✨This has been one of my most anticipated books, but I forced myself to wait until it was cold here in Texas to read it. THIS TOOK FOREVER. Texas is hot, y’all. But oh…it was so worth the wait.

✨The pacing of this book was just superb. I was hooked from the beginning and fully invested – and then the plot took a turn. The TENSION ramped up into an absolute roller coaster ride, and I stayed up half the night reading because I COULD. NOT. STOP.

✨ Just when you think you know where this one is going, you realize how wrong you are. The author’s misdirection game is on point to say the least.

✨This is a fabulous chilly thriller, and I really enjoyed it.

🎧I paired my print book with audio because anything @karissavacker narrates is something I want to listen to. As always, her performance was absolute perfection.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Chilly thrillers
✨Isolated locations
✨Winter, snowy settings
✨Toxic family drama
✨Secrets and lies
✨Twists and turns

Well well well, KAM does it again.
Wow. This story is addicting and dynamic. I’m currently under the impression that she can do no wrong.
Theo is engaged to Cameron, a wealthy guy she just so happened to meet at a party. She doesn’t believe in fate, so how on earth does she end up revisiting her past while she’s meeting her fiancés family for the first time? Y’all. This plot, it’s twisted. Somehow KAM pulls it off without making this story seem crazy impossible.
Loved this listen. So good.
Thank you netgalley for the AAC!

Call me a Hoover because I SUCKED THIS THING UP. I started this audiobook on my commute home yesterday and completely devoured it.

I love an intense thriller set in the winter and A Killing Cold did not disappoint. The writing will pull readers in right from the start and keep them on the edge of their seats the whole way through. So many juicy little secrets just waiting to be revealed from these characters whose flaws make them enjoyable to follow. It took me some time to build the Dalton family tree in my head as there were a lot of characters introduced in the beginning and I can see that being problematic for some readers.

As a seasoned thriller reader, some parts were predictable but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story as I moved through it. While the plot is one that I am likely to forget in a few months—I tend to have this problem with thrillers after reading so many—it was certainly entertaining. Overall, a winner from Marshall; I look forward to seeing what she does next.

The audiobook narration by Karissa Vacker is wonderful. I have listened to many audiobooks narrated by her and she always knocks it out of the park. Here, I found that she was the perfect voice for Theo. Thank you Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Feb. 4 2025

Kate Alice Marshall is an author who just doesn’t miss for me. I’ve loved everything she’s written, and this book is no exception. The plot and the characters were layered and complex, and the twists were unpredictable and beautifully done. The atmospheric setting was perfection, and I swear I actually doubled up on layers while reading this because I felt like I was right there in the snowy winter retreat. This novel kept me guessing the entire time with so much tension, suspense, and dark family secrets. I just couldn’t put it down!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker. She is one of my favorite narrators, and she was the perfect choice for Theo. Vacker did an amazing job building tension and suspense, which is so crucial in such an atmospheric thriller like this one. Highly recommend this one on audio!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid commercial thriller - it touched on all our familiar themes and tropes (marrying into a wealthy family, shady past kept secret, nightmares, family secrets, snowed in, etc) without getting swallowed up by them. I felt like I had been transported back to 2018 when I read mostly thrillers and they felt new and engaging, like Ruth Ware and Wendy Walker’s early BOTM books.

And we’re back to KAM’s casual queerness (would have loved more of Alexis and Paloma, but the focus was very much on Theo and that’s okay because that’s what the story needed). I loved that Theo’s story unfolded layer by layer, giving us deeper and deeper hints at what nestles in her core. Some of it even unknown to her.

Biggest pleasant surprise of the book was fiancé Connor, but saying why would be spoilers so I’ll leave it there.

Karissa Vacker is, as always, a delight to listen to, and she navigated the rather sizable cast very well.

Theo has a past that she keeps hidden. Even her fiancé does not know about it. Heck, she doesn't even remember some of it- like her birth mother. She didn't know Connor was wealthy when she met him and fell in love. He comes from a prominent family- one that cares about bloodlines and asks a lot of questions. The Dalton Family spends Christmas at their mountain retreat- as the date looms, she starts getting warnings to stay away from Connor. She ignores them, but upon arriving, things seem familiar. She feels like she's been there. Then she finds a picture of herself as a child- one with Connor's dad. Maybe there were more to the warnings.

