When R.D. Wingfield was invited to write “Frost at Christmas” in 1972 by MacMillan – and then not have it published until the early 1980’s in Canada – little did we know then that Frost would become a television phenomenon spanning 18 wonderful years. Wingfield died of prostate cancer in 2007 and his final novel A Killing Frost published the following year.
With that in mind, James Henry (pseudonym for James Gurbutt and Henry Sutton) has authored a prequel to the Frost series and the first title (of two) is aptly called “First Frost”. Written on behalf of the R.D. Wingfield Estate it breathes new life into the colourful character and one of the great television detectives of the modern era.
Denton, 1981 – Shakin Stevens has already had two number one records with “This Ole House” and “Green Door”, Diana and Charles marry at St Paul’s Cathedral and the United States launch the first space shuttle – Detective Sergeant Frost meanwhile is struggling with his marriage and an Abba tune he can’t seem to escape!
Julie, a twelve year old girl, out shopping for a school uniform with her mother, disappears from the changing rooms while her mother (Mrs Hudson) browses the new lingerie section. In the background a stranger is watching, waiting for a chance to pounce – it takes her mother twenty minutes before she realises her daughter is missing.
Meanwhile back at Denton Division HQ (Eagle Lane)DI Allen is on a walking holiday and DI Bert Williams, just two weeks from retirement, is nowhere to be found. William Edward “Jack” Frost is the highest ranking officer at the station and Superintendent Mullet, just six months into his command, has no option but to begrudgingly hand the investigation to …



A claim by tabloid newspaper “
Wonderful, absolutely wonderful.
Watson has returned from Afghanistan and is looking for new digs. A friend of Holmes introduces the pair and the detective immediately figures out Watson’s past from a 30 second introduction – the rest as they say is history. The pair meet the following day at 221B Baker Street and we, the viewers, are introduced to “Housekeeper” Mrs Hudson played by Una Stubbs.
There are two stand out tracks on the album for me, “Magic” and “Perfection” (lyrics below) and it’s the latter that really struck a chord with me. Despite its cheesy lyrics the song is heartfelt and until its …