3.5⭐️ I went back and forth on this rating and ultimately decided to round up since I listened to this book in one day and pretty much in one sitting. I was entertained and motivated to listen to this quickly. For starters, I must give high praise to the audiobook narrator, Karissa Vacker, she is truly talented and kept this story moving at a lightening pace. I was able to listen to this at 1.95x and never did it feel like it was too fast. Also, her man voice is actually one of the most tolerable out there.

The story is a pretty widely used trope, secluded wintery/mountain setting on sprawling mansion of the uber wealthy where the family gathers for the holidays and everyone has secrets and the outsider invited is in danger. That’s exactly where this story starts, Theo (Theodora) is invited to her new fiancées family mountain retreat but she gets sinister messages that she needs to get away and she of course falls deeper down the rabbit hole of secrets. Again, this was very fast paced and I didn’t have time to over think this one, I enjoyed all the twists and turns of the story. Never overly shocking but still fun. All of the timelines, stories and characters were easy to digest and follow. Some parts were predictable but I do read a lot of thrillers, overall I enjoyed this one from start to finish with a satisfying ending. It reminded me a bit of The Family Game, Ready or Not the movie and all those other little Knives Out type wealthy locked room stories, they are fun if you take them at face value entertainment. This story won’t stay with me forever but I had a fun day listening.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book is out now (2/4/25). #macaudio2025

Theodora Scott had no idea what she was getting into when she fell in love with wealthy, charming Conner Dalton. His family is one of the most influential in the country and when he brings her to meet them at their isolated family retreat, Idlewood, it’s clear they’re not thrilled about the couple’s fast engagement. But Theo has other things to worry about. She had a traumatic childhood, and barely remembers anything from her early years, but things start coming back to her at Idlewood and she has a sneaking suspicion she may have been there before. As she begins to piece together her past, she realizes that someone in the Dalton family has a chilling secret and Theo must figure out who she can trust.
The thing about Marshall’s books that I appreciate the most is the way she builds in twist after twist in her novels. Sure, you may guess some of them but there are always more coming and I never figure out exactly where things are going to end up. This is the perfect book to read in the middle of winter snuggled up in a blanket. I found it impossible to put down.

I think the theme of a wealthy family being able to get away with anything resonated for me at a slightly higher frequency than it might have a couple of months ago. I loved Theo and her commitment to finding out the truth, and, as I ripped through the pages, I was dying to see if she could win against the powerful Dalton family. And I’m also always a sucker for questioning what brought two people together and this book explores that in a really fun way.

Karissa Vacker narrates, so the audiobook is fabulous. I love listening to her and I think she has a quality that suits thrillers particularly well. I would absolutely recommend this audiobook to anyone looking for a good, tangled family mystery.

Kate Alice Marshall always writes books I enjoy reading. This wasn’t my favorite of hers but still a fun read and I will continue to read whatever she puts out!

I loved the setting, in an isolated winter lodge, and the ‘trapped’ room feel of this books. I also loved our FMC and was rooting for her the entire time. The narrator did a great job of bringing her to life. The second part of the book dragged for me and there were a few too many coincidences/twists. Overall I was invested in how this would end and wanted to keep reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved reading Kate Alice Marshall’s previous novel What Lies In The Woods, and I was super excited to read her newest effort A Killing Cold. This was an excellent thriller to read in January. It truly did not disappoint. I was completely captivated from the first chapter all the way until the very end of this chillingly atmospheric, dark, enthralling book. I listened to the audiobook while reading my physical copy of the book, which made it even better. The narrating done by Karissa Vacker was fantastic. A huge thank you to Macmillan Audio, and the author for the advanced digital copy of the book via NetGalley.

Sometimes love happens instantly. When Connor Dalton and Theodora (Theo) Scott met six months ago it was a head over heels type of love. Now they are newly engaged. Connor, who is from a powerful, wealthy family has invited Theo for a two week stay at his family’s mountain retreat, so she can meet the members of his family. Theo is a bit nervous to say the least. She definitely wants to make a good impression, but she has some serious past trauma. Will the Dalton family be accepting of her.

Theo has always felt like an outsider. She was adopted at a very young age, and doesn’t remember much about her life before her adoption. She has continuously suffered from amnesia, because of the abusive damage she experienced during her childhood at the hands of her dysfunctional adoptive family. And unfortunately she cannot escape the recurring nightmare that has haunted her sleep for a long time now.

Once she arrives at the retreat Theo can’t escape the feeling that she been here before. She quickly realizes she isn’t the only one with secrets. When everything starts unfolding Theo finds herself faced with lies, deception and family drama.

With a fast paced storyline filled with suspense, and unreliable characters set in the cold, snowy mountains this book kept me on the edge of my seat turning pages. A brilliantly executed, cleverly plotted, gripping mystery with lots of dizzying twist, and a totally satisfying ending. If you like psychological thrillers then A Killing Cold should be added to the top of your reading list.

