I've never really understood books being described as "atmospheric" until reading this. The setting felt like it was a character of this book; I was on edge through most of it. I took several breaks to de-stress with a lighter read. I loved it!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I almost DNF this book after the 3rd or 4th death as they all were found in the same manor with not much action about them. But I pushed through and the second half of the book made up for it. I picked the killer out within the first few chapters, and I was right in the end… but all along the way I was second guessing myself. Definitely bit my nails on the last 75-100 pages.

This book started off slow for me but when it got going I was hooked. I really underestimated the amount of intensity that this book would have. I was on the edge of my chair reading as fast as I could. I thought once the book got going the pacing was great and the writing kept me engaged and wanting more.

When Christa's boyfriend asks her to go on a 2 week vacation in the Rockies near where he grew up she of course said yes. Unfortunately on the way to the lodge their bus stops as a tree had fallen on the road. Their guide says not to worry as he'll have it moved in no time. Christa and her boyfriend go for a little walk but unfortunately Christa slips and falls down an icy path. When she awakes she is covered in snow but manages to escape, however, her boyfriend is nowhere to be found. She starts to walk in the direction she thinks is best and finds a cabin just as she passes out. Lucky for her the rest of the bus mates are already there and come to her aid. When she awakes she realizes her boyfriend is not there. She insists they go look for him but they are unsuccessful in finding him. A bad winter storm is upon them and they are stuck in the cabin for at least the night as they bus cannot be moved due to the snow. The next say they realize their tour guide is missing but find him quickly after; well, they find his head hanging from a large tree outside the cabin. One by one they are murdered. Who is the murderer and why? Will they find help before it's too late?

I'm a very big Darcy Coates fan and this book did not disappoint. It's the first time I've read a thriller/mystery from them (I usually pick their scarier books) but it was just as great as the others I've read. This kept me on the edge of my seat from the get go and held on until the very end. I must have accused each and every single member of that bus as the killer. The characters were great and you find out just enough information in little bits at a time to give you the feeling you've got the story figured out but each time I was wrong. It was fast paced, well written and the chapters were great lengths that left me wanting to keep going. I would definitely recommend this one!!

I was lucky enough to read this for free and this is my honest review.

Really enjoyed this book by Darcy Coates, and it was my first time reading her. The book was hard to put down, as the plot and pacing were great. The characters were well developed. Will definitely be reading more from Darcy Coates.

This was very different from Darcy Coates other books, but it definitely didn’t disappoint! The suspense kept me turning pages late into the night because I had to know what was going to happen next and who the villain was! This book kept me on my toes never knowing who the real killer was, even when you think you know, you don’t.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an ARC of this book!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book was very intriguing to me. It had aspects that reminded me of Ant Then There Were None or more recently Daisy Darker. It’s set against a mountain getaway with a bus of strangers that get stuck at a small cabin after a bad storm and fallen tree block their way to their final destination. Some parts of the story were pretty brutal and disturbing but the twists will definitely mess with your head! Some I saw coming, others caught me completely off guard! I would recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers set in a cabin!

Dead of Winter is an isolated horror reminiscent of And Then There Were None. While I guessed who the killer was early one, I was thrilled while reading. I got so wrapped into this story. I woke up in the middle of the night scared I would be murdered. I looked over my shoulder when I was outside.

Christa and her boyfriend join a tour group to stay at a remote vacation spot in the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, a severe winter storm hinders their journey, and leaves the group stranded in the freezing weather.

I will definitely be reading more from Darcy Coates.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I have to start by saying that I LOVE Darcy Coates. She is an incredible horror writer, she is fantastic at setting up a scene, but most of all, fantastic at creating a creepy atmosphere.

Which is why it pains me to say that Dead of Winter was not it for me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I liked it, but I felt like it dragged. A LOT.

Let's start with the beginning: the official description seems a bit different than what the book feels like when starting. There is no information about her boyfriend, Kiernan, in the official synopsis, which left me a bit puzzled.

However, it has a very strong start. I LOVED it, until about 15%, when I feel like it started dragging and dragging. The chapters are short and to the point, but I couldn't really get into it about 60%.

As for the grand finale... I would love to say that I was surprised, but I actually thought it might be that way about halfway through.

Now that this book is out, I look forward to the next book in the Gravekeeper series.

True rating: 3.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Darcy Coates book and it won't be my last! Reading this in the dead of summer sent a chill down my spine (in more than one way) and I highly recommend this one!

Darcy Coates brings readers a chilling new mystery in her latest book Dead of Winter. I love how Coates effortlessly jumps genres— typically between thriller and horror—but in this one readers get a full on mystery novel. We can’t expect Coates to totally abandon her flair for horror though, and Dead of Winter can definitely be categorized as horror for its gore and (on occasion) The Shining like feels—something about an axe wielding dude chopping though a door in an abandon mountain resort. What readers will recognize most though, is the locked-room mystery to solve and the subtle nod to And Then There Were None.

Coates kicks off this mystery with a group of strangers forced to seek refuge in the middle of the mountains after a fallen tree and massive snowstorm sidelines their trip to a remote hotel. The party is slowly picked off (beheaded to be exact) and our main protagonist Christa is doing everything she can to figure out who in their group can or cannot be trusted.

With short chapters, red herrings, cliffhangers and tense moments of suspense, Dead of Winter has the elements of a great mystery covered but also the addictive and pulse-pounding feel of a thriller. There were parts where the story dragged and while I was committed to see it through, my interest did wane at times. An avid mystery or thriller reader may also find this one on the predictable side.

All in all, Dead of Winter is another solid book from Coates and she has cemented herself for me as an auto-read author. Fans of locked-room mysteries who aren’t afraid of a little gore will especially enjoy this one and there’s no doubt that even if you read it in the middle of summer there will be moments that chill you to the bone.

