Cold Lake (David Wolf Mystery Thriller Series Book 5)

This was my fifth book in the David Wolf series by Jeff Carson. And like the four before it, was an extremely interesting book. It's different, however, from the others, and by that I mean one might wonder how the title fits into the story line? Caveat, do not consider the title in any wise innocuous. It is not. This story is, in a word, "cold" as the title suggests. I'd recommend reading it on a warm sunny afternoon than on a cold dark stormy night, if you get my drift.I don't re-tell story lines in my reviews. I prefer to analyze the read and do so using several criteria: To begin with, once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. The story was interesting from page one to page last. There was no lag. But regardless, the story has good thread in that if put the book down for whatever reason, coming back to it does not require re-reading prior pages to remember what is going on.I call that good "reader memory". Character development is a strong suit for this author. I can "walk" along with the writing as though I was in the scene being played out. I like to know what is going on inside the head of the chief protagonist and antagonist.Plot is also carefully laid out with good rising action, climax and clear resolution. There's always a question as to why what is going on is going on, but excellent plot explains that. That principally is why the book held my interest until the very end.The setting in this book is not as critical as say the setting in some of the prior books. Suffice it say, Carson carefully sets his plots around the lay of the land with which he is most familiar. The lake in this story is the chief setting. The theme as with all his books is thriller and in this case it is paramount to an exciting read.I have just down loaded book six, which is the latest and hopefully not the last in the series. David Wolf is to Jeff Carson as Harry Bosch is to Michael Connelly. I highly recommend any in the series, including "Gut Decision", which is a short read and great insight to Sheriff David Wolf.I read all five in order, and agree it makes good sense to do so.

Good well developed characters, a strong protagonist, quality writing with plot twists and suspense make for a entertaining series.I already downloaded the next volume.

Things happened that I certainly didn’t expect. Totally new mysteries to solve and lot of challenges to overcome for David wolf. Don’t want to give anything away but this one will certainly keep you reading and ready to read book 6 as I am going to start now

Like the previous four books this was also action-packed and interesting crime novel. Many people get hurt or killed in this story including David Wolfe’s ex-wife.

I took a chance with purchasing this book by an author unknown to me. It was a lucky draw that paid off well. I was permanently glued to the book the minute I started to read it. It quickly painted a picture of a small Texan county saddled with a mystery of a missing teenager that remained unsolved for twenty-two years. The case resurged when seven dismembered bodies were discovered fortuitously in Cold Lake, an appropriate name, given its temperature, the mystery of the missing teenager and now the added mystery of unidentified body parts. This is a cold case involving two generations of detectives.When the bodies are discovered the cold case file is activated by Sheriff David Wolf, whose father led the first investigation. From here the story takes off and momentum is built and sustained by new discoveries and emerging questions. There is no let up. Chapter after chapter we move from one mystery to the next, from one suspense to the next, until we reach a solution and an unexpected ending.Jeff Carson, the author of Cold Lake, skillfully weaves a complex web of a chilling story of unsolved serial murders. These brutal slayings by persons or person unknown, taking place in Sluice County, begin with the missing teenage boy, Nick Pollard, and continued undetected for two decades, until bodies were retrieved from Cold Lake. The first body to be identified was Nick Pollard. The case was then reopened and the story became increasingly mysterious and complex. It seemed like it would never end. But Sheriff Wolf is one "who never quits". He relentlessly pursued the case, in the midst of an election campaign, unconcerned about the risk to his chances of re-election.This is one novel I would not hesitate to recommend. It is so enjoyable that I definitely will read more books by Jeff Carson. To me, he is no longer the unknown author. He has proven to me that he is an excellent story-teller.

This particular mystery far exceeds the common story line. It rises to a new heightened awareness by the author. The first four books were well written, but this was masterly knitted into a well throughout web of intrigue. I could feel Wolf's Ranger training kicking in ashe reached the Crux choosing between despair, desperation and finally determination. Well written Carson. Rangers Lead the Way!AAA-O !this

The reader was robbed on a number of fronts with this aberration of a novel. The plot was typical Carson with everything coming to a head in the last chapter or two. The subject matter was gruesome and an insult to the sensibilities of the average reader.The author destroyed his protagonist and stifled any chance that a deserving Wolf would reunite with his ex wife and son.Thereby deflating this reader and turning this Jack the Ripper novel into meaningless putty. Carson left some wolf tidbits like ‘never give up’ hoping we will be suckered further to see how a physically and mentally devastated Sheriff Wolf recovers. Not for me. This series is ended.

I have really enjoyed the series so far. I really wish Mr Carson would research his facts a little better, though, Boise is in Ada County, not Boise County.

This is my third book by Jeff Carson book and I am enjoying this outstanding character Sheriff David Wolfe, also his colleagues, Paterson and Rachette. Wolfe, the strong silent type, but always on the ball, when it comes to investigating and solving the crimes that come his way. Steadfast and loyal, Paterson and Rachette, were always there when he needs them. The storyline was well thought out and written in a way that really has the ‘reader’ totally gripped and interested also very descriptive.I know this is a ‘cliche’, but I couldn’t put this book down. Since this book, I have read five other books by this author. From the start of each and every book, I could almost feel I was a part of the descriptive scenes of Colorado. Wonderful.

I feel it's somewhat unfair of me to review a book that I didn't read much of, but I just got too annoyed with the writing style. There's adjectives galore, and instead of showing the story/emotions through the characters actions (which are not adjectives!), the author is telling us about what characters feel, how they perceive a situation. The focus on someone's eye color that has to be described with great detail, or their hair style, etc. is just not relevant – it's just filler words. Why not let the reader imagine this and let us build a world based on a few cues?It's a very boring and lazy writing style that I just can't stand. It's along the lines of David Baldacci - their writing styles are very graphic and don't leave any room for the reader to get lost in the story and to engage our own fantasy because everything is spelled out for us. This book is not for me ... not even as a "I don't want to think but just wind down"-book. Too bad.

So far Wolf has dealt with the death of his brother, his ex wife and the love of his life Sarah.What’s next, the need to find the answer why Sarah was murdered, and l need to read the next instalment, like you will after read Cold Lake.

This novel took off running!Jeff Carson has a great character in David Wolf, a seasoned detective of intuitive nature. The story was full of twists and turns as it dealt with intellectual plotting based on sickening psychological needs.The conclusion ended the mystery as presented but, at the same time, left the situation open to a divergent development. Another novel ... .

The protagonist reads too much out of every painting. They run into too many coincidences . Too pat for a mystery .