Kate Alice Marshall is one of my auto-read authors. Her newest novel, A Killing Cold is atmospheric and full of things I love in a story.

I recommend if you like thrillers with:
❄️ remote settings with no contact with the outside world
❄️ rich people who behave badly
❄️ messy family relationships
❄️ dual timelines
❄️ unreliable narrators
❄️ winter/snowy weather

A Killing Cold is a well crafted mystery/thriller that keeps the reader guessing until the last page. On the surface the story is simple enough Theo Scott and her fiancé Collin Dalton travel to his family’s mountain holiday estate to spend Christmas together. This will be the first time Theo will be introduced to his family and the two are rightfully nervous.
 
Behind this simple story are a host of characters, all of whom hide secrets. For Theo it is a highly dysfunctional childhood that includes being present at her single mother’s murder and subsequent adoption by a cruel and demanding tightly religious couple who regularly used abusive punishments on Theo in hopes of forcing her into line. All it managed to do is drive her away from them at her first opportunity. To make it worse, Theo has no functional memory of any events prior to her adoption—only dreamlike memories that are disjointed and do not make a lot of sense.
 
Upon arriving at the family compound, Theo learns of the tragic death of Collin’s father a number of years prior and the effort the family made to keep the whole story hidden. The longer Theo is there, however, memories surface that hint at her mother’s murder and the story begins to unfold in her mind. And it is connected both with the Dalton family and the mountain compound.
 
My only problem with the book is that the first part of the book moves at an incredibly slow pace and while I see why the author felt that was necessary, it made it difficult for me to continue my excitement for the story. By the midway point in the story, things began to pick up and moved at a quicker and tighter pace toward the finish.
 
Overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who is interest in digging into the psyche of a young woman  who experienced an unbelievable tragedy and an early age and is then forced to relive it in order to make peace with her past. Along the way we find ourselves having to deal with a rich family with a sense of self-entitlement that does not feel bound even by the law with it comes to life and death.
 
I appreciate the opportunity NetGalley game me to read this book with my promise of a free, fair, and honest review.

A Cold Killing by Kate Alice Marshall is a thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. The story follows Theodora Scott, who is invited to her wealthy fiancé's family retreat in the dead of winter. As she gets to know his family, she realizes that they are hiding a dark secret, and that she may be connected to it in some way.

Marshall does a great job of creating a suspenseful atmosphere, and the characters are all well-developed and complex. The plot is full of twists and turns, and the ending is sure to surprise you.

If you're a fan of thrillers, then you won't want to miss A Cold Killing. It's a page-turner that will stay with you long after you finish it.

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall is an engaging thriller with a lot of potential, but it falls just short of being truly great. The story follows Theo, who travels to her wealthy fiancé’s secluded family retreat and starts uncovering unsettling secrets. The isolated setting of Idlewood creates a strong atmosphere, and Marshall does a solid job building suspense throughout.

The plot is intriguing, and the mystery surrounding the Dalton family kept me interested, though there were a few moments along the way that the story started to drag. The pacing slows down in the middle, and while the twists are interesting, they didn’t always pack the punch I was hoping for. Theo’s motivations sometimes felt a bit unclear.

Overall, it’s a good read, but not without its flaws. While the Dalton family is full of interesting characters, I found the setting to be more of a draw to keep going with the book than the people staying there. Still, it’s a solid story with plenty of twists (maybe too many) to keep you on edge.

Thank you to Kate Alice Marshall, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the isolated snowy vibes setting of this book and was hooked from beginning to end. The storyline was intriguing and there was just the right amount of breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout to keep me turning the pages. The characters were very well developed without being overbearing and I feel like I was able to understand each character separately throughout.
Where it went wrong for me was that it was so unrealistic. The odds of this situation happening are so unbelievable that it had me rolling my eyes a bit and the ending just added to it.
Overall, I liked it because it kept me engaged, but I will say that it’s my least favorite Marshall book so far.

Amazing from start to end! I loved the atmospheric feel and the many twists that keep you guessing.

Theo is a character you can root for and relate to while the Daltons are as toxic as they come. The locked room mystery really works and overall I liked this better than the author's first book.

I recommend it to everyone especially fans of thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the advanced e-copy!

4.5/5

This pains me to say but this was a miss. It was SLOW, and I'm a girl that likes slow burn psychological thrillers. Unfortunately, this had too many elements that I dont like in fiction: memory loss, convenient remembering, and dream sequences. I think if you don't read a lot of thrillers it could work, but I didn't see anything new here.

Juicy family drama, secrets, lies, murder, and a wealthy family. First off, I picked this up around Christmas and I am glad I did because Theodora and Connor head to Idlewood to a isolated family winter retreat that takes place during the week of Christmas. The family is not too happy about Connor bringing Theo along because Idelwood is only reserved for family, but Theo and Connor are engaged so she will be considered part of the family soon enough.

Before Theo and Connor arrive at Idlewood, Theo receives anonymous texts to stay away from Connor. She begins to suspect that it is someone from his family. Theodora has no recollection to her earliest years as a child and she doesn't like to talk about it either. When they arrive at Idlewood she slowly begins to remember things that don't make sense and she sets off to uncover the truth.

Overall, this thriller had me on edge and trying to figure out all of the twists and turns. I wasn't blown away by the twists, but I had so much fun with it.

Thank you so much to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of A Killing Cold!
3.5 ⭐️

I was really hooked from the beginning! I loved the remote cabin setting and the compelling family secrets exposed little by little. Connor’s family was wealthy, pretentious and entitled, making it hard to like and trust them. The slow burn worked in this story because it left me wanting more at the end of each chapter. Once some big secrets were revealed, the story picks up and chaos begins. My head was spinning til the last page and I’m still not sure how I felt about the ending, which would definitely make for a great conversation!

A KILLING COLD was a solid thriller. Grabbed my attention from the start as meeting the future in-laws is an unnerving experience to begin with so the character already had my sympathy. Add in the fact the family is super wealthy and she’ll be staying at their secluded estate in the middle of winter, well, that’s some built in tension right there folks! A wild ride with some bumps here and there but still a good read.

I rarely read the publisher synopsis before diving into a thriller especially when it’s an author I’ve read before. So I was pleasantly surprised there being a possible connection between Theodora’s past and the family’s retreat was brought out early on instead of being strung out. I’m glad the author realized most readers would have picked up on it anyway so it never could be some grand reveal if left until the end. There was still the matter of the details which were given bit by bit and were enough to keep me invested in the story. There’s a lot of craziness you need to roll with but somehow it works out. It was an entertaining read and that goes a long way.

Recommend if you enjoy thrillers.

is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Theo's whirlwind romance with the charming Connor Dalton quickly turns into a suspenseful nightmare when she arrives at his family’s secluded winter retreat, Idlewood, and begins to uncover unsettling clues about her past. With messages warning her to stay away and a haunting photo from her childhood, Theo’s search for answers spirals into a high-stakes mystery, where nothing is as it seems. Henry masterfully builds tension, weaving together an atmospheric setting and a web of secrets that keeps readers guessing at every turn.

The novel's strength lies in its strong, determined protagonist and its twisty, unpredictable plot. As Theo pieces together fragments of forgotten memories, the stakes grow higher, and the danger becomes more real. With sharp writing and an engaging mystery, Stay Away from Idlewood is a page-turner that blends romance, suspense, and intrigue in a way that will captivate fans of psychological thrillers. Perfect for those who love a fast-paced, twist-filled read, this book is a thrilling ride from start to finish.

She's done it again! Kate Alice Marshall is one of my favorite thriller writers. Her books never fail to keep me engaged. I always fly through them. This was a great addition to her list. I enjoyed the winter setting and how the story was paced.

Kate Alice Marshall has rapidly become one of my favorite authors! This book was everything I hope for in a fast paced thriller.

We are introduced to Theo as she is headed to her fiancé Connor family’s estate in the woods to meet his family. Before they start out on their travels Theo starts receiving warnings to stay away from Connor and to definitely not go to the family estate. Wearily, she goes anyway. We’re introduced to an array of family members and the beautiful set of cabins the family has owned for decades. While exploring, Theo finds an abandoned cabin, called Dragonfly, and can’t help but feel like it’s not her first time inside that particular cabin. Her distant memories set off a chain of events that come to a screeching reveal! I loved every second of this book and will absolutely read anything Marshall publishes. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Let’s paint the picture of this story: secluded winter retreat filled with wealthy people that will do anything to hide their secrets. Add in repetitive narrative, unlikeable toxic characters and overall, my opinion is an outlier.

