Chrissy and her boyfriend, Kiernan, have joined a tour set deep in the Rocky Mountains. While driving there they run into a bad storm. Chrissy and Kiernan leave the stranded bus to hike a bit. They end up at a spot where Chrissy slips off, is rescued by Kiernan and then he disappears. She unsuccessfully attempts to look for him and discovers a cabin where the other nine people from the bus have gone to keep out of the weather. She has also gotten frostbite in one hand. People begin dying grotesquely and everyone is suspecting each other of the murders. Going further would lead to spoilers, but I got so involved in what came next and the plot twists that I read the majority of the book in an afternoon. Thanks to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC for an honest review.

Dead Of Winter is a grim but riveting mystery. The characters are first introduced to each other as they travel together for a winter getaway. As the book progresses and the reader gets further inside their minds, the suspense builds. One by one they are killed in a very grisly fashion, but who is the murderer. The people know that they are in danger as they await who is the next victim. Unfortunately, the ongoing snowstorms make it impossible for any of them to escape. They doubt each other, search everyone for weapons, stay together, keep an eye on one another, but none of these works. The page-turning plot is well-crafted, and the ending is unexpected. Nothing less than a true gem.

This is a well-written, horror-filled whodunit that I just couldn't connect with. It was a struggle for me to finish it, and I didn't really care much about any of the characters. I absolutely can see its appeal - it just didn't resonate with me. Could I see this as a movie? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very dark murder mystery with some interesting twists. Even though I figured out the murdered in the beginning, I still found the book intriguing and intense.

I have read a few other Darcy Coates books and I will definitely be reading more of her books.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

I will start off by saying I am so mad at myself that this is my first Darcy Coates book! I will be reading her other books for sure.

This book was completely right up my alley as far as, creepiness, gore, setting, and character development.

Christa and her boyfriend Kiernan are taking a trip to Blackstone Alpine Lodge deep in the Rockies in the middle of winter. They get on the private bus tour with 10 other people including Brian the tour guide.

Of course, a winter storm comes in and blows them off path.

What follows is what would be anyone’s worse nightmare out in the wilderness with no help in sight. The first body turns up. Missing a head! Pretty soon, the bodies are piling up. No one knows who to trust. Someone in their midst is a killer. And not only are they fighting against the unknown person, they’re fighting for heat, and food during the middle of a snowstorm. No phone service, roads impassable, someone lopping off heads makes for a really atmospheric, terrifying read. This is one of those books that plays out as a movie in my head as I’m reading.

As a huge locked room thriller fan, I do know sometimes these can get a bit boring in the middle part. This one had NO boring parts at all. The plot was really meticulously planned out. The only thing I didn’t like as much was the very very ending part was abrupt. I wanted an epilogue.

Highly recommend this one. Thank you again NetGalley.

Darcy coates has done it again! This book was amazing ! I was hooked the entire time and just as I thought I predicted everything I was wrong. So good.

Eight strangers go on an adventure to the wilderness and all of a sudden, one goes missing. Then, another and so forth. This had me guessing all the way through and I could not put this book down. I really felt like I was in the woods with them! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published July 2023.

SHUT UP. Okay I’m not gonna lie it took me like 15 chapters to realllyyyy get into the book but once we got to the initial kill I was HOOKED. It kept me guessing going back between its a crazy person in the woods to no it’s definitely one of them. And the ending?????? I did NOT see that coming but made sense now knowing what I know now. 5/5 stars will be pushing it onto all my friends!!

Dead of Winter is a riveting locked room mystery with a nice helping of gory horror as well! the story is dark, twisted, and I really was on the edge of my seat for this. There were good twists that honestly surprised me and I am glad to say I didn't guess the killer (that to me proves the author knows what they're doing when it comes to suspense and mystery).

