This is such a cool book! Pun intended? Maybe. The twists and turns come in strong and frequent and it was refreshing that they all worked. It isn’t perfect and left me a bit cold (yep another pun) in the end, but it certainly worth the time.

To my knowledge this is Darcy Coates' first non-paranormal horror/thriller book, and honestly I think she does a fairly decent job of pulling it off. The setting she's chosen, a secluded winter cabin in the middle of a blizzard, is one that works well, and has the added bonus of giving a sensible reason for a lack of cellphone service that in the modern age can end up feeling overly contrived because it's a necessity but not exactly something that is easy to make work. Her main character is likeable but not pathetic or useless and is carrying enough of a backstory to keep you curious about her, and maybe even a little bit wary. I will say that major genre fans (or locked room mysteries mostly) won't be overly shocked at the big who-done-it reveal, but there are enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, and no one will be able to say that her kills aren't enough to chill your blood. I will say the number of characters was pushing the limit of how many people I could keep track of, even though they were all fairly well differentiated, but that, along with my guessing the big reveal, were really my only gripes. I do think it might have been possible to cut a few things out to trim up the page count just a little, but she certainly didn't have a problem keeping the momentum going, and while a few things were a little convenient I'm not sure it's possible to write a story like this and not include such things, so she certainly doesn't loose points there in my eyes. I'm actually surprised this is only the second novel of hers that I've read (although I have my eye on a few more), but either way she's an author I've come to be curious about, and I have no doubt I'll be hand-selling this one to many a customer without feeling bad about it in the slightest. Sometimes you just want an ice cold slasher to keep you cold during those hot summer nights, and this certainly fits the bill.

Dead of Winter is the first Darcy Coates novel that I finished and I was impressed. This "locked door" mystery is Coates' interpretation of And Then There Were None with violent and sadistic undertones. Flew threw the second half of this one- would recommend to any horror fans.

Darcy Coats is always a win. This is no different. Thank you for the opportunity to read this. Will post a full review on my Instagram and goodreads

I was racing to finish this book and I throughly enjoyed all the twists and turns that occurred. However, I was able to guess the who and what early on in the story. Even though I don’t mind spoilers, and will still read a book until the end just to more about the characters, I wanted the book to be one way (to make it more interesting) when it actually was another way and less interesting. Still a book I’d recommend to those who enjoy thrillers/mysteries.

This was my fault for not noticing that this author usually writes horror stories, but I got totally creeped out! I normally don't do horror, but I love thrillers and psychological thrillers. Great writing!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book.

If you're looking for a fast-paced book that you can curl up with in a snow storm, this one's for you! The plot is Christie-esque: 10 people are stranded at a remote cabin in a snowstorm and, one by one, someone is picking them off. While the culprit might be guessable before the end, it's still a fun (albeit gory!) ride until you get there. The sense of claustrophobia and paranoia is real and well-developed throughout the novel. The character development is, as might be expected in such a novel, on the flat side, but once you get going, you quickly get at least a sense of each character so it's easy to follow along.

This is a page-turner for sure and one that would be great fun on your next getaway to the mountains!

A good mix of mystery and horror, the "Dead of Winter" is perfect for anyone who enjoys suspense with just a touch of horror movie gore. I definitely felt this book dragged on quite a bit and I knew who was behind it all from the beginning. However the unraveling of motives kept me intrigued enough to finish the book. I enjoyed the read and will continue to follow Darcy Coates new works.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

I think Darcy and I just don't get along - something about her writing style just doesn't sit well with me or gel with my interests.

OMG! Who can you trust is the question with this book. This was such an amazing thriller. I truly enjoyed it. I hope that you pick this book up very soon. It is not one you want to be caught in the cold without.

My current favorite Thriller subgenre is the wilderness thriller and Dead of Winter did not disappoint on that front. A bus load of vacationers are forced to seek shelter when a blizzard blocks their attempt to reach a mountain resort. A disparate group of individuals but nonetheless, are forced to work together to reach safety. But safety is only an illusion.
When members of the group go missing and are found dead the question arises, is the killer among them or outside in the storm? The cast members in this macabre play are introduced with enough background for the reader to develop suspicion for pretty much everyone.
Tagged as horror, be warned there are some graphic descriptions. Short chapters guarantee a fast paced read appropriate to maintain the thriller aspect. Also, because it's a horror/thriller, some aspects of the story seem unrealistic but I'm good with that.
Yes, it's set in a blizzard but Dead of Winter would be just perfect poolside or at the beach.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for access to an early e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
All opinions are my own.

