Winter's War

Guy Winter Mysteries, Book 1

By: James Philip

Narrated by: Melanie Fraser

Winter's War is the first full length Guy Winter mystery. It is set in England in the Second World War at the time of the Battle of Britain and the start of the London Blitz.

August 1940 - Chief Inspector Guy Winter has been Fleet Street's favorite detective for over a decade. Dubbed the "Mystery Man" by his friends and enemies alike, for all his fame he cuts a lonely figure at Scotland Yard, where every newspaper story is fresh grist to an already tired mill. Laid low by personal tragedy, there are many who suspect that the great detective's career is over.

Guy Winter, still in mourning the death of his wife in a tragic traffic accident the year before is summoned back to Scotland Yard to hunt for a psychopathic killer who is retracing Jack the Ripper's 52-year-old bloody trail of terror through London's East End.

Evil stalks the London blackout at the height of the Battle of Britain as a madman sets out to sow panic in the streets. But nothing is quite what it seems. As the threat of invasion looms ever larger and great aerial dogfights rage in the skies over southern England, as air raid sirens wail in the night, searchlights play across the face of the heavens and the first bombs fall, old scores are being settled and we discover that Guy Winter has been living a double life more mysterious than anybody ever suspected.

Now that double life has returned to haunt him. Now he no longer knows whom to call friend or foe.

©2014 James P. Coldham (P)2016 James P. Coldham

Well scripted and thoroughly enjoyable

Would you consider the audio edition of Winter's War to be better than the print version?

I would have to read the print version which I would like to do

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the style of writing; the author reminds me of Elizabeth George and PD James, etc.

Which scene was your favorite?

I quite enjoyed the developing relationship between Winter and Ransom as they learn to work together and trust each other

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this enough that I would pick up more in the series

Not too bad, but not great; narrator was good

Note: In exchange for an unbiased review, the author, publisher, and/or narrator were kind enough to provide an audio version of this book at no charge via AudiobookBoom.

This was a decent enough book, but the writing style took a bit to get used to. It often felt like the narration jumped around or it was just assumed straightaway that the listener/reader would know who or what the characters were talking about. So it took me a while to piece together who was who and what was going on with regard to the spy ring. [SPOILER]Also, unless I missed something, the killer/killers of the women was never revealed, which was rather ... odd.[/SPOILER] And the ending felt very abrupt. All of a sudden it was just over, with a paltry "Epilogue" to tie some things up at the end in the form of a police report. The characters weren't hugely appealing, with the exception of Guy Winter's neighbor, who seemed like the only decent one of the bunch. Perhaps by the end, Winter himself turned out to be an alright guy, but the abrupt ending never revealed this to us for sure. Maybe in the next book we'll see a bit more of the new and improved Guy. The narrator did a great job (I just love English accents); it was a female narrating a book primarily from a man's perspective and she carried it off well, so she gets 4-5 stars. I was impressed. Overall, though, I'd have to give this a rating of about three stars for the reasons listed above. Still, it was a decent read and others may find it more enjoyable than I did in general.

A Crime, a Plot, and a War

Winter's War is the first full novel in James Philip's Guy Winter series. If you’ve read the previous novella, Winter's Pearl, some of the seeds that were planted there start to sprout. You need not worry if you haven’t read Winter's Pearl, because the roots beneath those sprouts are clearly visible. The story continues while the Battle of Britain rages but before the onslaught of the Blitz. This provides the backdrop for the hunt for a serial killer while offering insight into the workings of British Intelligence as it tries to manage its expanding role. James Philip's characters tend to provide us with a view of the war as seen from the elevated heights of the British aristocracy. Your belonging to the right club is just as important as holding your commission in the right regiment. Philip also exposes, through this cast of characters, the underside of this venerated class. A crime, a plot, and a war; all skillfully put together by the author.

I received this as a free Audible download in return for an honest review. The narrator, Melanie Fraser, was excellent. She very much added to my enjoyment of the novel.

A fantastic launch to a series

This is actually the second tale regarding Guy Winter. There is a short story prequel, but you can dive into this without having read it. Set in WWII Great Britain, this tale is a thrilling mystery with ties to the "Jack the Ripper" unsolved murders.

Winter is just coming out of the tragic loss of his wife (where he was a suspect) and has to fight against the upper chain of command and his own demons as he attempts to string together clues to a series of possible Ripper copycat killings.

The story does an excellent job of seeping you into the WWII era. I was not entirely happy with the epilogue giving a wrap of the story, but it did not detract to the point where I am not looking forward eagerly to the continuing adventures in the Guy Winter series.

Ms. Fraser is wonderful as always as the narrator of this series. She has a voice that pulls me into the actual feel of the story. I think I could listen to her read the dictionary and become engrossed.

Slow but Interesting WWII mystery

4 stars for the story
5 stars for the narration
4 1/2 stars total

This book is set in England, deep into the dark days of WWII. In this first full book of the series, Guy Winter has returned to intelligence work in London following time off to come to terms with the sudden death of his wife. First off, he delves into finding a serial killer, one whose murders are mimicking Jack the Ripper’s as the half-century mark of that slayer’s deeds approaches. Winter discovers a common thread among the victims: all are, or were, working as undercover intelligence agents, gathering information from clients to help the war effort. In addition to stalking this killer, Winter and other members of his circle, provide information on the status of Britain at war. As readers and listeners, we are allowed to listen in on some private conversations that help set the stage for what might happen next. We learn how thinly stretched are the staff of Scotland Yard and the intelligence services of MI5 and MI6, and see how information is tightly controlled, hoarded, by each service.

