After the shock at the end of Nighthawking (so shocking that I made notes so I didn't forget what happened) I was so excited to pick up Cold Reckoning, book three in the DS Adam Tyler series. I have to say that this is probably my favourite one so far, and I *really* loved the first two. Like most books that form part of a series, you can read this one as a standalone but I would heartily recommend picking up Firewatching and Nighthawking because there's a very important back story and threads that run throughout all three. Cold Reckoning sees Tyler investigating a frozen body found in the local reservoir and possible links to a cold case, alongside DC Mina Rabbani and DCI Jim Doggett. Russ Thomas's characterisations are very strong and I was so keen to meet these three again. Tyler is also looking into his father's death sixteen years ago which appeared to be suicide but which Tyler has his doubts about. There are very distinct Line of Duty vibes to this book and I just couldn't put it down. I was thoroughly engrossed in the unfolding action and the fast-paced story, which takes place over the course of one week. Tyler's a bit of a maverick, He's a good cop but he knows that not all police are the same. He, and I, didn't know who to trust and it makes for a nailbitingly thrilling experience. I'm hoping there's more ahead for Tyler. Certainly there is a possible liaison to be explored further and the ending left me wanting to know what happened next. Thomas is a brilliant writer, bringing to life the Sheffield sights that are so familiar to me with an amazing and gripping plot and fantastically complex characters. Cold Reckoning had me well and truly hooked.

Cold Reckoning by Russ Thomas is book 3 in the Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler police crime series. This follows on quite closely to his previous book Nighthawking. Adam and his colleagues are still investigating The Circle and trying to find DCI Diane Jordan who had disappeared. There is also a mysterious killer on the loose and if and when he is found maybe the team will be able to find out what and who are responsible for all the cover ups over the years. Highly recommended

There is a nice opening to Cold Reckoning. Edith is out for some early morning exercise that takes her around a reservoir. At one point she sees a man. One look at his eyes tells her she should run and she does - he runs after her. So starts Cold Reckoning and it had me interested. It was edgy and tense. Very shortly after that a body is found at the reservoir which appears to relate to a significantly earlier case. However that might not be the only mystery there. The book follows the developments of the case. As it is a "cold case" issue DS Tyler is involved with DC Rabbani. DI Jim Doggett is also involved in the case. In practice Tyler and Doggett have worked together on an investigation under the radar for some time. Has the time come to be a little more public about what they are looking at? Family issues are involved as one of the cases they are looking into is the suicide of Tyler's father - also a police officer - some years ago. Throw in the fact that there is a DCI missing and there is plenty of "story" available here. The setting here was good and the pace and tension well worked. Coming to a series part way through can often be a challenge and I certainly would have liked to have read the earlier books. I'll probably do that as time goes by. The characters generally were good. I liked Tyler and I found Mina Rabbani very good too. I really liked Edith and her aspect of the story. Maybe some of the others lacked some depth but none were actually "bad". I did find the quite large cast of characters a little confusing initially but that might have been me or simply the fact that this was the 3rd book in the series. There is no question that I found this more compelling as time went by. From the start there are some "transcripts of recordings" between a caller identified as ICER and other callers. These were intriguing though possibly not very convincing to me. Indeed my feelings about this book are rather divided. The story overall and some aspects of it particularly were good. Some parts I found rather stereotypical though. A real bugbear for me was the fact that all the story was in the present tense and written in the 3rd party. I've read other book like that but this one didn't quite carry it off for me. My feeling is that this is above a 3 star book but I'm not sure how far above that. In the end the story did get to me so I'm inclined to round this up. Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review

A gunshot rings out at Damflask Reservoir on a cold winter morning. It leads to the discovery of a body that has a connection to the case Tyler’s father, Richard, was investigating before his death. Could this finally lead Tyler to the answers about his father’s death he’s been searching for all these years? As he digs deeper he must face those who will do anything to stop the truth from being revealed. But with all the clues seeming to say he’s on the right path, Tyler is determined nothing will stop him from finally learning what happened that day. Gripping, tense and twisty, Russ Thomas has delivered another fantastic instalment in the DS Adam Tyler Series. Events pick up right after the cliffhanger at the end of book two, so I’d highly recommend you pick that one up first. This book felt more personal than ever with the search for Tyler’s godmother and mentor, DCI Diane Jordan, and a case that seems to be connected to Tyler’s father’s death. Since the start of this series there’s been a sense that his father’s death has overshadowed every facet of Tyler’s life so I was really rooting for him to find answers so he can finally move forward. But things obviously won’t be straight forward. Tyler is left not knowing who he can trust and there are some intense scenes as he tries to get to the truth. Meanwhile, the deeper he gets into the investigation, the more danger there is as those who know the truth try to stop it from coming to light. Fast-paced and intricately woven, the high-octane tension never drops for a moment, Thomas keeping you on the edge of your seat as he intricately weaves the threads together to a heart-pounding finale. A must for all thriller fans.

A gunshot rings out at Damflask Reservoir on a cold winter morning. It leads to the discovery of a body that has a connection to the case Tyler’s father, Richard, was investigating before his death. Could this finally lead Tyler to the answers about his father’s death he’s been searching for all these years? As he digs deeper he must face those who will do anything to stop the truth from being revealed. But with all the clues seeming to say he’s on the right path, Tyler is determined nothing will stop him from finally learning what happened that day. Gripping, tense and twisty, Russ Thomas has delivered another fantastic instalment in the DS Adam Tyler Series. Events pick up right after the cliffhanger at the end of book two, so I’d highly recommend you pick that one up first. This book felt more personal than ever with the search for Tyler’s godmother and mentor, DCI Diane Jordan, and a case that seems to be connected to Tyler’s father’s death. Since the start of this series there’s been a sense that his father’s death has overshadowed every facet of Tyler’s life so I was really rooting for him to find answers so he can finally move forward. But things obviously won’t be straight forward. Tyler is left not knowing who he can trust and there are some intense scenes as he tries to get to the truth. Meanwhile, the deeper he gets into the investigation, the more danger there is as those who know the truth try to stop it from coming to light.  Fast-paced and intricately woven, the high-octane tension never drops for a moment, Thomas keeping you on the edge of your seat as he intricately weaves the threads together to a heart-pounding finale. A must for all thriller fans.