I always love the chance to learn more Grumpy's rules!!!! This is book #4 in the Arliss Cutter series and it's another excellent read from the talented Marc Cameron. The series is set in Alaska, where Cutter is a US Marshall working the Fugitive Task Force. Cutter is an excellent character that it's very easy to love. Actually, the characters in this series are all excellent. They each have their own "attitudes" and boundaries.
It's just another day in the life when Cutter leaves Deadhorse with three fugitives. He expects a smooth flight and an easy drop off, but man plans and God laughs. The plane goes down, violence is shared and Cutter is now stuck in a remote wilderness with the hardened criminals on the loose. Did I mention it's deep winter and the weather provides an added obstacle? Cutter is good at what he does but he's fighting on all fronts in this book.
Marc Cameron does an excellent job of setting the scene and providing the tension and action in these books. The challenges are all in front of the readers as they wait for Cutter to snap and give the bad guys just what they deserve.
Another great 5 star read for me.

This is one of those series that consistently maintains characters development as well as situational changes to keep the reader engrossed. Having the books set in Alaska definitely helps keep the tension levels high.
There is a serial killer on the loose, although that is not the initial focus of the book. We have Alriss Cutter's niece, who is starting to lash out because of how she feels about her entire situation, and it is just getting worse. Then, Arliss ends up going on a retrieval mission to bring back some men who were arrested in a different location. During what was supposed to be a normal transfer, our lead protagonist decided to enforce his principles ending up in a cascading sequence of events which eventually almost gets him to death's door. Given that we know there is another book after this, he does not die but comes very, very close.
There is a lot of action with two separate storylines taking place, with further fractures in between. There are moments when the reader will have to wait with bated breath to see if that is the moment that the multiple plot lines will converge.
There is a lot of carryover from the previous book, especially in Constance's case, since everything she is carrying in the beginning is a holdover from things she hid in the previous instalment. It has a direct impact on some of the events in this book and brings some form of closure to the longer storyline of the Cutter's romantic inclinations.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This is my first of the series and I am hooked! I would not call it fast paced, but the action is pretty steady. The characters are fantastic. Arliss & Lola make a great team, which creates a great read. The villains in this book were so villainously good. I do think this book is 6 chapters too long, so chapters just felt like filler and didn't contribute to the story. Now, I'm off to read the first 3 books in the series while hoping for a fifth.

I’ve now reviewed all four of Marc Cameron’s Arliss Cutter series, but I read this one out of sequence, Stone Cross being the second of the four books. I’ve raved about the other three, and this one gets the same reaction from me. It’s a great adventure in Alaska with Cutter and his US Marshall partner, Deputy Lola Teariki. In this case, they were both called to escort a judge to the interior of the state because his life had been threatened. Neither the Marshalls, Arliss and Lola, nor the judge, US District Judge J. Anthony Markham are happy about the assignment. But, upon their arrival in Stone Cross, the Marshalls learn of a murder and some missing persons, and while their primary assignment is securing the safety of the judge, they also need to get to the bush in order to deal with the murder.

This is really the first book I’ve read that captures what life is like in the very rural parts of Alaska, “the bush.” As with all Alaska stories, the weather plays a predominant part in the proceedings. Birdie Pingayak is the principal of the Stone Cross K-12 school, a native Eskimo/Inuit, and she plays a significant role in the story. After the characters all must struggle through horrible weather, the book concludes with a great dogsled chase through the worst blizzard that you can imagine. I was pulled into that event and was glued to every detail.

This book lands in my “wow” category (I just made that up), and I give it my maximum recommendation. I advise you to read these novels in the intended order so you can appreciate the character development and necessary background on what brought these people to Alaska.

Absolutely loved this book!
I am not usually an action/thriller book kinda fan, but mix in a serial killer, snow, the cold and wilderness and count me the heck in!

The characters were likeable, very relatable and easy to root for. The plot was multidimensional and came together nicely, in an action-packed manner.

Novels set in cold and snowy climates is my weak point, so this definitely played a role of my enjoyment too!

I truly enjoyed the book and cannot wait to backtrack and read other Arliss Cutter novels in the series :)

An extra point goes for the energy ball recipe at the end of the book, I loved the touch and was wondering about the recipe since it was mentioned a couple of times - great, heartwarming and thoughtful addition from the author!

