From the Bookshelf of Q&A with Josh Lanyon…

Winter Kill

Josh Lanyon

Start date: February 1, 2022

Finish date: February 28, 2022

Discussion: Book of the Month Club

Why we're reading this: We first read this back in 2015, and we’ve voted to make this one of our four 2022 Josh rereads for our W…more
[close] We first read this back in 2015, and we’ve voted to make this one of our four 2022 Josh rereads for our Winter theme in February.

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Book of the Month Club

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What Members Thought

Feb 10, 2013 Johanna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, romance, favorites, m-m, josh-lanyon

I just finished reading Winter Kill and I’m feeling tremendously satisfied because, hands down, Josh Lanyon is so very good at what he does. And it's always lovely to see someone being amazingly skillful in his job.

This is a book about deputy sheriff Rob Haskell and FBI agent Adam Darling trying to solve murders which rapidly grow in number as the story continues. There seems to be a serial killer on loose. But that's definitely not all this story is about!

I enjoyed the sinister feeling the pro I just finished reading Winter Kill and I’m feeling tremendously satisfied because, hands down, Josh Lanyon is so very good at what he does. And it's always lovely to see someone being amazingly skillful in his job.

This is a book about deputy sheriff Rob Haskell and FBI agent Adam Darling trying to solve murders which rapidly grow in number as the story continues. There seems to be a serial killer on loose. But that's definitely not all this story is about!

I enjoyed the sinister feeling the prologue threw over the book. And how the playful, joyful sparks of Rob and Adam’s first night together collides and mixes with the dark chase of a serial killer! The author really gives food for all our senses while walking us through cold, pine smelling landscape filled with sodden autumn leaves in the remote town of Nearby. There's a lot of delightful, sarcastic dialog and even a couple of small cross-over moments with Lanyon's All's Fair series. And it wouldn't be a Josh Lanyon book, if it didn't also have many poetic, thought-provoking images such as ”like the first time you saw butterflies covering carrion” and ”noticed soft, white snow angels in a graveyard”.

I really fell for the two main characters. I like how Adam is the voice of reason and how Rob acts more based on emotion. I like the city-boy-meets-wilderness aspect of the story. There is something irresistible about the dynamics between these two men. At the first glance they seem to be pretty much opposite personalities from each other, with very different way of thinking and acting. But… when you get to know them a bit better you realize how much in common they actually have. Their principals, their goals are the same (in work and in life in general). They’re just both approaching their principals and goals differently. I like how persistent Rob is and how analytically Adam thinks. And I like how their traits start to evolve towards each other during the story.

Near the end of the book there's an outburst of Rob’s that made my heart turn into an ice-cold snowball inside my chest. But I do love how we learn so much of both characters during these arguments between them. There are so many scenes that are like goldmines into the main characters’ personas. Glimpses into their past, telltales of what nuances in their character originate from what has happened to them in the past life. And what nuances are related to their hopes and dreams and what they believe in. I loved finding these delicately, skillfully, beautifully planted clues to who these men really are.

Josh Lanyon masterfully kept all the strings in his trustworthy hands throughout the story and made at least this reader to change her mind about primary suspect(s) for several times — all the way to the end. This mystery sure was a tricky one! I loved the complexity of it and the fact that the crimes were spread throughout such a long timespan. I throughly enjoyed how the author had sprinkled so many possible clues around and also gave us a few of those wonderful "Ah-ha!" moments near the end — the moments when the reader can feel herself as clever as an FBI agent! :-)

In the end Winter Kill left me with some "reason versus emotion” pondering. Both objectively thinking and spontaneous action helped to achieve positive, satisfying outcomes in this story. I find it intriguing. I find it real. I find it... reassuring. I find it as one of the hardest balancing acts in life.

Thank you for yet another great book, Mr. Lanyon. This one was like that wildflower growing from a crack in the pavement an inch from Adam’s nose — meaningful in so many ways. ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Dec 30, 2014 Meggie rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime-police-mystery, m-m-romance-romance

I liked the mystery angle of this whole storyline, that part was pretty good. The Romance between both MC's was cold, partly rushed, but had an realistic aspect in that working field, which was refreshing and enjoyable. And the way it ended made me happy for both MC. I would really enjoy reading more stories from this coupled pair. I liked them! ...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Sylvia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: josh-lanyon

Chilling and atmospheric thriller with a bunch of great characters. I love Rob and Adam.

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Jul 27, 2014 Julz rated it liked it

Started in ebook form then stalled. Ended up getting the audiobook because I love the narrator, Gomez Pugh. Stayed amused the whole time because Adam sounds just like Zigler from the Psycop series.

1 like · Like · see review