I went to a talk by crime writer Elly Griffiths in 2024. I’d read a few of her books in the Dr Ruth Galloway series and enjoyed them. During the talk Elly gave us a few snippets about the new book she was writing which is about time travel. My ears pricked up. A time travelling detective? What more could you want?
So when I read that Elly was touring with the first book in her new series, I was first in the queue. It was a fascinating evening and, of course, I bought the book, got it signed, had a lovely chat with Elly (she really is the loveliest person) and couldn’t wait to get it home and read it.
The blurb
SOME MURDERS CAN’T BE SOLVED IN JUST ONE LIFETIME.
Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they’re frozen – or so their inside joke goes. Most people don’t know that they travel back in time to complete their research.
The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London in order to clear the name of Cain Templeton, the eccentric great-grandfather of MP Isaac Templeton. Rumour has it that Cain was part of a sinister group called The Collectors; to become a member, you had to kill a woman…
Fearing for her safety in the middle of a freezing Victorian winter, Ali finds herself stuck in time, unable to make her way back to her life, her beloved colleagues, and her son, Finn, who suddenly finds himself in legal trouble in the present day.
Could the two cases be connected?
My review:
I devoured this book within a few days. I loved the main character and the idea of being able to go back to the time of a crime which took place so long ago is such an interesting concept. Ellie deals with it so well and I loved her attention to detail in terms of dress, language, behaviour, etc.
She has established a cast of new characters that I wanted to read more about and she really taps into the concept of things being not what they seem.
The only problem – I now have to wait another year until the second book’s out! I thoroughly recommend The Frozen People.
Esther Chilton 
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