Review will be posted on 3/6/23
Bea has grown up with a conniving, scheming mother who takes advantage of wealthy men. She wants to leave her past behind, but some of her old habits die hard. While working at an advertising agency in New York City, Bea starts dating a client, Collin Case, who just so happens to be one of the wealthiest bachelors in the United States. He falls for Bea hard and before she knows it, she is immersed in his world of privilege. Things don't come easy to Bea despite her fool proof background - no one will figure out her past - but Collin's friends and family start questioning just about everything about her since she isn't the "type" of girl that Collin should date. One friend in particular, Gale, starts to really dig deep into Bea's past. The more time Bea spends with Gale, she realizes that Gale is actually in love with Collin and is trying to thwart her plans. Whether at Greenwich, Manhattan, or Newport, Bea is one step away from becoming Collin's wife, but there's so much at stake and so many obstacles in her way. She has no choice, but to start to play a bit of a cat/mouse game with Gale and then things start to get very interesting. Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft is an entertaining debut that is good fit for fans of Gone Girl or The Last Mrs. Parrish.

Bea is the type of character you love to hate in Stone Cold Fox. We know the games she is playing are wrong and readers will question her motives, but we don't want to see her lose, especially when she is up again Gale who is the worst! At first, Bea is just messing around with Gale, because what could Gale actually have on her? But things take a quick turn, and boy, does it get serious quickly. Bea underestimated Gale initially and she has come to take her down and tell Collin the truth of Bea's past. Plus, there's also Sylvia Austin, Collin's new assistant, who seems innocent, but there's definitely more to her than meets the eye.

All the while, Bea is trying to escape the toxic patterns of her childhood as well as her past with her deranged mother. Ultimately, Bea still looks for her mother's approval deep down and often thinks about what she would do in a situation. Bea strives to be less like her mother, but the more she plays these dangerous games, the more history repeats itself and the cycle continues in Stone Cold Fox.

If you love a good thriller that is reminiscent of Gone Girl and The Last Mrs. Parrish, Stone Cold Fox is it. In fact, it's already in the works to be made into a TV show and I think that it would translate very well to the small screen. Stone Cold Fox is definitely entertaining and while the end seemed a little far-fetched, I enjoyed the ride. Have you read Stone Cold Fox? Is it on your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have so many emotions about this book. I have it 4 stars for the entertainment factor. It was completely engrossing and has one of those main characters you love to hate. But the more you learn about Bea the more you root for her. You want her to not make those stupid decisions she’s contemplating.
There were some things that left me a little unsettled. One was Dave. Without spoiling anything I’ll just say I have no idea why he was in the story. There were many plot points in the story that just seemed to go no where. The other part I was meh about was the ending. The whole story seemed to do a 180, To me the last 20% really dragged on.
Overall did I enjoy this? Yes very much. I will also check out more by this author.

Bea is the definition of stone cold. She wants to marry into money and has found the perfect patsy, I men husband, for the job. Collin Chase comes from that old money and has status, Bea won't want for anything. Does it matter that she isn't in love with him or isn't who she says she is? Not in the least! Bea was raised by a con artist mother, going from man to man and money. All she feels she has ever wanted is to have a stable home life but is that enough for her? She has escaped her mother to strike out on her own but has she really escaped her? She moves right into Collin's world even if his best friend Gale is watching her every move.

Hard to put this one down. All the machinations were so fun to read. As much as it was hard to like Bea, I really felt for her. Her mother was a piece of work but then again, she made Bea that way too. I would love to see what happens next with Bea.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for a copy for review.

Such a good revenge and grown up from trauma novel. Reminded me of the British novel How To Kill Your Family. Was super into seeing the characters grow in the span of a year and see that it wasn’t a fast wrap up.

Are you looking for your next binge read? Look no further!

STONE COLD FOX hooked me from the very first pages and I absolutely devoured this debut. It was the perfect cat-and-mouse thriller featuring unlikeable characters that you love to hate, and it definitely gave me Good Rich People vibes, which was another great read that I loved and devoured.

*many thanks to Berkley for the gifted copy for review

This book is full of mysteries. Who is Bea? What's Bea's life been that made her this person? Who and what are her mom? Then there's will she ever fit in to her new family? Will the marriage happen? Will Gale out her? Will someone else from her past sabotage her new life? Will she and Collin find there happily ever after?

