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Inspector Frost #6
A Killing Frost
On a rainy night in Denton, Detective Inspector Jack Frost is called to the site of a macabre discovery in the woods - that of a human foot. Meanwhile a multiple rapist is on the loose, the local supermarket reports poisoned stock and a man claims to have cut his wife up into little pieces, yet can't recall where he hid them. But it is when two young girls are reported missing in quick succession that the Denton crime wave reaches terrifying heights.
As the exhausted Frost staggers from case to case, pressured from all sides and haunted by memories of his wife, something nasty arrives at the station in the form of Detective Chief Inspector Skinner. The scheming, slippery Skinner clearly has his eye on the Superintendent's office, but his first job is to manipulate the transfer of the unorthodox D.I. Jack Frost to another division. Will Frost find the missing girls before his new nemesis forces him away from Denton once and for all?
As the exhausted Frost staggers from case to case, pressured from all sides and haunted by memories of his wife, something nasty arrives at the station in the form of Detective Chief Inspector Skinner. The scheming, slippery Skinner clearly has his eye on the Superintendent's office, but his first job is to manipulate the transfer of the unorthodox D.I. Jack Frost to another division. Will Frost find the missing girls before his new nemesis forces him away from Denton once and for all?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
106 people are currently reading
833 people want to read
About the author
R.D. Wingfield
27 books140 followersRodney David Wingfield was a prolific writer of radio crime plays and comedy scripts, some for the late Kenneth Williams, star of the Carry On films. His crime novels featuring DI Jack Frost have been successfully adapted for television as A Touch of Frost starring David Jason. Wingfield was a modest man, shunning the London publicity scene in favour of a quite life in Basildon, Essex, with his wife of 52 years (died 2004) and only son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
October 1, 2018
When I started watching the show years ago, I found out they were based on books so I had to get them. I can see the characters from the show while reading! I love David Jason!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐺🐾🎃
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐺🐾🎃
August 1, 2019
Hardcover published by Bantam UK.
November 8, 2021
A master class in crime writing.Pity it 's the last one.
January 31, 2017
A Killing Frost by R.D. Wingfield is the sixth and final book in the Inspector Frost mystery series, set in the English town of Denton. The books inspired a long running TV series starring David Jason. While the books all have a certain sameness, it is a comfortable, welcoming sameness.
In this story, we find Frost's job once again hanging by a thread. His boss, Police Superintendent Mullett, who hates Frost and never willingly supports him, has brought in Detective Chief Inspector to do his dirty work for him and either have Frost fired or moved to a new police district. Skinner is a particularly unlikeable character who just wants to make everybody miserable, hang them out to dry for any errors and reap all the rewards for any of their successes.
While Frost must deal with this, he is also kept busy working on countless cases, with his staff reduced to a minimum as Mullett has volunteered the majority of the station to help with a drug investigation in another district. So Frost and his willing and mostly capable remainder investigate the discovery of a body, blackmailing at a local grocery chain, missing girls and other smaller cases. As always, Frost blunders as much as he succeeds. He is a capable, very likeable person, curmudgeonly and a bit of a dinosaur, but his heart is in the right place. He is especially distressed by the missing girls and works gamely to come to a solution before more bodies turn up.
As you read the Frost series, you will see similarities between all of them, but you will, nonetheless, enjoy them immensely. Frost is tireless, working on little to no sleep and pushing his team to follow his style.
The Frost series has been a favourite of mine and I'm sad that RD Wingfield is no longer with us to continue writing such an enjoyable character. (4 stars)
In this story, we find Frost's job once again hanging by a thread. His boss, Police Superintendent Mullett, who hates Frost and never willingly supports him, has brought in Detective Chief Inspector to do his dirty work for him and either have Frost fired or moved to a new police district. Skinner is a particularly unlikeable character who just wants to make everybody miserable, hang them out to dry for any errors and reap all the rewards for any of their successes.
While Frost must deal with this, he is also kept busy working on countless cases, with his staff reduced to a minimum as Mullett has volunteered the majority of the station to help with a drug investigation in another district. So Frost and his willing and mostly capable remainder investigate the discovery of a body, blackmailing at a local grocery chain, missing girls and other smaller cases. As always, Frost blunders as much as he succeeds. He is a capable, very likeable person, curmudgeonly and a bit of a dinosaur, but his heart is in the right place. He is especially distressed by the missing girls and works gamely to come to a solution before more bodies turn up.
As you read the Frost series, you will see similarities between all of them, but you will, nonetheless, enjoy them immensely. Frost is tireless, working on little to no sleep and pushing his team to follow his style.
The Frost series has been a favourite of mine and I'm sad that RD Wingfield is no longer with us to continue writing such an enjoyable character. (4 stars)
January 9, 2024
Kaip ir pastaruosius kelis metus, viena pirmųjų perskaitytų metų knygų iš inspektoriaus Frosto serijos. Gaila, bet ši jau paskutinė. Kas skaitė ankstesnes dalis, neras šioje nieko naujo. Formulė ta pati - milijonas bylų vienu metu. Nors įtampos gal ir nėra labai daug (išskyrus kelis epizodus), bet veiksmas nuolat sukasi ir neleidžia atsitraukt. Tie patys nesenstantys veikėjai - nepakenčiamas viršininkas Maletas, niurzga seržantas Velsas ar nevėkšla konsteblis Morganas.
Gera žinia, kad yra išleista Frosto serijos priešistorė - ją bandysiu veikiusiai jau kitais metais.
Gera žinia, kad yra išleista Frosto serijos priešistorė - ją bandysiu veikiusiai jau kitais metais.
May 31, 2017
I love watching Frost on tv and when you read this book it's like you watching the programme in your head, a great read highly recommend!
