3.5 stars

This was fast and exciting, with short chapters, and an intriguing closed-door type-mystery set-up. This felt a tad too long, and I found myself annoyed by the fact that the main character kept referring to the killer as "the butcher" instead of "the killer" (one of those things that once you notice just gets more and more irritating), but it was really clever how the people were interconnected and the twist at the end caught me completely off guard.

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and most importantly Darcy Coates for the advanced copy of this chilling thriller!

Christa has stayed hidden away in secluded of her apartment for the past 2 years. To help her get back to herself, her boyfriend, Keirnan, arranges a luxury mountain getaway with a small tour group.

The tour bus gets stuck behind a fallen tree, and Keirnan takes Christa on a hike to the mountain top. A possible proposal? 💍 Not quite! Mother Nature has plans of her own and an insane blizzard separates the two! ❄️

Christa, while struggling from frostbite and below freezing temps, finds a remote hunters’ cabin where the rest of the tour is hunkering down. Low on food, freezing, no cell service, and no way to reach the outside world, will they survive?

Ohhhh nooo that’s not all this group is facing. One by one the group is being beheaded! Is it one of their own? Is it a killer on the loose?

Reading this book in the heat of summer is exactly the cold chill I needed! ❄️ I wouldn’t consider this book horror as it was suggested. Rather, this was an edge-of-your-seat and page-turning thriller with the typical isolation trope. Even though I guessed some of the twists, the twists and turns did not stop coming until the very end!

This was my first read by Darcy Coates. And I will be happy to say I have already added another of her books to my shelf. Whether it’s a horror or thriller, I am absolutely here for it!

This book reminded me of a cross between the movie "Clue" and a slasher horror film. Like most horror films, I can't say I particularly liked any of the character, but that ended up being a good thing considering how many get killed off. Though I was able to guess the end, I still found it an enjoyable read and would definitely recommend it to fans of horror movies and thriller readers alike. My biggest critique was that I wish there was a little more unpacking after the climax of the book--the last chapter finished so abruptly I was genuinely surprised it was the end of the book.

Another great story by one of my favorite authors. I love what Coates did here and I cant wait to see what else she comes up with in the future.

My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of "Dead Of Winter" in exchange for an honest review.
Allow me to catch my breath and wash the gallons of blood off me, which in this book, flows out almost as fast as the flooded elevator in "The Shining"...
"Dead Of Winter" honestly stunned me, a horror-whodunit mash-up of Dame Agatha's "And Then There Were None" and......well, feel free to slot in any recent horror film with a high body count and equivalent gore to match.
Since the book also functions as a Christie-worthy puzzler with double wow twists and reveals, there's nothing I'd ever dare discuss in any detail........or I'd risk enraging an army of fellow readers to hunt me down and hand out punishment equal to what happens to some of the characters here.....
Simply put, we have a disparate tour busload of vacation travelers on their merry way to a middle-of-nowhere getaway cabin complex nestled in the Rocky Mountains. -the very, very snowy, windy, blizzard=stricken Rocky Mountains.
Given these terrible conditions, the bus can't go anywhere when a tree falls in front of it. While some of passengers chip in to help their driver-guide make short work of the tree with a chainsaw. Christa and boyfriend Kiernan decide to hike around a bit........which leaves Kiernan lost in the storm and Christa and the rest braving the blizzard to find him.
Once the constant snow and wind force them all to take refuge in a small cabin apparently designed for stranded travelers, non-stop death and horror commence. With a vengeance, it seems........cause someone among them has a list......and they've already checked it twice and judged everyone naughty, not nice.
Author Darcy Coates takes you on a dark, dark ride here, and you'll feel every inch of cold sweat and freezing fear that overwhelms those luckless, unusual suspects. You can try to guess all you want as to what's going on and who's doing what to whom......but chances are you'll never see that massive reveal when it hits you in the face.
But those who prefer their mysteries civilized with tea and scones included should take the hints I dropped earlier in this review.......keep in mind that this may sound like "And Then There Were None", but it's ripped heart lies deeper in "Halloween" and "Friday The 13th" territory, with a heap of the kind of icebound fear loathing and paranoia among the characters similar to the the guys in John Carpenter's "The Thing"
Proceed if you dare and a surprising and, bloody good time is guaranteed.

