A Killing Cold is the first book I read by Kate Alice Marshall. It gave me the creeps, and there were times when I was too scared to read it before going to bed. This psychological thriller will have you thinking that everyone is a killer. It was a great winter book because it occurred in the snowy mountains, and Theo stayed in Conner's family cabin.

Conner is a wealthy man from a mighty family. Theo has only been dating Conner for months, and they are already engaged. However, the family wants to meet Theo to see if they approve of the marriage. Upon arrival, Theo receives a threatening text message to leave the cabin. Instead, she investigates who sent her the message and starts to snoop around the cabins. Once Theo began snooping, she realized she had been there before, but her mind was still fussy. You must read this book to know what Theo learned about Conner's family and her childhood.

The only thing I disliked was that the book was a bit slow for me, and I had to push through. I do promise that the book has a great ending.

3.5 stars

This was ok. I loved the setting but I felt like the pacing was off. It was a really slow start and the last 20% had so many twists I couldnt keep track of all of them. I liked Theo - I always enjoy a badass heroine but some of the choices she made were questionable lol.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

Pub date: 2/4

Thank you so much to @flatiron_books and @kmarshallarts for this physical ARC and thank you to @netgalley for the digital ARC also!

First 5-star read of 2025. That’s it. That’s the review.

This thriller has it all. An immersive atmosphere, memorable characters, and an impeccable timeline. This was my first read by Kate Alice Marshall and she’s definitely made it into my top thrillers author list.

There’s a lot going on in this book, which for a thriller can get muddy when you’re trying to illustrate the scenes and keep the plot clear. But Marshall nails both. You never lose track of the story and the entire plot you get to try to figure out what the heck is going on.

I have to give a shoutout to one scene in particular. I won’t give any spoilers, don’t worry. In the scene, every single character is present (about 6-8) and they are ALL speaking. For an author to keep the imagery vivid while also making sure the reader doesn’t get lost in a fast-paced accusatory conversation is beyond impressive. This scene itself made the climax for me. So incredibly difficult to do in a suspense thriller but my god, I felt like I was in the living room, watching this family unravel. Bravo, Kate, BRAVO.

As a thriller reader, I thought I had it figured out, but when an author can throw in an added twist to it, they get applause from me. I didn’t guess it, and that’s what makes me enjoy a thriller even more.

If it’s not on your TBR, A Killing Cold deserves a spot on your shelf whether you’re a seasoned thriller fan or a new reader to the genre.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As with any suspense, it is hard to review in a lot of detail without giving away the plot. However, this book follows in the footsteps of last year's The Heiress by showing a rich family, with plenty of secrets, and an outsider with her own. In fact, the more I think about it, there are a lot of parallels between the two books. That's not a knock on A Killing Cold. I was a big fan of The Heiress and I really enjoyed this book, as well.

In fact, once I picked it up, I really only put it down for the absolute musts and still finished it in less than a day. The pacing is excellent, and there's a significant ramp up to the end of the second act. I thought, for sure, that meant that the third would be a let down (you can see my review of No One Can Know to see why I thought that might be the case.

Yes, there are a lot of twists in that final act, but not so much that I felt like it was convoluted. I definitely didn't predict the conclusion or the brief epilogue (though this was the one real letdown of the book, I feel like far too many mystery/thriller/suspense writers mess up in those final pages).

* Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

This was a fun little twisty read! Mystery surrounds our FMC’s past as well as with her rich soon-to-be in-laws! 👀

Some of the twists were predictable but I still enjoyed the read! Check this one out, especially if you’re looking for a wintry whodunnit! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Kate Alice Marshall for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

This was a fantastic thriller. I did not think it was predictable at all, and the ending left me speechless. Kate Alice Marshall is a fantastic thriller writer!! Furthermore, Karissa Vacker does a great job (as always!) with the narration. I definitely recommend this thriller and can't wait for KAM's next book!