The answers to these and so many more questions are what drives this book. Little by little the reader gets more and more information. Some of which made me think less of Bea and some was endearing. She may not love Collin like he loves her but she's never mean or hurtful to him and that says a lot about her character. Well, unless you consider marrying him fro the wrong reasons as mean and hurtful. That's up to each reader. I personally felt she may have been there for greedy reasons but Collin was getting a lot from their relationship. She's cold and calculating often but she's got a good side.

There's more than enough to keep the reader engaged in this story. Lies upon lies, touching moments and some sweet, some awful memories, and worse mayhem (but I won't spoil the story). I was touched by developments toward the end of the book when we see a softer side of Bea.

I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. It was a solid, interesting read though I would have like more likable characters.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved so much about this book. The MC was so cold and I loved that she went after what she wanted no matter what. I was rooting for her the entire way. But the ending made everything fall apart for me. The last 10% was almost bizarre and I just wish that there was an alternate ending that didn't include her mother coming back.

What a wild ride. I personally love messy, unreliable, bad women characters. The more unlikeable the better. And bea is perfection - she’s hilarious. Her disdain for other women, the rich, her husband and his family is palpable. Her inner monologue is fabulous and funny and so messy. I really enjoyed this debut.

If you’re not a fan of tidy endings, know this is very elusive. But it feels so right for the story.

5/5 ✨ stars! I seriously need to know why more people aren't reading Stone Cold Fox! This book was such an entertaining ride from the very first chapter! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. Cannot recommend it enough.

Scammer stories deserve more hype in the thriller/book community. The power of women was highlighted in the book, and GOSH DID I LOVE THAT. I couldn't get over how addictive it was to see Bea and Gail compete against each other. I didn't know I had a soft spot for dark humor until I read Stone Cold Fox. Bea's POVs made me laugh my heart out and also made me very anxious cause WHAT IF OTHERS FOUND OUT ABOUT HER EVIL PLANS? Oh so FUN AND ADDICTIVE.

I loved how the author swifly changed timelines from the past and present time to give us a glimpse into Bea's life to help us understand her better. I loved the outline / layout of the story so much. The author's talent to write a dramatic plotline shone throughout the book!

I need more people to read this book please. K, thankyou.

After spending her childhood watching her beautiful mother manipulate rich men, Bea manages to snag the rich, blue-blooded Colin Chase--but her past may catch up with her.

Quick read but I was hoping for a little more depth.

This was a lot of fun! I am a huge fan of con stories and I blew through this book in a day flat. I really enjoyed the audio and felt like the narration made me enjoy the story even more! Rich people doing terrible things always makes for a good story, so make sure this one is on your TBR!

Oooh this was a fast read - and I could totally see it become a movie. Not sure who I would want to play Bea, maybe Margot Robie? Either way, this femme fatale/gold digger storyline had me captivated from page one and I was not disappointed in the ending.

This book was exactly what I needed to read on my winter break vacation! I love books about con artists raised in the life, and about women caught up in the difficult job and fraught gamble of transcending their class by marrying into wealth and security, and while of course the intersection of those two things as the basis of a thriller is common enough, Rachel Koller Croft pulls it off better than most in this propulsive debut.

Give me all the juicy, con artist dramas, please and thank you! Stone Cold Fox is an edge-of-your-seat game of cat-and-mouse, the type of story where the pages practically turn themselves. The audiobook narration really added to the atmosphere of the book, so I highly recommend listening if that format works for you. The social commentary of the haves vs. the have nots is on full display, but I appreciated how every person in this book really is despicable on some level. My only gripe is that the ending felt a bit rushed and underwhelming, but overall a solid, fun read!

This is a fast paced and addictive thriller that will have you rooting for the anti-heroine.

This book is a trip! It jumps betweens Bea’s present day situation and her rocky upbringing with a manipulative and toxic mother. Bea is an anti-hero who you will feel sympathy for. Sure she’s morally grey, probably narcissistic and manipulating a sweet man for her own good. But Bea’s been through it and she deserves some happiness. I loved watching Bea grow and develop as a character.

Bea is open to herself about her manipulation and revels in playing games with the uber rich. It was fun to see inside the really wealthy world that Bea’s man Collin lives in: there is no repercussion for bad actions and everything is always taken care of. As Bea gets further into the very insulated world she comes up against Gale: Collin’s best friend who also happens to be obsessed with him. Gale is also happy to play vicious and vindictive games with Bea. It turns into a stellar game of cat and mouse with an electrifying ending. My only complaint is that I felt that the ending wrapped up a little too quickly. I could have easily kept reading about Bea, Collin, her mother and the way our past shapes our present and future.

