I may have figured out the killer pretty quickly but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t still getting whiplash from the twists and doubting myself every other chapter. By the end, I was so engrossed any small noise around my house had me jumping out of my seat and then returning back to reading frantically to get to the end.

Love, Love, Love a Darcy Coates story!

I believe I’ve mentioned before, I’m a sure in for the “stranded”, “lost in the woods” and “need to survive” story. Now combine that with Darcy writing it can’t be anything but fabulous, right? An easy sell. I was so thrilled to be given this eARC.

A group of travelers are on their way to a remote getaway end up stopped and stranded in a snowstorm. Obviously, they can’t stay out in the elements so they must make their way to finding shelter. Well, they find an abandoned cabin and all figure they will wait out the storm! Wrong!

Our protagonist is Christa, and the story is revealed through her POV. She is injured, her boyfriend is missing, and she and other travelers are holed up when they discover their guide murdered, brutally so, the next day. Now they look at each other with anger, impatience, fear and suspicion.

Tension begins to mount, suspicion is palpable and fear is mounting. One by one, they are being killed, brutally. Who? Why?

Darcy, you’ve done it again! This novel moves at breakneck speed, the characters are likable, the atmosphere is claustrophobic, the landscape harsh, the cold unforgiving and the killer vicious. The twists were not overdone,
And it kept me guessing until the end.

I will say, this novel does have the gore factor! The reader need not use their imagination, it’s laid out right there. I, as a lover of all things horror, didn’t mind, but if gore is not your thing, be forewarned. However, the book, the author, I cannot recommend enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Gripping, chilling, tense, and eerie. I did not want to put Dead of Winter down! It all comes down to a bus forced to stop, travelers seeking shelter, a frozen landscape, and danger - lots of danger. Who doesn't love a good finger pointing "It was you with the Axe!" book that keeps you on your toes, flipping the pages and on the edge of your seat? I love it and Darcy Coates delivered!

Christa and her boyfriend along with a group of travelers are heading deep in the snow-covered Rocky Mountains to a lodge for a getaway. As the wind and snow continues to hammer the area, their bus must stop when there is a tree blocking the road. Stranded in the bitter cold, the travelers must find shelter and fast. They find an abandoned cabin and take shelter hoping to wait out the storm.

I do love that trapped in a cold environment trope in a book! Woohoo!!!

After she is injured and her boyfriend goes missing in the snow, Christa wakes up in the cabin with the other. Sometime that night, their tour guide goes missing. Did he go for help? Has he found a way to get to the lodge? NOPE! His severed head is found impaled on a tree outside the cabin. This was not the getaway they signed up for! Let the finger pointing begin.

Tension mounts as anger flies. The travelers begin looking at each other knowing they are the only ones there. One of them must be the killer! As the snow keeps piling up so do the bodies. One by one, they are being killed. Why, how and by who???????

WOWZA! This was so good. I loved the tension and watching as the travelers/survivors being looking at each other as their suspicion grows. No one is safe and all are afraid. How do they cope? Who can they trust?

This was so nicely done! I had no idea who the killer was. Darcy Coates takes readers on a snow filled, twist filled, shocking ride! I also loved how the cold landscape was very much a character in this book as well. It was unrelenting, unforgiving and the perfect tomb. The characters are an interesting bunch and had me pointing my own fingers at them while reading. Very nicely done!

I can see this being made into a movie. That is how it played out in my mind while reading.


Well thought out, well written, and perfectly paced. This was such a chilling page turner!

As a reviewer, I may be known as someone who loves a "locked room" mystery and one that is set in a winter storm is my absolute favorite so I could not wait to read this book. I enjoyed the atmospheric writing and character development throughout the story as well as the plot twists that came one and after another. I do not like to give out an spoilers but I have to say you must read until the end.

When something is so good that you simply can't bother taking notes because you don't want to lose your train of thought..
It was that good and I don't say that lightly!
Desolation, isolation, ok...we've been there before but beheadings? Wait,...what?
This rural theme is often found in thrillers along with numerous escalating situations.
However, this one felt different with some attention grabbing moments that made you stand and salute for a job well done. Just jarring!
I honestly can't so much else without giving it away but to say my followers -when ya know ya know!
Grab this tight!
Thank you to Darcy Coates, Poisoned Pen Press, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This is a pretty good thriller. It’s not horror.

It’s also really entertaining and really, really derivative. This is yet another ‘And Then There Were None’…with Snow!

The reason behind everything is over-the-top. The killings are even more over-the-top. I never once (like, never ever ever once) thought the killer was anyone but who the killer turned out to be.

But the book is a fun and fast read, it doesn’t tax your brain, and it was definitely enjoyable.

Thriller-lite.

• ARC via Net Galley

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery/thriller novel. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and was really surprised by the twist. I would definitely recommend this book to my other thriller lovers. The character develop was just enough to fit in with the horror and the connections among the character were a great contrast.

'We're all going to die here'

Christa is part of a tour group into the mountains. She's a little nervous, as its not something she would usually do, but is excited to spend some time with her partner.

But a snow storm traps the tour group in an isolated cabin, & once the first body drops everybody realises theres more to fear than the increasing storm. They may not have time to wait out for rescue with a killer lurking.