Christa embarks on what is supposed to be a romantic trip with her boyfriend to a remote lodge, but when a storm hits and a felled tree stops the bus, eight strangers are stranded in a remote location and one of them turns out to be a killer.

the story really jumps right in and wastes no time getting started. I appreciated that there wasn't too much time spent on backstory (and instead you learn pieces along the way). I felt that the story had a nice pace and I loved all the red herrings and clues. It kept me guessing until the end. The characters were also interesting. They all had something to hide but not what you might think and I appreciated Christa's perspective of the others.

my only note is that I wish there had been a little more closure in the end. I was disappointed that some of my questions were not answered and that left me wanting more.

overall, I truly did find myself wrapped up in this mystery and couldn't put it down. I will definitely be picking up other titles by this author!

thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read an early copy of this book!

I’ve read several Darcy Coates novels, and I’d never seen them as something other than kind of fluffy to read. They were basic, 3-star books that sometimes contained dialogue that felt really unreal. I think this is because she was quite young when she started writing and didn’t have enough life experience yet.

She’s gained a reputation for writing basically cozy horror, which is fine but isn’t my thing. This book looked like it might be different, though, so I decided to request an ARC. And let me tell you; Coates has finally arrived.

This book was written with real skill, and with a much better understanding of human nature than her previous efforts. Plus, there’s some really good gore-filled sections, too. If you like Coates as a cozy horror writer, you might want to skip this one. But if you want a horror whodunnit with so many twists and turns you’ll get whiplash, then this one just might be one of the better ones you read this year.

I loved the tension that Coates brought to this story. There were several moments when I realized I was holding my breath, lol. There were also a couple of moments that made me cheer.

Regarding the ending, this is another issue I’ve had with some of Coates’ other books. But this time, there is some ambiguity at the end, which I absolutely loved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this ARC. At first reading the description of this book it seems like many other books, until you get to the part about severed head impaled on a tree. This is what made me want to read this book; I love horror books. I like how each of the characters are described, each one is very different. The main character, Christa, is still recovering from a traumatic event that occurred two years past, and how the author ties that event into the story is fantastic! As the story progresses, she gets stronger and braver. There are so many twists and turns in the book, it kept me interested. I really enjoyed the ending; I didn't quite see it coming but had my suspicions. This book keeps you guessing all the way to the end, I would definitely recommend!

This book has all the elements of suspense, creepiness and the inability to stop turning the pages. I was hooked. I admit there were spots where my interest weaned a bit, but then something else would happen and I was right back in it. The twists and turns had me guessing till the bitter end. This is one heck of a story that makes for one interesting read.

I very much enjoyed Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates. I have read many of her other titles, and this newest entry was a solid addition. Dead of Winter is essentially a locked room mystery; the protagonist is on a holiday retreat that goes very wrong very quickly, resulting in a number of strangers holing up together in a tiny cabin, in an isolated area, in the freezing cold of winter. One by one, their numbers dwindle as they are gruesomely murdered. It’s up to our protagonist to try and figure out what’s going on, and survive.

Things I liked: the book was so atmospheric! I felt the claustrophobia, the biting cold, and the tension. This, to me, is where Darcy Coates excels. She really knows how to set the stage for her tales so that you as a reader are drawn in.

What I didn’t like: unfortunately it was very easy to guess the killer’s identity. I was suspicious of this person from the start, picked up a few clues along the way, and was unsurprised by the time the big reveal happened. That was a bit of a letdown.

Overall, I still enjoyed Dead of Winter. It was well done, as tense as I want a thriller to be, and it did manage to surprise me at a few points along the way. I look forward to the author’s next book!

