I really enjoyed this. The plot was great and it kept me wanting to read it. A lot of the twists I did not see coming but I really enjoyed the end. Made me feel like my family was normal! Lol

This was a chilling, thrilling, and utterly gripping read! Packed with dark family secrets and jaw-dropping revelations, the twists kept coming, each one more shocking than the last. The story was filled with deception, making for an intense and unpredictable ride.

The characters were a mix of highly unlikable and deeply sympathetic ones. My favorite was Theo—I truly felt for her. The character development was excellent, making the dysfunctional, wealthy family feel all the more real. Set in a grand mansion, the atmosphere was tense, and I never knew who to trust.

From the very first page to the last, I was completely hooked. The fast-paced plot, combined with an eerie and immersive setting, made this both a psychological thriller and a domestic family drama. The addition of a snowstorm heightened the tension, making the story even more chilling.

I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Kate Alice Marshall. A Killing Cold didn’t disappoint and offered one of my favorite backdrops for a tense thriller; remote, isolated, and winter!

Theo and Connor have had a whirlwind romance and when she’s invited to his wealthy family’s winter home, she knows she’s there to win them over – no easy feat. When she arrives, though, she can’t escape the feeling that she’s been there before and when a series events happen, she begins to question not only her own vague childhood memories but the background of Connor’s family.

Wowza! Loved this! The atmosphere, the secrets, the twists, and again, the isolated mountain estate just gives it everything I look for in satisfying thriller!

My thanks to Flatiron Books for this gifted copy!

4 stars,

This book was a wild ride. It has so many elements that I love in a thriller. Memory loss, isolation, rich people drama, a little "romance?" I felt like this was very different for Kate Alice Marshall but still had her own style on the story. Almost all the characters were unlikeable but it the best way. I wish I would have read this during the colder months but this was still a great read overall. I also selected this book to be part of my Sleep When I'm Dead book club (thriller bookclub on YouTube - Reading With Jess) and I look forward to see what everyone else thought of the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Flatiron books for this ARC.

Kate Alice Marshall DOES NOT MISS! Her books are so twisty and her characters so carefully complex that I’m constantly staying up well into the early morning hours turning pages to finish. I love a twisty domestic thriller paired with an isolated and remote setting and this was perfect for a winter read. The ending was so good and one I wasn’t able to work out - which is always a positive in my book!

I was really looking forward to this book. It started out great, and then finished not as strong. I loved the story of Theo/Rowan; however, I thought the end of the book was rushed. It was hard for me to finish.

This started out well but by the end I found it repetitive. There were some twists but most of it you could see coming. I much prefer the author's What Lies in the Woods. 3.5 stars

Very fast paced story, lots of twist and turns throughout. Wasn’t a big fan of the overall ending it felt very lacking.

Thank you Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Atmospheric mystery set in the cold, desolate mountain lodge of the wealthy Dalton family. Theo (Theodora) is on a Christmas holiday trip to meet her fiancé's family. Theo is nervous about meeting Connors's rich family as she is not only poor but has many secrets, secrets she hasn't told to him. The author does a good job of describing the cold snow falling, the sense of claustrophobia that Theo feels as she is cut off from everyone and everything and the sense that something bad is lurking in this family compound. After a great start though, the story becomes repetitive as Theo keeps having dreams and fleeting memories of a small girl, a red scarf and man with antlers growing out of his head. The Dalton family feel like a cliche of every rich family in literature: the cold, snooty grandparents, the quirky sister who might be an ally, the rebel younger brother. I would have liked to have known more about Theo and Connor but I don't think we were every told if they have jobs, interests or even things in common. After they settle in to their cottage, almost every scene is Connor is sleeping or away at the lodge and Theo snooping around the cottages.

Theo begins to receive warnings to leave and she experiences flashbacks suggesting she has been in the compound before. Their are a lot of twists but the biggest one makes no sense as it relies on a huge coincidence. There are also twists such as thinking one person committed a murder, only to find out it was really another, no it was a third person after all. Theo spends a lot of time telling the family details about themselves they already know. There is a lot of sadness and depressing events in this book and not much of a sense of love between the engaged couple I was excited at the beginning of this but disappointed in the overall plot. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

I enjoyed the secluded setting and the fast pace storyline. I enjoyed the questioning of the characters and whether he could be trusted. I enjoyed this book, but overall felt like it lacked more. I do feel that th story could have developed further.

I had a killer cold this past week, and polished off as many books as I could.

I was invited to a buddy read hosted by @librarywhore of A Killing Cold by @thriller_book_sisters and spent my day in bed glued to my Kindle.

This is the kind of thriller readers love:

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 everyone’s a suspect & everybody could have done it

🕰️ the protagonist’s past is a mystery; some selective amnesia

⛰️It takes place in a remote, mountaintop retreat with limited cell service

Creepy atmosphere with a ton of suspense.

🧩 Clues are given piecemeal

🔀 Super twisty!

I couldn’t put this one down at all - if you want a twisty suspense psychological thriller - pick it up today. Thank you @kmarshallarts @flatiron_books for allowing me to read this @netgalley ARC. Out now!

QOTD: What was your favorite book to read this week? This was 100% mine! 4.5/5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
#akillingcold #katealicemarshall #suspensethriller #mystery #bestbooksof2025 #thrillerbooks #mysterybooks #crimebooks #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #arcreads #arcreading #currentlyreading

This is full of secrets, lies and so many twist and turns. It’s very faced paced and I didn’t see the ending coming. I had so many thoughts as to what was going to happen but I was wrong. I always enjoy Kate Alice Marshall’s novels and this was no different.