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp for the opportunity to read this ARC. OK, I have a thing about reading any book that has a connection to Alaska...it's a fascination I have regarding the land and the people who live there. So a thriller set in the Alaskan wilderness is right up my alley! The main character , Arliss Cutter, who is in the US Marshal Service, along with his sidekick girlfriend Lola are very likable people who you root for. There is lots of action and the story moves along quite quickly.

I had not read any of the previous Arliss Cutter novels but I plan to now!

An entertaining thriller in the Arliss Cutter series set in the wilds of Alaska. Cameron crafts an intense thriller with well-developed characters and vivid descriptions of the Alaskan terrain and cold weather.

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Marc Cameron for the electronic ARC.
#NetGalley #ColdSnap

This book was so good! I want to see more from this author in the future!! I couldn't put this book down. What a page turner!!!

I love the Arliss Cutter series. The combination of humor, multiple storylines, great characters, and how Marc Cameron does not let out too much too quickly.

The beginning might feel a little slow, but you know the intense, disturbing, and graphic depictions are imminent, so you stick with it until the good stuff grabs you. Some of the scenes may be too much, but then there is humor peppered in to alleviate some of the rougher parts and you are back to turning the pages as fast as you can read them. Not every part is tied in a neat little bow, but a good writer doesn’t need to do that for you. Cameron gives you what is necessary to weave the dangly parts together allowing you to see the bigger picture all on your own.

From the end of Cold Snap, you can predict where the next Arliss Cutter will begin and this will be an emotional journey for Arliss and Mim.

Deputy US Marshal, Arliss Cutter is a long way from Florida where he and his brother were raised by a loving but ‘Grumpy” grandfather who was a Florida Marine Patrol Officer. The book opens with a short history of how Cutter got to be the man who believes “Bad men gotta pay.”

Set in Alaska you get a sense of how the territory and weather is all controlling and not in a great way. Some of the characters from the previous installment of the Arliss Cutter series are featured in “Cold Snap” which lends continuity in tone and direction. The last book I read in this series was “Stone Cross” and much like that book the action in “Cold Snap” is swift, powerful and merciless. There is so much going on in this story and most of it is bad. it seems as if every way forward means sinking in four feet of snow not to mention there is a bear hunting the humans and there are humans hunting other humans, except they are more monstera than humans and it is going to be very bad, very dangerous and very nasty.

This book was rougher, less polished and not as significant as some of Cameron’s other installments. The undercurrent of a possible stale homicide needed to be explored or omitted as the snippets and bread crumbs that were dropped were a distraction. It is obvious that this will be the storyline of a future installment and is probably the story that should have been told sooner

I am rounding up because it was so much better than mediocre. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a copy.

Marc Cameron can produce some of the most outstanding and heart pounding thrillers in the game. I have seen a lot of his work including the Jericho Quinn Series, his solid Tom Clancy novels, and of more recent his great work in the Arliss Cutter series.

Cameron has really grown the mystique and intrigue of such a hard-nosed and dedicated US Marshall in Arliss Cutter. Cutter has a set of rules that he lives by that not everyone agrees with but can completely understand why he does the things he does. Cutter has always been about the non-flashy and grinding day to day work of bringing prisoners in to pay their dues. In Cold Snap, Cutter teams up with Lola Teariki and a whole host of others for what seems to be another day in treacherous Alaska. Cutter isn’t one to complain so when he needs to help a fellow Marshall, he readies himself and gets to work. On a quick up and back to one of the north oil locations to grab some prisoners for processing, things get dicey. The unforgivable Alaskan storms and cold weather present a challenge all to themselves but when you put violent criminals and the devastating animal kingdom on edge, they get even hairier.

With such dedication to the job and the craft that he has been performing for years, Cutter seems to put everyone else first at times and forgets about his own past. He’s been a great family man, his brothers’ children and widow and to those that know Cutter’s past, he doesn’t have the best of luck with women. When this unfortunate trip turns personal, how will Cutter hold up to the accusations of days gone by?

