A dark, twist, psychological thriller that I didn’t enjoy? What? Say it ain’t so.

Unfortunately in this case, it is.

I couldn’t quite get submersed in this story. Not sure if it was the characters or the overly story that had too much ‘down time’ but something just wasn’t clicking for me.

This is a highly rated book on Goodreads so definitely check it out if this is your genre.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

This book was KILLER. Such a fast paced thriller. It was surprising, unique, and mysterious. I never expected the ending.

I judged this book by its cover n I'm not ashamed and so super glad I did! Read this! Thank you netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

Sam Neumann is a new author to me and there are a couple of reasons why I picked this book up. Firstly it snagged by attention with it’s beautiful and slightly gothic cover. Secondly, it tapped into the part of my psyche that can’t get enough of true crime with its inclusion of the character Arnold Dooley a man who it is widely believed killed his wife, however, there wasn’t enough evidence to convict. Sound familiar?

Amy Frost is our main protagonist; she is a washed out former comedian with a drinking problem who now works in the town diner as a waitress. By serving Dooley and listening to his protestation of innocence she starts a cascade of events more dangerous and closer to home than she can imagine.

It took me a while to warm up to this book. The main reason for this was that Amy is a hard person to like. She’s bitter and self-destructive, it’s not a pleasant experience living insider her head. But, as the story progresses and she starts questioning Dooley’s story it does get more engaging. There are some truly creepy moments in this book and I did enjoy the atmosphere that Neumann created. Was Amy getting paranoid, somehow infected and tricked by Arnold Dooley? Or was someone really out to get her?

However, I found the pace of the book very slow until you hit about 70% and then it speeds up. I am not a fan of books that do this, I prefer the build up to be steady throughout the book, rather than slow and then a burst of excitement toward the end. I believe this book would have been far better if some of the thriller elements were more evenly distributed through the book. As for the story I still can’t decide if I like the conclusion, to me it seemed too farfetched when a more ‘pedestrian’ explanation would have been psychologically more interesting. I don’t want to say more and give spoilers!

This was a slow moving thriller that I still can’t decide if I liked or not. It was intriguing in some places but overall I am not sure it’s a thriller I would recommend.

Starting Frost can feel a bit ambiguous but despite not exactly knowing where the story is going, it’s told so well that you’re content to just read about the characters and their daily lives. The author paints beautiful, descriptive scenes of the mountainous Colorado landscape and capture moods perfectly with light and temperature. I felt cold and warmth throughout the story as if I was there in the town of Ballast. The use of specific colors lend to a skillful interpretation of the atmosphere. Amy Frost is not necessarily likeable, but extremely relatable. That being said, I loved her and we could be instant friends. Her struggle with alcohol is real. The inner monologue of her daily battles, the resistance to temptation, the mixed feelings of relief and failure of giving in, the everyday arguments and justifications to drink and reward yourself, the shame of losing control, it was all there in ugly, vivid detail. The narrative of the Black Hawk casino culture was appropriately dark and depressing. Nevertheless, in spite of the gloomy mise en scene, there are sparks of light and hope that keep this novel from becoming a melancholic tale. There are personal victories and epiphanies that feature growth and acceptance. Hurdles are overcome and relationships are forged or mended. Overall, it speaks to routine humanity with the hint of adventure that we all seek. My hope is that we see more of Amy in the future.

Interesting and at times dark characters. The protagonist is complex. The pace is fast but at times you wonder exactly what genre you are reading. The plot is twisted and keeps you guessing. Overall a good read.

Frost, Sam Neumann's third novel, is certainly an interesting read. It's full of dark, unlikeable characters whose motives are often not known. A quick and easy read filled with suspenseful moments and surprising revelations, you simply end up tearing through it! Well written, fast-paced and a deep exploration of the human psyche. I was hoping that protagonist Amy would find her way through the maze of life and perhaps receive some good luck. I really felt for her in some of the situations she got herself into.

Many thanks to Otter Lodge Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

"A small town, a wayward woman, and the murderer who won’t leave her alone.

Amy Frost is getting desperate. When her fledgling stand-up comedy career falls flat, adding one more failure to a long list, she is forced to move back in with her mother in her hometown in the Colorado mountains. All the things she thought she had left behind have again become her reality, and at thirty-one years old, Amy is terrified of winding up in Ballast, Colorado, forever.

But she is shaken out of her self-pity when Arnold Dooley, the man who murdered his wife and was later acquitted, walks into her place of work.