Fast paced thriller - poor girl with mysterious background finds herself in a relationship with a very handsome, very wealthy young man, and surprise! they get engaged after just a few months. When Theo goes to Connor's family mountain estate for Christmas to "meet the family" - she realizes the family has secrets to hide - that involve her mysterious past. Trying to figure out who to trust, and how to escape a bad situation kept the pages turning.

Of course! Here’s a more natural and casual version of your review:

Review: The Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

I really enjoyed The Killing Cold! It was a quick, easy read that pulled me in right away. The story follows Theo, who doesn’t remember anything about her childhood before she was adopted. She falls in love with Connor, and when she goes to meet his family at their remote cabins, weird things start happening. Someone warns her to leave, and she starts finding clues that make her think Connor’s family might be tied to her past.

I loved all the mystery and the way the story slowly unraveled. There were plenty of twists—some I saw coming, but others totally surprised me. The setting added to the creepy vibe, and it kept me turning the pages.

Overall, this was a solid thriller! If you like books that keep you guessing, I’d definitely recommend it.

I listened to this audiobook right after I read Hemlock by Kiersten Modglin and if you liked Hemlock, you might enjoy this book as well. Definitely some similarities between the two books…both involve strong female main characters who have a sense that something more is going on where they are…both have trauma in their backgrounds…though this book has more of a family mystery focus to it than Hemlock.

Theodora Scott, who goes by the nickname, Theo, has been welcomed to a secluded family lodge in the wintertime in order to get to know the rich family of her fiancée, Connor Dalton. Not just his immediate family but also his extended relatives. His family has secrets, Theo has secrets. Both grow suspicious of each other. When someone dies, the need to figure out who can be trusted and who cannot becomes even more urgent.

Will Connor side with his family or with Theo?

Was a long ago death a suicide or something more sinister?

Who else will die before this book comes to an end?

This book has great character development, incredible twists and turns, and the plot unfolds slowly over time. Definitely enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Read If You Like:
- Psychological thrillers
- Amnesia narratives
- Family secrets
- Isolated settings
- Suspenseful storytelling
- Complex characters
- Twisty plots
- Atmospheric mysteries

Theodora "Theo" Scott, who has significant gaps in her early memories, eagerly accepts a marriage proposal from Connor Dalton, a handsome scion she met just months prior. As they prepare to visit Connor's family's vast, isolated winter estate, Theo fears that his relatives suspect her of gold-digging. Upon arrival, she begins to piece together fragments of her past, realizing that someone at the estate harbors a shocking secret they're desperate to keep hidden, placing Theo in terrible danger.

This novel masterfully combines psychological suspense with atmospheric storytelling. The isolated winter estate setting amplifies the tension, creating a chilling backdrop for the unfolding drama. Theo's journey to uncover her past is both compelling and nerve-wracking, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The intricate plot and well-crafted suspense invite readers into a world where nothing is as it seems, and every revelation leaves you breathless.

A Killing Cold is a gripping tale, full of dizzying twists and turns, packed with suspense that will keep you frantically turning pages until the very end.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my gifted copy!

This book hooked me from the blurb. It was full of twists, and normally, I can see them coming a mile away, maybe two. But this? This got me! That's a 4 at least, but I was interested from the beginning and the end didn't disappoint. Family secrets are my go-to for reads, and the mystery of why she felt the place was familiar? Ahhhh! I don't want to spoil anything. Solid 5!

A Killing Cold is the ultimate atmospheric read. Kate Alice Marshall is incredible at creating a story that sucks the reader in and doesn't let go until the book is done. The twists, turns and surprises were well done. I thoroughly enjoyed A Killing Cold and recommend checking it out!

Thank you Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
4.5/5 stars

Another solid entry into adult thrillers from KAM.

This one has a secluded setting which usually works for me and I did find it interesting but the setting felt like it needed to play a bit more of a part to the overall story. Still good.

The plot was entertaining and I have a good time reading through. I didn't find anything overly surprising or out of left field but I think if you like to solve the mystery as you read along, this book will work for you.

I definitely prefer Kate's horror Mid Grade and YA to her adult thrillers, I wish she'd pull some of the horror vibes into the adult books, I think they would be all the better for it. But I did really enjoy this one. Learning about Theo's backstory was interesting and trying to piece together everything that happened to her when she was a kid was fun.

I also liked the ending of the book and how everything turned out. An enjoyable read over all.

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall is a gripping winter thriller that masterfully blends atmosphere, suspense, and unexpected twists. The story follows Theodora Scott, who, after a whirlwind romance, accompanies her fiancé, Connor Dalton, to his family's secluded estate, Idlewood. Upon arrival, Theo is met with a chilly reception from the powerful Dalton family and begins to experience unsettling events, including anonymous warnings and resurfacing childhood memories. The discovery of a childhood photo of herself at Idlewood propels Theo into a maze of family secrets and lies, challenging her perception of reality and her own past.

Marshall's portrayal of the isolated, snow-covered estate creates an immersive and eerie backdrop that heightens the novel's tension. The narrative is filled with well-timed revelations and psychological intrigue, keeping readers on edge as they navigate the complex dynamics of the Dalton family alongside Theo. While some readers have noted a desire for deeper character development among certain family members, the overall pacing and suspense maintain a compelling momentum throughout the story.

For fans of atmospheric thrillers that delve into dark family secrets and personal identity, A Killing Cold offers a satisfying and chilling read.