She Treads Softly: The Christmas Killer

Sunday, August 9, 2026

The Christmas Killer

The Christmas Killer by Ross Greenwood
9/2/26: 330 pages
Boldwood Books
DI Barton #9

The Christmas Killer by Ross Greenwood is a very highly recommended police procedural and the 9th book in the DI Barton Series. Expect a plethora of twists and surprises in this unpredictable plot.

Barton, who is on sabbatical, is out golfing with retired medical examiner Mortis, who subsequently invites Barton to join him at the scene of a mummified body he has been asked to examine. Immediately following this DC Superintendent Andrew Troughton calls Barton also inviting him to examine the same scene and asking him to return for two weeks to help the investigation as MIT is short staffed due to illness. The scene is brutal. The victim was taped to a chair, with his mouth taped shut, and left to die a slow, tortuous death. When another murder occurs closely resembling the first, the race is on to uncover the past secret that connects the two, and hopefully prevent any more from occurring.

This is a very well-written, unpredictable procedural with an abundance of twists. The complicated investigation logically and intelligently follows all the clues. It held my complete attention throughout. The murder investigation serves to keep the tension high and accelerating throughout the novel as the team digs into the past to try and uncover the identity of the intelligent and cunning killer. Along with the murder investigation there is also an ongoing departmental internal investigation, so the tension is already high. Even the weather becomes an ominous atmospheric presence as winter storms arrive.

The narrative is mainly told through Barton's point-of-view, along with a few others, including the killer. For those following the series, these are all known characters and we have a history with them. Greenwood does include a cast of characters at the beginning of the novel to assist those new to DI Barton novels as well as anyone who needs a refresher course on the characters. The novel will be loved and welcomed by fans, however, it could also be enjoy as a standalone novel for new readers.

The Christmas Killer is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys complex procedurals along with readers following the beloved series. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.