Kate Alice Marshall’s A Killing Cold is a masterclass in suspense and storytelling, delivering a narrative brimming with unexpected twists and unrelenting thrills. From the opening pages, the author captivates readers with a plot that feels both unpredictable and utterly engrossing. Each turn of events defies expectations, making it impossible to put the book down.

Marshall’s skill as a writer truly shines in the way she guides readers through the story. Just when you think you’ve figured out where the plot is headed, she flips the script, leaving you reeling in the best way possible. Her ability to balance tension with richly drawn characters and a gripping pace sets her apart as a standout voice in the genre.
• A Killing Cold* is more than just a thriller; it’s a showcase of storytelling prowess that keeps readers guessing until the very end. For those who enjoy tightly woven mysteries with an edge of surprise, this novel is a must-read. Marshall’s talent is undeniable, and this book will leave you eager to explore more of her work.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

This was a fantastic thriller. I did not think it was predictable at all, and the ending left me speechless. Kate Alice Marshall is a fantastic thriller writer!! Furthermore, Karissa Vacker does a great job (as always!) with the narration. I definitely recommend this thriller and can't wait for KAM's next book!

Theo is heading to the mountains to meet her fiance Connor's family, and something isn't right. She's receiving warnings to stay away and is starting to remember fragments of her childhood. Theo's fairy tale suddenly turns into a nightmare.

There wasn't anything groundbreaking here, but I enjoyed the read. The narration was good.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for a free copy of #AKillingCold. All opinions are my own.

Theo fell in love with Connor in a whirlwind romance six months ago. Despite anonymous texts telling her to stay away from Connor, Theo knows it's her chance to win over his wealthy family when she visits Idlewood, the family's remote winter retreat. But at the family cabin, Theo finds a photo of herself as a child and begins to recall long-repressed memories that someone in Connor's family will do anything to keep buried.

Kate Alice Marshall draws you in with a story of a rich family where everyone has a secret to hide. The icy isolation of Idlewood provides a smothering atmosphere that amps up the tension as twists are slowly revealed. While the slow burn tension was captivating to read and the audio narration was spot-on, the conclusion didn't wrap up satisfactorily.

I felt like this was a very basic thriller. The idea was interesting but there was nothing really special about it. It was bland for most of it, and then the end did pick up a bit.

i had the audible version and it was perfect entertainment for my lunch breaks! I’d recommend this book to any thriller lover!

Get the popcorn 🍿 popping and the hot chocolate ☕️ bombs dropping because this winter ❄️ thriller is combining chilling tropes for an explosive romp where the elements are dangerous, but the secrets are deadly.

Theo and Connor travel to his wealthy family’s secluded winter estate, Idlewild. Connor’s family’s reluctance to warm to Theo makes her feel discomfort, but there’s more. Idlewild produces an eerie sense of familiarity for her. She receives phone messages warning her away. When she enters an abandoned cabin fragments begin to emerge one more disturbing than the last. Too many things don’t add up.

Could Connor have an ulterior motive for bringing her here?

What does a past she can’t remember have to do with her future?

I was stranded in the midst of a snow ❄️ and ice 🧊 storm while listening to this which is rare for my neck of the woods and it added to the ambience.

I had to suspend belief in a few places, but honestly it didn’t detract from how much I liked this. The audio narrated by Karissa Vacker is an absolute dream.

A riveting listen 🎧 that I didn’t want to end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the Advanced Listening Copy for review. All opinions are my own.

This book is a twisted and chilling thriller set on a mountain property in the winter. I liked the complex backstory of the main character, Theo, and her soon-to-be inlaws. The family drama and secrets are hidden so well, yet they eat away at some of the characters who are less prone to violence and pain. I enjoyed the gradual unravelling of events in the past and the present and the sense of danger and suspense that had me wondering which characters I could trust. The narration was also wonderful and entertaining—a thriller fan's delight.

This was a very good book and kept me engaged for the whole thing. It kept me guessing throughout the whole book up until the very end. I would definitely recommend this book for someone that loves a quick thriller!

As soon as I see the names Kate Alice Marshall and Karissa Vacker, I know I'm in for one great ride. And A Killing Cold was absolutely that!

This book follows Theo, who has her secrets and forgets her traumatic childhood, but she loves Connor Dalton and will do anything to win over his wealthy, skeptical family. So they head to his family's isolated winter retreat to do just that. Only Theo is getting threatening messages and has a strange familiarity with Idlewood. She starts to piece together her fragmented memories when she finds a photo of herself at Idlewood as a child. Someone is hiding something. And Theo is going to find out who, even if it costs her everything.

This book was full of secrets, lies, twists and turns in all it's isolated, locked door glory. I was completed swept up in the story and couldn't put it down. I ping ponged between who had what secret and which person was guilty. I love that it's set in winter and detested each member of the Dalton family in all the best ways!

This was a thrilling ride with a tiny bit of romance thrown in for good measure. You won't be disappointed with this one.

