The queen of twisty thrillers returns, and this one does not disappoint! So many twists I never saw coming. Kate Alice Marshal has become an auto buy author for me. She keeps you guessing til the very end!

Read this if you like:
-snowy winter settings
-fast pace
-rich families
-meet the parents/family
-major secret keeping
-wild and tragic twists
-buttoned up ending

A 5 star read for me. Loved the fast pace and secrets. I did not guess the ending or anything in between. I feel like we kept getting breadcrumbs to put it all together. A great winter thriller.

Thank you to Net Galley, Flatiron Books, and Kate Alice Marshall for the ARC copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Theodora Scott uncovers chilling secrets at her fiancé’s family estate. As Theo tries to win over Connor Dalton’s powerful relatives, strange occurrences and unsettling memories begin to surface. A photo of herself as a child, found at Idlewood, leads Theo to question her past and her safety. Packed with suspense and tension, this novel delivers a captivating mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Kate Alice Marshall newest book, ‘A Killing Cold’ is a fun, twisting, fast-paced thriller. I enjoyed this book so much, I found myself reading it all throughout the day. Before the gym, after the gym, at work (don’t tell anyone), after work, and before bed. The main characters, Connor and Theo, were introduced and developed perfectly for this story. ‘A Killing Cold’ follows the newly engaged couple on their first meeting with the to-be-groom’s extended family in a remote and isolated area of a mountain. As the days unwind, more and more twists are discovered that connects Connor and Theo together from the past. And as the story progresses, more and more shocking secrets unfold further implicating more and more members of the family. I loved how the author developed and told the story of each family member individually, ensuring that each character had a purpose and place both in the present and the past.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and rate it a solid 3.75 stars, rounded up from 3. I would recommend this book to my friends and family and encourage anyone looking for an exciting thriller to give this book and author a try!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Flatiron Books to read and review. The statements and thoughts above are my own independent thoughts resulting from my reading of the book.

This was by far my favorite book by Kate Alice Marshall! I loved the setting of the woods in the snow! I found myself completely intrigued throughout this whole book which kept me turning the pages relentlessly!

When Theo is invited to her fiancé’s family winter retreat, she starts experiencing a sense that she’s been there before. When she finds a photo of herself, the quest for answers begins! You will not know who to trust in this one!

A Killing Cold is the first book that I've read by Kate Alice Marshall but it won't be my last. This is a great wintery suspense thriller that was a quick read for me.
This story is took from the main characters point of view and it takes place on a secluded mountain top. Clear your schedule and get cozy because this is a page turner.

This is the best thriller I have read in awhile. Kate Alice Marshall is getting better and better with each book she releases. I could not but this down other than to sleep. The characters are so interesting, you have no idea who to trust, and despite there being so many secluded cabin in the wood during winter novels she puts a unique twist on this. I also appreciate that there is always a bit of LGBTQ+ representation in all of her novels. My only bit of feedback is that towards the end, there was so much happening I really had to think what information was coming from who; however, it was likely a personal struggle because I was reading SO FAST in anticipation of what would happen next. I will certainly be recommending this to everyone who will listen to me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an ARC of A Killing Cold.

This is my third Kate Alice Marshall book and unfortunately I just don't think she is an author for me. All of the characters (antagonists and protagonists both) felt so one dimensional, I just couldn't make myself care about what happened to any of them. The story was "twisty" but there were so many false twists that I found it tiresome by the end. I did enjoy the snowed-in, multi cabin setting but not enough to redeem the other issues. Overall, not my favorite.

3 stars.

There is something about a winter setting for me. The way being surrounded by snow is equal parts cozy and eerie. Running is harder, hiding js nearly impossible, but then someone mentions hot cocoa and suddenly this thriller is making me very, very happy. Cozy and scared are two favorite things for this weirdo 🙋🏼‍♀️

This story felt long, and that’s not a complaint. I looked down at the percentage read the first time I felt like things were wrapping up and saw I was only at 47%. The next time I felt that way, it was at 71%. I kept thinking, “What else can there still be?”

A lot, friends. A lot. This mystery is intricate and nuanced and when you have a too-wealthy family that will do anything to protect each other from sad feelings, consequences, life….well, an outsider is never safe. I was engrossed from the beginning and it never wavered.

From the author of What Lies in the Woods, which I also loved, this was more or less a perfect thriller for me.

This is just like too many other suspense novels where the woman meets her rich fiancées family. Nothing is new, even the plot has been done before, woman in trouble from his family, etc

Wow, this was a wild ride of a book! My head is still spinning from all the twists and turns!

The book is a first person thriller/mystery following Theo as she meets her fiance, Connor's family for the first time. They're a very wealthy family and grandma's approval is hard to earn. For the first time you meet each member of the family, you dislike them. They're all horrible people in different ways. The sister is a little snotty, rich girl vibe. The brother acts young and expects everything to work out for him because of his family's money. Uncle is shady all around, but you can't quite put your finger on why. Even the groundskeeper guy is questionable, is he a friend or an enemy? The main plot is that Theo was adopted and doesn't even remember her real name, but as she arrives at this ski resort the family holidays at, she starts to remember things. And she remembers being there before. Secrets start to come to the surface very quickly and they just keep coming. Every time I thought I knew what had happened, there's another twist and I was wrong...or was I?

