book even more than The Cold Spot. I liked the mix of sharp and stupid criminals. Chase spends most of this book trying to get himself killed, but he makes some peace with his past at the end....or not. I'd love to see a sequel someday.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping stuff again from Tom Piccirilli.

Chase's life never quite goes where you expect.

I do wonder how much longer he can delay the central showdown without things getting too frustrating?

[Susan Kilburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really liking Chase, a smart (alek) with a sense of humor and
sense of right and wrong (sorta). Good quick read.

[Lee Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kickass. Lean and mean and a lot of heart.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A humorous suspense sounds like an oxymoron, but I can't think of any other way to describe it. Definitely worth reading.