Elly Griffiths has never been one to shy away from ambitious storytelling, but with The Frozen People, she takes a breathtaking leap into uncharted territory. This isn’t your typical police procedural or archaeological mystery; it’s a daring fusion of crime fiction, science fiction, and historical drama that somehow manages to work brilliantly despite—or perhaps because of—its audacious premise. The first in her new Ali Dawson series, this novel proves that Griffiths can master any genre she sets her mind to.
The story follows Detective Sergeant Ali Dawson, whose cold case team harbors an extraordinary secret: they can travel back in time to investigate crimes. What begins as routine desk work transforms into something far more perilous when Ali is tasked with solving a murder from 1850. She finds herself trapped in Victorian London during a brutal winter, cut off from the twenty-first century while her son Finn faces arrest for a contemporary murder that may be connected to her temporal predicament.
The Architecture of Time and Truth
Griffiths demonstrates remarkable skill in constructing a narrative that operates on multiple temporal levels without becoming confusing or gimmicky. The Victorian sections pulse with atmospheric detail—the bone-chilling cold, the grimy streets of London, the claustrophobic lodging house at 44 Hawk Street where Ali finds herself stranded. The author’s research is meticulous, from the price of sheep’s feet sold by street vendors to the social dynamics of a boarding house populated by artists and eccentrics.
The present-day investigation unfolds with equal precision. Finn’s arrest for the murder of Justice Minister Isaac Templeton creates genuine tension, and his predicament feels urgent and real despite the fantastical elements surrounding it. Griffiths manages the delicate balance of making readers care deeply about both timelines, never allowing one to overshadow the other.
What sets this apart from other time-travel fiction is Griffiths’ commitment to treating the temporal mechanics with scientific respect rather than handwaving them away. Dr. Jones, the enigmatic physicist who enables the time travel, speaks in careful theoretical terms about “wave fronts” and “interference patterns.” This grounding in quasi-scientific explanation makes the impossible feel plausible.
Character Studies Across Centuries
Ali Dawson emerges as a compelling protagonist, a single mother and experienced detective who finds her professional skills tested in ways she never imagined. Her voice is authentic and immediately engaging—practical, observant, occasionally humorous despite dire circumstances. Watching her navigate Victorian social customs while conducting a murder investigation creates both tension and unexpected comedy.
The supporting cast feels fully realized rather than merely functional. Cain Templeton, the mysterious Victorian aristocrat with connections to a sinister group called “The Collectors,” proves to be one of Griffiths’ most intriguing creations. His relationship with Ali develops into something that hovers between romantic tension and mutual suspicion, never quite resolving into either.
Finn’s storyline provides emotional weight to balance the more fantastical elements. His arrest and imprisonment for Isaac Templeton’s murder—a man who happens to be Cain’s descendant—creates a perfect narrative circle that ties past and present together organically. The procedural elements of his case feel authentic, grounded in realistic police work that draws on Griffiths’ extensive crime-writing experience.
The Collectors: A Sinister Society
The mysterious organization known as “The Collectors” provides the novel’s most chilling elements. Griffiths builds their menace gradually, revealing their connection to both the Victorian murder and contemporary events through carefully placed clues. The suggestion that membership requires having killed a woman adds a particularly dark edge to their activities.
The scenes depicting their meetings at the Hangman’s Club crackle with gothic atmosphere. When John Waters, Ali’s colleague who travels back to rescue her, witnesses a man vanish while sitting in an antique chair, the supernatural elements feel earned rather than arbitrary. These moments of pure horror are balanced by Griffiths’ characteristic wit and her characters’ very human reactions to extraordinary circumstances.
Technical Mastery and Minor Missteps
Griffiths demonstrates impressive technical skill in managing the complex plot mechanics. The pacing never flags, moving smoothly between timeframes and maintaining suspense across multiple storylines. Her prose remains elegant and accessible, never becoming overwrought despite the heightened circumstances.
However, the novel occasionally struggles with the sheer ambition of its concept. Some readers may find the scientific explanations insufficient, wanting either more detailed theoretical grounding or more straightforward fantasy elements. The resolution, while satisfying, relies on coincidences that might strain credibility for some.
The Victorian setting, while generally well-researched, sometimes feels slightly too clean and organized for the grimy reality of 1850 London. Griffiths’ characters navigate the past with perhaps more ease than might be realistic, though this serves the story’s pacing well.
Legacy and Literary Context
For readers familiar with Griffiths’ extensive body of work, The Frozen People represents both continuity and evolution. The archaeological themes that run through her Ruth Galloway series find new expression in time travel, while her Brighton Mysteries’ theatrical elements reappear in the gothic atmosphere of The Collectors’ meetings.
The novel stands comparison to other successful genre-bending works like Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life or Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Like those books, it uses temporal displacement to explore deeper themes about fate, family, and the ways past and present echo each other.
Essential Reading for Genre Enthusiasts
The Frozen People succeeds because Griffiths never loses sight of the human story at its core. Despite chairs that transport people through time and secret societies with supernatural connections, this remains fundamentally a story about a mother trying to save her son and solve a crime. The time-travel elements serve the characters rather than overwhelming them.
The book will particularly appeal to readers who enjoy:
- Complex, multi-timeline narratives
- Historical mysteries with supernatural elements
- Strong female protagonists in impossible situations
- British crime fiction with literary aspirations
- Gothic atmosphere combined with contemporary sensibilities
Similar Titles to Explore
Readers who enjoyed The Frozen People should consider these comparable works:
- The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton – Time loops meet murder mystery
- The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer – Historical fiction with elements of fate and coincidence
- The Time Roads by Beth Bernobich – Steampunk mystery with temporal elements
- Life After Life by Kate Atkinson – Multiple timelines exploring how small changes affect outcomes
- The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley – Time travel meets bureaucratic comedy-drama
Final Verdict
The Frozen People marks an impressive beginning to what promises to be Griffiths’ most ambitious series yet. While it may not convert readers who are typically allergic to science fiction elements, it should delight fans of inventive crime fiction and atmospheric historical novels. The book succeeds through the strength of its characterization, the authenticity of its period detail, and Griffiths’ absolute commitment to her extraordinary premise.
This is crime fiction that refuses to be confined by genre boundaries, and it’s all the stronger for that refusal. Ali Dawson’s debut adventure suggests that her future cases will continue to challenge both her detective skills and readers’ expectations in the most rewarding ways possible.