I had high expectations for this because What Lies in the Woods was one of my top thrillers in 2023. And boy was this GOOD. The perfect winter thriller ❄️ Highly recommend listening to it via audiobook - the narrator did a STELLAR job with this.

Secluded mansion, rich family and lots of secrets... that is the set up for a good twisty thriller 👏🏻

So many twists and turns, I listened to this in one sitting throughout the work day- I could not put it down. Not a 5 star just because I don't love locked room mysteries but that's just personal preference & I still really enjoyed this'


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audiobook for the ARC- they provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

A KILLING COLD review

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

❄️I knew I wanted to read this one while snowed in and home from work! I loooove a good wintery thriller and this one had multiple twists throughout! At right around 300ish pages, it’s a quick read you can fly through while curled up by the fire.

❄️Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Theo is invited to her fiancé’s winter home to meet his extended family for the first time. But while exploring the property, she comes across a picture of herself as a child taken at the exact house she’s now staying in. Why does her fiancé’s family have this picture and why are they hiding the past from her?

❄️I’ve read a lot of “stuck in a dangerous situation bc of the snow” thrillers and they never seem to get old! Buuuuut I am a bit sick of the “rich people who make horrible decisions that affect others and have minimal repercussions” trope. 🥴 Sometimes I’m just tired of reading about rich people getting away with whatever they want. 😅 I still liked this one overall and I was definitely engrossed while reading it! If you’ve liked Kate Alice Marshall’s other thrillers I’d definitely check this one out!

❄️Thanks to @macmillan.audio for my advanced copy! This one publishes on February 4th!

I could not go to sleep until I finished this book!

We have Theodora Scott, a self proclaimed bad child who does not know her past, and Connor, who is from a historically wealthy family who covets privacy and loyalty. They have fallen in love and engaged within the first year of meeting. Now they are spending time with his family on the family estate. Once they arrive Theodora starts to remember things from her childhood. The mysteries of the past slowly start coming to light and no one knows the entire story.

Narration allowed the listener to interpret the story in his/her own way. Early in the story I found myself questioning is Theodora was in this situation to do harm to the family, which helped keep me engaged and alert for any new clues as to what was going to happen.

This novel is very well written and engaging. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery.

A Killing Cold Kate by Alice Marshall Pub Date: Feb. 4th, 2025
DURATION 9 Hours, 48 Minutes Macmillan Audio

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Suspense

I have loved Kate Alice Marshall's thrillers in the past, but this unfortunately fell a little flat for me. I didnt care about any of the characters, and the animal abuse in the first chapter put a sour taste in my mouth. Things just kept going downhill from there. As other reviews have said, the best part of this audiobook was Karissa Vackers narration.

Overall, I would recommend her other works ahead of this one. As always, my thoughts are my own and I am very appreciative of Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read and review this.

Theo and Connor have had a whirlwind romance. After a chance meeting, Theo - an orphan with a tragic past - and Connor, the heir to a wealthy, powerful family, quickly get engaged. Now it’s time for Theo to meet the family… at their secluded, eerie retreat.

I loved Theo - she’s sharp, resourceful, and not about to let all the creepy red flags fly without a fight. Connor, though? If my fiancé disappeared half as much as Connor does, we’d have some serious conversations. Poor Theo is out here dodging gaslighting and unraveling mysteries while Connor’s…somewhere.

This book is packed with secrets, misdirection, and family drama. Everyone is awful (but in the best way), and watching them twist and toy with each other was wildly entertaining.

The writing was engaging and flashbacks were seamlessly woven into the story, keeping the pacing smooth and the suspense building.

The audiobook narrator absolutely nailed it. The performance added so much drama, and I comfortably listened at 1.75x speed.

I wasn’t shocked by the reveals and twists, but as a big fan of family drama, I didn’t much mind. If you love a wintry, atmospheric read with pace and wealthy unlikeables, this is for you!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

I was so excited to read A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall because I loved her other book What Lies in the Woods and this audiobook is narrated by one of my fave narrators Karissa Vacker. Vacker does an amazing job narrating. I didn’t care for this story otherwise. I found nothing happened until at least 35% in and none of the characters especially the main character Theo weren’t compelling. Theo meets her fiancé’s wealthy family and discovers secrets from her past which she has blocked from her memory. I liked the winter mountain setting specifically because I read this in winter. I liked the queer rep and I didn’t guess whodunnit but I also didn’t really care. I feel like this was an outlier since I really enjoyed Marshall’s other book No One Can Know and if Vacker keeps narrating Marshall’s audiobooks then I’ll definitely keep listening!

A Killing Cold Kate by Alice Marshall Pub Date: Feb. 4th, 2025
DURATION 9 Hours, 48 Minutes Macmillan Audio 

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Suspense 

Getting engaged after a very fast courtship and meeting the future in-laws should be great until it isn't. When your husband to be comes from an elite ridiculously rich and powerful family, they don't just let anyone join, and Connor's family has a reputation to uphold. They also may have a few skeletons in the closet, but so does Theodora. 

They arrive at his family's very isolated winter retreat where they spend every Christmas. No close neighbors, no cell service, and snow storms can trap them there for days. Piece of cake right? Although it seems someone had been sending her anonymous messages saying "Stay away from Connor Dalton." before they arrived it seemed the family was not pleased that he was bringing her to spend the holidays with the family. 

Theo ignored the threatening messages on her phone, but at the lodge, she noticed footprints in the snow outside the cabin window and more messages that were clearly from someone at the property. Which family member has it out for her when they don't even know her? Someone in his family does not want her to become part of the family. She also has a sense of deja vu about this place, yet she is certain she has never been here and grew up across the country with her adoptive parents. When she gets a tour around the grounds she notices one of the cabins that none of the family use and she notices there is a familiar-looking dragonfly on the building. It looks similar to the one she has tattooed on herself. When the family is tight-lipped over the empty cabin and what happened to Connor's father, she decides to check out the cabin and finds something that should not be there. A photo of her as a child with Connor's father on this land. She doesn't remember much of her childhood since she was adopted at a very young age and therapy wasn't helpful to get her to remember what happened to her birth parents. All she knows is she was adopted by two strict and religious people who were difficult to live with and to this day she has a recurrent nightmare that seems to be linked to her childhood before she was adopted. 

She has a traumatic past, one that she has yet to tell her future husband. Now that this place is sparking strange memories, it seems like she will need to talk to Connor to try and figure out what is going on and save her relationship because his family is making it very difficult for her to feel wanted in the family. The Daltons have a reputation to uphold, and they also have secrets they don't want outsiders to find out. Theo continues to get threatening messages and the more she pokes around, the more danger she seems to be getting into. The Daltons are rich, and powerful and will do anything to cover their tracks. Her poking around the past may not just cost her relationship, it could cost her life. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC of this book prior to its release in exchange for an honest review. This book was fast-paced, had the mystery and suspense I love in thriller books, and had a surprising final reveal of what actually happened when the FMC was a little girl. I highly recommend this for mystery thriller lovers. It was a good time.

Theo is off to meet her fiance's family, and she's nervous. For one, they're pretty filthy rich and for another's she's gotten some anonymous messages telling her to stay away from her beloved Connor Dalton. At Idlewood, the Dalton's winter resort, Theo immediately feels ill at ease, but the place seems familiar to her, and she has a strong sense that's she's been there before. That thought solidifies when she finds a picture of herself as a child in an off-limits room.

Essentially what you have here with A Killing Cold is a locked room murder mystery, something I've recently learned that I enjoy immensely. This book is riddled with red herrings, and I don't think too much is given away in the telling of the story. I've read other books by KAM, but this one is my favorite, and arguably her best book yet. There were a couple things that I didn't love about this book, but Theo is a solid character, who becomes quickly sympathetic to the reader, and the story is quite compelling. I would recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. As always, Karissa Vacker was a great narrator and fit the part of Theo perfectly.

