Winter Prey

While this is the fifth installment in the series, the narrative functions effectively as a standalone investigation. You can follow the plot without prior knowledge of the protagonist's earlier cases, though reading in publication order provides more context for his evolving personal life and career.

The author has noted that this was the first novel in his career where he felt he maintained complete control over the narrative flow from beginning to end without needing to rewrite large sections due to structural errors. He considers it a significant milestone in his development as a writer.