Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates.
Engrossing well written thriller. A tour group on an off season trip in the Rocky Mountains gets stranded in an abandoned cabin in the middle of a snowstorm with one of their party lost in the snow. They wake up the next morning with their tour guide murdered, head posted in a tree. One was an accident. Two is a murder. As they wait for rescue, one by one members of their group are murdered. Who is it? How can they keep each other safe? How can they stay alive?

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. This was a fast paced thriller with a locked room setting. There were a lot of characters which I'm usually not a fan of. However, the author did a great job at making them all very different with specific and defining characteristics. I feel like there were a few plot holes. About halfway through the book the killer became predictable. There were a few twists that I didn't anticipate. Even though I predicted the killer I still enjoyed reading the story and the final revelation. One pet peeve was how many times the narrator had a dry mouth- someone get that girl a glass of water.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up - I LOVED DEAD OF WINTER!

Christa and her boyfriend, Kiernan, are headed for a long vacation at a secluded lodge in the Rockies when a felled tree blocks their bus's path and all hell breaks loose.

Who can be trusted? Who amongst them is a vengeful murderer? Are they all connected somehow, or just a group of unfortunate strangers trapped together?

It takes some skill to have a killer I can't figure out until it is staring me in the face, but WOW, Coates has something special here. I was gripped until the very last page, and absolutely couldn't get enough. The only reason I would give it 4.5 rather than 5 is that I would have enjoyed more character development - however, I acknowledge this is a major personal preference and there are a <i>lot</i> of characters to work through.


For fans of Yellowjackets, "Five Total Strangers" by Natalie Richards, and maybe even The Shining

Many thanks to Darcy, Poisoned Press, and Netgalley for a copy! 4.5 stars rounded up - I LOVED DEAD OF WINTER!

Christa and her boyfriend, Kiernan, are headed for a long vacation at a secluded lodge in the Rockies when a felled tree blocks their bus's path and all hell breaks loose.

Who can be trusted? Who amongst them is a vengeful murderer? Are they all connected somehow, or just a group of unfortunate strangers trapped together?

It takes some skill to have a killer I can't figure out until it is staring me in the face, but WOW, Coates has something special here. I was gripped until the very last page, and absolutely couldn't get enough. The only reason I would give it 4.5 rather than 5 is that I would have enjoyed more character development - however, I acknowledge this is a major personal preference and there are a <i>lot</i> of characters to work through.


For fans of Yellowjackets, "Five Total Strangers" by Natalie Richards, and maybe even The Shining

Many thanks to Darcy, Poisoned Press, and Netgalley for a copy!

This was way too predictable. I usually am able to predict the killer but not their motive, here I predicted the killer since the first murder. Also, the motive was clear when certain information about the main protagonist was revealed.

But I did like how atmospheric the book was. Really liked how vivid the setting and writing was. It was fast paced, I read it in one sitting, I was addicted to finding out if my theory was correct. There was some gore, I wished there was more, but I liked the amount we did get.

Usually, I love having predicted the killers in books, but only if I had put in some considerable effort into it. This book tried to dissuade me from my theory by presenting the reader with multiple red herrings, but still I knew who was behind everything. There were some really huge, blinding clues to the killer’s identity since the beginning.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dead of Winter
Author: Darcy Coates
Source: NetGalley ARC
Pub. Date: July 11, 2023

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates is an intense thriller novel. The story revolves around Christa and her boyfriend, Kiernan, embarking on a winter-based vacation to the rocky mountains. En route to their lodge, the bus breaks down in a remote pass in the middle of a blinding snowstorm. The group disembarks their bus to find shelter, but Christa and her beau get lost in blizzard conditions. Christa loses her footing and falls off a cliff, separated from Kiernan. She is badly injured but eventually finds the abandoned shelter, where she reunites with the rest of the tour group. Kiernan doesn’t make it back. No heat, white-out conditions, and an irritable group of travelers make for tense conditions. Kiernan is missing in the mountains as multiple attempts to find him fail. But this isn’t the big problem. The travelers are suddenly being picked off one by one and killed in a gruesome manner ratcheting up the tension. It also ratcheted up my nerves as the story turned horrific. I wondered how Ms. Coates would resolve the story, and she did not disappoint. This is a thriller/horror story at its very best. The fear factor is off the charts. If you love the horror genre (as I do), this book is for you. #DeadOfWinter #frostbite #poisonedPenpress #mystery #thriller #horror #murder #death #blizzard #snowstorm #secrets #deadpeople #abandoned #whodunit @netgalley @poisonedpenpress @darcybooks
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub. Date: July 11, 2023.
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#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader

The experience reading this book was amazing! The scenes are very intense, chilling and gory, just like watching a movie! I don’t want to put it down. Thank you Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press for approving me an ARC of this. A well-deserved 5 stars.