Such a good read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Wow !!! What a great book. This was a locked room... and then there were none... type of book. Christa and Kiernan go on a vacation to a remote lodge in the Rocky Mountains. They are on a bus with others. On the way there, a tree is down blocking the road, thus the tour guide must chop up the tree to remove it. While he does that Kiernan suggests he and Christa take a walk. Kiernan is from that area and is familiar with the landscape. It is brutally cold with a blizzard brewing. The blizzard begins while they are on their walk and they get lost. Christa steps off a ledge and falls and can't find Kiernan. I've never read anything by this author, but she made the landscape and brutal weather come to life. The blowing snow, the screaming wind, the bone chilling cold. Christa wanders and wanders and eventually comes upon a cabin where everyone on the bus is except for Kiernan. Her fellow travelers bandage her hand which wax exposed to the cold and now has frostbite while she sleeps, totally exhausted. They barely have any food and use the fireplace for warmth. Luckily the door to the cabin was left open. Their tour guide goes outside to use the facilities but doesn't return. They begin to worry so set off outside to look for him. The snow has reached knee deep, wind still howling. Instead of finding him, they find something absolutely awful. He is dead. Thus begins the game of who amongst them is the killer. This is quite a long read as there are quite a few members in their party. It was so well written, I will certainly read more by Darcy Coates. I could feel the chill and cold she described. The ending was absolutely spectacular. I didn't see it coming at all. I would have never even guessed who the killer was or why. And there is a reason. Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Books for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I totally enjoyed it.Wow !!! What a great book. This was a locked room... and then there were none... type of book. Christa and Kiernan go on a vacation to a remote lodge in the Rocky Mountains. They are on a bus with others. On the way there, a tree is down blocking the road, thus the tour guide must chop up the tree to remove it. While he does that Kiernan suggests he and Christa take a walk. Kiernan is from that area and is familiar with the landscape. It is brutally cold with a blizzard brewing. The blizzard begins while they are on their walk and they get lost. Christa steps off a ledge and falls and can't find Kiernan. I've never read anything by this author, but she made the landscape and brutal weather come to life. The blowing snow, the screaming wind, the bone chilling cold. Christa wanders and wanders and eventually comes upon a cabin where everyone on the bus is except for Kiernan. Her fellow travelers bandage her hand which wax exposed to the cold and now has frostbite while she sleeps, totally exhausted. They barely have any food and use the fireplace for warmth. Luckily the door to the cabin was left open. Their tour guide goes outside to use the facilities but doesn't return. They begin to worry so set off outside to look for him. The snow has reached knee deep, wind still howling. Instead of finding him, they find something absolutely awful. He is dead. Thus begins the game of who amongst them is the killer. This is quite a long read as there are quite a few members in their party. It was so well written, I will certainly read more by Darcy Coates. I could feel the chill and cold she described. The ending was absolutely spectacular. I didn't see it coming at all. I would have never even guessed who the killer was or why. And there is a reason. Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Books for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I totally enjoyed it.

Dead of Winter is a thrilling story that will keep you awake well into the night turning pages as the author brings the story to a riveting conclusion. It is such a twisty and turny thriller with a super cool setting. It has an interesting blend of horror and thriller elements, with lots of different characters, each with interesting backstories. This book is heart-pounding, and will keep you guessing all the way until the end. I highly recommend it. I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.

What a phenomenal trip this book was! As you read and price together this masterpiece, it continues to shock and confuse. I really enjoyed the ebb and flow as the ending came into view.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC! I loved this book! Non-stop for the very beginning. It kept you guessing the entire time. Who was going to be next? Who was the killer? I thought I have it figured out so many times but then I was wrong! Such a great job at creating the feeling of isolation and the confinement of the characters. It was amazing how everything came together yay the end and gasped when it was all revealed.

There is plenty of gore and I loved her ability of creating the anxiety of what is going to happened to the characters. There are a lot of character at the beginning to keep track of but she does a great job at reminding you of who people are, almost as if Christa, is trying to remember herself.

My only complaint or confusion was knowing the distance of landmarks around the cabin. Sometimes it felt that is was a longer ways away and other times close by

Solid 4.5 stars and I can’t wait to read more from Darcy Coates.

Wow - all I can say is what a roller coaster! This book grips you right from the start and you DO NOT want to stop turning pages. The main character, Christa goes on a "supposedly" dream vacation with her current boyfriend to a lodge deep in the smokey mountains with a group of strangers. A huge snow storm blocks the bus from making it to the lodge and they are forced to stay in a cabin found near the bus. This goes from bad to worse as each person is brutally killed and no one knows who is butchering all the people. It is a fight for survival in the worst of elements. The killings are happening fast and furious and you don't have time to stop reading if you want to know who the killer is in this book. I will say the ending was a bit abrupt and didn't really close all the loops which left me with a few questions. But overall this was a great suspenseful page turner and I would read more books from this author. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC! Non stop from page one! I could not put this one down! It's been so long since I've read a real page turner and this delivers!

This will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the last page. 4.5 stars!