The Long Cold Winter (The 509 Crime Stories, #2) by Colin Conway

The Long Cold Winter (The 509 Crime Stories, #2) Reviews

• 
  Sandy

  Quickie review as I continue the assault on my TBR pile: another great surprise from the depths of my kindle. Well written, character driven procedural with a compelling MC. And I really like the premise behind this series. Although familiar faces pop up in each book, every instalment focuses on a different character as MC. Looking forward to grabbing another story from the 509 👍
• 
  Rich

  Wow that is how you get it done. Very good detective homicide case. This is the second book in the series. This series is a little different because so far each book covers the same homicide department but features different detectives. This detective I felt had a lot in common with Harry Bosch in some ways. He was younger but a grizzled hard boiled veteran. I really liked this character. All the characters in this story were very good. It was a sad story in some ways the main detective was in morning over the recent death of his wife and it was tough sailing for him. At the same time he was looking at a 30 year old cold case and a recent case. It was done very well. The dialogue in this book was very good. The story never bogged down and the ending was very solid. This book was so good it made my favorites list which is not easy to do-it is easier to win a academy award than to get on this list. I say go ahead and give this book a big spin.
• 
  Kristi

  After reading some of the reviews for this book I was hesitant to give it a try. It sounded kind of depressing from the reviews and, quite frankly, I thought would end up being a disappointing read after enjoying the first book I read by this author. But having loved The Side Hustle, the first book in this series, I decided to give this book a chance. I'm glad I did.
  
  I found the storyline intriguing. Without giving away any details I'll just say that getting to know the main character, Dallas, in his mourning for his wife made me better understand his actions and attitudes in his job as detective. I think the author did a fantastic job of weaving together the personal life and professional life of the detective.
  
  I love this author's writing style and ability to pull me into the story and keep my interest. I've now given both books of his that I've read 5 stars because the stories are interesting, the characters are realistic, the writing is great, and the books are just so easy to read. I now plan on reading the author's entire catalog of work.
  
  Give this book a try. It can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading the series in order just so you don't miss out on any good stories.
  
  Happy reading!
• 
  Frank Zafiro

  *Full disclosure up front - I've written books with Colin Conway, and he's my friend.
  
  That doesn't matter, though -- I'd love this book if Snuffleupagus wrote it. It has everything I like in a gritty procedural (although it also reads like a good first person PI novel, as the protagonist is working solo during this one). There's a solid mystery to solve (a couple, actually), compelling characters on both sides of the law, excellent atmosphere, a real sense of the setting, and most of all, a protagonist who feels, and whose pain feels real.
  
  Dallas Nash is a believable character who is dealing with the pain of a lost wife. He feels it in a way that all of us can identify with, but he is experiencing it in a way few of us probably can. He wakes up hearing songs in his head, and isn't sure if that means he's crazy, or his psyche trying to cope with the loss, or if it is some thread of communication from his wife from beyond the veil.
  
  This interesting mechanic plays in the background (see what I did there) as Nash tries to get back to police work after the tragedy, and since his work is solving murders, that's what we get to see. The cases he works are interesting ones, and Conway's procedural elements are rock solid.
  
  I enjoyed the first 509 book, The Side Hustle, which is a great entre into this series, but I liked this one even more. Probably what tipped it for me was that this isn't just a mystery (or two) for you and Nash to solve together, it is an emotional journey. I think all good books are that, but it is not as common an experience as one would think. This novel takes you on that journey with Nash, through his grief, his tenacity, and his efforts to return to life again.
  
  I dig the 509 series as a whole because of the interesting approach Conway takes. Much like Ed McBain's Isola, the 509 features an ensemble cast of characters that rotate through in the role of main protagonist. Delaney and Burkett, for example, were the primaries in the previous book, and they have only a passing role in this book. I have it on good authority that they have a larger role in the upcoming The Blind Trust and Nash is relegated to a cameo in that one. I like this method. It's as if you're peeking into a world that exists without you being present, and you're getting snapshots of what is happening at any given moment and who is involved. You get to spend time with all of the characters at some time or another, and always get to check in on your favorites. It's cool.
  