HUGE 'Thank you!' goes out to NetGalley and the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for approving my request to read and review this one ahead of its July 11, 2023 release!

Over the years, I've seen many reviews and videos from reviewers who have enjoyed reading Darcy Coates. I've picked a few titles to add to my never-ending Want To Read list, but I was casually scrolling through NetGalley and saw the cover and synopsis for DEAD OF WINTER and I just couldn't help but to request it!

Here's where things are going to get a little interesting, some might even say hypocritical. I really enjoyed the suspense, the thrill of discovering who the killer was, but I did not like the writing style. But then, I kinda did like the writing style? Maybe it would better said I didn't like the pacing? Seriously, HELP. The chapters were short and quickly consumed - what I quickly grew tired of was that every single chapter ended on a big cliffhanger, make you grab our pearls kind of stuff. We'd drop back down to an even keel for the chapter, then get hit with another GASP at the end of the chapter. I reckon I would have got on better with it if maybe every chapter had not ended in that manner, but were spread out.

What appealed to me about this book was the "locked room" thriller vibe I picked up from the book description, combined with the winter setting, which I just love in horror/thriller stories. There's just something about the snow and how it covers everything, making it quiet and hidden.

We have eight strangers headed up to a secluded wilderness lodge for two weeks. A terrible snowstorm blows in as the group is trying to cut up and remove a large pine tree blocking the road and their destination. They're forced to take shelter in a nearby, abandoned cabin where there is no power, little food and zero privacy.
The first night, amidst folks going in and out for restroom breaks and whatnot, their tour guide disappears. The next morning the group begins a search that ends in discovering the guy's head, impaled on a tree limb outside their cabin. And that's when it all starts going downhill, fast. What was supposed to be an extended trip to relax and unplug turned into an epic fight for survival.

I will say that I struggled with the logic and convenience for the most part, but Darcy Coates came in clutch the last 30% of the book and rectified that. Somewhere in that section, I realized I was more invested in the story and the characters' well-being. I admit that prior to that, I had not formed any connection to the characters, so I didn't feel anything if one got whacked. Until the right one got hit - that one had snuck into my feelings without me even realizing it. Suddenly, I was like, okay - we need someone to channel their inner Final Girl and TAKE. THIS. KILLER. OUT.

While I started out thinking Darcy Coates might not be an author for me, by the end Coates had earned herself a new fan. I will absolutely be heading over to my library to see what titles they have for me to try next!

This was a decently tense thriller although I didn't love Christa as a narrator. I'm also all for suspending my disbelief, but there were some things that took place that were so outlandish, it kind of took me out of the story.

Dead Of Winter is another thriller that is ALL Darcy Coates. I loved the setting of a blizzard bound mountain top, which, for me, invokes feeling of both joy and fear. Coupled with Coates effective use of the loneliness and isolation of bring surrounded by strangers, she creates a claustrophobic feeling of being tapped between two dangers and not being able to tell which is the worst option. The distrust and discomfort the characters feel towards each other is amplified by the precarious situation they find themselves in, and all the characters remain strangers, even to the reader, throughout the entire book, including Christa, the narrator. I'm not sure if this was intentional on the authors part, but I didn't enjoy it as a narrative device. I was left feeling unconnected to any of the characters, who ultimately seemed two dimensional. The plot was the over-the-top revenge style you often see in teen slasher movies, where shock value is more important than reasoning, and you can, fairly early on, figure out who the killer is. However, knowing the perpetrator did not detract from the story because I was interested to see how Christa would react to the big reveal. Overall this a pretty decent book, entertaining in the way slasher films are, where you can just turn off your mind and see where it goes.

Christa and her fiancé are traveling deep into a wintry forest with their tour group when disaster strikes, leaving Christa injured and her fiancé missing. The remaining group huddles inside a tiny unoccupied cabin, waiting out the storm and trying to figure out the best way to call for help. Their nightmare isn't over though, as one by one, members of the group go missing and turn up brutally murdered. Who's doing this to them? Is there a killer in their midst or is it any outsider intent on some sort of psychopathic slashing spree?