If a thriller is making me question every character, you know it’s good! The plot of this book was absolutely gripping my soul. From the very beginning I started asking myself so many questions, and by the end I was completely shocked with the turn of events! The audio book was INCREDIBLE!!

The FMC had a very sad family history with more unanswered questions than answers. She finds her self in a quick engagement to a man that comes from a very wealthy family. His family invites them to stay on their property for awhile and that’s when everything begins to take a turn. She finds out about deaths of loved ones on their property and catches many people in lies. The most unnerving was the odd familiarity she felt from the place, but in the end all of her questions are answered.

I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone I know!

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4⭐️
A KILLING COLD
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: thriller
📖 304 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: ❄️💬🤫🦌🗻😱🔦🩸⛷️🥶🧣🧸✝️🔫
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 2/4/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ single POV
◽️ secluded settings
◽️ mysterious texts
◽️ twisty thrillers

🩵𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲🩵

Thank you @netgalley @flatironbooks @macmillianaudio for the #gifted copy!

A KILLING COLD was an engaging & atmospheric read! The cold, 🥶 isolated setting of Idlewood added a layer of unease that matched the chill of the winter days perfectly. From eerie footprints in the snow to unexplained bloodstains, the tension built steadily, creating a suspenseful backdrop that kept me hooked from start to finish. I found myself completely absorbed in the unfolding drama & the dark, twisted secrets lurking just beneath the surface.

It shows the lengths people will go to protect their power & privilege. It’s brimming with tension, weaving together secrets, flashbacks, mysterious texts, & unsettling nightmares. Each new revelation made me question what was real & who could be trusted. The frequent red herrings kept me on edge, constantly second guessing my theories.

The pacing was just right, with enough twists to keep me intrigued without feeling overwhelming. By the end, all the mysteries were tied up in a satisfying way. If you’re looking for a suspenseful story with a chilling atmosphere & plenty of surprises, pick this one up!

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Theodora Scott falls for Connor Dalton, a wealthy, charming member of a powerful family, & he takes her to Idlewood to meet his skeptical relatives. As she receives threatening messages & notices eerie footprints in the snow, Theo uncovers a photo of herself as a child taken at Idlewood. With no clear memories of her early years, she starts unraveling a dark connection to the Daltons & the retreat.
Someone in the family harbors a dangerous secret they’ll do anything to protect. As Theo gets closer to the truth, she realizes that discovering what happened at Idlewood may cost her everything.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the romance aspect as much as the thriller aspect. Every thing made sense, loved the plot twist. I’m really excited to read more from this author.

A Killing Cold
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a great winter thriller to read during the coldest month of the year!

Imagine finally meeting your fiancés family over a winter break and finding a picture of you as a child hidden away in the house. This rich family will go great lengths to keep the past hidden away.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It was a quick thriller with several twists that had me guessing who the killers all were!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

I was totally invested in the audio and I enjoyed the journey, but I really had to suspend my imagination to accept the possibility of the total random chance circumstances. 3.5* rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this ARC!

When a story is set at a secluded winter retreat in a blizzard with no cell service, you know you are in for a gripping thriller!

When Theodora Scott and Connor Dalton first meet, their connection is instant. After dating for 6 months, they travel together to Idlewood, the Dalton family’s isolated winter retreat so Connor could introduce Theo to his family. Theo is greeted with an icy reception and has been receiving anonymous messages to stay away from Connor. After a while, Theo gets the feeling that she’s been to Idlewood before and discover a photo of herself as a child in one of the cabins. Theo soon realizes that the Dalton’s are keeping secrets and they will do anything to keep them hidden.

A Killing Cold is a fast paced, twisty thriller full of secrets and lies. This story keeps you on the edge of your seat and you never know who you can trust! Every time you think you have things figured out, another piece of the puzzle is revealed and it’s impossible to know what will happen next! I listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed the narration. It sucked me in and I finished this one in 36 hours! I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an ALC of A Killing Cold in exchange for my honest review.