Right from the beginning you're thrown into the middle of the snow storm & the suspense of finding shelter. From there the story is steeped in the sense of dread & growing fear they wont be rescued in time.

As Randy said in Scream - "Everybody's a suspect". You slowly get to know the characters due to the forced proximity. My sense of who the killer was changed so many times through out the twist & turns as more information was revealed & the numbers started dwindling.

I haven't really experienced snow or a snow storm, but I loved how Darcy Coates was able to make me feel like I was there, experiencing the cold & dropping temperatures.

It did feel it slowed a little in the middle, but I think this was to help flush out the characters a little more & increase sense of alarm of their situation.

This had me hooked right from the first chapter right up until the last sentence. Darcy Coates has done it again. Perfect winter read.

Thank you to Netgalley & Poison Press for the chance to receive an ARC to read & review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I started off thinking this was going to be a great story because it didn’t take long for the first horrifying event to occur. The suspense stayed steady for a while but then the story started dragging and I started to put the pieces together and they formed a predictable story. I like her overall style of writing, but after a while I just struggled to stay interested in this one.

Loved this fast paced thriller, would’ve read in one sitting if I haven’t had to go to work. I did correctly guess who the killer was about half way through the book but it did not take away from the enjoyment of the book at all and it kept me second guessing myself. I also feel like this Book could’ve done with a short epilogue to wrap things up at the end but overall I really did enjoy this book. I’ve yet to read a book by Darcy Coates that I haven’t enjoyed.

I may be Darcy Coates biggest fan.

Dead of Winter does what Darcy does best, gives you all the chills and gore while flawlessly drawing you into Christa’s world of regret, guilt and forgiveness.

Basically, 9 people all go on what they believe to be a vacation to a snowy mountain retreat. When their bus breaks down, and the storm rages on, people start losing their heads! (For real)

They’re trapped. With a killer. With no food, little warmth, and dwindling trust. This books is gruesome. Heads mounted on trees, frozen bodies, pulled teeth… this book may not be for the faint at heart.

Darcy is known for her ghost/supernatural horror, but she does some of her best work when she features real world monsters. Humans. This book reminded me of Hunted- another book that ghosts or ghouls are not the antagonists.

This book keeps you guessing until the final chapter! As always, I highly recommend reading Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates. Queen of horror.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Darcy for the ARC!!

Standard mystery that will appeal to that genre lovers but not many surprises here. Characters and plot predictable.

Breakneck speed, full blown terror. As a Canadian I could feel the atmosphere. It was so well written I was cold just thinking about the landscape. The desolate frozen landscape made this all the more chilling, pun intended.
This book was no holds barred jaw dropping horror. The kind of book that gives you nightmares.
Also Trigger warning for anyone with a phobia of teeth like myself…. There is a GRAPHIC teeth scene that traumatized me.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

Darcy is becoming one of my favorite authors! I really enjoyed the atmosphere, characters, the mystery. The pacing was definitely slower than I preferred but it was written so well that I can overlook it. It was a page turner for sure.

Stuck in a snowstorm with no way out and a killer on the loose, my favorite kind of winter read!
This was a good book and although I found it a little slow I still enjoyed reading it.

Many thanks to net galley for the chance to read and review this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for early copy of this book.
What an action packed, scary, atmospheric,whodunnit story. Great read but I must admit I figured the killer out at about the early second half. I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and each character, would definitely recommend

This was not my favourite Darcy Coates but I did enjoy it. Darcy is a damn good writer and I could almost feel the cold as I read this book. I enjoyed the grisly deaths and the dire atmosphere but it fell a bit flat for me when I figured out who the villain was. I like when I figure out the mystery but I was disappointed that I was right with this one because it was a bit predictable. All in all, would definitely recommend this book

This is my second Darcy Coates book and I am a fan for life now.

This was an exceptionally fun thriller and had me enthralled from the first few chapters.

It is well written, fast paced, and I truly didn't know the ending until I got there.

I really enjoyed this and will definitely be giving away a copy on my booktok around release date to help promote it.

TYSM for the opportunity to be an ARC Reader for this book!

This book hooked me from page one-- that's something I NEVER say. It always takes me a few pages/chapters to really get into a book but I was so hooked on this one. It was so atmospheric from the very beginning. I love the way this author made me suspicious of every single character throughout the entirety as well. Just as I was beginning to not trust someone, I was totally wrong and trusted them again. This is a great book and I recommend it to everyone! Thank you NetGalley and Darcy Coates for letting me read this early!

4.5 overall!

This is my second Darcy Coates book and it certainly won’t be my last. To say this book was a WILD ride is an understatement. It had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. All the twists and turns that happened throughout were crazy and had me gasping. I was guessing everyone as a suspect at some point, and just when you thought you had it figured out, another twist gets thrown in. I do think it could’ve been a little shorter but the short chapters helped keep me turning the page. Also I know I’m a person who just loves a good epilogue to wrap up some loose questions, and I do wish I had one in this book.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and if you’re in the mood for a locked room, winter horror this is definitely for you. Darcy Coates does not disappoint.