⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC

“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.

Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing...only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport...and they're far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.”

Horror/Suspense that takes place during winter storms are my absolute favorite trope so I was very excited to get this book to read and review. It was a little slow to start; the first eight chapters were a little repetitive but that is literally my only complaint. The rest of the book was quick paced and so creepy I’m surprised I have any nails left! The ending was mind blowing! 🤯

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for for the chance to read and review this book. All thoughts are my own.

Darcy Coates has done it again, everyone! Seriously creepy with stunning prose, Coates really knows how to make you feel squeamish!

In dead of winter Darcey Coates brings us more than story about survival. It's a ride, filled with suspicion, twists and turns and raw human fear.

I just love the way she writes, she can set up the story with good descriptions that don't go on and on. You get the bleak picture, stuck in a cabin with a blizzard and no way out. If that's not bad enough, everyone is a stranger and they are being picked up.

There is more gore in this one than her usual writing but she still doesn't over do it. They add to the horror of the story. You can feel the increase in suspicion and the bone deep tiredness that our characters were facing.

This is a definite book you need to pick up as it still have the familiarity of Darceys wonderful story telling but adds something new as well.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. Thank you to the author, Darcey Coates and the publisher.

Darcy Coates truly never disappoints me! Dead of Winter, had me curled up under the covers gripping my hot tea and panicking with the characters. You will not be able to stop reading until the very last page!

I will preface this by saying- I am never disappointed when picking up a book by Darcy Coates. That said, this was very different than her "The haunting of ..." style books. It's gory, dark, terrifying and intense, with constant twists and turns making it near impossible to put down. Straight up horror novel set in complete isolation- with the weather being a character all on it's own.

A group of strangers find themselves stranded in a remote hunting cabin in the middle of a snowstorm when the bus their bus is forced to stop before reaching their luxury lodge in the Rocky Mountains. Besides the quarters being extremely cramped and cold, after the first night the group realizes that they're in danger of more than just freezing, when they wake up to one of their group brutally murdered.

This book was fabulous and I would definitely recommend it if you're into horror/murder mystery type stories.

I love Darcy Coates, Dead of Winter characters are so well drawn. The dialogue is great. I felt as though I was there listening to everyone speak. Cabin in the woods makes you trust no one!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Darcy Coates does it again!!
I was so excited to receive this ARC from Netgalley and it did not disappoint!!! So good! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Christa and her boyfriend, Kiernan, depart on a private winter tour to Blackstone Lodge deep in the Rocky Mountains. On their way, a felled tree blocks the road, and an unexpected blizzard force them to take shelter in an abandoned cabin. Before one day has passed, one member of their small party goes missing, and their tour guide is brutally slaughtered, his severed head displayed on a tree. While they wait out the storm, and for a chance to be rescued, a killer continues to prey on the group of travelers, and it soon becomes clear the killer might be one of them.

This was a terrifically atmospheric horror book. I chose to read it in back in March so I could experience the snow and the ice of the story, while also experiencing Midwest winter. What can be better than reading a winter thriller, with snow and darkness falling outside?

What I appreciated about this book, was that it was not gratuitous horror; there are also several mysteries. It is made clear early in the book that Christa is recovering from a traumatic event – what was it? Is their missing party member alive? What happened to the people who lived in the cabin? It was found unlocked and with the look of a place that was abruptly deserted.

I thought the characters in the book were interesting which intensified the suspense of who might get killed next. There were characters I rooted for, and others that I really hoped ended up being the killer. The ending was deliciously twisty. Just when I thought we had reached the finale, the plot would take another turn and move the story in a completely different direction.

Thanks to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. This is an excellent book. The writing is so descriptive that you feel like you can visualize all of those snowy scenes. Along for a trip to a lodge in the mountains, ten strangers are excited for what should be a beautiful, relaxing vacation. Instead, they are on a roller coaster ride of horrors!

The protagonist and her boyfriend decide to go for a short walk while a blocked tree must be cleared from the road. The snow storm comes so ferociously that the protagonist is separated from her boyfriend and becomes lost. Thankfully, she discovers an abandoned cabin where all tourists, except her husband, are waiting. She is determined to find him despite the weather conditions. Some of the other tourists join in her search until the snowstorm forces them to stop for the night. By the next morning, the terror begins. Grisly deaths occur one by one. Who is responsible? Who will be left alive? And why are these horrors occurring? Once started, this book is hard to put down. It is so good that, instead of being anxious to get to the end, I just enjoyed the ride. The characters are all well developed, and the action is intense. I highly recommend! 4.5 stars docked 1/2 star because I thought some loose ends should have been finalized. However, the book is definitely good enough to warrant rounding up to 5 stars.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

OMG, run, don't walk to get a copy of this book. The plot is bloody brilliant!! Literally bloody as well.

I didn't think I needed another 'locked in a blizzard' thriller but apparently I do! Ms. Coates elevates this genre to new heights with 'Dead of Winter', by giving a specific event as a commonality between all persons lured to the cabin in this novel. An original twist not seen in other books of this genre like 'One by One', 'Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six' or 'The Sanatorium'.

Christa and her boyfriend Kiernan decide to take a 2 week tour up into the Rocky Mountains to a luxury resort. They both have had losses in their lives and families and are looking forward to spending some quality time together on a small organized tour.