There’s a storm rollin’ in!❄️

Christa has hidden herself away from the world for the past two years. To help ease her back into society her new boyfriend arranges for a mountain getaway with a small tour group. This may be just what Christa needs to start living life again.

Only Mother Nature has something else in store for the travelers. After their tour bus gets stuck behind a fallen tree, the snow begins to fall…and fall.

Now the group of strangers are holed up in a small remote mountain cabin as the storm rages outside. Tired, hungry and cold and with no cell service, can the group survive until help finds them?

Oh, it’s not that simple my fellow readers! One by one, the members of the group are being picked off in the most gruesome of ways. A deranged serial killer on the loose? Or should they be looking at the person sitting next to them in the cabin?

Wow! This was a classic edge of your seat thriller that I absolutely devoured! It’s tagged as a horror which gave me pause since I tend to avoid that genre entirely. But don’t let that hold you back! IMO it’s more of a heart pounding thriller! Just to add to the atmosphere…I saved this for my mountain vacation and so glad I did!

Even with a fairly large cast of characters, you get to know all of them quickly and shouldn’t have any trouble keeping track of their back stories. The twists were amazing! A few I guessed and a few absolutely shocked me!

My first read by this author, who is known for her horror novels. So I’ll have to tread carefully picking up another. But her writing was so good I’ll just have to put on all the lights and make sure my guard puppy Gage is right by my side!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press

Dead of Winter is based in the Rocky Mountains. This is the time of year you don't want to be outside because the cold gets in your bones. But for the travelers that were heading to their lodge for a getaway will be stopped on the side of the road... The question you have to ask your self, do you want to stay where you are or try and find better shelter in the unknows.
When people start going missing, you start to wonder if they went to go find help or if... you know you have to read to find out! This is one that you will not want to put down.
With this one being my first read by Darcy Coates, I will for sure keep her on my list to grab any new books!
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this advance read in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was well written with a good use of similes and metaphors. I did feel the descriptions of the snow and storm conditions to go on for too long though.

The first two thirds of the story seemed to settle into a routine and the characters seemed to be just there to be picked off by the killer. But the final third really ramped up and became quite twisty and complex.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Lots of twists and turns here! The story kept me guessing until the very end. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

This was my first Darcy Coates read and I didn’t know what to expect. From what I know about her, she’s the queen of haunted houses but there were no ghosts here. This is a fun, claustrophobic thriller/slasher with tons of dread and atmospheric chills.
Christa and her boyfriend Kiernan are deep in the Rocky Mountains with a group of tourists for a two week stay at a luxurious resort. However, a felled tree and a massive snowstorm forces them into an empty cabin miles away from civilization before they can reach it. The next day the first body is found.
As their numbers dwindle and resources deplete, the group becomes more desperate. It’s clear that the killer is among them but despite every attempt to deter them, the bodies keep piling up. Eventually they have to ask - are they victims or opportunity, or was this entire thing planned?
I could not put this book down - it is compulsively readable. I did guess the killer in the first few pages, but oddly enough that didn’t dampen it for me. On the contrary, I was hooked - I had to know if I was right, obviously! I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick, thrilling read. If you were a fan of The Writing Retreat, be sure to check this one out!

This was an amazing read. Once I started I just couldn't put it down- the plot was thrilling and mysterious enough that I couldn't figure out what was going to happen

Talk about being on the edge of your seat!
I would say this is more horror than thriller and I was surprised to find out who the butcher was. This book ranks high on my all time favorite reads. It’s a MUST read!