I love a good mystery or thriller, I love trying to figure it out as I go. But I couldn't keep up with all of the secrets in this one. I gave it 3 stars because it was almost like the author couldn't decide on the ending, so she just tried them all out a little. It was confusing, just frustrating. It didn't just blow my mind, but melted my brain a little too, and not in a good way. Will it stop be from reading more from Marshall? Nope, overall it was still a fun read and hard to put down.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

After a whirlwind romance, Theodora "Theo" Scott heads to the snowy mountain with her new fiancé, Connor Dalton, to finally meet his prestigious family.

Hoping to make a good impression on the new in-laws, she comes across family secrets, for both the Daltons and Theo, that were meant to be kept hidden.

Lots of fun twists and turns that propelled the story forward.

Really enjoyable read, as all of Marshall's other great stories.

Wow! I loved this. I love Theo and Connor 🫶🏼

I feel like this is going to be a popular thriller this winter! First, I loved the setting. Winter, blizzard, snow storm, cabin, stranded, eerie vibes.

Second, I also loved/hated the entire Dalton family. So much dirt and drama which lead to many twists and an ending I truly did not suspect.

Third, I loved how short and captivating most of the chapters were. It kept me reading and dying to know what was going to happen next.

Highly recommend! Dare I say I enjoyed it more than What Lies in The Woods?

Thank you to Net Galley and Flatiron Books for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
When Theodora Scott is invited to visit her wealthy fiancée's mansion, there is more than meets the eye. As Theodora gets to know Connor's family, she realizes they are hiding some secrets. She also realizes that she has been there before. It was a fun read discovering the family's secrets and Theodora's background. I enjoyed this mystery. It was well-written with a lot of twists along the way. Highly recommend!

What waits in the woods was one of my favorite reads from 2023, so I was very excited to dive into the author's newest story. Our main character, Theo, is newly engaged after meeting her person not so long ago. Her fiancés family has invited them to their very isolated compound in the middle of the woods for the Christmas holiday. Theo realizes that this place seems familiar but does not know why. Her fiancé's family is not super welcoming and Theo tries to understand their family dynamics. Everyone has something to hide, including Theo, when memories start to resurface and secrets come to light. The past can be terrifying. This story hooked me from the first page and I could not stop until everything was revealed. I loved the wintery, woodsy atmosphere. I also liked the way this story smoothly weaved in and out of two timelines. This is a fantastic, chilling read for October. Kate Alice Marshall is killing it! 4 STARS!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Alice Marshall, & Flatiron Books for this ARC!

A wealthy family will do anything, and I mean anything, to protect their
reputation. But things become very complicated when it turns out the family
has been hiding things from each other. The setting of a camp like compound
on an isolated private mountain in the dead of winter helps make this twisty
tale of family, lies, and murder a thriller you won’t be able to put down.

Wow! This book kept me on my toes the entire time. Every time I thought I had it figured out a new twist. A few times the twist was so shocking I audibly gasped. This is definitely worth the read and may be her best book to date. I loved the characters and loved that you were still trying to understand them along the way. The suspense kept you guessing the entire way. This is a perfect winter read that will keep you guessing.

3.5/5🌟 my second kate alice marshall did not disappoint! this was a quick, thrilling ride that’s perfect for people who love to curl up by the fireplace during winter with a good mystery book. I did not guess the plot twist/ending but I also didn’t find it to be super mind blowing either. there were some slower parts that didn’t offer much, but overall it was a good read! thank you to NetGalley and flatiron for the arc!

Getting Murky Family Affairs in Order

Dead of winter, a young woman and her fiancé are making a trip to introduce her to his wealthy family at their mountain retreat, Idlewood. Even before they arrive, cryptic messages warning her about coming are ominously showing up on her cellphone.

And she brings her own hazy unresolved mysteries from her past: “I’ve always liked to know the names of things. It’s the next best thing to knowing my own.” Who is Theodora Scott, aka Theo, the narrator of this tale?

Kate Alice Marshall’s 2024 twisty thriller, “A Killing Cold”, moves back and forth between the present drama of meeting and spending time with three generations of the Dalton clan – patriarch Magnus and his wife, Louise; Rose and Nick; the newest generation, Alexis, Conor and Trevor – and Theo’s hazy early life recollections and later growing up adopted in Los Angeles. And of course, Daniel Vance (no relation to the present), the longtime dependable caretaker.

At first, it’s a lot to track, a little confusing (probably by design) but then the story’s pace picks up once a rhythm between past and present gets established.

From the get-go, it is clearTheo has packed more baggage than her suitcase holds: "I have a few bad habits. A history of looking where I shouldn't." As she recalls after being adopted, "The Scots called me Dora. Theodora Hosanna Scott, their gift from god, the child sent when they could have no children. Maybe to another girl they could have been kind, but I was too wicked from the start. ...It didn't take them long o conclude that I wasn't a miracle after all, but devil-sent."

There is a suspicious death at Idlewood years earlier that casts a shadow on the motives for the seemingly secretive behavior of the Dalton gang despite their enormous success and wealth. They do not take kindly to outsiders even if one of their own is bringing her to the compound. With its remote location think Overlook Hotel from Stephen King’s 1977 “The Shining”.

As Theo’s past amnesia lifts, her understanding of what’s happening and who she is gets better but not without its many unexpected twists – like Alfred Hitchcock’s 1945 film “Spellbound” with Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman.

Meanwhile, the Daltons seem to be experiencing something akin to an updated version of the 1956 gothic melodrama film, “Written on the Wind”, with Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack and Dorothy Malone.

Pushing the limits of credibility, sure. But engaging while you sit to read by the fire during the storm, definitely.