In short: 8 strangers on a tour in the Rocky Mountains are forced to seek refuge in an abandoned cabin amidst a winter storm.

What to expect:
❄️Locked room, abandoned cabin
❄️Winter landscape where the setting was its own character
❄️Told from single POV as the other 8 guests die one by one

Final thoughts: This was a fantastic wintery, locked room thriller where I had NO idea who the killer was. I was completely captivated by this book and the tense, gripping writing. My only regret is that I didn’t read this in the winter when I first received the early copy. This is a book that definitely should be published in the depths of winter, not summer.

While this one started out gripping it lost me about halfway through. I guessed the killer in the first few chapters and had a good idea of motive before it was revealed. The ending was abrupt. Not my favorite read by this author.

4.5 Stars. I wish to extend thanks and appreciation to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This riveting and intense locked-room mystery introduced me to its author Darcy Coates. Plenty of recent books follow the formula of a group of people stranded in a remote location through impassible roads and bad weather. They are being killed off one by one. None know the reason or who to trust. Darcy Coates has written an intense, suspenseful mystery with added gory passages to provide horror. This was a spellbinding read and an example of what a shocking locked-room mystery should be.

A diverse group of people have been invited to spend two weeks in a remote lodge deep in the Rockies. An intense blizzard is raging outside. The bus with eleven passengers breaks down after they have removed a fallen tree blocking their path. Despite the heavy snowfall, Christa and her new boyfriend, Kiernan, wander off to view the magnificent mountain scenery. Christa falls into a ravine and becomes separated from her boyfriend. She has lost a glove, and her fingers start to become badly frostbitten. She makes a futile search for Kiernan. With the howling storm, it is unlikely he can survive the night. After her search, Christa stumbles upon a deserted hunting cabin where the other bus passengers have taken refuge. There is no food, heat, or electricity, and they cannot call for help.

Christa is distraught over losing her boyfriend and persuades others to search with her. The first one murdered is their guide. His body is missing, but his severed head is grotesquely displayed on a tree branch. Next, the wife of one of the men is killed and displayed in a similar fashion. Kiernan's teeth are placed on a windowsill, and later Christa finds his mutilated body. It is no wonder that everyone is starting to panic and suspect other group members. The remaining men and women refer to the unknown killer as the 'Butcher' whose weapon is an axe. Soon a teenage boy is killed and displayed in a horrific manner. There are reasons to suspect both men and women remaining in the cabin, but what could their motives be? The deaths are ones of gut-wrenching horror.

The book started rapidly, lagged slightly in the centre, and then became pulse-pounding with frantic action towards the end. With only a few left alive, Christa is chased through deep snow by a man wielding an axe. She tries to reach the empty lodge and hide, but he pursues her there. Is she safe in the lodge? How can she survive the madman? Is help coming? There is now a far-fetched and weird twist that not every reader will welcome.

I would have preferred an extra chapter showing the outcome of all the extreme trauma. Two people were left seriously wounded. Do either survive? Does Christa need her frostbitten fingers or hand amputated? Recommended for the relentless pace and intensity of the story. A thriller that actually thrills and constantly surprises. To be published July 11.

This is a kinda gruesome (well, gory) locked (snowed in) mystery that will keep you guessing. Christa finds herself in serious danger as someone is picking off members of the tour group she's stranded with. Who is the villain? No spoilers from me but know that I was surprised. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner!