I didn't love this one as much as the other books I've read by the author. I was annoyed for too much of it. There is too much in the unknown category for most of the book. I get that Theo doesn't remember a lot, either, but I found it especially annoying due to the very slow progression. I mean, it is still a decent read, just not as strong as some of her previous work.

Karissa Vacker narrates the audiobook and is amazing, as always.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was fully in this! I loved the setting and the characters. Everyone kinda sucks, and I liked all the tie ins and the twists were fun and not too over the top!
I really enjoy Kate Alice Marshall!

I loved What Lies in the Woods and was not a fan of No One Can Know, and this one fell right in the middle — I didn’t find it earth-shattering and it was kind of predictable once you got into it a bit, but I really loved the main character and thought this was a fun listen overall (great narration by Karissa Vacker, as always!) Already looking forward to another book by Marshall!

A sprawling mountain retreat. A family with dark secrets. A secluded setting.

A KILLING COLD seems to have a lot of things going for it. I loved the premise and how atmospheric the mountain setting was. The characters aren’t particularly likeable but I enjoyed that I never knew quite who to trust. My main issue with the book is that the entire plot hinges on one coincidence that felt very implausible to me. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief with this particular point and it impacted my enjoyment a bit.

If readers head into the story knowing that there are some instances of incredible coincidence then it may help their enjoyment. I’ve really liked Kate Alice Marshall’s previous novels and I’ll be excited to see what she does next.

I'm so glad I was able to experience Karissa Vacker's narration with this story. She is the queen of narrating atmospheric thrillers and she knocked it out of the park here.

Many thanks to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so good! Kate Alice Marshall has become a favorite thriller writer of mine, and The Killing Cold was no exception! This story had the perfect amount of creepy atmosphere, and while you might guess some of it, the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. I also love how she chose to end this story for Theo. And as always, Karissa Vacker absolutely nailed the narration!

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall is a fast paced book that will have you guessing up until the very end of the book. Theodora Scott has only known Connor Dalton for less than a year, now they are engaged and Theo is finally meeting Connor's family for the first time at his family's winter retreat Idlewood. Theo is keeping her past from Connor and will do anything in order for him to find out. Connor is also keep secerts of his own from Theo. Before Theo was apdopted by the Scott's at 4 years old and doesn't remember anything about her life before then. Something about Idlewood is familiar to Theo but she just can't put her finger on it. After a few days at Idlewood Theo remembers being there with her mom and Connor's dad Liam. Now Theo is getting threating text messages and a gift left telling her that she should leave. Theo is soon finding that the Dalton's aren't who they seem to be. Can Theo trust any of them, most importantly can she trust Connor. A Killing Cold will have you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't put it down. I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me listen an advanced copy of this audio book.

Massive thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook!

I've read all of Kate Alice Marshall's adult books and I think they're getting progressively better and better! I think this is her best yet!

Much like her last one, NO ONE CAN KNOW, the story starts out with a young couple happily in love and in similar fashion, they might not actually know each other as well as they thought they did. Connor and Theodora are engaged and so excited to start their new lives together as husband and wife. Unfortunately, someone is set on making sure that doesn't happen and is sending anonymous warnings to one of them to 'get out while they can.'

This story was INSANE! Wherever you think it's going to go, I can almost guarantee that you're wrong. If you thought you've heard about toxic in-laws before then BUCKLE UP, because you haven't seen anything yet!

The snowy cabin setting was immaculate and I'm pretty sure literally gave me chills while reading! The end of this really felt like a true thriller, my heart was racing and I was STRESSED OUT. I finished the book and 1AM because I couldn't sleep until I learned how things turned out.

Marshall kept the surprises coming throughout the whole story and fed them to me constantly which kept me locked in the whole time. Truly a fun reading experience.

A lot of it was definitely PUSHING it as far as believability goes, but I'm always down for CRAZY in my thrillers, so it didn't bother me!

Also, what more can you ask from an audiobook than for Karissa Vacker to narrate it? Nothing. She is absolute perfection!