Summary:
Christa and her boyfriend decided to go on a hiking trip with 9 others. Their trip gets derailed after the bus ride to the cabin encounters a fallen tree. While the guide is busy cutting up the tree, they decide to take a hike up the mountain. The weather takes a turn for the worst and they get stuck in a blizzard with freezing temps. They end up getting separated and Christa is rescued by the others on the bus but now her boyfriend is still missing. They find a cabin in the woods to take shelter at. The next morning they realize the guide is missing. They find him murdered. One by one, each of them is picked off. Who is the butcher?

Thank you Netgallery and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.
“Someone here has that hunger for violence. They came on this trip with a plan. To hunt us. And they don’t intend to stop until we’re all dead.”
Dead of Winter follows Christa along with a group of individuals heading to the Rocky Mountains. When a snowstorm forces the group to leave their tour bus to find warmer shelter they are met with not only the cold but a killer who seems to be picking them off one by one as the hope for rescue dwindles. Who is the killer and who can Christa really trust?
This is my third Darcy Coates novel and after reading this one it is now solidified that she will be an instant read and buy author for me! This was such an entertaining read and I could easily see it becoming a movie. You find out pretty early on in this book that characters are going to be getting killed, in fact it is even mentioned in the synopsis that Brian our tour guide bus driver is the first to go with his head being removed; with that being said there are some “bloody” descriptions so keep that in mind while reading but nothing that I found too triggering. I would classify this novel as horror/ thriller which of course are my favorite kind of thrillers! The POV is told thru Christa; one sentence especially stood out to me as I could completely relate to it: “I can credit my father for a lot of things. A hyper-developed ability to read others’ body language, a hatred of hard liquor, a mistrust of people who indulge in it” Listening to Christa’s inner thoughts and constant mental trackings of the other individuals felt very natural and believable as it would be something I think I would also do in that situation. I also found Alexis’ character and her motivation for coming on the trip to be intriguing and I was hooked at the parts with her clever coded journal. I did find myself slightly annoyed with how some of the other characters kept choosing to walk off alone knowing there was a killer picking them off one by one. The tension of being stuck in the cold wilderness with not only the elements to combat with while also not being able to trust anyone but yourself was a terrifying thought to have to endure. The twist ending was just too good, I had a feeling that’s where the book was going and I’m so glad it was exactly that because anything less would have been disappointing. Overall this book was a suspenseful fun tense read and an easy four stars for me. If you enjoy thrillers with a bit of slasher horror vibes this books is right up your alley!

Dead of Winter comes out July 11, 2023.

Thank you again NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"The trouble with sociopaths, really, is that you never know where they draw their boundaries."

Darcey Coates is obviously a talented and well known author. Having read "Craven Manor" previously I came away from that experience with high regard for Ms. Coates' detailed character studies and sublime plotting. Although I was captured by her reputation as an accomplished horror novelist I found her writing (and subject matter) interesting, smooth flowing and surprising. Interesting ending to say the least.

I then read her first novel in "The Gravekeeper Series" which is titled "The Whispering Dead". In that story a young female hides from pursuers in a cottage next to a cemetary. Since she has lost her memory she finds herself becoming comfortable in this isolated small village and makes several friends with the local residents. Unfortunately she also finds herself surrounded by ghosts living in the cemetary and becomes obsessed with a young woman who was murdered several decades ago. This story also built to a surprising and dramatic ending.

NetGalley offered me "Dead of Winter" by Ms. Coates and I was eager to get my hands on a copy, Luckily, even though I am relatively new to this forum, my request was granted and I set about reading her newest tale. A young female protagonist is also at the forefront of this story, a woman damaged by a past event that haunted her to this day, a result of being powerless to save someone's life. Her new boyfriend arranges an off-season trip to a lodge in the mountains with a small group of travelers who are also seeking a break from their normal lives. Little did they know what fate had in store for them.