Darcy Coates is the queen of suspenseful horror, and Dead of Winter is no exception. I binged this one on the beach, which may seem like an odd choice, but some of her other books have given me nightmares so I wanted to put myself as far as possible from the experiences of the characters! I thought I had the mystery figured out, but there was ONE little clue early on that I failed to recall, so I was wrong about who did it. A great page-turner, highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Darcey Coates, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

This was a non-stop action thriller that kept me both engrossed in the story and on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the book. When I wasn't reading I was trying to find ways to sneak in time to get back to it.

Isolated in the middle of the woods during a snowstorm vacationers are forced to take refuge in a remote cabin. Unable to call for help they are brutally murdered and nobody can figure out who the murderer is. I would classify this book as a horror suspense book. There was a lot of gore but it didn't detract from the book in my opinion.

Fantastic, fast paced, frantic locked room thriller with just the right amount of horror! Christa is looking forward to a trip in the Rocky Mountains with her boyfriend and a small tour group. But when a sudden storm hits, the group has to abandon their bus and come across a cabin in the woods. Stuck with no food, no lights, no heat and nowhere to run, they begin to die one by one. Is it one of them? Is someone watching them? Christa was instantly likeable and I found myself rooting for her while also feeling the tension build with the other characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisened Pen Press for the ARC.

A young lady still reeling over her part in a tragic car accident is invited by her boyfriend on a romantic winter adventure to a country lodge. Unforeseen circumstances have her and her boyfriend separated from the group and trying to survive the elements. She is separated from her boyfriend during a winter a storm when she is rescued by some of the travelers she was with. Reunited with travel companions they meet a terrible fate one by one. She realizes one of the group must be a killer. This book was very suspenseful keeping me on the edge of my seat until the final page.

Christa and her beau join a tour group traveling to a lodge in the Rocky Mountains near where Kiernan grew up as he is eager to show her his beloved mountains. Still haunted by a traffic accident where a young man died Christa is anxious and uncertain. When a sudden blizzard blocks the road they are forced to take shelter in an abandoned cabin. Then Kiernan disappears and the next morning their tour guide is found decapitated. Isolated with eight strangers one of whom is a killer Christa struggles to find answers as well as survive. This author has become well known in the genre and with good reason. In this entry she puts a new spin on the "ten little indians" trope adding more suspense with each page. Each character is well defined and I never knew who to suspect or trust. Christa begins as a neurotic weak character but strengthens under threat. Deft descriptive prose makes the frigid weather and rugged terrain vivid in the reader's imagination. Christa finally discovers what connects these eight strangers share and it is a bombshell. The thrilling twist in the concluding chapters caught me unprepared. Wowzer! It has been a while since a novel has engrossed me as this one did. Trigger warning...contains graphic descriptions and gory scenes. I recommend this thriller to anyone looking for an edge of the seat page turner.

Dead of Winter is a harrowing tale of a tour bus of strangers heading to a remote lodge in the Rocky Mountains during a blizzard. They quickly become stranded and must work together to survive in a rustic cabin with no electricity. Unfortunately, they must also contend with a murderer who is killing them one by one. Christa has some past trauma and is anxious about this getaway but her supportive boyfriend Kiernan eases her worries. However, Kiernan gets separated when they venture off the bus during a stop to deal with a felled tree blocking the road. Krista is determined to find him no matter how dangerous and risky the search will become. Will she become the next victim before she can uncover the truth of the ghastly murders and disappearance of her boyfriend?

What I liked about this book:
-loved the locked room concept of being stuck in a rustic cabin with strangers in a wintery storm, in total isolation with no cell service, lighting or electricity and a murderer in the midst
-it had Agatha Christie vibes of ‘And Then There Were None’
-great pacing and writing style added to the sense of dread and doom
- the isolated lodge and an axe wielding murderer was an homage to Stephen King’s The Shining
-the twists and turns along with the red herrings throughout the book
- the ending-wow! I love how it all connected and although I had predicted the murderer I was unsure of the motivation until it was revealed

What I disliked about this book:
-absolutely nothing! I loved this book!

My rating 5 out of 5

My final takeaway from this book: I highly recommend this action packed book for fans of locked room mysteries coupled with a little bit of gore. It is a great book of survival and trying to outwit and unmask a murderer. It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and guessing until the end. This is a great summer read to escape the heat with a cold winter's tale. Darcy Coates is a master of suspense sprinkled with her trademark horror.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC.