First of all, big thank you to Darcy, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this awesome thriller which comes out July 11th.
This is a thriller/ murder mystery but I want to make clear it’s very much written in the style of horror. The graphic descriptions and gory details really make this page turner a good one for horror readers whether you like your Christie or not. Essentially the main part of the story covers a bunch of strangers trapped in a small cabin with no phone signal.. I’ve picked my habit of nail biting back up.
Christa and Kieran are going away to stay in a lodge. Despite only dating for 4 months, it seems there’s going to be a proposal during this relaxing holiday. After a tree blocks the road, the couple are forced to find their own way, and only Christa is rescued and brought to the safety of a small cabin. However it seems she’s straight out of the frying pan and into a fucking NUCLEAR bomb, as one by one her new roommates are found murdered in the snow.

(REVIEW WRITTEN AND POSTED ELSEWHERE IN 2023- I just suck)

Dead of Winter is a horror thriller novel featuring a group of strangers stranded in the snowy Rocky Mountains during a blizzard. While I enjoyed the setting—isolated cabin in a snowstorm—and felt it contributed to the suspense, the killer was pretty predictable.

Darcy Coates is an auto-buy author for me! I love her cozy paranormal tropes, and this was no different! Please keep 'em coming Darcy!

“No two people grieve in exactly the same way.”

3.5 stars! It it humid af and disgusting here in New England so I was very happy to be transported to a snowy location via the pages of this HORROR book.

Oomph I forgot how gory a Darcy Coates book can be. I loved it! ☠️

If you don’t mind some twisted body dismemberment and enjoy stories set in a creepy cabin wayyy out there in a remote area of the woods then I think you will enjoy this one!

I didn’t guess the mystery too early on so that kept me flipping those pages as well. A very entertaining read to say the least hahahaha.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was a really good, let's keep the reader intrigued, book. I loved every minute of it. It had a great suspense to it.

A trip into the snowy Rocky Mountains sounds peaceful. Naturally in a locked room mystery, peace is the last thing on the agenda. Great suspense

Cabins in the middle of nowhere are creepy enough as is, layer in murder and snow and it’s a terrifying monster in the house trope. Great page turner and really well done on atmosphere/eerieness overall.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

Good locked-room (cabin-in-the-middle-of-The-Rockies-during-a-snowstorm). Didn't fool me. Had it figured out by the first 1/3 of the book.

This book had me up all night finishing it… very suspenseful and the ending was great; it’s my first book by this author but certainly won’t be the last!

I was able to guess the big twist at the end but still enjoyed it. I will be checking more novels out by this author.

The pacing of this one didn't work for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a review.

Wow!!! Edge of your seat thrilling. I originally got this from Netgalley but I've found that I don't read much on my digital devices anymore. I love having a book in my hands and seeing how far I have gotten and how far I have to go. I can't do that with an electronic copy of a book. Sure, I can look at the counter but that doesn't translate well for me. I guess I'm just an old person who likes pen and paper. Maybe later in the years to come when holding a book is more difficult.

But on to the book. I got a copy from the library after it was published, and I just tore through it. I had gotten to chapter 4 at 7% on my kindle and it took off once I got the actual book. It's a "can't put it down" thriller and I went through so many "oh, he did it" or "oh she did it" thoughts. I won't put down many of my notes because I will not spoil anything for future readers. But I will say it is so good and Darcy Coates is one of my go-to authors.

Ok, on to the notes I wrote while reading this book:

(hmmm, let me see)

page 47 - "You'd still need a motive." -Steve. I don't understand why people want to have a motive for a criminal's action. They are murderers and criminals, they don't think logically like a law-abiding citizen so they don't need motives.

page 100 - Ooh one of my pet peeves. You CAN NOT hear a smile. You can hear the laughter or happiness in someone's voice when they speak but you can't hear a smile. Am I smiling right now?

page 239 - No spoilers but I did write down each character's name and a note about them in relation to the other characters. It helped to be able to go to this list when something happened in the book.

That's all the notes I can write without giving out any clues. Just know that this book will have you on the edge of your seat guessing who the killer is. Reading this book with the characters in a blizzard and freezing was so nice while I was sweating in a heat wave situation.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Unfortunately, I do not think Darcy Coates is the author for me. I know her books are quite popular and I really want to enjoy them! They just usually fall a bit short for me. I was unable to finish this one but I could see why people would like it!

My first experience of this author, and it didn’t disappoint. A thoroughly gripping roller coaster ride of a thriller. Recommended.

Not my first by this author but my first non ghost story book. I really enjoyed this story and how it all played out. Will read more by this author in the future.

I found the story to be suspenseful and entertaining though a bit forgettable. The characters were interesting enough though I found the overall plot to be predictable.

Eleven strangers travel to a remote area to enjoy the wilderness. When a blizzard blows in, they get trapped in the cabin in the middle of nowhere. One by one, people go missing and are found murdered. Is there a serial killer preying on victims . . . or is there a killer in their midst? Is there an unknown connection between these strangers? They need to find answers before they all disappear.

The tension builds as the remaining travelers begin looking at each other in suspicion. No one is safe - so who can be trusted? Darcy Coates takes readers on a twisted, shocking ride in DEAD OF WINTER! The desolate, frigid landscape becomes a character in this book helping set a dire tone. I was kept guessing until near the end. More of a horror than thriller in my eyes!

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book!! I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. I loved all the characters and the story line. I thought the characters had great growth and was well written. I would definitely recommend this book.

I love me a who done it thriller! Super entertaining read! I don’t think I have ever had actual out loud WTF reaction to a plot twist before now!

This was a ton of fun! I don't read a lot of murder mysteries, but when I do, I like for them to be like this: lots of characters with odd little back stories, nobody worth trusting, and a trapped/stranded setting that nobody can leave. Darcy Coates pulled it off brilliantly and the tension was just right! I usually guess twists, but I honestly fell for a red herring and had no idea who the killer was until right before the reveal. I loved this!