March 8, 2011
As an adult it's a rare thing for TV or movies to bring me to a book. One exception was Inspector Frost. Maybe ten years ago the British television series was shown on A&E. I adored it. The character of Frost and the actor, David Jason, who played him were a perfect match. Frost is a typical detective in some ways. He's a loner, cares too much about victims, is not politically correct, chafes under authority and doesn't care about things or appearances but what sets him apart is that he is also an every man. Oh yeah and he's not an addict or recovering addict either, that's refreshing. He's the guy who lives down the street in the house where the grass always needs to be cut, whose car rattles a bit and who knew your Father years ago. Short, rumpled and earthy David Jason makes Frost a slightly softer man than he is in the novels but Frost is still the type of memorable character you want to spend time with and not just a jumble of habits that grow wearisome.
After seeing the series I read the novels Inspector Frost was based on by R.D. Wingfield:
Frost At Christmas
A Touch of Frost
Night Frost
Hard Frost
Winter Frost
They are terrific books. The mystery part of the mysteries are tightly plotted and page turning. Wingfield builds the depressed midlands city of Denton from the poor up. The characters are vivid, working class, real people from the coppers to the villains. The interaction between Frost, great at his job but hardly a model civil servant, his fellow officers and the public is by turns sharp, funny and heartbreaking. I have to say I learned some very colorful slang from these novels as well.
Why am I heading down memory lane with the Inspector? Well because there is now a brand new Frost novel available! Sadly, R.D. Wingfield passed away a few years ago but author James Henry has taken on Frost and brought us a brilliant prequel to the series. In First Frost, Jack is only a Detective Sergeant without the spectacular track record that afforded him leeway to be insubordinate latter in his career, with an unhappy marriage and a special gift for irritating others. His direct superior is on a bender and the other is missing so when a young girl disappears Superintendent Mullett is forced to give the case to Frost despite his better judgment.
As of right now First Frost has not been published here in the U.S. and I cannot find any indication that it will be, BUT the original novels in the series are available here and definitely worth your time!
After seeing the series I read the novels Inspector Frost was based on by R.D. Wingfield:
Frost At Christmas
A Touch of Frost
Night Frost
Hard Frost
Winter Frost
They are terrific books. The mystery part of the mysteries are tightly plotted and page turning. Wingfield builds the depressed midlands city of Denton from the poor up. The characters are vivid, working class, real people from the coppers to the villains. The interaction between Frost, great at his job but hardly a model civil servant, his fellow officers and the public is by turns sharp, funny and heartbreaking. I have to say I learned some very colorful slang from these novels as well.
Why am I heading down memory lane with the Inspector? Well because there is now a brand new Frost novel available! Sadly, R.D. Wingfield passed away a few years ago but author James Henry has taken on Frost and brought us a brilliant prequel to the series. In First Frost, Jack is only a Detective Sergeant without the spectacular track record that afforded him leeway to be insubordinate latter in his career, with an unhappy marriage and a special gift for irritating others. His direct superior is on a bender and the other is missing so when a young girl disappears Superintendent Mullett is forced to give the case to Frost despite his better judgment.
As of right now First Frost has not been published here in the U.S. and I cannot find any indication that it will be, BUT the original novels in the series are available here and definitely worth your time!
February 25, 2024
I'm happy to say that I’m finished with Inspector Frost, this was the last one. It's been a fun journey, without being of any lasting value; I learnt some dirty jokes and got reminded of life in the 90’s. In this book such wonderful things as mobile phones (not smartphones), computer printouts (presumably on pyjamas paper), video tapes and cash machines were everywhere. These books have all been well-crafted, not like modern TV series full of loose ends and rank nonsense. They are also impossible to put down, reading is entertainment, so for once let’s celebrate a good solid detective series, with probably the most unlikely detective you’ll ever find. And the ending was good too.
My rating of five applies to all six books in this series.
My rating of five applies to all six books in this series.
December 20, 2019
My very last Frost book ever. And I loved every minute of it. I have no more left to read which makes me sad. I’ll never know how Frost ended his career. But will forever be in love with scraggly detective. He’s a sour puss who always gets his man (or men) in the end. He angers everyone in authority with his slovenly ways and I never hold that against him. He’ll always have a piece of my heart.
September 4, 2022
I started this, set it aside for an interlude in which I wasn't keen on crime novels, then picked it up again and couldn't put it down!
Quirky and sparkling. Five stars. Would I read it again? Yes!
Quirky and sparkling. Five stars. Would I read it again? Yes!
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May 27, 2009Alright, so I enjoyed this book. But I'm still going to use this space to pick holes in it in an annoying manner - you have been warned.
I originally thought this book was published a long time before it was, with only the references to mobiles and illegal immigrants giving it away. I know it was written shortly before the author's death, and I do wonder if Wingfield hadn't really moved with the times. It's set in ~2007, but several aspects give it the feel of an 70s or 80s book.
Just little things, like - you don't really have teenagers called Debbie or Jan any more. If a woman abandons her sick two-year-old (sick enough that neighbours who break into her home when hearing the child screaming take him to hospital) from 8pm until 8am because she's out on the piss and with some man, you would expect Social Services to be called automatically, rather than the mother being threatened only with a charge of wasting police time.
Dialogue too seems rather vintage:
Prostitute: "Bloody hell, it's the flamin' filth!"
Frost: "Exactly, now sling yer hook, darlin', before I run you in for offering goods past their sell-by date."
I counted 4 instances of Frost "dribbling smoke through his nostrils".
The money aspect seems a bit out of date too. I can't see police in 2007 getting quite so upset about £500 as they do in the book.
They refer to the hyoid bone as the sicoid bone. They also refer to DNA tests supposedly done in 1977. Shame DNA fingerprinting wasn't invented until the mid-80s.
Cashiers reading the amounts on petrol pumps manually and writing them on receipts by hand? In 2007? Similarly: WPCs and smoking in police stations?
If I had had this as an ebook, I would have run a search through to delete every "flamin'" and "bleedin'". That would have helped a lot. I would also have replaced every instance of the words "cow", "tart", and "bitch" with "woman", which isn't a word the book features very often.
All in all, it's an alright police procedural to listen to while you do stuff, but it's pretty repetitive, the plotting isn't great, and it seems like something that's just been brought back to life after being cryogenically preserved back in the Nixon era. At least that adds an extra dimension of entertainment to it for annoyingly picky readers.
I originally thought this book was published a long time before it was, with only the references to mobiles and illegal immigrants giving it away. I know it was written shortly before the author's death, and I do wonder if Wingfield hadn't really moved with the times. It's set in ~2007, but several aspects give it the feel of an 70s or 80s book.
Just little things, like - you don't really have teenagers called Debbie or Jan any more. If a woman abandons her sick two-year-old (sick enough that neighbours who break into her home when hearing the child screaming take him to hospital) from 8pm until 8am because she's out on the piss and with some man, you would expect Social Services to be called automatically, rather than the mother being threatened only with a charge of wasting police time.
Dialogue too seems rather vintage:
Prostitute: "Bloody hell, it's the flamin' filth!"
Frost: "Exactly, now sling yer hook, darlin', before I run you in for offering goods past their sell-by date."
I counted 4 instances of Frost "dribbling smoke through his nostrils".
The money aspect seems a bit out of date too. I can't see police in 2007 getting quite so upset about £500 as they do in the book.
They refer to the hyoid bone as the sicoid bone. They also refer to DNA tests supposedly done in 1977. Shame DNA fingerprinting wasn't invented until the mid-80s.
Cashiers reading the amounts on petrol pumps manually and writing them on receipts by hand? In 2007? Similarly: WPCs and smoking in police stations?
If I had had this as an ebook, I would have run a search through to delete every "flamin'" and "bleedin'". That would have helped a lot. I would also have replaced every instance of the words "cow", "tart", and "bitch" with "woman", which isn't a word the book features very often.
All in all, it's an alright police procedural to listen to while you do stuff, but it's pretty repetitive, the plotting isn't great, and it seems like something that's just been brought back to life after being cryogenically preserved back in the Nixon era. At least that adds an extra dimension of entertainment to it for annoyingly picky readers.
July 9, 2016
A Killing Frost is the sixth and final book in the Frost series. As with the previous books, Wingfield does a great job at weaving together a multiple set of engaging plot lines, overloading the already overstretched Frost with cases and internal battles. That he does so without losing the reader is quite remarkable given the number of open cases being handled and the quick and relentless pace of the narrative. Along with the plotting, the characterisation is excellent and the dialogue and interactions between characters is superb, as one might expect from a writer with much experience of writing radio plays. Frost is his usual rumpled, unorthodox, coarse, sarcastic, insolent self, who countermands his bosses’ orders, cuts corners, fiddles his expenses and procedures, makes plenty of mistakes and errors of judgement, and relentlessly pursues justice. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable read, full of black humour, that makes a nice finale to what was an unfinished series. Wingfield died shortly before publication and the series has been continued by James Henry (pseudonym for James Gurbutt and Henry Sutton), who have written three prequels. I might yet give those a go. I certainly anticipate going back and reading this excellent series again at some point.
September 9, 2024
All the Inspector Frost stories are essentially the same story but I'll continue to read them anyway. It's an easy, nostalgic read that reminds me of watchinging the TV show with my dad. I wouldn't recommend these books otherwise, the TV adaptation really sanitised the sexism and inappropriate things Frost says to victims of crime 😭 Sometimes it's funny sometimes I just have to pretend I didn't read what I just read to get to the next page.
November 6, 2022
R.D. Wingfield writes about Inspector Jack Frost, the sort of scruffy rule bending copper that his superiors dislike, but who is often popular with readers, because the readership can relate to him in some way. The stories have been made famous by the serialisations that occurs on British tv, which star David Jason.
In this book, Frost solves 2 kidnapinings, a series of rapes, a 30 yr old unrelated rape, a blackmailing, and 2 murders. He also finds times to build a case against child pornographers and the makers of snuff movies.
I know I'm going to be unpopular here, but therein lies the problem with this book. A Killing Frost is almost too busy for its' own good, I think. Wingfield's probably got enough material for 2 or 3 books, if he could just spread it around some.
The problem is that he doesn't spread the stories around, with the result that there's almost too much going on. Frost's barely on top of one crime when another raises its' ugly head. By the end of the book, I was thinking enough with the new crimes, wil you please finish the crimes you've got, and that's not a good thing I don't think.
This book has got rave reviews from other reviewers, and I've been trying to work out why, if I'm honest. The only thing I can think of is that this is the first "Frost book" I've read, and this might not be the best place to start with the series. For those of you why have yet to read a Frost book, I would therefore suggest you start elsewhere.
In this book, Frost solves 2 kidnapinings, a series of rapes, a 30 yr old unrelated rape, a blackmailing, and 2 murders. He also finds times to build a case against child pornographers and the makers of snuff movies.
I know I'm going to be unpopular here, but therein lies the problem with this book. A Killing Frost is almost too busy for its' own good, I think. Wingfield's probably got enough material for 2 or 3 books, if he could just spread it around some.
The problem is that he doesn't spread the stories around, with the result that there's almost too much going on. Frost's barely on top of one crime when another raises its' ugly head. By the end of the book, I was thinking enough with the new crimes, wil you please finish the crimes you've got, and that's not a good thing I don't think.
This book has got rave reviews from other reviewers, and I've been trying to work out why, if I'm honest. The only thing I can think of is that this is the first "Frost book" I've read, and this might not be the best place to start with the series. For those of you why have yet to read a Frost book, I would therefore suggest you start elsewhere.