  Back to this one, though. If you like procedurals OR PI novels with a heart (albeit a broken one), this is for you.
• 
  Joan

  I'm very picky about my crime novels and I tend to avoid non-British ones, but this was free on Amazon and I liked the cover so I gave it a go, expecting it to be a formulaic US detective novel. But it isn't.
  
  Reading this was almost like watching a well-directed crime series in a way. The characters came to life on the page and there was virtually no OTT gore or violence, just the sort of everyday murders that seem to be all too commonplace.
  
  I found the writing refreshing and direct and the characters believable and engaging and I'm off to find the first book in the series.
  
  I considered taking a star off simply because a lot of the musical references were a mystery to me, but I read this through in one sitting and that really is enough to warrant the full five stars.
• 
  Jan

  This was really more a book about dealing with grief and a death of a spouse, with murder mystery on the side. I enjoyed it but not as much as the first book in the series. It was a bit of a slow burn. But I'll be reading more 509 Crime Stories.
• 
  Ron Johnson

  Not quite as good as the first book in the series, but still better than average by a long shot. Language was just a little coarse, but only a very few f-bombs. And no gratuitous sex at all, in fact none period.
  
  All in all a very enjoyable read.
• 
  Cathy Geha

  The Long Cold Winter by Colin Conway
  A 509 Crime Story #2
  
  Grief is a miserable beast that is not easy to tame. Homicide Detective Dallas Nash is not really ready to return to duty solving homicide cases after losing his wife BUT his sense of duty and commitment to the team sees him back at his desk just after Thanksgiving. As he battles depression, spends time at his wife’s grave, deals with songs that come to him in the night and deals with well and not so well wishers he is given a cold homicide case and then a new murder to tackle. Little does he realize that some of the murders will eventually overlap and that he will be able to solve all of the cases he has been assigned by the end of this book. Work does help somewhat with his grief but it is no panacea...by the end of the book he is still not finished with his grief. I hope that in book three we will find out how he is doing.
  
  What I liked:
  * Dallas – he was “real” in his emotions and interactions – he was not perfect but he was human and very believable
  * Police procedural aspects of the story: how Dallas thought and went about solving the cases
  * The dips into the past
  * Glimpses of police interactions on the job
  * Learning that 509 was not a call sign but an area code
  * The support system in place for Dallas when he is ready to reach out
  
  What I did not like:
  * The people I was meant NOT to like
  * The fact that sometimes people can get away with murder for decades
  * The way some manipulate others
  * It seems I disliked exactly what I was meant to dislike.
  
  I have not read the first book in this series but plan to as soon as I can even though it is not essential to read it before reading this book. I believe this is an intriguing series and look forward to reading more as it is written.
  
  Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
  
  5 Stars
• 
  Rene Rowland

  Real
  
  I loved this book. I am the mother of a suicide and sad is a condition that is hard to shake. You try everyday but its hard. I still get up and go to work everyday at 70 years old and I have grandchildren and great grandchildren but the sadness and the guilt never go away. This book reminded me of the fact that I do crazy things like this character in this book does to get through my days.
• 
  Carol

  Dallas Nash is a veteran and seasoned homicide detective who is just returning to work after he lost his wife when she hit and deer in a freakish one-car accident. The loss of Robbie has literally crushed Dallas. He finds himself doing irrational things but constantly reassuring himself that he's okay. It wasn't his most rational decision, but he decides to go back to work because he feels that occupying himself with the job will help him return to normal. Instead of returning to the regular case roster he gets assigned to a 30-year-old cold case. Jennifer M. Williams was found dead one late afternoon after leaving home and not informing her parents where and why she was going out. She was a beautiful high school student who was 18 years old at the time of her death. Looking at the files Nash learns that Jennifer's case was first assigned to a senior investigator whose reputation of solving murder cases was impeccable...but years past and it remained unsolved and became a cold case and was given to yet another detective, whose reputation for solving cold cases was anything but faultless but again it went nowhere. Nash continues with Jennifer's case, but in addition he is assigned a current case... the murder of a man in his 60's who was found in the middle of a snowy field with a neck wound, very likely exsanguinated was the cause of death. The body is unidentified, but a few days later, a prostitute is arrested by patrolman with the dead man’s driver’s license and credit card in her purse. Nash still isn't doing well with his wife's death and seems to be becoming almost psychotic...thinking that he hears his dead wife giving him clues through varies means like song lyrics in his head. He refuses to admit that he needs help...LOTS OF HELP. He talks to her every day even though she doesn't "always" answer him, "I'm not crazy." he says but who is he trying to convince? Both the character and the story were heart wrenching but entirely gripping. I seldom actually recommend books because people have such diverse likes and dislikes, but this one I believe anyone to anyone who is a fan of crime fiction will absolutely enjoy.
• 
  Mary E Trimble

  The Long Cold Winter, Book Two of the “509 Crime Stories” by Colin Conway is a gripping mystery novel that takes place in Spokane, Washington, 2017.
  