While not a new premise, the snowy secluded backdrop did give some edge to this story. Where I struggled was the suspense felt forced and the story unrealistic. I did finish the book, but I almost wish I hadn’t. You know the thrillers where the twist actually ruins the story for you? This is that book. It just didn’t add up.

One of the saving graces is Karissa Vacker as the narrator. She does a superb job of embodying the character of Theo. I don’t think I could have enjoyed any of this book if it weren’t for her. She has a skill for embracing suspense and is one of the best female thriller narrators out there!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this digital ARC & ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Flatiron Books and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had an incredibly hard time liking this book. I have read and enjoyed two of her others, so I was excited to see what she pulled out of her back pocket. I listened to most of it, so it was hard to follow the characters vs what timeline we were in. All the characters were unlikeable and quite frankly annoying. I finished listening to this a day ago and couldn't tell you what the big twist was. I think the plot just fell flat for me and I was unimpressed by the end. Because I liked her other books, I am interested in continuing to read her releases, I just think this book was not for me.

Kate Alice Marshall writes fantastic thrillers but this one just wasn’t for me. I found it to be a bit repetitive and prolonged. I enjoyed the “trapped in the mountain” trope but guessed pretty quickly what the twist would be and didn’t particularly like the characters. I feel like this could have been significantly shorter and it would have been more enjoyable. I did however enjoy confirming my theory was correct and I enjoyed that the main character got some closure.

Thank you to Flatiron books for an advanced readers copy of this title via NetGalley.

I adore Kate Alice Marshall! She is one of my favorite authors and she knocked it out of the park on this one. It was a quick read with lots of suspense. It did not take me long to read this one at all as I just couldn't put it down. Great setting and great characters. There weren't in my opinion any crazy unbelievable twists which is ok by me. Great book and I would highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for allowing me to read this ARC.

This was a fast paced, atmospheric, winter thriller that kept me on my toes. There were so many twists and turns that kept me guessing how everything would play out. The main character was compelling and likable and the side characters ambiguous enough to keep me guessing but still well developed. If you’re looking for a winter thriller that will surprise you, definitely give this a try!

Theodora (Theo) Scott is engaged to Connor Dalton, whose family is fabulously wealthy. In "A Killing Cold," by Kate Alice Marshall, Connor invites his fiancée to Idlewood, the Dalton retreat, for the winter holidays. Theo is nervous about meeting Connor's relatives. It is clear that they consider her to be a gold-digger who is unworthy of joining their distinguished clan. If the Dalton's knew details about Theo's harrowing childhood, they would be even more horrified.

This is an atmospheric psychological thriller in which the occupants of Idlewood are cut off from civilization by limited cellular service and inclement weather. Connor is devoted to Theo, but she fears that his family will succeed in turning him against her. We sympathize with this young woman, who is treated badly by Connor's intimidating grandparents, Magnus and Louise; Connor's arrogant uncle, Nick; and Connor's selfish and malicious younger brother, Trevor. Theo soon suspects that there is a sinister reason for the Daltons' excessive hostility towards her.

Marshall does a fine job of creating a mood of impending doom. Theo's frequent nightmares stem from hazy memories that give her no peace. When she begins to recall episodes from her childhood, we sympathize with her intense anguish. Red herrings abound, there are several violent deaths, and the author wraps things up with an overly melodramatic and convoluted finale. Although readers will root for Theo to survive her ordeal, accompanying her on this distressing journey into the past is more exhausting than entertaining.

This book was set up to be a perfect winter read for me! A remote setting, rich people with dangerous secrets, unlikeable characters all over, and a mystery to keep you guessing. A Killing Cold has plenty of twists and I was invested in finding out what happened to Theo with her new, creepy family. The story almost has a claustrophobic feel (set in a blizzard) that lends to the suspense. I did figure out how the story would wrap up before I got there but it still a very fun, engaging read. Thanks to Kate Alice Marshall, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.