I couldn’t put this book down!!! I really enjoyed this read and it was so easy to read and understand. I will admit that there were an overwhelming amount of people and storyline’s but it was wrapped up really well.

I really enjoyed The Chilling. It had me hooked straight away, I just couldn't put it down.

Riley has a great writing style, it draws you in and doesn't let go.
It had everything I love in a good thriller: Likable characters that were interesting and complex, (especially Nick and Kit) a compelling storyline, great twists that I didn't see coming, and a little bit of spice too.

This is a fantastic debut novel. I'll definitely be interested in reading more from Riley James.

I highly recommend.

4 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Allen & Unwin, and Riley James for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rug up warm because The Chilling, the debut thriller by Riley James, demonstrates just how harsh and unforgiving Antarctica in winter can be. This is a suspense novel that simply drips with atmosphere and tension and not just because there are numerous ways a person can die in the unforgiving deep freeze of the most southern continent on earth. Chuck a bunch of humans into the mix and the number of ways you can die tends to dramatically increase.

Recently divorced Kit Bitterfeld has found her way onto an Antarctic expedition that will see her isolated, with her team, through the dark winter months. As the ship is nearing the Antarctic coast they receive a distress call from the ship transporting the summer team so they race off to assist. What they find is devastation and the crew is missing. There’s only one person found on board, and he was unconscious inside a coolroom.

The man’s name is Nick and when he comes out of his coma it’s apparent he’s suffering psychogenic amnesia with absolutely no memory of the events leading up to when he was knocked out. His predicament is accepted by everyone with the exception of Kit who’s dubious about the amnesia believing he’s faking it - at least to some extent.

While this is going on we’re introduced to the survivors of the abandoned ship. They’re in a fight for their lives as they make their way from the dangerous ice floes in the harbour to the more stable continental coast. It’s clear that a man had been murdered on board the ship before the fire broke and the ship had to be abandoned. What’s unclear are the circumstances surrounding the death and that’s where the story's big mystery lies.

The unique and forbidding setting of the Antarctic adds plenty of interest to this murder mystery. The prospect that any ill considered move outdoors could end in a quick death definitely adds a high level of jeopardy all round and gives The Chilling a unique point of difference.

From very early the seeds of foreboding are sown with the doubts placed on the head of Nick, the plight of the missing crew members wandering about looking for the base camp and then, when a mysterious outbreak hits Kit’s camp, the danger levels are raised yet again. This is an outstanding debut thriller that manages to provide occasional well-disguised twists and surprises.

Riley James has clearly done her research with detailed descriptions of the landscape, life inside the Macpherson base camp and methods used by the inhabitants for survival and day to day living. This aspect of the book was important in creating a credible backdrop to the dramas that were being played out within.

I let myself be transported to Antarctica and found myself fully immersed in the story. I’d recommend this to any reader who enjoys thrillers with an action adventure side to it.

My thanks to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC which has allowed me to read, enjoy and review this book.

3.5 ⭐

Setting ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐
Story ⭐⭐⭐
Suspense ⭐⭐⭐
Whodunit/Motive ⭐⭐
Ending ⭐
Overall ⭐⭐⭐

What I liked

• The first half
• The feeling of isolation
• The feeling that no one can be trusted
• The mystery surrounding Nick
• The snow storm
• The crew games

Setting: Fantastic.

Freezing cold, isolated station on Antarctica. It felt like a complete white out. Everything I was hoping for.

Characters:

Kit = a wonder woman who can do anything
Nick = a mystery

The rest are pretty plain normies. There's quite a few of them, I'm still not sure who all of them were.

Story/Suspense:

Loved the first half, but it started to unravel the closer it got to the end.

The pacing is slow.

There are a couple of mysteries, one of which the reader is privy to quite early on and you are waiting for the MC to figure it out.

I enjoyed following the people on the station much more than those of the Petrel.

I really missed the mystery on the station. It felt like almost nothing was happening. The main focus was Nick and the Petrel.

Whodunnit:

Honestly, I'd come to dislike the MCs and story so much, I didn't care anymore. I was just glad it was over.

Favourite Character: Sally. Totally underused.
Least Favourite Character/s: By the end, I hated Kit.
Favourite Scenes:
Find Your Sea Legs Competition ⚓🦵 / Nick's conversation with his bitch wife. His words, not mine 😂

A captivating debut, The Chilling really lives up to its name.

Perfect for fans of authors such as TJ Newman and Ruth Ware, this survivalist thriller had me glued to the page. The isolation and brutality of the Antarctic setting heightened the sense of suspense and the novel take on the locked room trope had me guessing throughout.

The story was well paced, and an easy read. While the cast of characters and multiple storylines initially felt overwhelming, the narrative threads converged to a very satisfying conclusion. I will be looking for out for more from Riley James in the future.