This is an amazing debut and I’m not surprised to read that it’s going to be adapted into a move. You need to pick this up for a sexy and dark thrill.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Stone Cold Fox is a debut novel and this may be the wackiest read so far this year. That's wacky in a good way, btw. Bea is after money, so a marriage with a man she can tolerate is good enough if he's loaded. She thinks she's got Collin in the bag until his BFF Gale begins to doubt Bea and her intentions. What follows in a cat and mouse game that puts Tom and Jerry to shame.

Mystery and suspense readers will love this!!

Thank you Berkley & NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

HOLY DEBUT by Rachel Koller Croft. Who doesn't love a good con artist plot? The first freakin' line had me clearing my schedule because I knew I would binge it. The female MC 'Bea' is a delicious villain and I absolutely loved her from the get go. I thoroughly enjoy stories that are able to have you rooting for the bad guy/girl. You get a lot of this with this book. Most of these characters on paper are EXTREMELY unlikable, but you are drawn to each and every single one of them. I got The Devil Wears Prada meets The Last Housewife meets The Last Mrs. Parrish vibes. The one liners that the FMC delivers both internally and externally are quick & smart and leave you either laughing or screaming 'BOOM ROASTED'. The ending & twist fell a little bit flat for me, but the overall execution of this entire story was so solid.

WHAT TO EXPECT
- con artists plots
- brutal and hilarious inner dialogue
- dual timelines
- unlikeable characters that you end of rooting for
- fast paced

FINAL THOUGHTS: Delicious. Smart. Hilarious. A little dark. A con artist story that will have you flipping pages so fast from the VERY FIRST LINE. This book is ALREADY on its way to being adapted for film & to be honest I felt like I was watching a movie while I was reading it. Rachel Koller Croft used her experience as a screenwriter to truly deliver a made for TV novel. The characters are unlikeable but lovable. The pacing is fast. The dual timelines gave it depth. Solid debut!

This book is a WILD ride. I could not stop flipping the pages of Bea's story. This felt like Gossip Girl on steroids for me. Remember Juliet from Gossip Girl? This book is like if Gossip Girl was from her perspective. This book was a like but not a love for me. I enjoyed Rachel Koller Croft's writing and will read what she does next. If you enjoyed the Anna Delvey book/show then this will be for you! This will also work for fans of Cover Story!

I am always drawn to morally gray characters, and the main character, Bea, is definitely one of them. As the plot unfolds, we see two lives of Bea: one in the present surrounding her relationship with Collin, and the other one with her being raised by a gold digger and manipulative mother who constantly changes partners gradually making Bea vulnerable to them. Bea is treated as an outsider by Collin’s family - at one point, Haven (his mother) offering her 5 million dollars! Moreover, his best friend, Gale, is secretly in love with him and searching for ways to get rid of her.

The story then transforms into a cat and mouse chase as Gale engaged in uncovering Bea’s past. I did not see the ending coming at all, and did not expect the twist. There was an allegation of sexual assault but was not explored into something more but more so, but was weaponized and used as blackmail. Nevertheless, this is an entertaining and dark thriller that will keep you on the edge, filled with elitism, and morally gray characters. I couldn’t keep it down and read this one quickly!

Stone Cold Fox review 🦊

by @rachkollercroft. thanks @berkleypub for the e-arc! this cover SLAYS and is just begging for photos like this 🦊

genre: thriller/suspense
pub date: 2/14/23
swipe for synopsis
rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

let me start off by saying SCF starts off with a bang, with an absolute pistol of a first line, and just keeps that energy throughout. this book has so many bingeable factors…. cons, manipulation, rich people, drama, secrets, desperation. such a FUN read, and a debut!!!

the characters are not meant to be likeable or relatable (hopefully 🤣) and that’s the best part. nothing about them made me want to root for them, but i was so invested in everything working out that i absolutely was eating it right up, extremely invested, and along for the WILD ride.

things happened quickly in this one and i loved how different parts ended up coming together (trying to keep this as vague as possible). the internal monologue and absolute cattiness/snark was executed so well; it came alive as it played out in my head while reading. i liked the moments from the past sprinkled throughout too that provided some clarity for readers and added depth.

hoping this one picks up right where it left off with a sequel!!! and if it’s not already, put this thriller on your TBR. would be such a fun one to chat about with your gals… a great book club pick for sure!

💚 read if you like: con artist theme, Cover Story (book), Ginny and Georgia (show), Things We Do in the Dark (book), Vigilante Shit by Taylor Swift (song)