I just finished whizzing through this book after 1 day. I really liked it - it was an amazing debut! I loved the main character and her flawed candor. The other characters also drew me in and Koller Croft's writing style was one that I enjoyed!

I love a domestic suspense with dark humor and I gobbled this one up! It’s magnificent on audio too.
I’m shameless, I had so much fun reading this book. It’s going to be in my top reads for 2023.

Couldn't put this book down! I wanted to know what Bea was going to do next, what happened in her past that made her who she was in the present, and the writing style was addictive. The link below is of my author interview for the Feminist Book Club podcast.

stone cold fox is a suspense/thriller novel following Bea, who grew up in a life defined by her mother conning wealthy men and subsequently living life utilizing their money and resources, and then moving on to the next. she is tired of that lifestyle from her childhood and she wants to settle down, but she is not gonna not marry rich, so she sets her sights on collin case, one of her wealthy clients. however, it’s not just collin she has to win over, its the family who sees her as an outsider, and especially collin’s best friend, gale, who has motivations of her own for keeping bea on the outs.

this is a hard book to review, because its one of those where almost every character is unsympathetic in some capacity. it is very fast-paced despite it not being overstuffed with plot, and the first line sets the tone for the type of character Bea is going to be. there are flashbacks to bea’s childhood layered throughout, so we get more of a perspective on the way that bea’s mother’s perspective on relationships has informed her own. When i started the book, i didn’t have much of a concept of what was going to happen plotwise, but i ended up listening to it in one day because i wanted to know what was coming next. if you like books with unlikeable morally ambiguous rich out of touch characters, this would be a fun one for you to read!

This book was so much fun - I couldn't put it down! I love a con artist story and this felt like a fresh take. I loved the slow reveals as the book went on, it's what made this one so addictive. It was so wildly unhinged. I kept gasping and frantically texting my friend who was reading this at the same time I was, I was so glad I had someone to talk to about it. All my predictions were wildly wrong and the end was satisfying to me, which is really all I want from a thriller! It gave me the same vibe as Ashley Winstead's The Last Housewife, but without being so gruesome.

If I could change anything, I wish we understood a bit more of the mom's motivations. But still really enjoyed it!

Genre: Thriller

Format: Audio

4🌟 - I liked it!

Our #btwbc pick for this past month! Such a fun con story with a few unexpected twists! I really enjoyed the writing style and thought it was really good on audio! Love a rich people problem story and this one delivers!

BOOK REVIEW

BOOK: Stone Cold Fox
AUTHOR: Rachel Koller Croft
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Thriller/Suspense
DID I CRY: No
PUB DATE: 2/14/23
RATING: 9/10
4.5 stars

Thank you so much @berkleypub for my #gifted advanced copy of #StoneColdFox out now!

MY THOUGHTS

What a book! This one very quickly picked up traction & filled my feed with glowing reviews and I can for sure see why!

I loooove a dramatic suspense. Books that make me feel like I’m watching reality tv in the best way make my heart happy & I find myself unable to put the book down because I get so wrapped up in the plot and the characters, and this was no exception. I felt like the writing was great, and it translated SO well into audiobook format. The narration was fantastic. The plot itself was also fun to follow. I’ve been loving con artist plots, specifically the suspense they bring to the story. The characters were outrageous & catty & almost felt like caricatures of real people but it made the story perfect.

I think the ending was a lot for me, it felt like it got kind of crazy & whiplashy. I would’ve liked if it were a little bit longer to help pace out the events that happen at the end, or if the ending was slightly less chaotic with a few more clarifying plot points.

All in all though this is a knock out debut & i am so excited for more from this author. & according to @emilybookedup this is getting adapted by Julie Plec so we’ll be able to see this drama come to life in the near future

This book had so much potential. Loved the storyline but it was very disjointed and jumped around a little too much to stay focused.

I’m surprised how much I loved this!! The con elements, unlikable narrator, WASPs behaving badly, and family trauma came together to create this unputdownable read.

This certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea — lots of content warnings. This reminded me a bit of When we were Bright and Beautiful and Luckiest Girl Alive; if you liked those, you’ll enjoy this.

This is an intriguing thriller that is told in past and present leading up to the end result of a childhood filled with abuse and neglect. Bea seems to be cold-hearted and vengeful, yet vulnerable and childlike at times. Her ongoing battle with Gale was very entertaining and there were a lot of memorable secondary characters. The audiobook is so fun to listen to and Carlotta Brentan did a fantastic job narrating.

Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for my free book and audiobook! My thoughts are my own.
#penguinrandomhousepartner

I can already tell you, this novel will be one of my TOP READS this year! I started this novel late on a Friday night, and devoured it over the next day, even switching to the audio version while I ran my Saturday errands and cleaned my house, because I could NOT put it down! This novel has everything I love in a thriller…deceit, twists, female competition, murder, and a complicated (lovable?) evil main character that I found myself rooting for!

Bea learned from the best, her own beautiful mother. She watched as her mother repeatedly chose a wealthy target and conned him into marrying her. Bea lived a few content years in each household until the target met with a suspicious end. Then Bea and her mother changed their names and moved to the next mark.

As an adult, the stunningly beautiful Bea wants a more stable life. So, she chooses a target she intends to stay married to — a wealthy man who comes from old money. The family has several houses, cars, chauffeurs, household wait staff, and more. When Collin Case falls deeply in love with her, Bea just needs the approval of his family.

But Collin’s childhood best friend, Gale Wallace-Leicester, sees through Bea, and what starts out as merely an amusing competition for Bea turns into a fight with everything at risk! How far will Bea go to get what she wants?

This story is told from Bea’s perspective. I had to laugh at Bea’s less than flattering assessment of those around her, especially Gale Wallace-Leicester! Bea’s internal dialogue was highly entertaining as she assessed everything from the fashion sense, hairstyles, and makeup choices to the household decor of those around her. This novel was thoroughly entertaining and I highly recommend it!

This is Rachel Koller Croft’s debut novel!! I can’t wait for her next book, as she is already an auto-buy author for me!

okay this was honestly so fun. as in fun the way that fiction should be- unrealistic to real life and incredibly entertaining! Bea is a top tier con artist with her sights set on marrying the filthy rich Colin Chase. Bea’s last big score in is sight, once she can get through Colin’s best friend Gale Wallace-Leicester.

Bea is wild. smart, mean, quick, gorgeous and ruthless. She belongs on a reality show amongst the most notorious Bravo Housewives! i honestly loved reading her internal thoughts- it was the epitome of intrusive thoughts come to life. a juicy suspense that thriller fans do not want to miss!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing & Netgalley for this stunning gifted copy!

Growing up, Bea (not her real name), lived under the whims of her mother who kept attempting to marry up, no matter what it took. Bea has learned from her mother. She’s not going to leapfrog from situation to situation: she’s going for the gold. Collin Case, scion of one of country’s wealthiest families, though dull, meets her criteria, and she has a plan to ensnare him.

Bea doesn’t count on Collin’s best friend, Gale Wallace-Leicester, who is just as determined that Bea not pollute her social milieux with her inferior genes, not to mention her own unrequited love for Collin. This cat-and-mouse game has deadly stakes.

Although I enjoy novel about con artists and the super-rich behaving badly, I felt on unsteady ground throughout this novel. I didn’t know where it was going or how I should feel about the characters. This might well have been the author’s intention, but it made for an uncomfortable reading experience. Bea was unlikeable but Gale was worse, leaving no one to root for.

I wanted to like the stand-off between Bea and Gale more, but I thought Gale was underdeveloped and I thought it would have been strong had her motivation been either because of her love for Collin or to protect “people like her” (gross). I also didn’t really like Gale’s secret weapon.

Most people I know who read the book adored it, though, so I’m a bit of an outlier, and would encourage you to check it out if you do like stories about con artists or the antics of the super wealthy.

Special thanks to Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

The writing is suspenseful and there is a lot of characters in this book. I knew I was going to like this one. I love a good con as much as anyone else and these characters were INTERESTING!

I definitely would have no problem recommending this book. Bravo!

This was a fast, reasonably enjoyable read. I didn't find myself rooting for any of the characters except for maybe the fiance's unconventional sister.

n this debut psychological thriller, Bea is working on her latest con, trying to marry into old money. She's looking for her own brand of legitimacy, thinking this is her last con, but she'll have lots of other women to take on before she can achieve her goals. Like her mentor and mother and her potential husband's best friend.

There's plenty of female dynamics going on here that I found really interesting, and the writing is tight and suspenseful. Bea is a complex character and I'm still not sure how I feel about her without being too judgemental and I liked that about this book. I'm not sure any of these characters were likable, but they sure were interesting. This story had just the right darkness for me. Collin's friend Gale also provides some terrific moments as she questions Bea's motives and takes her on while looking out for her best friend.

As a thriller, it kept moving along at a good pace, and had enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. The end felt rushed but that's typical with this genre, it's more about the ride to the ending. Overall, a very nice debut.

Fanatasic! This is one of the first books of 2023 that I am recommending to everyone I know. It was easy to get caught up in the characters and the story moved along at the perfect pace. I will be watching for more from Rachel Koller Craft (even a sequel to this one would be great - I want to see what comes next)!

Bea, our wildly unpredictable MC, takes us for a wild ride in this entertaining book that I completely devoured. As a reader, you either love her or you hate her. And I hated that I loved her! As many villainous things that she does, she does it with such snark and determination that you can’t help but root for her!

As Bea continues her pursuit to achieve what she believes she deserves, we get a look at a lot of wild female relationship dynamics. The book explores a highly toxic mother/daughter relationship, a cat and mouse relationship between two women competing for the same man, women in the workplace, socialites who believe the world revolves around them and their circle, and many more!

It’s a crazy book that I highly recommend! One moment you’re laughing at Bea’s inner snark and spot on analysis of her boyfriend’s inner circle and the next you are feeling heartbroken when you get a preview of why she is trying so hard to hide from her past. This thrilling debut is a winner! I absolutely cannot wait for the series adaptation!!

The author wrote the heck out of this book. I truly was blown away by how I reacted to the emotions of the main character. Bea is such an amazingly complex character, no matter what she said or did, I wanted to her to come out on top.
Her past is sketchy to say the least and her intentions with her new husband aren't always clear (does she love him, does she not?) but whatever Bea was going thru, I wanted to be right there along side her.
This book will surprise you, scare you and keep you guessing!
If you love family drama, mystery, hidden evil and high stakes, this is definitely a book for you!

With a cover and title like Stone Cold Fox it was pretty much a given I was going to read this debut novel by Rachel Koller Croft, but the rave reviews didn't hurt either. I live for cunning women and cat-and-mouse games, and this book definitely delivered on both. Technically Bea might not be a great person, but I couldn't help but root for her, and it felt like the worse she acted the more I loved her character. She's basically the epitome of a stone-cold fox, so the title makes sense, and she has more secrets than you can shake a stick at. The book alternates between her past as a young girl then a teenager with her mother as well as the present time, and this helped me get an unmistakable picture of her background and what she had to deal with. Some of it was painful to read, and I think this is what really helped me empathize with her.

The audiobook is narrated by Carlotta Brentan, and I couldn't have been happier about this. I think the audio is really the way to go with Stone Cold Fox, and not only was Brentan able to make Bea feel larger than life, but she also had wonderful narration overall. Her accents were perfection, and her pacing was spot on making for an enjoyable listen. I saw a bit of what was coming in the story, but I definitely had a couple of surprises as well, and it is really impressive to me that this is a debut. My only issue with this one was that the end felt rather anti-climactic after everything we go through to get there, and there were a handful of times I felt like it dragged more than I would have liked. Other than that, this was a SOLID read and I loved basically every minute of it! I will be reading whatever this author writes next for sure.