Thank you Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

The Chilling
Riley James

“You’re right,” he said. “Close confinement can bring out the worst in people.”

Oh this was so good. An icy survivalist thriller.
I’m a massive thriller fan and this had so many fun elements at play. Multiple mysteries unraveling, some in dual timelines, one historic. A killer at large. The absolutely brutal landscape, if the people don’t kill you, the weather will. The loneliness and utter destitution, locked in syndrome. Twenty Three missing expeditioners. But truely my favourite mystery was a classic one, who can you trust! Who is my unreliable narrator? Post traumatic amnesia or a convenient alibi?

‘Only one thing had to go wrong, one misplaced step or miscalculation, and the ice would take you.’

Honestly it was such a captivating read. I loved every second of it and it definitely suits fans of Shiver (Allie Reynolds), One Perfect Couple (Ruth Ware) and Falling, Drowning (T.J Newman). I’m such a fiend for a thriller in a locked in setting, with danger on all fronts, it just gets the heart going. I was heavily invested in the outcomes.

“You know the old saying, A handsome man is like a castle, and a castle much assaulted will eventually yield.”

This was my favourite book of August.

Thank you so much to @allenandunwin and @rileyjamesauthor for this incredible read. Out now!

“My friend Eddy used to call it “the chilling point”. If a boiling point is when people can’t control their anger, the chilling is when they can’t suppress their hostility or lack of sympathy. It’s that stage of winter when the smallest tic starts to get on everyone’s nerves, and people lose their sense of fellowship.”

(Review posted 8th September 2024)

A tense and exciting thriller set in the isolated and hostile conditions of Antarctica.

On the back of a messy divorce, Kit accepts a job as research assistant to her friend Sally and agrees to spend the winter at Macpherson station in Antarctica. On the journey there, they answer a distress call from a ship trapped in the ice and discover all of its crew and passengers are missing except for one man called Nick who can’t remember anything. Kit seems to be the only one who is suspicious of Nick’s apparent memory loss and is determined to find out what happened to the others, despite the strange goings on that start occurring at Macpherson.

The setting of Antarctica was really interesting. The author obviously did thorough research on the landscape and the pressures of living in these isolated conditions. The periods of extreme weather that halted any kind of progress really added tension to the storyline.

The pacing was perfect. It hooked my attention from the start, revealing little tidbits of information as the story progressed, then really picked up towards the end. I read the last 25% in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down!

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller with interesting and unusual setting.
Thank you to NetGalley, Allen & Unwin and the author for this ARC.

There have been many great horror stories and thrillers set in the Arctic and the Antarctic. So much so that someone has even coined the phase “research station noir”. And plenty of Scandi-noir is set above the Arctic Circle. These areas are popular as the hostile external conditions add a layer of danger to the proceedings but also effectively trap the characters in place and they can dig into all of the psychological issues that come with that isolation. Riley James clearly understands all of this, the psychological pressures of living in a closed community and a deep knowledge stories of those who have survived on the most inhospitable continent on Earth. And she deploys all of this knowledge to great effect her debut thriller The Chilling.
Kit Bitterfeld is doing a geographic, running away from a failed marriage to assist her friend Sally who is going to Antarctica to do research. But before they even get to the continent they encounter problems. A distress call from the Snow Petrel, a ship caught in the ice. When they finally arrive at the ship it is on fire and the crew is missing with the exception of one man who they find beaten up and locked in the walk in fridge. But that man, identified as Nick Coltheart, has lost his memory, and despite his injuries cannot be evacuated due to the weather. Meanwhile, out on the ice, the survivors of the Snow Petrel are fighting for survival.
When Kit finally does get to the base, things start to get weird and dangerous. She does not trust Nick, but more than that, other members of the team start to act strangely and out of character. While Kit seems to be one of the only ones keeping their head, she is also constantly questioning herself and taking massive risks. All of which serves to make her a relatable, flawed action heroine.
James has constructed an effective thriller in The Chilling with some clever reveals, including the resolution of the mystery of the crashed aircraft in the cold open. But at the same time she manages to convey the majesty, danger and loneliness of Antarctica, bringing her knowledge into play through the action rather than through exposition.

**3.5 Stars**

The Chilling by Riley James is an addictive thriller set against the icy, unforgiving backdrop of Antarctica, where the harsh environment and mistrust among a small crew of researchers heighten the tension.

The story follows Australian scientist Kit Bitterfeld, who, seeking to escape her troubled personal life, joins a research trip to Macpherson Station in Antarctica. Before reaching their destination, they encounter a burning research ship with a missing crew except for a single survivor, Nick, who is found locked in a cold room, suffering from head injuries and memory loss. As Nick recovers, Kit becomes increasingly suspicious that he knows more than he's letting on. When an arctic storm cuts them off from the outside world, Kit must decide whom she can trust as danger closes in.