A Killing Cold is a fast-paced psychological thriller set in a remote winter retreat that feels more like a trap than a getaway. Theo Scott is newly engaged to Connor Dalton when he invites her to his family’s secluded estate, Idlewood. But from the start, things feel off; his family isn’t welcoming, mysterious messages warn her to leave, and an old photo of herself at Idlewood stirs memories she can’t explain.

Kate Alice Marshall delivers another gripping read filled with secrets, family drama, and high-stakes suspense. The audiobook, narrated by Karissa Vacker, was phenomenal! Her narration style and the emotion behind her words helped make the story even more intense. If you love thrillers set in eerie, wealthy family estates, this one is a must-read!

I really enjoyed this book and loved the audio for it. Karissa Vacker is so good at bringing the characters to life and literally made this a movie in my head. This story is super unique and stressful. It was gave me si much anxiety

Really liked this one! Dark and twisty and I genuinely didn't see the reveals coming. Kate Alice Marshall is a great addition to the thriller-writing scene and I'll read anything she writes.

A perfectly engaging little thriller, though I do feel like I've read slightly different versions of this book several times now. The stakes here feel especially disconnected from reality, which made it hard to have much of an emotional connection to the characters. The cartoonishly villainous rich family is starting to wear on me in this genre. While some of the reveals were compelling, I also think this suffered from the "one too many twists" disease. Atmospheric, well-paced, but not exactly a stand-out.

Theo Scott, an orphan, has met the man of her dreams and she is about to meet his family and spend Christmas at their remote mountain compound. But suddenly she is receiving mysterious texts from an anonymous stranger warning her away from Conner. Theo, adopted at four by a zealous couple had a troubled and abusive childhood. She has been haunted by recurring nightmares for as long as she can remember, but her first four years are a blank. At Connor’s family retreat, Theo realizes that she has been there before as a young child, and her memories are slowly revealing the truth behind her nightmares.

Marshall’s thriller is a fast-paced, twisty tale of a rich corrupt family who will stop at nothing to cover up their crimes, but how deep does the conspiracy go? Is Theo’s fiancé Connor involved in the cover- up? “ A Killing Cold”will keep you up reading late into the night. Unputdownable.

A twisty thriller that kept me on my toes. Secluded and alone with her future in laws, Theo can't shake the feeling that she's been here before. Is this a product of the trauma from her past or are her in laws hiding something more sinister?

This book kept me guessing the whole way through. I loved the characters and enjoyed the secluded setting which gave me horror movie vibes. Karissa Vacker narrates this book and per usual did not disappoint. Incredibly talented and enjoyable to listen to. Highly recommend this to anyone who likes thriller/mystery.

I'm a fan of Kate Alice Marshall and was lucky enough to get a widget for her newest audiobook thanks to my besties over at Macmillan Audio :-D

Grab this story -- OUT NOW!

Would recommend if you love:
-characters with tragic background
-locked room vibes
-tons of family secrets

This author can really set up a character with a tragic past. I love the mystery and high-tension moments in her stories. This had a locked room feel with everyone being at the family's secluded property during the winter and surprise, surprise, there is no cell service up there (gasp). This had lots of twists and kept me guessing. There are so many characters that were hard to read. I never knew who to trust!

I went into this pretty blind and would recommend doing the same. It was fun to uncover the mystery(ies) right along with Theo rather than knowing things that would happen based on the blurb.

I love Karissa Vacker as a narrator and thought she did a great job here. I was kept 'in' the story and her emotions felt right with the story.

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book. The narrator was great and I devoured the story. It had just the right amount of suspense. I highly recommend this one!

This book was everything I want in a thriller! I listened to it in one sitting! The story moved at just the right speed with revelations coming at just the right moments. The main character, Theo, clearly has secrets, but I was rooting for her the entire time, and I didn't know who to trust in the rest of the cast, which is a trope I love.

While the story is not exceptionally original, Marshall executed it perfectly. The twists were satisfying but fitting, and I loved how the story ended. There was just the right amount of thrill to keep me invested but not keep me awake at night.

Karissa Vacker's narration was top notch! She brought an original voice to each character, and she captured the suspense of the novel.

"In the house in the woods the girl waits for the monster to come...hiding as best as she can... she's good at that, she has to be. When the monster comes you don't want to be noticed...the door opens...the monster is here."

Now that's the way to get my thriller loving heart's attention. Teeming with twists, in a bitter cold setting, and a slow burn reveal, A Killing Cold, by cunning author Kate Alice Marshall, is a chilling murder mystery thriller.

Theodora (Theo) Scott has a whirlwind romance with wealthy Connor Dalton and six months later they are meeting his family at the Dalton winter retreat compound. As Theo looks out at the snow covered landscape she can't help the goosebumps that gather, not from the cold weather, but the chills down her back. All she can think is, "I've been here before."

