4.5 Stars. I wish to extend thanks and appreciation to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This riveting and intense locked-room mystery introduced me to its author Darcy Coates. Plenty of recent books follow the formula of a group of people stranded in a remote location through impassible roads and bad weather. They are being killed off one by one. None know the reason or who to trust. Darcy Coates has written an intense, suspenseful mystery with added gory passages to provide horror. This was a spellbinding read and an example of what a shocking locked-room mystery should be.

A diverse group of people have been invited to spend two weeks in a remote lodge deep in the Rockies. An intense blizzard is raging outside. The bus with eleven passengers breaks down after they have removed a fallen tree blocking their path. Despite the heavy snowfall, Christa and her new boyfriend, Kiernan, wander off to view the magnificent mountain scenery. Christa falls into a ravine and becomes separated from her boyfriend. She has lost a glove, and her fingers start to become badly frostbitten. She makes a futile search for Kiernan. With the howling storm, it is unlikely he can survive the night. After her search, Christa stumbles upon a deserted hunting cabin where the other bus passengers have taken refuge. There is no food, heat, or electricity, and they cannot call for help.

Christa is distraught over losing her boyfriend and persuades others to search with her. The first one murdered is their guide. His body is missing, but his severed head is grotesquely displayed on a tree branch. Next, the wife of one of the men is killed and displayed in a similar fashion. Kiernan's teeth are placed on a windowsill, and later Christa finds his mutilated body. It is no wonder that everyone is starting to panic and suspect other group members. The remaining men and women refer to the unknown killer as the 'Butcher' whose weapon is an axe. Soon a teenage boy is killed and displayed in a horrific manner. There are reasons to suspect both men and women remaining in the cabin, but what could their motives be? The deaths are ones of gut-wrenching horror.

The book started rapidly, lagged slightly in the centre, and then became pulse-pounding with frantic action towards the end. With only a few left alive, Christa is chased through deep snow by a man wielding an axe. She tries to reach the empty lodge and hide, but he pursues her there. Is she safe in the lodge? How can she survive the madman? Is help coming? There is now a far-fetched and weird twist that not every reader will welcome.

I would have preferred an extra chapter showing the outcome of all the extreme trauma. Two people were left seriously wounded. Do either survive? Does Christa need her frostbitten fingers or hand amputated? Recommended for the relentless pace and intensity of the story. A thriller that actually thrills and constantly surprises. To be published July 11.

This is a kinda gruesome (well, gory) locked (snowed in) mystery that will keep you guessing. Christa finds herself in serious danger as someone is picking off members of the tour group she's stranded with. Who is the villain? No spoilers from me but know that I was surprised. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner!

Picture this. It's July 1st, 3728 degrees outside, and I'm laying out on the beach reading. Naturally I'm reading a book about a group of people trapped in a snow storm in the Rocky Mountains getting brutally murdered one at a time, right? 🫠

I guessed the ending right away, but it didn't take away my enjoyment since there were 10 other stories to try and piece together. It's very a And Then There Were None type of books. The ending got a little bizarre, but in a few months when it's cold and you're looking for a fun fast paced mystery, definitely give this one a go.

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates is an exciting survivalist horror thriller that definitely wanted me to keep reading well past my bedtime. A group of travelers are stranded in the mountains during a winter storm and have taken shelter in a small cabin. Very quickly they start getting murdered one by one in some pretty grisly ways and find themselves in a struggle to survive the harsh elements and a murderer. The premise behind this story is not something new or original. It has been done by some amazing authors, such as the great Agatha Christie and Ruth Ware; however, Darcy Coates has still made it feel fresh and compelling. There were times where I needed to stop reading (because work) and I really wanted to read just one more chapter. The chapters are short and help to keep the pacing of the story so that you want to keep reading. I did figure out the killer and motive early on in the story, but even knowing that information did not make this story any less thrilling to read. This is not my first Coates novel and will definitely not be my last. I highly recommend this book!

This is such a fun and fast paced thriller with a mix of horror. I couldn’t put it down and it genuinely shocked me with the twist at the end

You must read this book! This is one of my favorites so far this year. I was hooked from the beginning and absolutely did not see the ending coming. Don’t trust anything or anyone.

Another hit from Darcy! I enjoyed this take on the locked-room mystery and I was surprised by the twists! So far I've really liked everything Darcy has written. Can't wait for the next one!

4.5 very chilling stars

Kiernan and Christa are headed to the luxurious Blackstone Lodge, nestled deep in the Rocky Mountains. She really needs this escape.

The tour group encounters rough winter weather, and the bus comes to a stop when a tree is covering the road. Kiernan invites Christa on a short walk to a scenic outlook while the tree is tackled. They got lost and disoriented in the snow. Christa finally finds a remote cabin where the group has found shelter. Kiernan is still missing.

Even though the group has safety from the elements, a sinister force is at work and a killer is picking them off, one by one. Is there a deranged mountain person on the loose or is it one of them? Can Christa trust any of them? And is it too late to find Kiernan?

The cold and snow were swirling in this one and some of the scenes were grisly. I kept turning the pages though to find out if Christa would make it out alive. This would make a perfect snowstorm read, nestled in front of the fire.

The second half of the book really redeemed it for me. At first I couldn’t see where this was going and the disjointed narration of the main character, I know this was the point given the situation but it was too choppy.

Once the book picked up it shot for the stars and I read it in one sitting. We just took a hot minute to get there.

The only thing that left me wanting more was the lack of an epilogue. Normally we get a better conclusion with Darcy’s books, this one didn’t give me that satisfaction.