What would you do if you lost so much of your childhood you had no idea what your real name is? What if you knew you had a mother but did not remember her at all except for a single piece of clothing? That is what Theodora has to deal with. She knows that Theodora is not her real name, but she is content with it. She is content with her life especially now that she has met Connor and they are engaged. It was instant love and she is heading to their family winter retreat in hopes that she can win over his extremely picky relatives as they do not believe it is true love. They believe she is in it for the family wealth. But this trip has come with some bumps for Theodora as she has been getting unknown messages randomly telling her to stay away from her fiancé.
A Killing Cold is gripping, full of twists and turns and so many family secrets. It was a hit from the beginning. I really needed to change up the genre I was reading this week and this was fantastic. Kate Alice Marshall has got to be one of my favorite authors when it comes to thrillers. The narrator, Karissa Vacker, was also fantastic, love her voices for the characters. She brings them to life.

Will be releasing February 4th, thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Isabella Narvaez for the eALC

A Killing Cold is a chilling psychological thriller by Kate Alice Marshall. This story is dark and eerie, layered and complex, with an incredibly toxic family who will go to any length to protect the family name. This disturbing novel can get pretty far-fetched, but it is entertaining nonetheless.

When Theodora is invited to her mega-wealthy fiancé’s family home after a whirlwind courtship, she’s nervous to say the least. That feeling intensifies as she receives a cold reception and rigorous interrogation from the family members. They are an odd lot and she is made even more uncomfortable when they make it clear that she does not meet their standards and is urged to leave. The longer Theodora is there, however, trapped by the winter weather, the more buried memories from her childhood arise, secrets that she has long forgotten. While there, certain events occur that tie her horrific flashbacks to this very home and family.

A Killing Cold is wintry, descriptive, and the classic “closed room” mystery set in a remote mountain estate. There are graphic hunting elements that are gory and hard to read, as well as despicable human behavior that is hard to fathom. While this story was a bit dark for me and left me feeling melancholic, it was also attention-grabbing and gruesomely captivating.

I listened to the audiobook of this story, read to me by Karissa Vacker, and she is one of my favorite narrators. Her voice is clear and compelling, and truly brings the story to life. I highly recommend it.

Reading in Between the Wines book review #2/125 for 2025:
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: A Killing Cold
Author: Kate Alice Marshall
RELEASES on February 4, 2025!!!

Sipping thoughts: I love how this book gives away a major “twist” that is not really the twist very early on. Then you get to the twist only to realize this is one of many that will be jammed pack throughout the ending of the book.

This is not your typical book on family secrets. A Killing Cold follows a rich family that has always used their power, money, and prestige to get through life. But when an old family secret comes to the light, the Dalton family will face problems and unravel lies that they’ve never seen before. I was going to give it 5 stars but decided on 4 just because one part that was too unrealistic, or coincidental for me to suspend reality.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @MacmillanAudio for an advanced copy of @AKillingCold.

#AKillingCold #KateAliceMarshall #MacmillanAudio #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Started and began this in one day. Could not put this down. A Killing Cold was a great thriller. A lot of twists and turns not especially shocking twists but they were well done. I felt like I could feel the setting because of how well done the author described it in detail. I literally turned on my heating blanket LOL. I enjoyed this audio a lot. The narrator did a great job.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was everything you want in a thriller—a rich family, an isolated location, no cell service, and years and years of family secrets mixed together. It was a fast-paced thriller with twist after twist.

I listened to the audiobook in less than 24 hours, and it kept me guessing throughout the story. You are definitely going to hate some of the characters, but that all factors into the plot to keep you guessing where you will end up. I thought I had guessed the ending, but I was wrong. Some of the explanations and connections seemed a little far-fetched, but the book was good enough to make me suspend my version of reality for a little while.

Like any good thriller, the pace really picks up with the last third of the book. It made for a great listen while driving home in traffic!

Karissa Vacker is the narrator for the audiobook, and as always, she is fantastic at hooking the listener in and keeping you engaged.

While following familiar story beats of the thriller/suspense genre, Marshall also weaves in amnesiac intrigue, as readers piece together the events as each character does as well. The twists are fairly well-timed, and the narration was especially grabbing.