September 14, 2009
I went to Readers Feast recently and when I saw this book, I pounced on it! I just love the Frost stories. Wingfield does a brilliant job in creating characters you can sympathise with, laugh along with, worry with - even if you don't like them particularly. I love the way Seargent Wells and Jack Frost are drawn - they have to be my favourite characters. In this novel, Frost swears more than usual, but then he has more on his plate than usual. I just love the dialogue - sharp, funny, ooohhh!! I can read them all again over and over! The criminals are all different as well, with different motivations and some of them are not particularly good at the chosen profession. Others are just too chillingly good.
Read Frost and get hooked.
Read Frost and get hooked.
December 24, 2016
I liked Detective Inspector Jack Frost. He is funny, sarcastic and smart.
It starts with a discovery of severed foot and a rape of a teenager. As the investigate progress, they find out the connection to a murder that happened 30 years ago. Three missing teenagers and a blackmailer on the loose. So many things to solve and whole Denton Police force were working sleepless nights to solve all the cases.
The author articulated the story well. This is the sixth book in the Inspector Frost series. I have not read the first five books. I would love to read the first five. The cases are dark and brutal and it is based on the current scenarios. I really like this book and my rating is 4/5 stars.
It starts with a discovery of severed foot and a rape of a teenager. As the investigate progress, they find out the connection to a murder that happened 30 years ago. Three missing teenagers and a blackmailer on the loose. So many things to solve and whole Denton Police force were working sleepless nights to solve all the cases.
The author articulated the story well. This is the sixth book in the Inspector Frost series. I have not read the first five books. I would love to read the first five. The cases are dark and brutal and it is based on the current scenarios. I really like this book and my rating is 4/5 stars.
April 23, 2020
Nepakartojamasis nevaleika Frostas vėl išnarplioja visas bylas, nepaisant tikro jovalo ir įtempto darbo grafiko, bei isteriko kolegos nuovadoje. Kuo šio autoriaus knygos skiriasi nuo kitų detektyvų, tai kad jo kūriniuose, ypač šiame, kaip ir realiame policijos darbe - tų bylų daug ir jos tiesiog krenta viena po kitos, nelaukdamos, kol kitos bus išsprendžiamos, o dar standartinis lėšų ir pareigūnų trūkumas tikrai nepalengvina darbo. Šmaikštus, sarkastiškas Frosto humoro jausmas ir sugebėjimas išsinarplioti ir sudėtingiausių situacijų, prideda detektyvui nemažai šarmo 😀 buvo ne viena juokinga vieta, o ir susiskaitė palyginus greitai.
December 20, 2011
It saddens me to know this is the last book in the Frost series, as the author passed away, but he did his last one justice with our favorite sleep-deprived, sarcastic, disheveled detective. Nothing comes easy for Frost and nor does he ever seem to get any credit, but he keeps plugging away and this book is no different. Multiple cases going on some past ones merging with present ones and you wonder how he will get out of the new trouble he finds himself in. I found myself sad, but smiling as I turned the last page knowing there were never going to be any more, but satisfied nonetheless.
October 18, 2012
This was the first Frost book I had read and I loved it. I loved the sense of humour and found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
I can't really summarise the plot as Frost works on so many different cases at any one time. I think that is the first time I have experienced that with an author; normally their main character focuses on one case only. There are many twists and turns in the plot and following the progress of these very serious cases was a laugh a minute! I'm going straight out to read the rest in the series.
I can't really summarise the plot as Frost works on so many different cases at any one time. I think that is the first time I have experienced that with an author; normally their main character focuses on one case only. There are many twists and turns in the plot and following the progress of these very serious cases was a laugh a minute! I'm going straight out to read the rest in the series.
October 8, 2009
An excellent British police thriller featuring the most excellent, sloppy, darkly humorous, problematic and deeply politically-incorrect Detective Inspector Jack Frost. The tale itself is well-constructed, with plenty of red herrings and side-issues, to tax the brain, and make the situation more realistic. Warning: Senior police officers and ardent Welshmen could be offended – parental guidance is suggested. I listened to the audiobook, and narrator Stephen Thorne does a marvelous job.
October 9, 2012
It is said that the first impression is the best one, and it was the same with 'A killing Frost' the first novel I read of R.D Wingfield (but which is sadly the last in the series). The first time I met detective inspector 'Frost' in the novel was when Frost was fudging his expense accounts!!. I was hooked on to the character right then. Imagine your main cop protagonist cooking up his accounts rather than being haunted by the crimes of the world.
Frost, a widower is juggling multiple cases at a time there seems to be sudden spike in crime in Denton. Meanwhile he is also facing attempts by his superiors who want to drive him away from Denton and so are pressurizing him to take a transfer. From a purely crime point of view, the novel isn't too great. It does not have a well constructed plot, too many things are happening which can become convoluted, some issues too easily resolved. Twice in the novel Frost breaks into a suspects house in search of evidence, finds it, gets out without anyone noticing him, gets a warrant and does the rest.
But you know what, in spite of all that I had a ball reading this book which is one of the zaniest crime fiction I have read in recent times. The book does not thrive so much on a plot as it does on the writing and the characters. And what a writing it is too, the height of gallows humor. (It is surprising to know that Wingfield didn't want to write novels, but preferred to write radio plays) Now, gallows humor is used in a lot of crime fiction, but Wingfield seems to have been the high priest of it. (You can see the influence of Wingfield on Stuart Mcbride's writing especially in the black humor part and in the main characters, Frost/Logan). Mind you, it can have the reverse effect too, putting you off the novel as one could feel that it borders on insensitivity in dealing with crime. However, what has to be kept in mind is that the cops are not heartless brutes, but they use this kind of humor as one way of maintaining their sanity amid all the brutality they have to see everyday.