The town of Ballast falls into hysteria upon learning Dooley has taken up residence on its east end, and the residents begin scheming ways to remove him. But Arnold takes an interest in Amy and begins to offer her large sums of money for seemingly innocuous tasks. Skeptical and guarded, Amy spurns the proposition until it becomes too enticing to ignore, and soon finds herself thrust into a twisted world of depravity. The only way out is for Amy to uncover who actually killed Arnold’s wife - and why they’re after her.

Frost is a gripping psychological thriller that follows its female protagonist to the depths of the human psyche."

Wrongfully accused murderer, new obsession, secrets, YAS!

Frost is a page turning thriller. There are plenty of twists to this book that will keep you wondering. The book is well written and I would recommend my friends to read this.

Amy lives with her mother in the basement of her Colorado childhood home. This is because she used to be afraid of the closets in her bedroom. Amy is now 31 and still dreams of leaving this small town and the gossip that goes right along with it. Her father had left without a word to Amy 12 years ago. Also, Amy is a serious drinker...

Monty's diner is where Amy and her best friend, Mary Anna, work as waitresses. One day a famous (to their town) 70 year old man, who was tried and acquitted for his wife's gruesome murder, stops by for lunch. A good portion of the people in the town still believe that he is guilty. Amy waits on Arnold ; "My name's Amy" and he answers, "Mine is Arnold (Dooley)."

Amy and Mary Anna went to college together in Boulder. Amy drank her way through to her senior year when she quit school (she was close to expulsion, anyway). Another reason she left college was for her love of comedy.

Arnold Dooley returns to the diner the following Tuesday. He tells Amy that she is "one of the good ones". Ted, a "townie" lets Amy know that being seen with Arnold is a no-no. She reminds Ted (a regular customer) that she is just waiting on the guy! Amy tries to hide the fact that Arnold gave her $100 just to tell her that he IS innocent. (A bit strange?)

On the comedy front, Mary Anne set Amy up for an emcee gig at a comedy club (as a try-out). As awful as Amy thinks she was, she ended up being quite good as the emcee and worked at the Comedy Club for 6 months. She had then bombed (and had been "bombed") in LA and came home. Back to the basement...

Arnold eventually tells Amy about the "bad men" that beat him up and eventually killed his wife. Amy is visited by two men in goat masks and this is how the "bad men" operate, she is told by Arnold.(How does she get herself into all of this???) At this point, Amy is torn between going to Denver to do comedy, again, and playing detective now that SHE is being stalked by the "bad men". She also knows that these men won't just go away; even if she leaves for Denver. OK, she decides to stay and find out who is threatening both her and Arnold. An acquaintance of Amy's, rich and entitled Tonya, is on the periphery. Tonya's father had given many contracts to Amy's father back in the day. This included the Emerald Isle casino in Blackhawk. Blackhawk is a town of casinos and hotels. (And maybe some answers...)

Once in Blackhawk, Amy starts her plan to flush out these loan sharks (the "bad men") that Arnold got behind in payments with. (Unfortunately, the reader sees a number of flaws in Amy's plan). Amy begins by drinking seltzer, only. Trying to find a link to these deadly loan sharks, she sits at the bar in the Emerald Isle casino
until finally a guy tells her about her about a way to get a quick loan. She needs the money, she tells him, and eventually (after giving her full name, birth date and social security # on the phone) receives a $10,000 loan drop right under her hotel door. ( 30% is the vig/interest rate) YIKES!!!

Now Amy plans to go directly to the police.....

And WOW, the rest of the story just rolls itself out. Surprise after surprise! Brilliant depiction of characters (even if some of the characters are quite unlikeable) and storyline. A quick and exciting read - recommend to all!


Many thanks to the publisher, Otter Lodge, and NetGalley for a sweet ride!

Thanks for the early review copy!

I recommend this book to fans of the adult thriller genre. This was intense and well-done thriller.

Even after I read Frost by Sam Neumann I am still not quite sure what to think about it. I like it but at times I wondered what I was reading. Was it a thriller, Mystery, a weird romance?

The characters are dark and Amy will have readers wanting her to find peace and find what she is looking for in life but readers will question why she reacts to certain situations to the point you wonder how she is ever going to be able to find her way out.



This book has readers thinking about it long after they put the book down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Sam Neumann Frost.

Frost by author Sam Neumann is a fast paced and gripping book! It is full of character and plot!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of Frost in exchange for an honest review.