She doesn't understand the cold shoulder from Connor's Mom, or his uncle constantly asking if they've met before, and then there the ominous note, "Stay away from Connor Dalton."

Nobody does a breathy scared to death voice like voice actress Karissa Vacker. I felt her fear throughout my soul. As traumatic memories from her childhood emerge, Theo feels the sharp pain of them like icicles through her heart.

Why is this winter wonderland filled with dreaded familiarity? Why does this ultra rich family seem to fear her? Why can't she remember her past? Is Dalton behind whatever is going on with his suspicious family? A Killing Cold slowly lets the icy past melt and leaves a slick sheet of lies, cover ups and murder.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun, fast-paced, and twisty thriller with an isolated winter setting. It has everything I love in a good thriller. Secrets lies and so much family dysfunction.

When Theo goes with her fiance Conner to his family's remote getaway compound of cabins, she's nervous but has no idea what she's getting into. Meeting the rich and powerful Dalton family is a daunting prospect, and Theo isn't prepared for all the secrets that will unravel and the memories she will unlock.

I enjoyed A Killing Cold with its wintery setting and unlikable characters, all of them with something to hide. I listened to the audiobook version of this book narrated by Karissa Vacker. She was perfectly suited to this story and did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. I also own the physical copy, and it was nice going back and reading some parts. You really can't go wrong with whatever version of this book you choose to read.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, for this ALC. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book had a really strong start but ended up dragging towards the end and kind of lost my interest. I really enjoyed the concept of rich family with secrets and a stranger coming into the mix only to= discover all their dirty little secrets actually involve her.

I enjoyed Theodora Scott's character and the slow reveal of her background that she has forgotten that built up throughout the book. Connor's character to me seemed really underdeveloped compared to Theodora so it was an odd mixing for a relationship.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the performance by Karissa Vacker was well done.

I didn't read too many thrillers in 2024 and I was itching for a good thriller when this one caught my eye. It had all the marks of a mystery that would captivate me -- remote winter location, a shady, wealthy family with secrets to hide, a whirlwind romance with some ominous threats... and captivate me it did!

I enjoyed the characters, even the unlikeable ones, who all seemed to have something to hide. The audio, narrated by Karissa Vacker, was fantastic. You can't go wrong with the audio or the print version with this one!

Read if you love a little family drama mixed with a "locked-room" setting and secrets galore. Good for fans of A Family Game.

Thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

A fast-paced psychological thriller that I could not put down. I love stories about dysfunctional families and this one is right up there with the best of them. Theo (Theodora) and Connor have a quick engagement and decide to meet up with his family at their family compound. Some of the events that happened towards the end of the book felt far-fetched. There were some unexpected twists that made the story fun. The why behind everyone’s actions is what makes a good book great. There were so many secrets that Connor’s entire family kept from the outside world and from each other. This was a fun read that kept me on my toes. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic, I really felt like I was in Theo’s head the entire time.

4.5 Stars
Theodora “Theo” Scott is meeting her fiancé’s family for the first time at their private getaway nestled in a picturesque mountain setting. She’s a ball of nerves hoping to win their approval and hoping they won’t look too closely at her past. However, Theo can’t shake the feeling that she’s been to Idlewood before. When she hears about the tragic death of Connor’s father, memories start to shake loose.

Being at Idlewood, a remote family retreat, hard to get to and without cell service made it a sort of “locked room” kind of mystery! Very atmospheric with a sinister undercurrent!

I kept wondering who could be trusted! One minute I’d think this character is safe and the next not-so-much. Even Theo had her secrets, which were gradually revealed. I liked her and was rooting for her! I was outraged over her past, but happily, Theo wasn’t one to just take it lying down!

Oooh, this got twisty in the end, a surprise around every corner! Was some of it over-the-top? Yes. Was it an utterly fun thrill ride even so? Definitely! I listened to this in one sitting, not being able to stop! I had to know how it all turned out!

Karissa Vacker is one of my favorite audio narrators and she nailed the performance of both male and female characters! A definite recommend!

AHHH! my first audiobook, lol. I liked the narration a lot. I have only read…with my eyes? never my ear and I was truly surprised how easy the narration was. I was listening while working from home and playing mobile games.

I really enjoyed it. on to my actual review.

I liked it. but I didn’t like it enough. I will always be a late Kate Alice Marshall stan and everything she puts out, I WILL be reading of course but this wasn’t a stand out of her work.

It was easy to fly through but I didn’t connect with the characters at all. I didn’t care about any of them, I was drawn in.

I loved the setting, a snowy mountain, isolated, no cell service, that’s my thing but I just couldn’t care less about these characters especially the main character and her love interest. I was like..you guys like each other frl? I didn’t feel their chemistry.

But I do love the author’s book and will always pick up one up when she releases. I don’t think the story was bad but maybe just not for me. Loved the audio version though!