Kate Alice Marshall writes the thrillers I love to devour. I love it when books keep me guessing and escalate to me guessing wilder and wilder outcomes.

I read this book in two days, I could not put it down.
I love rich family novels (where the family is obscenely wealthy), everyone has secrets, and an outsider (new finance) enters the picture, and disrupts the status quo.
Throw in a snowstorm, no cell signal, and a hunting outing and I’m yours.

In short: Theodora is going to spend the holiday with he fiance's family. Except Theo has been getting messages to stay away from Connor. Who are they coming from? Could it be one of her soon to be family members? Secrets are revealed in this holiday away.

This was a locked in thriller with an over-the-top twist that seems too far-fetched for even me to believe. I wasn't captivated by the characters, making it hard to care about the story. The vibes felt similar to Marshall's other two novels.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Expected publication date of February 4, 2025.

Another great thriller from Kate Alice Marshall! This one is perfect for the winter months (as the title suggests) and kept me entertained from the first page.

Theo is in a whirlwind engagement with the wealthy Connor, and is spending her first winter holiday with his family on their mountain top resort style estate.

It becomes quickly apparent that everyone has their own kept secrets but Theo has no idea whose lies are more crushing- the families or her own.

I loved the fast pacing and short chapters. I read this title with a physical copy and audio copy and both formats are great- I loved the audiobook narrator. I devoured it in one sitting.

4 stars because it didn’t blow my mind, but I would still highly recommend for a quick fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Flatiron Books for advance e and audio copies in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator in this book was absolutely fantastic. The voice matched the character which doesn't always happen.

I loved this book - it was just the right amount of twisty.

Theo is going to meet her fiancé's family for the first time. They got engaged only 6 months after meeting, but when you know, you know. However, there is a lot they don't know each other, both have some dark secrets, and Theo discovers she has more of a connection to the family than she ever thought possible.

I loved the suspense and tension throughout this one. Secrets were revealed to both Theo and the reader at the same time, which made me feel even more connected to the story. Theo is forced to unravel such a dark and twisty web of family secrets to get to the bottom of how she fits in.

Marshall used a similar writing method for her two previous thriller books, where the reader and the main character think they know the answer, but more plot twists keep coming. It doesn't always work for me, but this one really really did.

I recommend this one to all thriller lovers.

Ummmm… what?! 🤯😳

📚 SUMMARY:
Theodora, Theo to her friends, is meeting her fiancé’s family for the first time. It’s just a little nerve wracking since the Daltons are millionaires, they’re spending two weeks at their family set of palatial, isolated winter cabins, and Theo has been getting threatening texts to stay away from Connor Dalton. Theo also doesn’t remember most of her childhood and hasn’t been completely honest with Connor about what she does remember. When she realizes that she has childhood memories from this place, and not all of them are good, the goal shifts from impressing the Daltons to surviving them.

❄️ MY THOUGHTS:
This was such a twisty, dark thriller! Some thrillers have twists that are easy to guess or come at the very end of the story. Marshall sprinkles major plot twists all throughout the story. I had no idea what new reveal would happen or what new piece of information would be dropped and send the characters (and me) reeling. Especially since Theo doesn’t have a lot of childhood memories, the reader is piecing together her history at the same time she is. As things are revealed, it’s impossible to know who to trust or who is lying. By the end, I was questioning the sanity of several characters. This is a great thriller whether you already love the genre or want to give it a try!

❄️ Karissa Vacker on audio was fantastic! I’m always impressed by how she draws me in and makes me feel like I’m fully in the characters’ mindsets. Her male narrations are also so well done, which is one thing that can sometimes irk me. Her narration made this even better!!

🗓️This one publishes February 4, 2025 or you can get it early now through @bookofthemonth

Thank you to @kmarshallarts @netgalley netgalley @macmillan.audio and @flatiron_books for this Advanced Reader Copy!

Thank you so much for accepting my request to read this book. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it. Although I rated this book as medium paced, it doesn't lag at all. The pacing is great and it doesn't give the feeling of just wanting it to hurry up already and get to the point. This was my first read by this author and I absolutely loved it. I was rooting for Theodora the whole time and was hoping that her fiancee was one of the good guys. I definitely recommend it.

✨A KILLING COLD ✨

4.5/5⭐️

READ IF YOU LOVE:
📖 Short Bingeable Chapters
🧮 Complex plots
💰 Wealthy/Dysfunctional Families
🤫 Uncovering Secrets
🔒 Isolated Locations

SHORT DESCRIPTION:
Theo, and her fiancé, Connor, fall in love and get engaged within 6 months. He then asks her to meet his (very wealthy) family and spend time with them for a few weeks at their private mountain estate. The problem is that she is receiving warning texts about Connor and the Dalton family.