Cameron continues to deliver brilliant action and untouched landscapes, as the Alaskan wilderness is always painted with such vibrance and peril. Cutter is cut from a cloth that is not too prevalent in America anymore. The steadfast devotion and skill that he lends to his career make him one of the finest law enforcement characters ever. The hard charging and sometimes young at heart Teariki are a formidable team that can accomplish anything and are always in the most dangerous of situations. This is another top-notch thriller that includes everything you could ask for.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter is one tough and seemingly cold character. He has to be. He has a lot on his shoulders. There is a psychopathic serial killer in his territory of Alaska. Women are in danger along with his fellow officers. There is also something going on in his personal family, his brother's widow and teen daughter are at odds.
This story is so intense I couldn't stop reading for hours. Even though I did not read previous books in the series I felt connected with the characters and storyline. Cutter's partner Deputy Lola Teariki and Officer Joe Bill Brackett are integral to the story and give some humorous relief in a stress filled environment as they investigate the horrific crimes.
This story takes Cutter and others into the extreme wild environment of winter overpowering spring in Alaska with more than one life threatening creature at hand.
My thanks to Kensington Publishers and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy of the book. I liked the story and would read more. This is my own opinion. There is some graphic description that may bother some readers.

Arliss Cutter for the win again! (I don't think that is a spoiler). Arliss Cutter is a US Marshall in Alaska helping his sister-in-law raise her children after his brother and her husband died. He is a no nonsense, get stuff done with a sense a humor and a love for his family. Tasked with what appears to be a routine prisoner transport, the routine becomes not routine. Story lines cross and adventure continues. I am a HUGE fan of Marc Cameron and will read everything that he writes.

*4-4.5 stars for a very exciting thriller set in Alaska. Arliss Cutter, a US Marshall working for the Fugitive Task Force, is assigned to a prisoner transfer that goes terribly wrong. Meanwhile, his partner, Lola Teariki, gets involved in the hunt for a gruesome serial killer in Anchorage, working along side Joe Bill Brackett of the APD.

I've enjoyed this series from the start. The Alaskan setting is pretty terrifying itself as one experiences the wild, magnificent power of Mother nature. The humans can be pretty wild and dangerous themselves--even the good guys, haha. I enjoy these well-developed characters and their personal relationships and look forward to where Cameron will lead them next.

A delightful bonus with this series is the inclusion of a delicious recipe at the end--one from Grumpy Cutter, Arliss's notorious grandfather. I've tried the previous ones and can't wait to try Grumpy Cutter's Oatmeal Energy Cookies now. Yum!

I received an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity. This is one of my favorite series.

Another body part washes ashore, and probably a too quick arrest to get the case closed? Lola Teariki (Marshall) and Joe Bill Bracket (an Alaska State Patrol Officer) don’t believe the homeless man arrested is the killer.
Marshall Arliss Cutter takes Lola’s place on a flight to Deadhorse to bring back some prisoners. While there he finds out that a local APD Officer has some questions about Arliss’s brother, Ethan, death.
Back home Mim and her daughter Constance rocky relationship comes to a blow, but also opens up the body part investigation as Constance overhears a conversation.
I really enjoyed a look at Lola’s thought process and how she putting all she learned from Cutter into practice. Looking forward to seeing more of that, and I don’t think we have seen last of Joe Bill.
Washed up body parts, transport of prisoners, downed planed, survival in the wilderness, bears, wolves, knives, winter,… make sure you clear your schedule before you start to read, because you won’t want to put is down!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an early read!

I liked this mystery thriller. I had not read this series or author before. This novel stood fairly well on its own; however, there was obviously an ongoing storyline which was not resolved by the end of this book. The main plot had little to do with this other storyline, which played a small role overall. I did not find it distracting, but it did feel random.
I enjoyed the setting in Alaska. The crime was interesting and was not preesented with the gore that it could have been. Depending on how you like your crime thrillers, that may or may not be a good thing. The dialogue and characters were well developed and written. The bad guys were easy to hate. Parts of the story were exciting. The conclusion itself felt a bit rushed and anticlimactic, but this was an overall solid mystery thriller read. I would read another book in this series.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Marc Cameron treats readers to an action-packed, suspenseful, and shocking crime thriller in Cold Snap , the fourth book in the Arliss Cutter series. After finding another body part in Anchorage’s Kincaid Park followed by a nearby attack on a female jogger, police believe they have captured their serial killer. Nevertheless, Supervisory Deputy U. S. Marshal Arliss Cutter and his partner Deputy Lola Teariki don’t believe it.