Antarctica serves as the perfect setting for this thriller, with its life-threatening conditions and intense isolation creating a menacing tension throughout the story. While I’ve never been to the icy continent, the author’s vivid descriptions made it feel well-researched and authentic. However, the characters lacked much depth but despite this, the fast-paced action kept me engaged.

One aspect that didn’t sit well with me was the sudden and somewhat off-putting sex scenes, which felt out of place considering the setting and conditions. Additionally, the ending felt a bit chaotic, and I was left with a sense of being overwhelmed.

Overall, The Chilling is an entertaining thriller that stands out in the Aussie crime genre, with its unique setting adding a fresh twist. Despite some flaws, it kept me turning the pages, and as a debut novel, it shows lots of promise. While it didn’t make me eager to visit Antarctica, it did remind me of how much I enjoy a frosty thriller, and I look forward to seeing what Riley James writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Allen and Unwin for providing me an ARC copy of this title for honest review.

This was an unexpected riveting read, a great debut.
Kit is escaping an unhappy divorce when her friend Sally offers her the opportunity to work through an arctic winter as her research assistant at Macpherson Station. Trained as a dentist but working in Forensic Dentistry for the past 10 years, Kit is also surprised to find herself to be nominated as the back up medical personnel on the station.
During the trip out the ship receives a distress signal from another vessel. But upon boarding they find the ship on fire and all the crew missing except for a man locked in the cool room. The man is eventually identified as a fellow Australian Geologist Nick Coltheart but he has no recollection of events and how he got there.
Kit is sceptical of Nick’s memory loss but can’t convince anyone else of her suspicions. As the arctic winter descends, her colleagues start acting strangely, fellow colleagues go missing and Kit is madly trying to get to the bottom of these occurrences.
There seem to be three stories intertwined in this book but all is revealed. I obviously have never wintered on an arctic station but to me it felt extremely atmospheric, claustrophobic and had great sense of time and place.
If only life didn’t get in the way because I would have finished it in one or two sittings otherwise.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read. I will certainly be looking out for more from this author.

A thoroughly enjoyable read set in Antarctica from the perspective of a forensic dentist who pretty much just came along for the ride. The setting was what piqued my interest, as it's not often that you get to read fiction set in Antarctica. There were some nods to 'The Thing' but I tried to keep those out of my head so I wouldn't be excited for anything supernatural as this is really just a situational thriller, Antarctica is scary enough! Being stuck in perpetual winter with the same people can really do your head in, but add in white-out blizzards, delirium and some wrongdoings and this turns into frozen hell on earth. If this sounds like something you'd like, give it a go. I do think there were a lot of elements all mish-mashed together and got a bit confusing especially towards the end, but all in all it was a great debut.

https://artdistrict-radio.com/podcasts/dark-mysteries-206/the-chilling-by-riley-james-2638

Podcast review linked above.

(3.5 stars)
The Chilling hooked me in very quickly and made me look forward to curling up in bed. I don't know much about Antarctica or modes of traveling there, and Riley James was able to paint a picture that made me intrigued to read more. Australian scientist Kit Bitterfeld is escaping a failed relationship: "his love was a refrigerator light–whenever she saw him, the light was on... And like an infant she'd assumed the light was on whenever she wasn't there."

The book sets out to explore the varied reasons people choose to work in an environment where you get shut in with your companions for winter with no chance of escape: "there were many signposted dangers in Antarctica, some of the worst were the hidden psychological ones". The book's name stems from the idea that the "boiling point is when people can't control their anger, the chilling is when they can't suppress their hostility or lack of sympathy."

Where The Chilling kind of lost me was when that hostility started to descend into really bizarre decisions. I imagine personality control for Antarctic missions is pretty well monitored, so I find it hard to believe someone could run a drug-based experiment without ethics approval. Adding this on top of a murder, a ship burning and a whole bunch of people going missing felt like overkill. The romance and sex scene was a bit Mills'n'Boon for me: a seemingly intelligent woman suspicious of someone's motives became a dribbling mess over a tuft of chest hair on a man she supposedly doesn't trust. Also has any man in a sleeping bag with a naked lady he fancies ever moved so his erection wasn't touching her? It just didn't feel all that believable.

Después de descubrir la infidelidad de su esposo, Kit necesita un nuevo comienzo por lo que acepta un trabajo en la Antártida. Lo que esperaba que fuera un viaje para despejarse, sanar y autodescrubrirse terminó siendo una pesadilla.

Cuando llegan a la base se dan cuenta que el equipo que debería recibirlos no está, sin embargo, encuentran a una persona encerrada la cual no sabe quién es o que paso cpn los demás.

23 personas desaparecidas, 1 muerto, 1 con amnesia y otras más intentando sobrevivir a los extraños acontecimientos que estaba pasando.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.