Frost himself is a refreshingly different cross between a character in a 'slacker' novel and the world weary cynical detectives of Scandinavian crime fiction. He is not addicted to his work, tries to get out of his overloaded tasks, but somehow finds himself sucked into it again and again. It's not as if he doesn't want to work at all, but just that he craves some amount of normalcy in his life, like to sleep at least 4-5 hours per day which itself is not possible as the cases pile up. However once he is gets started on his job, he generally gives his full to it. His way of dealing with his superiors who keep haranguing him is to
"Always agree: that was his motto. You could always say you didn't understand afterwards".
Along with the above logic, he cheerfully lies to his superiors (Skinner/Mullet) without batting an eyelid, overrides their harebrained schemes to implement his own at ground level and is generally a pest to them. His superiors cannot figure him out. He is a bit like the court jester about whom the king is not sure whether the jester is agreeing with him or actually mocking him. And he does sometimes get the results too, so Skinner/Mullet are not able to do much about him. It is a very thin line that Frost walks, just enough that he irritates them, but not too much that they take drastic measures. For e.g. in a crazy moment he abuses Skinner
"And good morning to you too, you fat sod" (and showing him the finger to boot)
who is unnecessarily rude to him first thing in the morning and nearly does get caught. And the time when he says
"Comprende, signora" to Skinner, who is not sure whether Frost knows the meaning of the word and hence has to let it go. But alas, there is a slip up by Frost which gives them the leverage they need over him.
It is not just all fun in the novel though. Frost for all his outward boorishness does have a kernel of kindness, honesty and fair play. Even the fudging of accounts is his way of getting back at the system which doesn't pay anything for the policemen who put in innumerable hours of over time. He is also protective of Kate a new recruit, who is put through very unreasonable tasks by Skinner because he has a beef with Kate's father. Since it's the only book I have read in this series, I do not know much of the back story, but there are glimpses of Frost's early life, his marriage and the dreams he had then, the way in which they slowly petered out to nothing. All these give a gravitas to the novel. Whether it be the irreverent humor at one end or the more emotional moments, none of them seem forced or put on, they just flow naturally. There is a general tendency to look at humor some kind of escapism, but the fact remains that humor can also be a powerful tool to convey something of importance, without diluting the core of the matter.
And the core and the choicest part in the novel is how the bureaucracy and the officials in it are portrayed and deservedly so. These are people who do not want to get their hands dirty, do not want to take any decisions that may backfire later, but at the same time are the first to grab the limelight if things go right. And to top that they are abusive towards their sub-ordinates, bullying and humiliating them. But the other personnel too get their own back at them at times or at least get their satisfaction by using the choicest abuses in their mind. When Skinner first comes to Denton he is asked by the driver who has come to pick up whether he is indeed Skinner, which is a normal enough question. What happens next is
'Who the hell do you think I am? snarled Skinner.
A big, fat, pig-headed bastard, thought Jordan, but he kept the idea to himself. 'You could be someone who thought this was a taxi and just climbed in sir. It has happened before, so I always like to check who my passenger is."
The mental retort of Jordan is damn funny and so is the manner in which he replies to Skinner, which confuses Skinner as to whether his leg is being pulled. But more than that doesn't it give a snapshot of how superiors generally deal with their sub-ordinates, treating them as scum. And what can the people like Jordan do, other than to abuse silently and to find whatever ways he can to get his own back. (I was reminded of Joseph's Heller's 'Catch-22' and 'Something Happened', both of which have their own share of bureaucratic insanity).
As I said earlier, the crime in the novel is not important. A separate series could have been spun out having the life of the cops in Denton as the focal point and with Wingfield's writing it would have been great too. (kind of like the 'Police Academy' series, the difference being the novels would be set in police departments themselves). I didn't want this novel to end at all and so I did a re-read immediately and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time. Highly recommended if you can swallow large doses of irrelevant humor and are on the look out for crime fiction of a different kind. As for me, I am already on the lookout for the other novels in this series.
Frost, a widower is juggling multiple cases at a time there seems to be sudden spike in crime in Denton. Meanwhile he is also facing attempts by his superiors who want to drive him away from Denton and so are pressurizing him to take a transfer. From a purely crime point of view, the novel isn't too great. It does not have a well constructed plot, too many things are happening which can become convoluted, some issues too easily resolved. Twice in the novel Frost breaks into a suspects house in search of evidence, finds it, gets out without anyone noticing him, gets a warrant and does the rest.
But you know what, in spite of all that I had a ball reading this book which is one of the zaniest crime fiction I have read in recent times. The book does not thrive so much on a plot as it does on the writing and the characters. And what a writing it is too, the height of gallows humor. (It is surprising to know that Wingfield didn't want to write novels, but preferred to write radio plays) Now, gallows humor is used in a lot of crime fiction, but Wingfield seems to have been the high priest of it. (You can see the influence of Wingfield on Stuart Mcbride's writing especially in the black humor part and in the main characters, Frost/Logan). Mind you, it can have the reverse effect too, putting you off the novel as one could feel that it borders on insensitivity in dealing with crime. However, what has to be kept in mind is that the cops are not heartless brutes, but they use this kind of humor as one way of maintaining their sanity amid all the brutality they have to see everyday.
Frost himself is a refreshingly different cross between a character in a 'slacker' novel and the world weary cynical detectives of Scandinavian crime fiction. He is not addicted to his work, tries to get out of his overloaded tasks, but somehow finds himself sucked into it again and again. It's not as if he doesn't want to work at all, but just that he craves some amount of normalcy in his life, like to sleep at least 4-5 hours per day which itself is not possible as the cases pile up. However once he is gets started on his job, he generally gives his full to it. His way of dealing with his superiors who keep haranguing him is to
"Always agree: that was his motto. You could always say you didn't understand afterwards".