4.5 stars and a high recommendation from me!

While I wanted to enjoy this one, I felt like there were a lot of missed opportunities to make it great and a lot of it was too far of a stretch in coincidences for me. I guessed the ended early on and did not find it thrilling. I did enjoy the writing style though and would love to read another one by this author.

Rating: 4.5

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall had me on my toes in this new thriller! I have enjoyed Marshall's previous works and was very excited to receive an ALC for A Killing Cold.

The juicy family drama had me swept in and so invested. When Theodora (Theo for short) Scott travels up to Idlewood with her new fiancé, Connor Dalton for a family trip, memories come rushing in about her past as his family tries to figure her out. This book was so twisty and addicting that I could not put it down. The small bits of information about Theo's past was so interesting and I found it all tied in so nicely. Marshall's writing is so easy to follow along with and pulls you in right away.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the opportunity to read A Killing Cold early for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this thriller. There were a lot of twists and turned as the story progressed. I also enjoyed the atmosphere Marshall created along with the pacing. Themes of family, loyalty, and trust were explored. Marshall stands on her own long side Alice Feeney, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Ware.

4.5 stars, rounded up because Karissa Vacker's narration and Duchess are everything.

I've been a fan of Kate Alice Marshall for awhile now and have enjoyed her adult, YA and even middle grade books (seriously, I love Extra Normal and the oldest sibling representation). And A Killing Cold is up there. It was 12:30 in the morning last night and I had two hours of the audiobook left and had to argue with myself about going to sleep. And the first thing I did when my dog woke me up at 6:30 am was finish the audiobook.

So I feel like Marshall does elevated thrillers? Not pretentious or inaccessible or anything like that. But this is just as much about a dysfunctional family as it is about the mystery of Theo's past. There are plenty of flawed characters making terrible decisions that still somehow remain sympathetic to a degree. I was almost moved to tears at one point. Also, Marshall really does a nice turn of phrase. There were several times throughout the story where I was like, ohhh, that was said so prettily.

And Karissa Vacker! One of my favorite narrators. And I love that she continues to collaborate with Marshall on her stories and hope she does so for the foreseeable future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this. Made my day.

If you liked the Netflix show "The Perfect Couple" you will probably like this one. Personally I was bored and didn't care about the central mystery or characters.

Packed with twists and turns, this book had me hooked from start to finish! I absolutely adored Theo and Connor—such compelling characters. Every reveal left me genuinely shocked, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was so gripping I couldn’t stop listening and finished it in one sitting.

Kate Alice Marshall’s writing is phenomenal; her world-building pulls you right into the story, making you feel like you’re living every moment alongside the characters. The suspense was masterfully done, and the way everything unfolded was just brilliant. Huge thanks to NetGalley for the early release of the audiobook—such an outstanding experience! 5 stars!

This new release is a fabulous atmospheric winter thriller, as Theo travels with her new fiancée to his family's isolated upstate NY mountain retreat. The slow burn mystery includes a winter storm isolating the guests from civilization, anonymous threats telling Theo she isn't safe, and jarring new memories from her repressed childhood trauma. Theo quickly realizes her past might be interlinked with Connor's family's secrets putting her life in danger.

I really enjoyed this one! I love rich families behaving badly, and this was one messed up family! I'm pretty sure I suspected every darn character and thought I had it all figured out, only to get a new twist. The setting was claustrophobic, the flashbacks/ incomplete memories kept me guessing, and the tension slowly built to a heart pounding conclusion. Vacker's narration was perfection. She perfectly captured Theo's complex personality, and brought the tension/fear to a palatable level.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio #macaudio2025 for my complimentary ALC of A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall, read by Karissa Vacker! This book releases on 2/4/25.

This one had all the winter vibes and I was here for it. It helped me embrace the season even with the killing cold we are currently experiencing.

I was not such a big fan of Theo honestly. She was a little “meh” for me, I could honestly take her or leave her and really wasn’t rooting for her in this novel but I was super curious about her backstory.

There are a lot of twists, turns and lies in this one which kept me guessing.

The narrator (I won’t say names) is not my favorite audiobook narrator so I tried to only go to the audiobook when needed and crank up the playback speed to help distract me from the narration. I’m sure this is an unpopular opinion because she is everywhere and I hate to say it but I cannot connect with books by this audiobook narrator as much. Good thing I had a physical copy!

Overall a great winter thriller that will keep you guessing. So grab a warm blanket and a hot beverage and dive in!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Karissa Vacker really helps me get into the audiobooks. She does an absolutely brilliant job narrating! Right from the beginning I was into the story. Who is Theo and what happened to her mother? What happened to her boyfriends dad? Who murdered [character]? (no spoilers lol) I wanted to know everything and blew through this audiobook! I would recommend this book to people who like winter thrillers with lots of family members.

3.5 rounded up to 4 because the audiobook narrator carried.

I had high hopes for this book, but it was too convoluted and coincidental for my liking. I found myself not really caring who did what as the story went on. Decent but not my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.