It's the coldest winter in Hull for years.

When McAvoy is told by a concerned stranger that an elderly woman hasn't been seen for a few days, he goes to check on her - only to find her in the bath, encased in ice: the heating off; the windows open; the whole house frozen over.

It could be a macabre accident, but McAvoy senses murder. Someone watched her die.

As he starts to uncover the victim's story and her connections to a lost fishing trawler, his boss Trish is half a world away, investigating a mysterious death in Iceland. Hull and Iceland have traditionally been united by fishing - in this case, they are linked by a secret concealed for half a century, and a series of brutal killings that have never been connected.

Until now - when the secrets of the dead have returned to prey on the living.

PRAISE FOR DAVID MARK

'Dark, compelling crime writing of the highest order' Daily Mail

'Truly exhilarating and inventive. Mark is a wonderfully descriptive writer and an exciting young talent.' Peter James

'Aficionados of the grittiest, most trenchant fare love Mark's copper Aector McAvoy, who customarily moves in a darkly realised Hull.' Financial Times

"Gory, startling and a complete one-off." - The Sunday Times

"Mark is one of the best of a new breed of noir writers, capable of allying a powerful story and massive brutality in a genuine, fast-paced thriller with a bit of heart." - Crime Review

"David Mark has put Hull on the map... and placed DS Aector McAvoy as one of the most interesting and likeable British detectives... Dark, sad and superbly atmospheric. " - The Times

"David Mark's latest novel is a powerful mixture of drama, brutality, courage and vengeance... COLD BONES is the best novel so far in Mark's impressive series." - Literary Review

"an enthralling tale with more twists and red herrings than pretty much any other crime drama I've read over the last few years...if evocative atmosphere, enthralling, believable characters and sheer gutsiness is more up your blood-soaked alley, then you really must give this novel a try. Quite simply, it's full marks for David Mark." - On magazine

"Praise for David Mark" - .

"Aficionados of the grittiest, most trenchant fare love Mark's copper Aector McAvoy, who customarily moves in a darkly realised Hull." - Financial Times

"There is a good array of villains, and Mark is impressive in his sensitive portrayals of the relationships between the principal characters at work and home." - The Times

"Mark's rich, distinctive prose style and damaged characters compel you to keep reading... shaping up to be an essential crime series" - Crime Scene Magazine

"A brilliant read." - Sun

"Dark, compelling crime writing of the highest order" - Daily Mail

"To call Mark's novels police procedurals is like calling the Mona Lisa a pretty painting." - Kirkus starred review

"Highly entertaining" - The Sunday Times