Once she arrives at the estate her reoccurring nightmares return and she starts to have visions. The only issue is that they’re fragmented and not from great memories either. Something bad clearly happened, but what?

REVIEW:
Kate Alice Marshall has yet to disappoint me with her novels. She has an incredible talent of painting the scene as if you’re right there with the characters. Her characters themselves also have so much depth that it’s hard not to root for them, specifically Theo and Connor. The twists and turns were SO good that I audibly said “What the f***” several times out loud. THANK GOD MY KIDS WEREN’T AROUND. The narrator was PHENOMENAL!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest feedback.

3.5 rounded up💫 I was torn between a 3.5 and 4 but ultimately it’s just not quuuite there!

If I see the audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker I’m always going to opt for the listening experience🙂‍↕️ and I suggest you do the same!

This is your typical rich-people-do-bad-things-and-get-away-with-it and “oh no we’re snowed in and have to stay at our big estate” mystery so while it’s not wholly original I did like the added storyline of finding out who Theo is and what she can’t remember!

My biggest issue was I did often get confused with the family tree and who was who🤔 maybe that’s an audio thing?! BUT!

I binged it in a day, there was multiple reveals throughout, and I was entertained so as far as mysteries go I’m pretty happy with it!

(3.5/5)
What I liked:
- Audiobook narration is fantastic
- Descriptive imagery & narration that gives a tense sense of foreboding
- The idea of a mystery unfolding in a picturesque mountain cabin setting
- The unexpected twists at the end

What I didn't like:
- I couldn't connect to the characters on this one and found nearly all of them to pretty unlikable, making it hard for me to get connected to the story. This could also have heavily impacted my thoughts on pacing and distinctiveness below
- Please keep in mind I like very fast-paced books, but this one felt too slow for me. Especially in the first half.
- I didn't really feel like this one had that memorable spike that'll keep me thinking about it. I almost felt like I'd read this story (or more likely, one that was very similar) before.

So, yeah, unfortunately, I don't think this one wasn't really for me, but if you're looking for a tense, wintry thriller, this book may be for you! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook!

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

I have loved Kate Alice Marshall since I discovered her on Book of the Month a couple years ago with What Lies in the Woods. This book fits right in with her current collection.

Theo has had a tragic past and has found a peaceful love. She gets engaged to a rich man and goes to his family cabin to meet his intense family for the holidays. She begins to remember that she had been to this cabin before. She starts to uncover her past while getting threats from someone who has figured out her true identity. She is fighting for approval to join the family and is uncovering some of the family members' dark pasts/secrets along with some of her own past/secrets. Will Connor continue to stick by her side or side with his family as they begin to learn more about each other? Why does she get the feeling she had been to the cabin before?

This book left me guessing until the end, some things I predicted, and others were hard to accurately predict. I was able to listen to the entire book in one day and I was hooked. Overall, I wish there was a bit more background into Theo and Connor's pasts, but overall, it was wonderful! I enjoyed reading it.

I hate to say it, but Marshall's book shave been on a downward spiral since her first. I absolutely devoured What Lies in the Woods and have been so excited to have gotten the opportunity to read and review No One Can Know and A Killing Cold, but they both just fell short for me, A Killing Cold especially. Maybe it's because I was gifted the audio version of both and they felt like a slow burns with quick and nicely wrapped up endings. This one just didn't do it for me. I didn't hate it, but I don't think it's one that I will find myself thinking about again.

4.5 rounded up- this was such an addicting book. Full of secrets upon secrets, lies, and deceit! I truly had NO idea who to trust or how this would end. Plus the snowstorm gave the perfect ‘locked room’ vibe to add to the creep factor. And as always, Karissa Vacker did a fantastic job with the audio! Thank you so much to NetGalley and MacMillan audio!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to listen and review "A Killing Cold". Kate Alice Marshall never disappoints. I finished this book in two days, because I could not stop thinking about what was going on and what was to come. She also is the Queen of double twisty endings. If you are a Book of the Month Member, you will not be disappointed if this is your pick. This book has some many intriguing elements including a scandalous wealthy family, blizzard conditions, and a secluded retreat. This gives all the wintery, claustrophobic, and twisty vibes. You will find yourself questioning everyone and not knowing who you can trust. So good!

A Killing Cold will likely be a hit for folks who devour thriller novels, but it left me a bit disappointed. What I loved most about Kate Alice Marshall’s other two adult novels were the characters; I felt connected to the characters in those books, and really believed the connections they had were real.

The characters in A Killing Cold fell pretty flat for me. A lot of it hinges on a rushed relationship between MC Theo and her mega rich fiancé, Connor - yet there was very little chemistry between the two, which made me care a little less when major things started happening in the plot. I just wanted to believe in their relationship a bit more, but very little time was spent on crafting that.