Along with the above logic, he cheerfully lies to his superiors (Skinner/Mullet) without batting an eyelid, overrides their harebrained schemes to implement his own at ground level and is generally a pest to them. His superiors cannot figure him out. He is a bit like the court jester about whom the king is not sure whether the jester is agreeing with him or actually mocking him. And he does sometimes get the results too, so Skinner/Mullet are not able to do much about him. It is a very thin line that Frost walks, just enough that he irritates them, but not too much that they take drastic measures. For e.g. in a crazy moment he abuses Skinner
"And good morning to you too, you fat sod" (and showing him the finger to boot)
who is unnecessarily rude to him first thing in the morning and nearly does get caught. And the time when he says
"Comprende, signora" to Skinner, who is not sure whether Frost knows the meaning of the word and hence has to let it go. But alas, there is a slip up by Frost which gives them the leverage they need over him.
It is not just all fun in the novel though. Frost for all his outward boorishness does have a kernel of kindness, honesty and fair play. Even the fudging of accounts is his way of getting back at the system which doesn't pay anything for the policemen who put in innumerable hours of over time. He is also protective of Kate a new recruit, who is put through very unreasonable tasks by Skinner because he has a beef with Kate's father. Since it's the only book I have read in this series, I do not know much of the back story, but there are glimpses of Frost's early life, his marriage and the dreams he had then, the way in which they slowly petered out to nothing. All these give a gravitas to the novel. Whether it be the irreverent humor at one end or the more emotional moments, none of them seem forced or put on, they just flow naturally. There is a general tendency to look at humor some kind of escapism, but the fact remains that humor can also be a powerful tool to convey something of importance, without diluting the core of the matter.
And the core and the choicest part in the novel is how the bureaucracy and the officials in it are portrayed and deservedly so. These are people who do not want to get their hands dirty, do not want to take any decisions that may backfire later, but at the same time are the first to grab the limelight if things go right. And to top that they are abusive towards their sub-ordinates, bullying and humiliating them. But the other personnel too get their own back at them at times or at least get their satisfaction by using the choicest abuses in their mind. When Skinner first comes to Denton he is asked by the driver who has come to pick up whether he is indeed Skinner, which is a normal enough question. What happens next is
'Who the hell do you think I am? snarled Skinner.
A big, fat, pig-headed bastard, thought Jordan, but he kept the idea to himself. 'You could be someone who thought this was a taxi and just climbed in sir. It has happened before, so I always like to check who my passenger is."
The mental retort of Jordan is damn funny and so is the manner in which he replies to Skinner, which confuses Skinner as to whether his leg is being pulled. But more than that doesn't it give a snapshot of how superiors generally deal with their sub-ordinates, treating them as scum. And what can the people like Jordan do, other than to abuse silently and to find whatever ways he can to get his own back. (I was reminded of Joseph's Heller's 'Catch-22' and 'Something Happened', both of which have their own share of bureaucratic insanity).
As I said earlier, the crime in the novel is not important. A separate series could have been spun out having the life of the cops in Denton as the focal point and with Wingfield's writing it would have been great too. (kind of like the 'Police Academy' series, the difference being the novels would be set in police departments themselves). I didn't want this novel to end at all and so I did a re-read immediately and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time. Highly recommended if you can swallow large doses of irrelevant humor and are on the look out for crime fiction of a different kind. As for me, I am already on the lookout for the other novels in this series.
October 7, 2020
Well... That was a nice ending, I think.
This series probably won't linger with me for very long, but I'm happy to have worked my way through it. If anything I appreciate the TV series more now.
There were some funny moments in this book. I liked that.
The only thing I didn't really like was that there was no news about what happened to Maud, what so ever. I would have liked to know if she continued being a cop or not.
But it's not that kind of book so I wasn't surprised either.
As I did suspect this book was a bit milder on the sexism than the first books. Frost has almost turned into something likeable in the end, which I saw as a good thing.
Oh, well... Onwards and upwards. Next: Fantasy again! Yey!
This series probably won't linger with me for very long, but I'm happy to have worked my way through it. If anything I appreciate the TV series more now.
There were some funny moments in this book. I liked that.
The only thing I didn't really like was that there was no news about what happened to Maud, what so ever. I would have liked to know if she continued being a cop or not.
But it's not that kind of book so I wasn't surprised either.
As I did suspect this book was a bit milder on the sexism than the first books. Frost has almost turned into something likeable in the end, which I saw as a good thing.
Oh, well... Onwards and upwards. Next: Fantasy again! Yey!
July 24, 2025
4.5 stars. Possibly the best of the Frost series. A little more interiority from Frost and some genuinely awful cases which interweave very neatly. One is so bad it even moves Hornrim Harry, who's a spineless git promoted to his own level of incompetence. This one also has another villain, DCI Skinner, who's a smarter version of DS Cassidy from HARD FROST, and he is an arrogant blowhard who gets what's coming to him. The omniscient POV is calmed down--much less head hopping--and while guys are still poor sods and gals are mad cows or even moos, it's less in your face than in other books. Either that, or I am oblivious to it now. However much I might not like the language, Frost is always a compelling read.
February 25, 2023
Great book best in the series. Great storyline with great cast of characters. The book is quite graphic and you almost feel as if you are present at the Postmortem, crime scene or interrogation. Frost at his crude, witty and bungling best
November 5, 2018
The humor, the horror but mostly the humor made for a very enjoyable read. Inspector Frost is in a class all his own and I look forward to reading more of his adventures.
December 23, 2021
An easy to read, humorous book, so much like the TV series that l could see David Jason on every page.
April 3, 2018
I remember my Mum reading the Frost books when they came out, laughing away to herself like a mad-woman as she read. It meant that when I finally got around to reading the one that I had on the shelf, I had quite high expectations. I just missed the David Jason series on TV and it is one of the few that I have never gone back to watch, so my expectations were solely based on Mummy-Booknerd's reaction to the books.