I found this novel to be a weaker effort than the other two books I previously read from this author. Most of this
story takes place in a small isolated cabin and in effect it becomes more of a "who done it" than a horror story. Yes there are some horrific events that occur but these are repetitive and become anticipated by the reader. The shock value soon wears off and the subsequent action becomes somewhat tedious and boring. As I worked my way to the ending I found myself discarding several 'red herrings' as I waited for the truth to show itself. By then I was somewhat bored and the denouement left me still wanting. This is simply not one of the author's better efforts.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Christa and her boyfriend are headed into the mountains with a tour group made up of lots of different people from different walks of life. On their way into the mountains their bus gets stuck and Christa and her boyfriend Kiernan go off to explore. Of course they become lost in the snow and separated, Christa was lucky to find a cabin which also had the other passengers from the bus. After their first night together their tour guide is killed and his head placed on the tree outside the cabin. After that it’s a killing spree and I was just jaw dropped the whole time. I was really impressed by this book. I’ll admit I guessed the killer half way through but the motivation behind all the killing went so much farther back. Christa was such a resilient character and so pure of heart; even injured she refused to give up. What got me was how the bodies were all displayed in that tree, I couldn’t imagine seeing that especially as more are added and never knowing who would be next. My only complaint is that once all the action got going about halfway through I had trouble differentiating between the characters. Though that may have been my fault too as I was flying through eager to know the end. Amazing read though and one I will pick up again.

WOW!

This is the first time in a long time that a book truly scared me. This book also got me out of my book slump! Finally, a book that was truly worth the read.

What is scarier than being stuck in a secluded cabin in a winter storm with total strangers? Then, bodies start to drop. Who’s killing everyone? Who can you trust? As paranoia and tiredness sets in, it would leave anyone on the verge of losing it.

I definitely recommend this read to anyone! But be prepared to stay up all night with fear and the intense need to finish the book!

Christa and Kiernan join a tour group going into the Rocky Mountains. When a bitterly cold snowstorm passes through and they are forced to hold up in an abandoned hunting cabin. The quarters are claustrophobic and the temperature outside is rapidly dropping but Christa believes they will be safe as they wait out the storm. She could not be more wrong.

Deep in the night the tour guide goes missing. Only to be discovered the next morning, his head severed and impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified and completely isolated by the storm,Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of the kills for sport and they’re far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide whom she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her grave.

I love winter horror and this, did not disappoint. I could hear the wind whistling and feel the cold in my bones as I read. Full of twists and turns right up till the end. Darcey Coats does it again.

Thank you Ms. Coates, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
This should be released for purchase on July 11th, 2023

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates: A compelling tale that is a perfect combination of thriller/mystery/suspense/horror with many twists and turns will have you turning the pages as fast as you can. A small diverse group of people on a bus heading to a lodge in the Rocky Mountains find themselves stranded and forced to take refuge in small remote cabin during a snowstorm, where someone starts eliminating them one-by-one. The vivid descriptions of the cold, brutal weather, along with the one-by-one slaughtering of members of the group who seemingly have nothing in common, will keep you on the edge of your seat. A great read for fans of locked room mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and author Darcy Coates for the advance read copy of this terrific book.


Tag line: A compelling tale that is a perfect combination of thriller/mystery/suspense/horror with many twists and turns will have you turning the pages as fast as you can.

Oh my gosh... I cannot recommend this book enough. As a major fan of thriller & suspense novels, I was excited for this book from the beginning but I didn't know exactly what I was getting into. But this book absolutely shocked me in the best ways possible!!! Darcy Coates did an incredible job with the characters and plot of this novel. You were drawn in from the very beginning and hooked until the absolute last page.
It is set in a snowy landscape isolated from civilization with a cast of characters that are there for an idyllic mountain getaway. But on their way to the lodge, their bus getting stuck in a snowstorm and they have to find shelter in a nearby cabin who's occupants are gone. But one by one, the members of the group start dying mysteriously and the snowstorm isn't letting up. They have no way to contact the outside world and attempts to get to safety go awry. I continuously thought I knew who the killer was and who would be murdered next but I was so wrong and completely thrown with every body. The gruesome aspect of the story I found very entertaining, no extremely graphic but definitely more so than a traditional mystery novel. Throughout this book I would constantly get up and pace and scream and gasp, I was 1000% hooked!! It gave similar vibes to Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, both of which I loved as well. This is my favorite read of 2023 so far and I cannot sing Darcy Coates' praises enough, I will be reading more of her in the future! Overall, an incredible 5 star read that I will be recommending to every thriller lover I know! I am still thinking about it days later and will most definitely be purchasing a physical copy for my bookshelf on July 11th!