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  • Dark Winter

  • The 1st DS McAvoy Novel
  • By: David Mark
  • Narrated by: Toby Longworth
  • Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (452 ratings)
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Dark Winter cover art

Dark Winter

By: David Mark
Narrated by: Toby Longworth
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Summary

The Sunday Times best-selling first instalment in the Hull-based DS Aector McAvoy series.

Meet DS Aector McAvoy, and begin David Mark's addictive crime series.

DS Aector McAvoy is a man with a troubled past. His unwavering belief in justice has made him an outsider in the police force he serves, a good man among the lazy and corrupt.

Then on a cold day in December he is the first cop on the scene when a young girl is killed in Hull's historic church - and the only one to see the murderer. A masked man, with tears in his eyes....

When two more seemingly unconnected people die, the police must work quickly. Only McAvoy can see the connection between the victims. A killer is playing God - and McAvoy must find a way to stop the deadly game.

Hooked on Hull? Then check out the second instalment in the DS McAvoy series, Original Skin....

©2012 David Mark (P)2013 Quercus Publishing plc

Critic reviews

"Fast-moving and tightly plotted, with strong characterisation and a likeable protagonist, this is an extremely promising debut" ( Guardian)
"Dark Winter is an exceptional debut from an exciting new talent. David Mark is an original and captivating new voice" (Val McDermid)
"Excellent . . . intriguing" ( The Times)

What listeners say about Dark Winter

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

A real gritty first novel and it's magic. Enjoyed every minute of it. Yes it's grisly in parts and okay I guessed who dun it but the descriptive narrative of hull in mid winter was a joy. A copper with a few skeletons in his cupboard who loves his wife and kids and tries to play it by the book makes for the beginning of an excellent series of novels. Not too much gratuitous sexual scenes or swearing for a change. I've read way too many crime/thrillers lately which include sex scenes more than actual murder scenes but not this one.

Narrator did a cracking job with all the voices including kids! On to book 2!

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Meh

Found the writing a bit overwrought, and the description of women bizarre. Couldn’t mention a female character without giving a detailed description of her boobs.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Here we go again...

Just as I thought I’d come across an author with a decent plot, the usual ghastly descriptions crop up. Is there a detective fiction writing checklist that authors learn in creative writing classes that demand the use of superfluous description? Is it just to pad out a narrative? The nauseating descriptions of the protagonist’s wife serves no purpose, except to make the protagonist seem smug and the writer seem to be writing out a fantasy. The detectives are TV detectives: inspired by the visual form, when this is written, thus greatly misdirected. Has nobody edited this? Populism has overridden quality; perfect for lovers of BBC drama; disappointing for me. Sigh.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic read.

What did you like most about Dark Winter?

The whole thing, story, characters, the pace it went at, the narrator.

Who was your favorite character and why?

DS Mcevoy , he was interesting, real and had his own issues to deal with as well.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but unfortunately could not, but listened at every opportunity.

Any additional comments?

Read it not one to be missed.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Excellent rainy afternoon listening.

Would you try another book written by David Mark or narrated by Toby Longworth?

yes.

Narrator was great. Just the right sort of weariness, and down-troddeness for the story, combined with a cosiness that drew me in. Performed characters well, with lots of different accents, which were all believable and none annoying.

I think this was an author debut? This story didn't set my world on fire, but I did really enjoy it. It seemed to end very quickly, with a bit of a fizzle, which slightly ruined it for me. I'd be happy to try other works by him in the future.

Would you be willing to try another book from David Mark? Why or why not?

yes.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Dark Winter good read

Yes good book
Narrator does a sexy Scottish accent
I also like pharaoh she was witty
Memorable moment was discovery of killer

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping Yarn - a real page turner

Thoroughly enjoyed this tale set in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The author sets the story up brilliantly before unleashing the ending. The characters are well researched and believable (Im sure I know some of the drunks described!)

Would recommend this to anyone. Im looking forward to the next book in this series

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Decent

Really enjoyed the writing in this audiobook, and would definitely listen to the subsequent follow ups to this. Let down in my eyes by several aching cliches and a rushed ending, but hopefully these will be improved in subsequent novels. The setting is great and the narration was exceptional - reminiscent of Robert Glenister reading the Cormoran Strike novels.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Could not get into it

I could not get into this book and found it dragged Could not recommend it

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Nice change

A policeman who isn’t an alcoholic or very tormented, not too much of a maverick, and has a happy family life. Doesn’t even have a rigid uncaring immediate boss. Enjoyable.




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1 person found this helpful