My reaction wasn't quite as enthusiastic. I'm not sure whether this was a 'off-day' book or whether it is reflective of the whole series, but I felt disappointed by the writing, plot and characters. Too many elements were repeated, too many of the characters bordered on parodies and overall the whole book bordered on annoying and repetitive rather than fresh and exciting.
My favourite element of the whole novel was that there wasn't just one murder or one plot but a whole host of different crimes ranging from theft and blackmail to brutal rape and murder. I loved the unabashedly dark nature of the whole book, it didn't shy away from the hard hitting topics, nor did it try and soften them. These were brutal crimes and they were written as such. There was always something to focus on, always something progressing and ticking over. It meant that, considering it was a rather long book, it didn't really drag.
I did find them funny as well, there were a few instances that I chuckled as I read and it did off-set the brutality. Typical dark 'cop-humour'.
My biggest complaints were: Repetition and parody.
There were many instances of phrases being reused; for example the amount of people who smiled at Frost even though they didn't usually appreciate his humour…
The amount of times Skinner blustered into one of Frost's scenes only to balls something up and hand it back. The constant calling of Frost to Mullett's office, the fact that Skinner ate dodgy oysters… etc. I can understand them happening once or twice to establish the plot and to give us context and structure, but in the end I was skim reading the parts that were just repetition to get back to the new content.
I also found the characterisation difficult because so many became parodies. Skinner was the 'big bad' copper who was rude to all, had no skills and was striding ahead in his career regardless. It annoyed me that Mullett and Skinner were presented as such idiots when they were both high-ranking officers. Something got them to that position, and a little bit of something good among the flaws would have made them more human. If Mullett could sometimes see Frost's point or to want to put the case above all else, if Skinner had been a cracking copper even if he was rude and manipulative… every bad guy needs some good to make them whole. Otherwise they become what they did in this novel, flat and bad for the sake of nothing but the plot.
The way that both Skinner and Frost spoke to the other officers and victims/suspects alike also bugged me. Again, it felt like I'd stepped into the 80s with the belligerent, I'm-the-police-so-I-can-do-or-say-anything attitude. The way they spoke to people put my back up rather than making me smile, which I think it what Wingfield was going for, especially with Frost. At least Frost had genuine sympathy and good qualities to soften the harshness. It just felt like they were all parodies. The bad guy DCI pulling all of the strings for his own gain, the grumpy life-weary DI with a soft heart but biting tongue, the dopey copper who messes up everything… It is fine if one or two were this way, but not all of them.
Overall, I would probably try another in the series but for me 'A Killing Frost' didn't quite live up to my expectations, and I found that it bordered on annoying and repetitive a few too many times, though great pacing and intricate plot weaving.
My reaction wasn't quite as enthusiastic. I'm not sure whether this was a 'off-day' book or whether it is reflective of the whole series, but I felt disappointed by the writing, plot and characters. Too many elements were repeated, too many of the characters bordered on parodies and overall the whole book bordered on annoying and repetitive rather than fresh and exciting.
My favourite element of the whole novel was that there wasn't just one murder or one plot but a whole host of different crimes ranging from theft and blackmail to brutal rape and murder. I loved the unabashedly dark nature of the whole book, it didn't shy away from the hard hitting topics, nor did it try and soften them. These were brutal crimes and they were written as such. There was always something to focus on, always something progressing and ticking over. It meant that, considering it was a rather long book, it didn't really drag.
I did find them funny as well, there were a few instances that I chuckled as I read and it did off-set the brutality. Typical dark 'cop-humour'.
My biggest complaints were: Repetition and parody.
There were many instances of phrases being reused; for example the amount of people who smiled at Frost even though they didn't usually appreciate his humour…
The amount of times Skinner blustered into one of Frost's scenes only to balls something up and hand it back. The constant calling of Frost to Mullett's office, the fact that Skinner ate dodgy oysters… etc. I can understand them happening once or twice to establish the plot and to give us context and structure, but in the end I was skim reading the parts that were just repetition to get back to the new content.
I also found the characterisation difficult because so many became parodies. Skinner was the 'big bad' copper who was rude to all, had no skills and was striding ahead in his career regardless. It annoyed me that Mullett and Skinner were presented as such idiots when they were both high-ranking officers. Something got them to that position, and a little bit of something good among the flaws would have made them more human. If Mullett could sometimes see Frost's point or to want to put the case above all else, if Skinner had been a cracking copper even if he was rude and manipulative… every bad guy needs some good to make them whole. Otherwise they become what they did in this novel, flat and bad for the sake of nothing but the plot.
The way that both Skinner and Frost spoke to the other officers and victims/suspects alike also bugged me. Again, it felt like I'd stepped into the 80s with the belligerent, I'm-the-police-so-I-can-do-or-say-anything attitude. The way they spoke to people put my back up rather than making me smile, which I think it what Wingfield was going for, especially with Frost. At least Frost had genuine sympathy and good qualities to soften the harshness. It just felt like they were all parodies. The bad guy DCI pulling all of the strings for his own gain, the grumpy life-weary DI with a soft heart but biting tongue, the dopey copper who messes up everything… It is fine if one or two were this way, but not all of them.
Overall, I would probably try another in the series but for me 'A Killing Frost' didn't quite live up to my expectations, and I found that it bordered on annoying and repetitive a few too many times, though great pacing and intricate plot weaving.
August 19, 2021
"FROST - A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS"
I have watched all the “Touch Of Frost” television programmes several times and never tire of them. Personally, I think that Sir David Jason’s portrayal of Jack Frost, does real justice to the books and makes them come to life.
.