This was my first Darcy Coates book! I’ve heard wonderful things about Coates’s books so I was definitely excited to read her latest horror novel. Dead of Winter follows a group of people on a snowy getaway who soon become stranded in an abandoned cabin in the wilderness. What could go wrong?? Apparently, a heck of a lot! There’s some psycho going around killing people. Is it one of the group or some deranged outsider?

Mystery/thriller fans will likely enjoy this one. I found I guessed certain things early on, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. I loved Coates’s writing. She created such a creepy and chilling atmosphere in this story. I look forward to reading her other books soon!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Ok, so I really did like this one. It was well written. Interesting, creative, and just when I thought I had something figured out, there was a curveball! Once people started getting killed off, things seemed to move in a pattern, and then you could tell when time got short or someone else was being framed. But while it was happening, it wasn't as clear, and it was like, woah. Looking back, it was very well designed to lead you in a specific direction and sort of taking your attention away from the real killer. I did, however, figure out who it was about halfway through. I wasn't 100% sure, but sure enough to question the other characters being pointed at, even though I didn't know for sure until the end.

Dead of Winter is a perfect book to read on a dark, wintry night, but I also enjoyed the frigid, snowy setting while reading it in humid, ninety plus degree weather. At least I could pretend it was cooler outside.

The story begins with a danger-filled, thrilling prologue, then the first chapter jumps back to six hours earlier. I’m a fan of this approach – it makes me even more curious to know what happened to put the characters in this situation.

The Rocky Mountain setting is truly a character in this novel. It prevents the stranded group from venturing out for help, injures them when they’re out too long (frostbite is scary), and cuts off cell service. When eight strangers are crowded together in a small hunting cabin being picked off one by one in brutal ways, who do you trust? Is one of them the murderer? Is there an outsider in this scenario? With a lack of trust, very limited supplies, and no way to contact help, these characters alternate between supporting each other and biting each other’s heads off. Suspicion, tension, anger – their reactions are realistic and understandable. No one is safe.

Talk about your red herrings – I’d suspect someone and then they’d be the next victim. I love a challenging mystery. After a stunning revelation around the 70% mark, the pieces fell into place for me. And what a brilliant, gasp-worthy twist it is. The hints are definitely there, but it’s easy to gloss over them while reading.

If you’re a fan of wintry settings, challenging locked room mysteries, and a long list of suspects, Dead of Winter will certainly keep you guessing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It was supposed to be a romantic getaway in the Rocky Mountains for Christa Bailey and her boyfriend, Kiernan. But when their private tour bus breaks down on the way to the Blackstone Alpine Lodge, Christa finds herself trapped in the woods and separated from Kiernan. How did that happen? Christa is rescued by members of the group, who had been strangers to her until that day. Christa is determined to go back out into the woods to find Kiernan. Tour guide Brian convinces Christa to leave a lantern as a beacon for Kiernan, and the group prepares to go to sleep for the night in a little cabin they’ve found unlocked. Christa has a premonition—“We’re all going to die here.” When they wake in the morning, they search for Brian as he isn’t in the cabin. Their search for Brian ends when they find his head impaled on a tree branch. Christa is scared when she realizes that this killer is killing those in the group. Will Christa survive?

The author has written a fast paced thriller. Novel. The story is told from Christa’s point of view. I connected with her when she wasn’t sure who to trust if anyone. It’s a story reminds me of other stories that are dark, claustrophobic locked room type mysteries which I always like to read.

Like always, Darcy Coates delivers on the suspense and the atmosphere! This book had me on the edge of my seat from the first sentence. This was the best locked room mystery I have read in quite a while, and I could not guess any of those twists or turns. I thought it was a little drug out towards the end, but overall, I was super interested.

The atmosphere was phenomenal. I felt like I was on the snowy, cold Rocky Mountains even though I am in hot, humid southern Indiana. Might need to read this one again during a snow storm!

I'm currently in my 'thriller era' but this read hands down take the prize for 2023! Fair warning, do NOT pick this up unless you have cleared your calendar because you will NOT be able to stop reading. I love locked room mysteries and psychological thrillers, so this was the perfect combination. Add in the isolated, weather-trapped, suffocating setting and you've got a fantastic combination. Coates does a masterful job of creating a unique cast of characters and I was on the edge of my seat to identify the killer and see who might be the next to fall. So many twists and turns, excellent pacing, and propulsive prose made this a five star read for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Soucebook's Poisoned Pen Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and all of its twists and turns. I was constantly wondering who the killer was and how they were managing the kills. This book was a bit graphic, but very entertaining and detailed enough that I felt like I was watching a movie.

Dead of Winter is intense from start to finish. A group of travelers on a bus end up stranded in a snow storm. One goes missing and another loses his head. For days while seeking cover in a tiny cabin, they start getting picked off, one by one. With no way of knowing if the killer is amongst them or an outsider, tensions and fear reach max capacity.
Throughout the entirety of this book you’ll be suspicious of every character. A thrilling, wintery, whodunnit.

the way I totally guessed the plot twist but was STILL SHOCKED when it was revealed…

solid isolated thriller. the snowy vibes were immaculate. the gore was pretty good. I will say that it was hard at times for me to keep all the characters - or “suspects” rather - straight, but that could totally be a me problem. also that ENDINGGGGGG!!! I was actively angry after reading the last page. Well done Darcy.

This is the second Darcy Coates book I've read and it will most definitely not be my last!

I couldn't help but think about the other books/movies that this reminded me of while reading it, so I shall list them here :
- The Drift (without the whole sickness aspect) by CJ Tudor
- One By One by Ruth Ware
- The Shining
- The Menu (I said what I said 👀)