This storyline was also a bit over the top while also being pretty familiar; it basically boils down to rich people doing terrible things to protect their reputation. I liked the secluded setting, but it wasn’t a particularly novel approach to that either. So while the entire thing was intriguing and I wanted to know exactly what had happened, it felt like a story I’ve seen many times before.

Overall, this was a fun enough read but not one I expect I’ll remember much about in a week. Doing it as an audiobook was definitely the way to go - narrator Karissa Vacker does a great job bringing the necessary emotion to the story, making it very engaging to listen to. Highly suggest the audiobook if you decide to give this one a shot!

4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ Colorado (I think)
Publication date ~ February 4, 2025
Publisher ~ Macmillan Audio
Est Page Count ~ 304 (48 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 41 minutes
Narrator ~ Karissa Vacker
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ rich man/poor woman, opposites attract, flashbacks, nightmares, locked in feel

(Theo)dora (24) is spending some time at her fiance, Connor’s, family estate. This will be the first time she’s meeting them since their courtship has been short. Something seems familiar with the area, but she’s not sure what. She was adopted and has little knowledge about her past. We see through the eyes of flashbacks and nightmares of a little girl, which made the plot more intriguing.

Ahh, a rich family with secrets, not something we see that often. Bahaha, just kidding. They’re as snooty and snobby as you’d expect. Grandma really takes the cake and ices it with a triple layer of animosity. We’ve get an isolated woods, no cell service, locked ‘room’ feel, which worked really well as Theo tried to piece together her nightmares.

Overall, a solid thriller with secrets that were secretive and twists that were twistable.

Narration notes:
She does a fabulous job, as usual.

I’m a big fan of Kate Alice Marshall’s previous two books. So I was really excited to see she was coming out with a new one! A Killing Cold was good, but the middle third started to feel repetitive to me after a while. There were lots of twists to keep me engaged, but they seemed way too coincidental after a while. I think the secluded locations with families full of secrets is starting to be overdone and doesn’t feel new or original anymore. I was hoping for something new and different, but this felt very standard to me. I think a lot of thriller readers will enjoy this one, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. I will still look forward to more from Kate Alice Marshall in the future! If you do decide to grab this book, definitely listen to the audiobook! Karissa Vacker does a phenomenal job as usual!

I read this KNOCKOUT thriller in less than a day! There isn't much I need to say about this one other than BUY IT, READ IT, THANK ME LATER.

Marshall's books just keep getting better and better. The writing in A KILLING COLD is fast paced, engaging and suspenseful from the start. The setting is so visual that it adds to the CHILLS. With short chapters (can I get another PRAISE BE 🙌🏽), this is an easy binge-worthy read. With twist after twist and a pulse-pounding ending, you'll think you know what happened but you'll be wrong EVERY TIME. The characters are detestable but their repulsive behavior is what makes this story so DELICIOUSLY DISTURBING.

If you love rich people with BIG secrets, locked room locations and a twisty ending that you don't see coming, PICK THIS ONE UP! The conclusion could've gone so many ways and I'm not mad about her choice but I would've also loved if it went in a different direction.

4.5 stars rounded up

Wow, I finished this audiobook in less than 24 hours—I couldn’t stop listening. Kate Alice Marshall delivers a gripping winter thriller that pulls you in and keeps you guessing until the very end. If you’re building your February TBR, this one deserves a spot.

Theo, the main character, is adopted and burdened by a mysterious past that she’s only beginning to unravel. Brought to her fiancé Connor’s family retreat to meet his wealthy, powerful, and deeply unsettling relatives, Theo quickly realizes something is off. The Dalton family has secrets, and Theo finds herself caught in the middle of their web. The sense of unease is constant—you never quite know who she (or you) can trust.

The setting is perfect: a remote, snow-covered cabins in the woods. It’s atmospheric, eerie, and practically a character in itself. The family drama is as chilling, with some members that feel downright sadistic.

Karissa Vacker’s narration is fantastic. I have listened to several of her audiobooks and she has become one of my favorite narrators. She brings so much depth to Theo’s story. If you’re an audiobook fan, this is one to prioritize.

With its twists, tension, and chilling ending, A Killing Cold is a perfect winter read—and I also think it would make a great book club pick.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Kate Alice Marshall for the advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review. It was my pleasure.

It’s a yes for me! 🖤

DeAnn
@deannsdailydrop

This is a very solid read for those that like psychological thrillers.
You get elements of a locked door mystery as the family is on the mountain in the snow and can’t get cell service.
I figured out who was the killer fairly on. But they did have a couple red herrings in.
Overall a good solid and quick read.
I received a ALC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall in exchange for an honest review. I really liked this book and the surprises throughout it. I felt it was a great story and I was pulled in by Theo. At times I wondered if she orchestrated the whole situation and was plotting revenge or if she was an innocent pawn in a rich family's game of cat and mouse. It wasn't apparent until the end. I liked the ending and thought it was a great wrap up.