A murder victim found in the snow but she has been frozen for over a decade. A killer looks for his next love and a detective determined to thwart him…
Frozen Souls is the fourth book in the Ellie Reeves series from Rita Herron. I have previously reviewed books 2 and 3: Wildflower Graves and The Burning Girls. There are spoilers about outcomes from previous books and the effect they have had on the police characters.
Detective Ellie Reeves has been significantly affected by recent events. She is still clashing with the sheriff as well as having major ongoing family issues. This latest case has a political edge as the missing woman is a governor’s daughter.
The weather and landscape play a vital role in this book as the terrain and snow hamper searches and mask evidence. However, Ellie is a fab lead character who is willing to overcome any challenge even the physical obstacles!
The book is written from various third person perspectives. We see the killer’s twisted logic as he searches for a perfect bride. A missing woman’s panic as she desperately attempts to free herself. Ellie’s fierce and dogged determination to find the missing woman before another body is found. The pace, with short chapters, is fast and furious as Ellie tries to find the killer.
Frozen Souls is an enjoyable crime thriller with a strong lead detective who we can cheer along in the case and empathise with her personal circumstances.
She looked like an angel. She lay perfectly still, silky blonde hair falling to her pale shoulders. Icicles clung to her eyelashes as snowflakes fluttered to the frozen ground, burying her body.
As a snowstorm wreaks havoc in the mountain town of Crooked Creek, a woman is found buried in ice. Detective Ellie Reeves is first on the scene. Examining the body, she finds frozen blonde hair, pink nail polish and a silver heart necklace engraved with Mine Forever.
Ellie has first-hand experience of the monsters that lurk in the mountains––her childhood is testament to that. She vows to catch this one, but she’s up against the brutal weather, with snow covering footprints and making forensics impossible.
Frantically trawling through missing-person’s reports, Ellie identifies the victim. Nadine Houser disappeared eleven years ago. Where has she been all this time? Why was she only murdered now?
As storm clouds roll in, another girl is reported missing. Ellie retraces the steps of Ginger Weston who was renting a cabin in the mountains. She discovers a gold chain in the snow, spotted with blood. The killer is accelerating, and it’s just a matter of time before more innocent lives are robbed.
With the town blaming Ellie for the missing girl on her watch, and everyone fearing for their safety of their daughters, it’s down to Ellie to solve the toughest case of her career. But when the killer comes after her, will she live to save Crooked Creek from its ruthless monster?
A totally gripping read that will get your pulse pounding as you flip through the pages! Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot who love a roller-coaster, twist-packed page-turner!
Author Bio
USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. But she didn’t think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a teacher instead. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job.
With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy, and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.
For more on Rita and her titles, visit her at www.ritaherron.com. You can also find her on Facebook/ritaherron.com and Twitter @ritaherron.
