Death in Winter
Death in Winter is a Pocket TNG novel – the first novel set after the end of the Next Generation film series – written by Michael Jan Friedman. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in hardback in .

Summary 
From the book jacket
Long before Captain Jean-Luc Picard took command of the legendary Starship Enterprise, he fell deeply and hopelessly in love with Doctor Beverly Crusher. Though, for one reason or another, Picard never acted on his feelings, he found a measure of contentment as Beverly's close friend, colleague, and daily breakfast partner.

But when Doctor Crusher leaves her position on the Enterprise to become the chief medical officer of Starfleet, the brightest light in Picard's life is taken from him. And he has hardly resigned himself to his loss when he learns that Beverly has been declared missing in action on a distant planet – and presumed dead.

Kevratas is a bleak, frozen world on the far side of the Romulan Neutral Zone where the Federation has become the plague-ravaged natives' only real hope of survival and freedom. Starfleet has no recourse but to send in another team to try to save the Kevrata – and Picard is the natural choice. Critical to the success of his mission are two colleagues who served under him when he commanded the Starship Stargazer – Pug Joseph, a man with a past to live down, and Doctor Carter Greyhorse, who has served time for attempted murder – as well as a Romulan who left his people years earlier and never expected to return. Together, they follow the trail of Beverly Crusher to Kevratas, determined to succeed where the doctor failed.

On the Romulan homeworld, meanwhile, the political vacuum created by the demise of Praetor Shinzon has been filled by his staunchest supporter, Senator Tal'aura. But there are those who oppose her, including Commander Donatra and the warbird fleets under her command, because of the way Tal'aura has mishandled rebellions on the Empire's subject worlds.

And one rebellion in particular; the movement for self-determination on frigid Kevratas.

So begins a desperate struggle – not only for the freedom of the long-oppressed Kevrata but also for the soul of the Romulan Empire. Before it's over, destinies will be forged and shattered, the Empire will be shaken to its ancient foundations, and Jean-Luc Picard's life will be changed… forever.

Background information 
 Pocket editor Margaret Clark was keen to tell the story resolving Picard and Crusher's relationship, particularly now that the live-action franchise was unlikely to deal with the idea, and approached Friedman about writing it. His original concept did not involve Romulans, but Friedman recalled that "it became increasingly obvious to me that the first post-Nemesis TNG novel simply had to address the Romulan political situation". It also allowed him to revisit the characters he had begun developing in the novel  and had returned to in the Star Trek: Stargazer series. ()
 Because this novel and the first in the Star Trek: Titan series – Taking Wing – were being developed simultaneously, both were deliberately coordinated so neither would give away any critical plot points for the other. Although Taking Wing was intended to be published after this novel (and so was also set after it), it ended up being released first. ()
 Although Star Trek paperback reprints normally follow a year after hardback release, the paperback release of this novel was later than normal, in order to tie in with the Next Generation 20th anniversary and the three additional novels released that year which continued the post-Nemesis story.

Characters

Regular and recurring characters 
Jean-Luc Picard  Captain of the 
Beverly Crusher  Chief of Starfleet Medical. She and Picard frequently enjoyed trying exotic breakfast dishes during their past shared breakfast engagements.
This would appear to be contrary to an understanding established in the episode  (that they both preferred a simple breakfast).
Geordi La Forge  Chief engineer, EnterpriseWorf  Acting first officer, EnterpriseKathryn Janeway  Starfleet admiralThis novel states that Janeway has met Worf before. In the next novel, , Worf specifically states that he has not met Janeway prior to the events depicted there.
Commander Donatra  Officer of the Romulan Star Empire 
Commander Suran  Donatra's superior
Tal'aura  Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire
Sela  Commander loyal to Tal'aura 
Tomalak  Appointed commander-in-chief by Tal'aura of the Romulan military
Sariel Rager  Helmsman of the USS Enterprise-D, recently promoted to Lieutenant Commander, taking a post as second officer aboard the USS Hedderjin
Star Trek: Titan would later established Rager transferring to the  following the events of Nemesis, overriding this event in terms of the ongoing continuity.

Other characters 
Gilaad Ben-Zoma  Starfleet captain, former first officer on the , now commanding the USS Hedderjin.
Peter "Pug" Joseph  Former chief of security, USS Stargazer, now civilian captain of a merchant ship
Idun Asmund  Former helm officer of the Stargazer, now promoted to captain
Braeg  Romulan military commander and breakaway political leader (and Donatra's secret lover)
Carter Greyhorse  Former chief medical officer of Stargazer, now serving several years incarceration in a Federation rehabilitation colony in New Zealand Penal Settlement

External link 
 

cs:Death in Winter
de:Tod im Winter
Novels