Picture this. It's July 1st, 3728 degrees outside, and I'm laying out on the beach reading. Naturally I'm reading a book about a group of people trapped in a snow storm in the Rocky Mountains getting brutally murdered one at a time, right? 🫠

I guessed the ending right away, but it didn't take away my enjoyment since there were 10 other stories to try and piece together. It's very a And Then There Were None type of books. The ending got a little bizarre, but in a few months when it's cold and you're looking for a fun fast paced mystery, definitely give this one a go.

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates is an exciting survivalist horror thriller that definitely wanted me to keep reading well past my bedtime. A group of travelers are stranded in the mountains during a winter storm and have taken shelter in a small cabin. Very quickly they start getting murdered one by one in some pretty grisly ways and find themselves in a struggle to survive the harsh elements and a murderer. The premise behind this story is not something new or original. It has been done by some amazing authors, such as the great Agatha Christie and Ruth Ware; however, Darcy Coates has still made it feel fresh and compelling. There were times where I needed to stop reading (because work) and I really wanted to read just one more chapter. The chapters are short and help to keep the pacing of the story so that you want to keep reading. I did figure out the killer and motive early on in the story, but even knowing that information did not make this story any less thrilling to read. This is not my first Coates novel and will definitely not be my last. I highly recommend this book!

This is such a fun and fast paced thriller with a mix of horror. I couldn’t put it down and it genuinely shocked me with the twist at the end

You must read this book! This is one of my favorites so far this year. I was hooked from the beginning and absolutely did not see the ending coming. Don’t trust anything or anyone.

Another hit from Darcy! I enjoyed this take on the locked-room mystery and I was surprised by the twists! So far I've really liked everything Darcy has written. Can't wait for the next one!

4.5 very chilling stars

Kiernan and Christa are headed to the luxurious Blackstone Lodge, nestled deep in the Rocky Mountains. She really needs this escape.

The tour group encounters rough winter weather, and the bus comes to a stop when a tree is covering the road. Kiernan invites Christa on a short walk to a scenic outlook while the tree is tackled. They got lost and disoriented in the snow. Christa finally finds a remote cabin where the group has found shelter. Kiernan is still missing.

Even though the group has safety from the elements, a sinister force is at work and a killer is picking them off, one by one. Is there a deranged mountain person on the loose or is it one of them? Can Christa trust any of them? And is it too late to find Kiernan?

The cold and snow were swirling in this one and some of the scenes were grisly. I kept turning the pages though to find out if Christa would make it out alive. This would make a perfect snowstorm read, nestled in front of the fire.

The second half of the book really redeemed it for me. At first I couldn’t see where this was going and the disjointed narration of the main character, I know this was the point given the situation but it was too choppy.

Once the book picked up it shot for the stars and I read it in one sitting. We just took a hot minute to get there.

The only thing that left me wanting more was the lack of an epilogue. Normally we get a better conclusion with Darcy’s books, this one didn’t give me that satisfaction.

Prepare for a gripping, chilling, and engrossing read with "Dead of Winter." Darcy Coates expertly crafts a frozen landscape, a stranded bus, and a cast of characters entangled in danger and suspicion. This homage to classic whodunits will keep you guessing, with red herrings scattered throughout the narrative. With flawlessly portrayed characters and a web of intrigue, Coates delivers her best work yet. Get ready for a suspenseful, accessible read that guarantees thrills.

Dead of Winter
by Darcy Coates
Pub Date: 11 Jul 2023

Dead of Winter is a heart pounding thriller that kept me up at night! If you like thrillers, horror, suspense, mystery or anything in between you must read this book.

Synopsis:

When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she's hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn't be more wrong.

My Thanks to #Netgalley & #PoisonedPenPress for giving me an ARC of this book.

This book has zero chill. Well a lot of chill, oh you know what I mean! It jumps right in. It’s tense, eerie, gripping, so hard to put down. Travelers seeking shelter, horrid winter storms in a frozen mountain landscape, no where to run. Eight strangers, one killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a thriller to help cool you off this summer.

Dead of Winer is a phenomenal locked room mystery from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Dead of Winter asap.