  Detective Dallas Nash is a recent widower and it’s all he can do to get out of bed. He’s called back to work, but his heart really isn’t into it. Yet he knows he should, he needs to put his mind on something other than his terrible loss. On the way to work he visits his wife’s grave, and again feels the pain of losing her.
  
  To ease him back into working Major Crimes, his supervisor assigns Dallas a cold case. It’s a murder dating back to 1987. Going over the file, Dallas realizes he recognizes the victim–a girl who went to the same high school. He even remembers cruising Spokane’s main drag with friends on a Friday night and one of the fellows, a friend of a friend, points out the girl and says that she’s his girlfriend.
  
  Before he can begin working the case, he’s called out on a murder just discovered. A snow-covered body lies in an open field. The detective has no witnesses and no suspects. So now he has both a recent murder and a thirty-year-old murder to solve.
  
  Author Colin Conway does a good job of describing the mind of a detective. It’s winter in Spokane and Detective Nash spends much of his time battling snow and slush. It’s hard enough working in these conditions, but even tougher when battling depression over losing his beloved wife. Yet he pushes on with surprising results.
  
  People who like mysteries will enjoy this highly suspenseful novel. Those who attended high school or college in the late eighties and early nineties will probably recognize the music titles that haunt Detective Nash. I enjoyed the jargon between the detectives, and learning about the police procedures used in solving cases. Many of the references to the Spokane area were familiar to me. Although I live in the western part of the state, we’ve spent a lot of time in eastern Washington, which constitutes nearly two-thirds of the entire state. The author does a good job of creating a sense of place and time.
  
• 
  Mary Higginson

  This is my first read by Colin Conway but it won't be my last. A first person narrative it has a laid back and measured style that is at odds with the story but really works.
  Detective Dallas Nash is in mourning for his wife and finding it impossible to let go of her but he goes through the motions of his daily life and gets on with the job. An intuitive man he gives more to his cases than ticking the boxes and getting through the daily grind. On his return to work he is handed a cold case, the murder of a girl thirty years ago. Even though events seem to conspire against him he pursues his leases and his gut feelings. He is soon caught up in more than just the murder of a teenage girl.
  Nash is a compelling character who caught in a cycle of grief is interesting and sympathetic. Different songs in his head wake him up every day and he thinks maybe his dead wife is sending him messages through them. He talks to her every day even though she doesn't answer him, 'I'm not crazy.' Who is he trying to convince? He isn't crazy though.
  Both the character and the story gripped me. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of crime fiction.
• 
  Lynne Marshall

  Dallas Nash had recently returned to work after his wife's tragic and sudden death. An emotional mess, he awakes most days with a song in his brain, deciding it is Bobbie's way of communicating with him. A cold case from 30 years before crosses his desk, and a flash of a memory plus a hunch sets the course for the detective to investigate the case. Simultaneously, a new homicide drops on his desk thanks to the department detective rotation. As the long and depressing winter continues he skips Thanksgiving and Christmas using the excuse of work, as he is unable to deal with his loss and unwilling to pack away all he had left of his wife - her clothes.
  I found the police procedural portions engaging and was interested in both cases and their outcomes. Probably because I'm a female, I found his "guy" way of avoiding mourning his wife difficult. Still, Nash was a likeable character, and I appreciated the author avoiding the old stereotype of having the character drink his way through his sorrows. Well done, and clever police work!
• 
  Doug Phillips

  Come on. How could you not read or hear the name 'Dallas Nash' and not immediately think 'coolness'. Well, the billing fits our protagonist in this nice work of procedural storytelling.
  