Prepare for a gripping, chilling, and engrossing read with "Dead of Winter." Darcy Coates expertly crafts a frozen landscape, a stranded bus, and a cast of characters entangled in danger and suspicion. This homage to classic whodunits will keep you guessing, with red herrings scattered throughout the narrative. With flawlessly portrayed characters and a web of intrigue, Coates delivers her best work yet. Get ready for a suspenseful, accessible read that guarantees thrills.

Dead of Winter
by Darcy Coates
Pub Date: 11 Jul 2023

Dead of Winter is a heart pounding thriller that kept me up at night! If you like thrillers, horror, suspense, mystery or anything in between you must read this book.

Synopsis:

When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she's hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn't be more wrong.

My Thanks to #Netgalley & #PoisonedPenPress for giving me an ARC of this book.

This book has zero chill. Well a lot of chill, oh you know what I mean! It jumps right in. It’s tense, eerie, gripping, so hard to put down. Travelers seeking shelter, horrid winter storms in a frozen mountain landscape, no where to run. Eight strangers, one killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a thriller to help cool you off this summer.

Dead of Winer is a phenomenal locked room mystery from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Dead of Winter asap.

I am a sucker for remote settings, a group of strangers cut off from civilization, and a high body count as they are picked off one by one. Dead of Winter does not disappoint. Think Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None set in the Rocky Mountains in white-out blizzard conditions, and a remote resort only open to small, private tours. Predictable? God, yes. Entertaining? Absolutely. I loved it.

Dead of Winter is a fast paced story that will keep readers on the edge of their seat wondering who can you trust? This was an easy read. I thought I had figured out what was going on, but I was wrong and I loved being wrong! It is rare for a book to really surprise me. I would recommend this book to mystery/thriller fans.

Wow! Darcy Coates Dead of Winter is fabulous and so great to read no matter what the season! Take a busload of strangers and strand them in the Rocky Mountains during a blizzard in a tiny cabin and then slowly kill them one by one. It’s “And Then There Were None” set in the middle of the wilderness and no hope of rescue. Who is the killer? Who will die next? Why is the killer killing these people? You will never guess!! I almost threw my phone across the room when I found out! I was so surprised! I never even saw that one coming! Loved this book! Darcy Coates rocks the scary story in this one!

Title: Dead of Winter
Author: Darcy Coates
Pace: 4/5 ★
Characters: 5/5 ★
Genre: 5/5★
Plot: 5/5★
Readability: 5/5★
Content Warnings: graphic violence
Narrator: N/A

A group of travelers become the prey to a hunter whose motives are unclear but whose modus operandi is terror. Christa is a woman troubled by a past tragedy who joins her boyfriend and eight other tourists on a journey to stay at an out-of-season ski resort deep in the Rocky Mountains. When a blizzard halts their journey and their tour guide turns up dead, these strangers are faced with the challenge of surviving the weather and surviving the monster slowly decorating a tree with their heads.

The tension is palpable, and Darcy Coates’s use of imagery and tone create a book that reads like a horror film. As a horror lover, this book is admittedly gorier than I would seek in a movie. On the page, however, it’s brilliantly done and almost more terrifying than a screen adaptation could be. I’ve never read a book quite like this, and it’s such a change from the thrillers I typically consume. I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience—and had to turn all the lights on after.

This is a tricky review to write because there’s nothing wrong with this book. The pace is the only category that didn’t get five stars, because it does start a bit slowly. At about the 25% mark things picked up, though, and by the 33% mark I couldn’t put it down. The rest of the categories are straight fives.

The characters are incredibly compelling, especially as you realize they are each carrying some weight with them that makes this hunt feel less random and more like a game. The book nestles into the horror genre beautifully, down to the twists and turns that keeps the reader on edge—especially in the final act. The plot fits into the genre well, and while it’s a slow burn, the final third of the story is electric and again is just so complimentary of the horror genre. Finally, the readability is superb— I actually read the last few chapters on my phone in a waiting room because I forgot my Kindle and I had to finish it.

Unrelated to the book review: I’ve never read a Darcy Coates book, even though she’s been on my radar as a suggested author a number of times. I’m about to pick through her catalogue for my next for-pleasure read, because I’ve got to know if this is a one-time thing or if Coates is about to join Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley on my “I must read everything by this person” roster.

This was one of the wildest rides I’ve ever encountered from any book. This was a new to me author and she can certainly spin some tales that stayed with me and had me wondering if I was having a nightmare or really reading this.
Christa and her boyfriend Kiernan join nine others on a two week trip to a lodge in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. On the bus ride there they speak to some of the guests and each one has different expectations for their stay. An unexpected heavy blizzard and a fallen tree in the road curtails their journey. The bus is stranded and in spite of the severe cold they all have to begin walking. They come across a tiny log cabin, so they seek shelter inside. That’s when all the “fun” begins. Tight quarters, very little food, and differing personalities cause tempers to flare and fights to ensue. And the most frightening thing is the bodies begin dropping like flys! Who can they trust? One of the most surprising endings I’ve ever read!
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley but I was not required to write a review.

Wonderful! Passionately written and just felt like someone laid their heart on the page. Wonderful! Passionately written and just felt like someone laid their heart on the page. Wonderful! Passionately written and just felt like someone laid their heart on the page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Darcy Coates for providing me with copy in exchange for my honest review.

Stop everything, and go get this book! Yes, it was that good. The characters are well developed, and I kept turning pages to the very end. Oh what twists, this would be perfect to read on a cold snowy or rainy night. It is gory and graphic but still would recommend.
4.5 stars