OMG, run, don't walk to get a copy of this book. The plot is bloody brilliant!! Literally bloody as well.

I didn't think I needed another 'locked in a blizzard' thriller but apparently I do! Ms. Coates elevates this genre to new heights with 'Dead of Winter', by giving a specific event as a commonality between all persons lured to the cabin in this novel. An original twist not seen in other books of this genre like 'One by One', 'Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six' or 'The Sanatorium'.

Christa and her boyfriend Kiernan decide to take a 2 week tour up into the Rocky Mountains to a luxury resort. They both have had losses in their lives and families and are looking forward to spending some quality time together on a small organized tour.

Halfway up the mountain, their tour bus is stopped by a fallen tree in the road. Their trusted tour guide Brian, believes he can remove it to continue their journey, but soon snow overcomes the bus and they are forced to hike up the hill to an abandoned cabin where they spend the night. In the morning Brian is missing and then they find his body or part of it. Accusations fly and it's unclear who can be trusted.

It's been a long time since I read a book that grabbed me right away, that I contemplated staying up all night to finish, and that gave me no clue (even at 70% in) who the killer could possibly be. Each time you thought you knew who the killer was, they ended up dead! Each character has a stake in what is happening but when you try to picture them as a killer, doubts emerge. The cold, relentless snow is a character unto itself and is never ending, seeping into the pores of this story and making the reader also feel chilled to the bone.

The suspense is taut, the bodies are stacking up, and with no resolution in site, desperate measures are taken by the remaining characters. Just when you think you have everything figured out, the mother of all twists occur and you are left with your mouth hanging open--Whaaaaatt??

I'd love to see a movie version of this book with maybe Jennifer Lawrence as Christa? Highly highly recommend!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the early release.

Dead Of Winter centers around a group of strangers headed to a remote mountain resort in the Rocky Mountains when a sudden violent winter storm derails their plans and leaves them stranded in a cabin with no ways of reaching the outside world. When the group starts being picked off and decapitated one by one they realize a member of their group is a killer. The book tells the tale through the perspective of Christa, who goes on the trip with her boyfriend. The pacing of the book is fantastic as it slowly reveals its twists and turns. The book's atmosphere is also very well done, I found the book to be absolutely terrifying at times and truly made me feel like I was stuck with the group. The book's conclusion was tense and I was impressed by how the book kept me second guessing my predictions. Overall, Dead of Winter is a great horror suspense novel that kept me absolutely hooked. 5/5

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the early access to the Book.

Here's my short Non-spoiler review:-

- For those who are fond of snow and enjoy slasher horror, this book is an absolute delight. With a captivating narrative, it engrosses the reader from the very beginning, making it hard to put down until the end.

- The author skillfully brings each character to life, providing a well-defined and intricate portrayal of their personalities. The protagonist, Christa, is a remarkable example of a person whose survival instincts surpass the challenges presented to her, both physical and emotional.

- Dead of Winter is a must-read for those who appreciate a thrilling and well-crafted horror story, which leaves a lasting impression on the reader's mind.

I have mixed feelings. On one hand it was gripping, enthralling, and a total page turner. On the other I found it to be pretty predictable, and the reader doesn’t get to know if two of the characters live at the end… both of those things are pretty frustrating. So I enjoyed it but some of it was a bit underwhelming.

4 Stars for bestselling author Darcy Coates and Dead of Winter. Christa and her partner/friend hope on a bus with strangers for a winter getaway, this trip was not what they had in mind. Never get off the bus! No matter what. Christa made it to the safety of emergency shelter, with many strangers, but her friend did not. Was this by accident or purpose? Find out by reading this fabulous Clue-style novel with ample finger-pointing and edge-tipping pages. Thank you to Darcy Coates, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for this excellent ARC.

When I first discovered Darcy Coates, I was hooked on her spooky haunted house books. They were addicting. Then, her books changed from cozy feeling spookfests to epic stories of people in larger settings in grave danger. I was freaked out by Gallow's Hill and the subterranean scenes. From Below, set in a haunted sunken ship, made me have to pause and remind myself that I was on land and completely safe from drowing or pressure turning me into mush. I loved it. Dead of Winter finds several people on a trip to an expensive resort in the middle of the snowy Rocky Mountains. When a blizzard hits while they are enroute by bus, chaos descends as all the passengers end up in a tiny cabin not far from the bus. Then the murders start and it's tension filled fun as the survivors try to figure out who is the culprit and how to get back to civilization. I was delighted
that the author finally describes the characters' looks as I previously spent four books of her Black Winter series wondering what the main character looked like. I want to avoid spoilers, so I will say that this book was a treat with the winter setting playing an important role in the outcome. My only complaint was that the ending was a bit abrupt, Iwanted more.

This book is super fast paced and enjoyable, and when the summary says GRIPPING, it means it! This is one of those books you stay up until 4am to finish.

This was my first read by Darcy Coates and I AM FLOORED!! 👀 This book is top tier. Period.

She does an incredible job at making you paranoid and suspicious of every person and moment. Every character has the means and opportunity, and there are so many twists and turns that you better take your Dramamine beforehand to avoid motion sickness lol. I am so in shock finishing this book, and the ending was insane.

Congratulations, Darcy, I will now go buy all your books 😂 #TeamCoates

Thank you NetGalley and Darcy Coates for the ARC!

