4.5 stars. Such a fun read. It took a few chapters to get into it, but the concept was pretty intriguing: cold case detectives that solve crimes by going back in time to collect evidence.Time travel! Murder (mostly cozy style)! A trip to the 1850s! Secret clubs, and more. There’s so much going on to keep the reader engaged.Lots of twists. A few things I didn’t either catch (or the writer will explain in the sequel). Just a heads up that you’ll both need to suspend belief for the time travel busi...

Do you have certain kinds of books that are almost a “heck, yes” decision when reading the blurb or review on Goodreads? Well, if a book involves crime, the 18-19th centuries, England, and time traveling, then I’m all IN!I loved this book because while it deals with a thoroughly unrealistic crime solving technique (momentary steps back in time— it’s a new technology and completely classified and untried… for now) and an authentic team who have been brought together to use the new technology (so ...

DS Ali Dawson was part of a Cold Case team which investigated crimes many years old - that were "frozen in time". The team was also part of a new initiative where they could travel in time to investigate said crime. Since Ali had only travelled a short time into the past, when she was asked to go back to 1850 to look into one of London's top MP's great-great-grandfather, Ali was uncertain. Preparations were made, the clothing that would make Ali authentic acquired, and she was off. Her arrival s...

4.5 stars. TBH I haven't read much of Elly Griffiths work, I do know her big series is quite beloved, but I'm not going to start it at this late date - my TBR is pretty full. So when I heard she was starting a new one with a time-traveling female detective, I decided to give it a try. And I am really glad that I did - I enjoyed it - especially DS Ali Dawson and her "Dept. of Logistics" crew who use short time hops to try to solve cold cases in London. I liked the way the science was handled &...

Something new from Ellie Griffiths has to be good but having not read the blurb I got a surprise by the way this story went! It reminded me very much of a book I read a long time ago by Connie Willis where history students were travelling back in time to actually experience the period they were researching. Similarly in The Frozen People someone has discovered a way to to travel back in time. It is still very experimental and so far has only gone as far as 1976 but due to a ministerial request A...

A deeply frustrating mess of half-formed ideas, sluggish pacing, and a total lack of narrative tension.The dual timeline setup could have generated suspense, but there’s none. We know Ali’s safe, then she’s replaced by a guy we don’t know or care about. Meanwhile, Finn seems nonplussed in jail, and the evidence is so patently flimsy (they think he’s having an affair with the MP because of DNA on a lip? Dear me), it’s just a matter of time before he’s released.Every historical detail is shoved in...

I read this UK edition as a buddy read with Hilary and Margie. It was exciting to read an untranslated (from British English to U.S. English) copy and to read the book before its U.S. publication date. It was published in the UK In February but it won’t be in the U.S. until July.I really liked this new first book in a series. I am not sure yet how much I’ll love the series but I do plan to keep reading it. The storytelling is brilliantly done.The author does a fabulous job of creating believable...

The Frozen People had such a unique premise that really pulled me in — time travel, cold cases, victorian era; check, check, check!While the plot itself was solid, I couldn’t help but feel that there was so much potential that went either unexplored or done, but badly - how you can make the victorian era this dull, I will never know.The story really had the bones of something gripping and innovative, but overall it fell completely flat for me. Overall, a decent read. I will be back for #2 hoping...

A new series from Elly Griffiths and let me tell you, it is amazing!! I have become a bit of a fan of this author since I discovered her books. I have been playing catch-up on the Ruth Galloway series and living it, but very happy to get in on book one for this new series. A mix of historical fiction and police procedural, The Frozen People was so hard to put down. I tried to savour it as much as possible but I was desperate to see what was going to happen next.We meet Ali Dawson, an old case de...

I have to say, when I first read the synopsis of The Frozen People - a secret cold case team within the Met who time travel to gather evidence on historical crimes - my initial reaction was to think "Really?! This is what's replacing our beloved Ruth Galloway series?!" And it's a bonkers premise, let's be honest, but somehow it kind of works. This is down entirely to the strength of Griffiths' writing, and especially her character development. Quite rapidly the reader understands who Ali is, wha...