  I found the book to be realistic police work, without being excessively gritty for the sake of setting. This is style that the author uses for most of his work, and as I've previously written, the believable actions taken by law enforcement, along with the authenticity that plays out in Nash's challenges with the death of someone close and balancing his inner doubts with his professionalism, make Nash a believable character in a town I know very well.
  
  It's a small but important element, but I really enjoyed how Conway used so many classic rock songs as vehicles for the main character's almost wishful element of connecting with his loved one who has passed.
  
  This is a solid addition to The 509 Crime Stories series. Please snag a copy. And if you listen very hard, the tune will come to you at last. When all are one, and one is all. To be a rock and not to roll
  
• 
  Dawn

  I read the 1st in this series & it was just "meh" so I was understandably apprehensive. While this book didn't follow Quinn & Marci, the detectives from the 1st book, it was set in the same precinct so they did make an appearance.
  
  This trip to the 509 follows Detective Dallas Nash as he returns to work after the tragic loss of his wife. Nash is given a cold case to ease himself back into the job. As he works to solve the decades old murder, criminals keep on criming & a new murder case lands on his desk. Both the cold case & current case are twisty mysteries that keep the reader engaged. Nash is an intriguing character. His grief is palpable & real in a way that is often glossed over in novels. Yes, that leads to a bit of sadness, but this book is totally worth it!
• 
  Marlys

  I could relate to this book on so many levels. Having lost my significant other over 15 years ago, I could relate to Dallas when his wife was killed in a car accident. I liked that the author had this happen in the dead of winter during the holidays. I thought it was a great touch to have Dallas grieve during the winter holiday season, which is a depressing time for most people without experiencing a loss. I handled it differently, after his death, I gave away most of his clothing immediately. The cases that Dallas solved were interwoven throughout the story. What a fantastic read. A wonderful edition to the 509 story.
  I am looking forward to reading the next story in this series.
• 
  Black Butterfly

  
  I MUST SAY IT WAS A DIFFERENT STORYLINE FOR ME, I COULDN’T DECIDE IF I LIKED OR DISLIKED IT. POWERFUL START, THE OPENING SCENE WAS SAD BUT I COULD FEEL THE CHARACTRS PAIN. THIS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BOOK. I SAY HIS PAIN WAS ABOUT 50% OF THE BOOK, THE OTHER 50% WAS ABOUT CRIMES. THE SONGS DALLAS HEARD I COULDN’T IDENTIFY WITH (not my type of music) SO THE WORDS MEAN'T NEXT TO NOTHING FOR ME. WELL WRITTEN, THE MAIN CHARACTER IS LIKABLE (to me) BECAUSE HE IS SO SMART BUT DISLIKABLE BECAUSE HIS PERSONAL LIFE IS SO DAMN DEPRESSING. I GIVE 4* STARS FOR SOLVING THE CRIMES AND 0 STARS FOR HIS SAD SACK LIFE THAT BOGGED DOWN THE STORY. ;<
  
• 
  Carôle Ceres

  Not for me
  
  I’m eternally grateful that I started this series in book 4, ‘The Suit’. All of the books thus far start off slowly, however this one just doesn’t get faster or better.
  
  To be fair, Detective Dallas Nash is returning to work just a couple of months after his wife’s death and has been given a Cold Case to revisit, to help him back into the swing of things. But it’s dull. The additional cases he deals with are equally dull.
  
  There truly isn’t anything gripping or interesting about this tale, but it does serve to flesh out the dynamics and working environment of the Spokane Detective Division.
• 
  Beth Camp

  This is the second 509-mystery I've read by Colin Conway -- and it drew me in right from the beginning. Not only do we encounter Officer Dallas Nash, grieving for his wife, but as a way to integrate him back into the Department, he's given a 30-year-old case to resolve. Along the way, he stumbles, copes with grief, steps on toes, but slowly, slowly regains his skills in investigative police work. Because I live in Spokane, those beautifully realized settings were a delight. You can't help but sympathize with Nash and root for him -- as well as have a renewed appreciation about friends and music from days gone past. An outstanding read!
• 
  Dave

  This was a very good police procedural novel, featuring a damaged protagonist, which usually makes us want him/her to succeed. I could feel for the recent widower police detective and the author makes us care what happens to him. I would love to read more about his crime-solving career, but apparently each book in this series features a different detective! I like the way Colin Conway writes, so I will gladly try more in the series.