I think I would have enjoyed this more as a movie. As a book, it was so predictable that I totally lost interest. The first two chapters were really good and edge-of-the seat though.

3 stars from me.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley and Darcy Coates for the egalley of this book.
About the book:
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.

Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing...only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them 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 who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.

Once I started this book I could not stop reading it Lots of unexpected happenings. It had me guessing, that's for sure! If you like scary trapped winter reads, this one is for you!

I don’t know what I was expecting with this novel but it wasn’t that! I was so surprised but in a good way! This was so good and so entertaining. I found myself really wanting to know what happened so much so that I couldn’t put it down! I stayed up way too late both nights reading this.

I loved the creepy secluded setting of the woods and the cabin. I loved the snow storm aspect as well.

I loved Christa and I loved her will to survive. I was so hoping that we would get a Christa and Alexis reunion scene at the end but that’s okay. The plot twists at the end made up for it! My jaw was on the floor! Soo twisty and good.

While I enjoyed almost every aspect of this book, it was a bit graphic for me at parts. I think I was expecting more of a thriller and this seemed to be more of a horror novel and some people will really love that but it was a bit much for me at some parts.

Overall though, this was a fantastic and fast paced read. It was entertaining the whole way through and has me definitely intrigued in trying more books from this author.

Disclaimer: I'm a big bIG BIG fan of Darcy Coates. So it'll be no surprise that I loved this book.

Christa starts off the trip believing that it's going to lead her into a new phase of life, and for the most part, she's not wrong. Unfortunately, rather than getting engaged, she ends up in the remote wilderness, fighting for her life against mother nature and an unknown murderous psychopath. But it's probably someone in her group...

This book was twisty and tense and heart wrenching at every turn. Darcy Coates does an amazing job of convincing you someone is safe, only to betray your trust two pages later. As always, her FMC is strong and smart and reliable, but also super relatable. Only drawback is that my yearning for secluded mountain retreats may be spoiled for awhile yet.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publishers to read and review. All of my statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

I'm a big fan of Darcy Coates! I especially her ghost horror books. This was the first murder mystery of hers I've read. It jumped straight into the story especially fast and the pacing jumped around. There were several characters and possible suspects. I guessed correctly but it took awhile to figure out why, without giving away plot. I enjoyed the main character Chrissy. She was likable and very determined. I think if there were a few more explanations and the pacing was a little more cohesive I would have enjoyed the book a little more but overall it was a fast and exciting read! Very brutal and creepy for sure! Being stuck in the middle of nowhere with strangers is awful enough but add the freezing weather and a killer and you have a terrifying nightmare for sure! Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this fun book!

There’s nothing more intense than a locked room thriller. And Darcy Coates delivered that vibe perfectly! The whole book had an eerie feeling that kept me on the edge of my seat.

This is my second book by Darcy Coates and there are so many twist and turns in this book, I loved it! I will say that I figured out who the killer was halfway into the book, but I wasnt 100% sure about it. The clues are all there though. Even knowing that I was really engrossed in the story. I do wish that the ending revealed everyones fate, but I guess thats something we’ll have to wonder about.

Dead of Winter is a fantastically thrilling addition to the locked room genre. I did figure out the killer pretty early on, but it’s a testament to Coates that the story didn’t lose any steam after that. I’d recommend to anyone looking for a fast paced, scary, and entertaining read.
The story does get pretty graphic and brutal at times so that should be mentioned.

A Darcy Coates book is always a good time and this one was a locked in mystery to be savoured. I really enjoyed the claustrophobic atmosphere and the fear of the characters. The perfect book to curl up with on a cold snowy evening... if you dare.

Holy creep-fest! This was so intense! It was sheer psychological tension with horror tossed in for good measure. So many secrets and lies. Such a gruesome game of who-done-it.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

As always Darcy came through. I have to have a physical copy to reread. It was that good.
This was an action packed, gory isolated winter thriller. I loved every minute. The very first scene is so claustrophobic, and terrifying. You will not be able to put this down. I am such a Darcy fan. I have loved everything I have read. This might be my new favorite. I loved the tension, and thrills.
We follow a group who is stranded in a horrible storm. They are getting picked off one by one. You have to pick this up asap.
This book is set to release in July 2023.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen for an eCopy of this amazing book

This is a perfect mash up of thriller and horror a thrillhor if you will. In true Coates fashion this is an absolutely unsettling read. Giving And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie with much more sinister circumstances, Dead of Winter is a super slow burn who done it, mystery massacre. However, if you have the patience for it (it pays off!) once the (snow)ball starts rolling, it's an avalanche of atrocities that will bury you alive. This is my second Darcy Coates novel and will not be my last.

Your classic who dunnit.

Christa goes on a winter cabin getaway with her boyfriend and a bus full of strangers. They encounter a snow storm and a tree blocking the road to the cabin. People start getting murdered, and they have no idea who is responsible.

The whole story is told from Christa’s POV, which I honestly preferred rather than needing to keep track of multiple POVs.

The middle DRAGGED on. I found it quite slow and overly descriptive where it wasn’t necessary.

The beginning and the end were decent.

While this novel had a decent amount of suspense, it didn’t keep me glued to my kindle. I would pick it up, read a couple of pages, and find myself scrolling my phone 2 minutes later.

Wasn’t my fav, but wasn’t bad!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.