This is the second book in the series, following Winter’s Pearl. While Winter’s Pearl helped me to sort out the characters, I don’t’ think it’s necessary to read or listen to it in order to enjoy Winter’s War. I enjoyed this second book more than the prequel because it had more action and a more intricate and involved storyline. Both books are bogged down by too much detail, which makes the happenings hard to follow as they get lost in all that minutia. As I listened to this audiobook, I’d find my attention wandering as descriptions and chatter droned on, and then I’d realize that I had missed something important. I would need to rewind and re-listen, which made this book take an extra hour or two to get through.

Other than the main character, Guy Winter, the characters come across flat and stereotypical, but they keep the story moving along. Despite the excellent narration, I often had time keeping the characters sorted. Each had a distinct voice, but their names and positions constantly kept me guessing as to who was who. At times, characters that hadn’t been mentions in many chapters, or since the sequel, are brought back without reintroduction, which made it hard to sort out who they were or how they fit in. Over detailed descriptions and out-of-the-blue characters are, I think, the biggest problems with the writing. I did wonder at the sudden acceleration of the relationship between Guy Winter and his neighbor/housekeeper. It seemed to go from zero to sixty in a very short time, and that didn’t seem to fit either character’s . . . well, character.

There’s a very noir feeling to the book, perfect for war-torn England under siege from constant air attacks. Gas masks, dark streets, sirens wailing, they all add to the atmosphere and provide the perfect backdrop for a Jack the Ripper copycat. The one attack that happens on the street is very well done and demonstrates, without too much detail, how horrific the final minutes of the victims’ lives were. There are a lot of twists and turns built into this book, and they come when you least expect them, especially the surprise near the end. As for the end, I found it a tad out of place. Somehow, the reading of a police report didn’t seem to work with the rest of the book. It very much felt tagged on, as if some editor told the author that he needed some device to tie everything together. This wasn’t the best way to do that.

The narration is excellent, and voices are well defined and well differentiated, male and female. Melanie Fraser narrates with feeling and care, and her voice is a delight for the ears.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It takes some time to get into, but once it picks up speed, it keeps going.

I received a copy of this audiobook for free from the narrator. Opinions expressed in this review are my true reaction to the book and are not influenced by her generosity.

Good start, but disappointed with the plot

After listening to the prequel, I had high expectations to this novel. I was somehow disappointed with long boring passages and the actual plot. The story jumps around from character to character and it's not easy to figure out who is who. I think listening to the prologue - Winter's Pearl - before this one, helped a great deal, but for those who hasn't, it can be quite confusing.

The book also contains long boring passages, where I thought 'please, move on!' However, I'm sure many would enjoy it anyway and it could just be my personal preference. The book is well-written, but I was annoyed with the plot, where the author wanted to show us a Jack the Ripper copycat - been there, done that. Why not have given us a different story? I felt the author wanted to tell the actual Jack the Ripper story, just set in another time. I didn't really get attached to any of the characters either.

Melanie Fraser narrated this story very authentic and she has become one of my favorite British narrators. A wonderful and clear British voice will get you through this story and she was the reason I kept listening. The story came to life in an oll' times British environment, as we all know when we watch British period dramas.

*This book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review.

Intriguing Jack the Ripper Copycat Tale in WWII

Any additional comments?

Winter’s War by James Philip is the first full length book in the Guy Winter series featuring a WWII Scotland Yard detective at the height of the Battle of Britain. I recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys listening to historical espionage thrillers.

The story begins with Guy Winter returning to London after a year’s absence following the unexpected death of his wife. Being an expert in Jack the Ripper lore, Scotland Yard needs Winter to find a serial killer who is mimicking Jack the Ripper’s murders that occurred more than 50 years ago. He soon uncovers a link between the victims that the original Jack the Ripper murders did not possess – the current victims were all "Pearls" of WWI (female spies for British intelligence). My favorite character by far is Sergeant George Ransom who is underappreciated, perceptive, and extremely loyal to Winter.

The author points out that this series is meant to be read and listened to as "coherent, linked episodes," which might explain why the book just ends without any real conclusion. Thankfully, I listened to the next two books as well.

Melanie Fraser narrated this audiobook wonderfully, like she did the other books in the series. Her crisp British accent and soft refined tones were perfect for this audio and definitely contributed to my enjoyment of this book. Melanie really brought the characters to life, using a variety of accents and giving each character their own distinct voice.

Well scripted and thoroughly enjoyable

Would you listen to Winter's War again? Why?

Yes. I enjoy the historic era represented

What does Melanie Fraser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Did not read the printed version. Melanie Fraser's narration was brilliant. She speaks impeccably

Any additional comments?

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

Enjoyable and atmospheric

I liked this book, especially its atmospheric quality. It is dark and historical, with the main character trying to track down a Jack-the-Ripper copycat. It was interesting to see how prostitutes were used to gain secrets for the Intelligence. I read this book before reading the "Prologue" to the series, but I wish I had done it the other way around, as the prologue really sets the stage and gives more background to the important characters. I found it hard to really like the main character on all levels, which is probably why the book isn't rated higher, but the story is still very interesting and enjoyable. I listened to the Audible audio version of the book narrated by Melanie Fraser and I LOVED her narration. Her voice really adds to the atmosphere of the book, she does a great job of giving each character a unique voice, and she does both female and male voices well. I've listened to three books she has narrated and will definitely check out more that she's done. Overall, if you like highly atmospheric, WWII mystery/spy/espionage books, this is one to check out.

An Action-Packed Mystery Thriller

Winter's War was a good story. The author paid great attention to detail but I had a hard time following along. It may have had too many small details for me to keep up with the larger picture. I think it was more drama than anything. It was good yet overwhelming.

Melanie Fraser's narration was brilliant. She speaks impeccably and I love her voice. She's proven to be an amazing voice actor no matter what she applies herself to.

Overall, this was a decent audiobook. Maybe too much for me but I think James Philip is a wonderful author doing wonderful things.