Normally Arliss, Lola, and the rest of his Alaska Fugitive Task Force are tracking dangerous fugitives. However, in this case Arliss goes to Deadhorse, Alaska to escort three prisoners back to Anchorage while Lola continues to work on the serial killer case. Arliss’ routine mission turns extraordinary when the plane makes an unexpected landing in the middle of nowhere and 30 miles off their expected course. Survival quickly becomes an issue for everyone.

Arliss and Lola are very different characters. He’s experienced and no-nonsense. She’s relatively new and wants assignments that are new and interesting as well as gleaning all possible knowledge from Arliss. They have flaws and virtues just like everyone else. I got a good sense of how Arliss treats his co-workers as well as his sister-in-law and her children. He is very protective of his team and underdogs, and he doesn’t tolerate bullies, no matter who they are. This can lead to some interesting interactions, to say the least. In this novel, we get to see more character development with Lola. The antagonist’s actions and thoughts had a terrifying realism that is memorable.
This book is set largely set in and around Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Deadhorse, Alaska. The author does a great job of making the reader feel transported to late winter in Alaska. I felt as though I was living the events alongside the characters.

This riveting action-adventure and crime thriller kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It has a deeply involved plot, an incredible setting, and extraordinary characters. Just when a reader thinks the situation can’t get any worse, it does. Readers are transported into the dark and terrifying world of the victims, the criminals, and the investigators. While some of the events are over-the-top, it was so full of action and excitement that it kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. I was kept fully invested in the assignment becoming a success. However, is that what happens?

Overall, this suspenseful, riveting, and fast-paced book takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. If you enjoy action thrillers that have both strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you. I look forward to reading more of this series. I can’t wait to find out what is next, as well as go back and read the first two books in this series.

Kensington Books and Marc Cameron provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for April 26, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

A Russian ship sailing off the Alaskan coast has engine trouble, stopped near a U.S. territorial buoy. Aboard the ship is 300 smuggled adorable puppies which will fatten the captain’s purse immensely. The problem is there are no papers for importing the puppies.

There are no hands with fingerprints to identify the victims when female body parts wash up on Alaska’s shoreline. Because the crime happened in international waters the U.S. Marshal Service has jurisdiction over the crimes.

Transporting prisoners from Anchorage to Fairbanks is part of Arliss’s detail. He has escorted more than three at a time before but these are extremely despicable. The bush pilot who is taking them to prison decides to alter his course slightly to check on his lady friend. What could go wrong?

Marc Cameron writes an engaging tale of three crimes. The prisoners will do anything to get free. Could one of these three be the killer who is brutally murdering the young women?

The author writes action-paced and fast-paced novels. This one tackles a brutal plot that became a bit graphic for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book! This was a suspenseful read, and the setting was thrilling and immersive!

Arliss Cutter is a US Marshall working in Alaska. He is a man of few words and fewer smiles. He finds himself in untenable situations yet always seems to come out on top using his quick wit and extensive library of survival skills. You can't help to love the grump. And always around to make him a little more lovable is his partner, Lola, a woman who does not suffer fools and when not out kicking ass at work is hard at work at the gym.

Cutter and Lola are split up, for what should be a night, when Cutter runs up to the North Slope to bring back a couple of bad dudes who were arrested there and need transporting to Fairbanks. While in the North Slope Cutter ends up arresting a 3rd and has to put them all on a little plane for transport. Suffice it to say the plane runs into a few problems along the way and Cutter and his charges are stranded in the middle of nowhere Alaska. Meanwhile, Lola is helping out on a case with the Alaska State Police when word of Cutter's disappearance comes through. Lola and Brackett, the State Police Detective with personal knowledge of the area in which Cutter is believed to be, head to Fairbanks to join the search.

This story will have you on the edge of your seat and next to the fire for warmth. It did not take me long at all to rip through this book, which isn't hard when you can't put it down. You absolutely could read this as a standalone, but why would you want to deny yourself more Arliss Cutter?

Many thanks to #NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced copy of #ColdSnap in exchange for my honest review. Cold Snap will be released on April 26, 2022.