The book itself, is so descriptive and attentive to detail, that you can almost smell that awful anorak; musty from having been wet and dried on the body so many times, mixed with the aroma of grease and fat from Jack’s continual fry ups in the police canteen, that he rarely gets to finish!
.
Working in a continual maelstrom of mess and disorder, constantly failing to stem the flood of urgent admin and police politics heading his way from Superintendent Mullet, the reader really does begin to wonder how on earth Jack will ever get to solve a case.
The bodies seem to mount up at an alarming rate and the reader is drawn from one plot to another, as Jack strives to keep Mullet, who is just itching for an excuse to have Jack transferred away from Denton, at bay.
.
Jack, rising to the challenge as always, with wit, insight and sometimes even vulgarity, always seems able to get one over on Mullet, despite often sailing pretty close to the wind; although he does have a powerful ally in the Area Commander, who enjoys basking in the limelight of Frost’s bravery medal!
.
The story is quite fast paced, but even with the multiple plots, isn’t ever confusing or unclear. Some of the one liners from Frost add a touch of humour to his otherwise quite brusque manner.
.
Jack uses this slightly ‘stroppy’ persona, to mask the fact that he is really quite a lonely person, since the death of his wife, but every potential new relationship has so far ended in disaster, because of his dedication to the job.
.
He can also be quite sensitive when dealing with victims and their families, although, again you have to search for that hidden nuance, which is expertly woven into the dialogue.
.
Rapists, pedophiles, missing people, a butcher who has lost his mind, all feature in this episode and fit neatly into a great page turner, that I was reluctant to leave, until the last clue had been solved.
I have watched all the “Touch Of Frost” television programmes several times and never tire of them. Personally, I think that Sir David Jason’s portrayal of Jack Frost, does real justice to the books and makes them come to life.
.
The book itself, is so descriptive and attentive to detail, that you can almost smell that awful anorak; musty from having been wet and dried on the body so many times, mixed with the aroma of grease and fat from Jack’s continual fry ups in the police canteen, that he rarely gets to finish!
.
Working in a continual maelstrom of mess and disorder, constantly failing to stem the flood of urgent admin and police politics heading his way from Superintendent Mullet, the reader really does begin to wonder how on earth Jack will ever get to solve a case.
The bodies seem to mount up at an alarming rate and the reader is drawn from one plot to another, as Jack strives to keep Mullet, who is just itching for an excuse to have Jack transferred away from Denton, at bay.
.
Jack, rising to the challenge as always, with wit, insight and sometimes even vulgarity, always seems able to get one over on Mullet, despite often sailing pretty close to the wind; although he does have a powerful ally in the Area Commander, who enjoys basking in the limelight of Frost’s bravery medal!
.
The story is quite fast paced, but even with the multiple plots, isn’t ever confusing or unclear. Some of the one liners from Frost add a touch of humour to his otherwise quite brusque manner.
.
Jack uses this slightly ‘stroppy’ persona, to mask the fact that he is really quite a lonely person, since the death of his wife, but every potential new relationship has so far ended in disaster, because of his dedication to the job.
.
He can also be quite sensitive when dealing with victims and their families, although, again you have to search for that hidden nuance, which is expertly woven into the dialogue.
.
Rapists, pedophiles, missing people, a butcher who has lost his mind, all feature in this episode and fit neatly into a great page turner, that I was reluctant to leave, until the last clue had been solved.
January 17, 2009
I’ve read better British crime thrillers… although there are a satisfying number of threads wandering through this episode in Frost’s career, the author’s reliance on errors of judgement and oversight to draw out his story is too contrived not to be noticed. More disappointingly, this was my first reading of one of the Frost books, and the latest published after the author's death, and I expected a well-established character who needed little in the way of blatant ‘personality cues’. Frost’s sexism and tough-skin banter doesn’t bother me as part of the character, but the very standard and uninspired delivery of it is galling – Frost is not merely a misogynist, but one without original material, and worse, every time he is made to utter one of these lines it smacks of ‘he’s outdated but has a heart of gold’ portraiture.
Despite it’s lack of subtlety, ‘A Killing Frost’ is readable… something is happening on every page, and for all his unattractive qualities, Frost is endeared to the reader simply because he cares for his team and getting the job done; qualities we want in our characters and our police, and therefore easy to warm to.
If I read another of R.D Wingfield’s Frost series, it’ll be the very first one, to compare them and perhaps discover if his chief character was fresher before his enthusiasm for the series waned.
Despite it’s lack of subtlety, ‘A Killing Frost’ is readable… something is happening on every page, and for all his unattractive qualities, Frost is endeared to the reader simply because he cares for his team and getting the job done; qualities we want in our characters and our police, and therefore easy to warm to.
If I read another of R.D Wingfield’s Frost series, it’ll be the very first one, to compare them and perhaps discover if his chief character was fresher before his enthusiasm for the series waned.
Read
July 3, 2009Sad to think that this is the last Frost we're going to get. Like the other Frost books, this one lessens my enjoyment of the TV adaptations a little by being so much better. Wingfield keeps the pace brisk by heaping more cases onto Frost than one man should have to deal with in a 350 page novel (what's in those cigarettes he chain-smokes that keeps him going on one hour's sleep a night and almost no food?). Frost's characterization in the books as a nicotene-reaking working class scruff of a detective is much more satisfying than David Jason's softened TV version. Can't imagine the Frost portrayed here getting all mushy in a bittersweet romantic sub-plot. Much more fitting are the bawdy flirtations between Frost and the chunky middle-aged pathologist we get here. Always get a laugh out of the interplay between Frost and the powers-that-be. His superiors - Mullett and Skinner - are almost cartoonishly incompetent targets for Frost's one-liners, but Wingfield manages to include characters like them in a way that doesn't undermine the grittier aspects of the plot (which involves the rape and murder of school girls). Great finish to the series.
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