Halfway up the mountain, their tour bus is stopped by a fallen tree in the road. Their trusted tour guide Brian, believes he can remove it to continue their journey, but soon snow overcomes the bus and they are forced to hike up the hill to an abandoned cabin where they spend the night. In the morning Brian is missing and then they find his body or part of it. Accusations fly and it's unclear who can be trusted.

It's been a long time since I read a book that grabbed me right away, that I contemplated staying up all night to finish, and that gave me no clue (even at 70% in) who the killer could possibly be. Each time you thought you knew who the killer was, they ended up dead! Each character has a stake in what is happening but when you try to picture them as a killer, doubts emerge. The cold, relentless snow is a character unto itself and is never ending, seeping into the pores of this story and making the reader also feel chilled to the bone.

The suspense is taut, the bodies are stacking up, and with no resolution in site, desperate measures are taken by the remaining characters. Just when you think you have everything figured out, the mother of all twists occur and you are left with your mouth hanging open--Whaaaaatt??

I'd love to see a movie version of this book with maybe Jennifer Lawrence as Christa? Highly highly recommend!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the early release.

Dead Of Winter centers around a group of strangers headed to a remote mountain resort in the Rocky Mountains when a sudden violent winter storm derails their plans and leaves them stranded in a cabin with no ways of reaching the outside world. When the group starts being picked off and decapitated one by one they realize a member of their group is a killer. The book tells the tale through the perspective of Christa, who goes on the trip with her boyfriend. The pacing of the book is fantastic as it slowly reveals its twists and turns. The book's atmosphere is also very well done, I found the book to be absolutely terrifying at times and truly made me feel like I was stuck with the group. The book's conclusion was tense and I was impressed by how the book kept me second guessing my predictions. Overall, Dead of Winter is a great horror suspense novel that kept me absolutely hooked. 5/5

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the early access to the Book.

Here's my short Non-spoiler review:-

- For those who are fond of snow and enjoy slasher horror, this book is an absolute delight. With a captivating narrative, it engrosses the reader from the very beginning, making it hard to put down until the end.

- The author skillfully brings each character to life, providing a well-defined and intricate portrayal of their personalities. The protagonist, Christa, is a remarkable example of a person whose survival instincts surpass the challenges presented to her, both physical and emotional.

- Dead of Winter is a must-read for those who appreciate a thrilling and well-crafted horror story, which leaves a lasting impression on the reader's mind.

I have mixed feelings. On one hand it was gripping, enthralling, and a total page turner. On the other I found it to be pretty predictable, and the reader doesn’t get to know if two of the characters live at the end… both of those things are pretty frustrating. So I enjoyed it but some of it was a bit underwhelming.

4 Stars for bestselling author Darcy Coates and Dead of Winter. Christa and her partner/friend hope on a bus with strangers for a winter getaway, this trip was not what they had in mind. Never get off the bus! No matter what. Christa made it to the safety of emergency shelter, with many strangers, but her friend did not. Was this by accident or purpose? Find out by reading this fabulous Clue-style novel with ample finger-pointing and edge-tipping pages. Thank you to Darcy Coates, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for this excellent ARC.

When I first discovered Darcy Coates, I was hooked on her spooky haunted house books. They were addicting. Then, her books changed from cozy feeling spookfests to epic stories of people in larger settings in grave danger. I was freaked out by Gallow's Hill and the subterranean scenes. From Below, set in a haunted sunken ship, made me have to pause and remind myself that I was on land and completely safe from drowing or pressure turning me into mush. I loved it. Dead of Winter finds several people on a trip to an expensive resort in the middle of the snowy Rocky Mountains. When a blizzard hits while they are enroute by bus, chaos descends as all the passengers end up in a tiny cabin not far from the bus. Then the murders start and it's tension filled fun as the survivors try to figure out who is the culprit and how to get back to civilization. I was delighted
that the author finally describes the characters' looks as I previously spent four books of her Black Winter series wondering what the main character looked like. I want to avoid spoilers, so I will say that this book was a treat with the winter setting playing an important role in the outcome. My only complaint was that the ending was a bit abrupt, Iwanted more.

This book is super fast paced and enjoyable, and when the summary says GRIPPING, it means it! This is one of those books you stay up until 4am to finish.

This was my first read by Darcy Coates and I AM FLOORED!! 👀 This book is top tier. Period.

She does an incredible job at making you paranoid and suspicious of every person and moment. Every character has the means and opportunity, and there are so many twists and turns that you better take your Dramamine beforehand to avoid motion sickness lol. I am so in shock finishing this book, and the ending was insane.

Congratulations, Darcy, I will now go buy all your books 😂 #TeamCoates

Thank you NetGalley and Darcy Coates for the ARC!

I think I would have enjoyed this more as a movie. As a book, it was so predictable that I totally lost interest. The first two chapters were really good and edge-of-the seat though.

3 stars from me.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley and Darcy Coates for the egalley of this book.
About the book:
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.

Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing...only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport...and they're far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.

Once I started this book I could not stop reading it Lots of unexpected happenings. It had me guessing, that's for sure! If you like scary trapped winter reads, this one is for you!