This was the perfect snowy thriller to read during the coldest, dreariest month of the year! Kate Alice Marshall has brought us another twisty story to wile away a snowy afternoon.

Theo Scott has a troubled past. Adopted at four years old, she has scant memories in the years prior. She doesn’t even know her real name. She feels like a non person drifting through this big world. But when Conner Dalton enters her life, they enjoy a whirlwind romance and a quick proposal of marriage. Now Theo has love. Now she belongs to someone.

When they go to meet Dalton’s wealthy family at their isolated mountain retreat, Theo has every intention of trying to fit into her new family. But she is receiving sinister text messages discouraging her from attending. Who is sending them? When she arrives at Idlewood, she experiences some weird deja vu and pieces of memories start to come back. Why is this place familiar? And why do the members of the Dalton family seem to be holding dark secrets? Who can she trust in this remote snowy place?

I loved every word of this story! It has a complex plot and I did not know who to trust. I will read anything this author writes and can’t wait for her next book!

Thank you Netgalley, Flatiron Books, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on February 4, 2025

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall is a solid 4-star book that blends suspense, romance, and eerie family secrets in a way that keeps you hooked until the last page.

The story follows Theodora Scott as she steps into the secluded, snow-covered world of Idlewood, the Dalton family’s luxurious yet chilling winter retreat. At first glance, Theo’s relationship with Connor Dalton seems like a fairy tale, but the sinister undertones of Idlewood quickly unravel that illusion. Mysterious warnings, unsettling footprints, and a shocking photo of Theo as a child at the very same retreat turn this love story into a high-stakes quest for the truth.

Marshall’s atmospheric writing shines here—she masterfully captures the isolation and tension of Idlewood, making the snowy landscape as much a character as Theo herself. The story builds layer upon layer of suspense, and as Theo pieces together her lost memories, readers are drawn into a tangled web of family secrets and dangerous deceptions.

While the pacing slows at times, particularly in the middle, the twists more than make up for it. The Daltons are a fascinating mix of privilege and menace, and Theo’s determination to uncover the truth—even at great personal risk—makes her a protagonist worth rooting for.

Overall, A Killing Cold is a compelling read that combines psychological intrigue with a haunting atmosphere. Perfect for fans of thrillers, this book will have you questioning every character and turning pages late into the night.

This new release is a fabulous atmospheric winter thriller, as Theo travels with her new fiancée to his family's isolated upstate NY mountain retreat. The slow burn mystery includes a winter storm isolating the guests from civilization, anonymous threats telling Theo she isn't safe, and jarring new memories from her repressed childhood trauma. Theo quickly realizes her past might be interlinked with Connor's family's secrets putting her life in danger.

I really enjoyed this one! I love rich families behaving badly, and this was one messed up family! I'm pretty sure I suspected every darn character and thought I had it all figured out, only to get a new twist. The setting was claustrophobic, the flashbacks/ incomplete memories kept me guessing, and the tension slowly built to a heart pounding conclusion. Vacker's narration was perfection. She perfectly captured Theo's complex personality, and brought the tension/fear to a palatable level.

A new Kate Alice Marshall thriller? Sign me up!

This one had so many possibilities of who it could have been and the twists and turns just kept coming so be sure to keep your head on a swivel. I loved our main character and really wanted her to get her retribution. I was definitely on the fence about her fiancé though, I wanted to trust him but it was hard at times, I had my eye on him. It’s the perfect read to cuddle up with on a cold winter night. If you enjoyed The Family Game, you’ll like this one too, I enjoyed A Killing Cold much more. Thanks to Flatiron for sending me an ARC. Look for this one to publish on 2/4.

I went back and forth on my enjoyment of this book, but for the most part I felt it was a pretty decent thriller that kept me entertained. It had all the snowy vibes I love reading in a thriller this time of year. It was a bit convenient though how often her fiance, Conner, left the room, ensuring that she was able to talk to his family without him.

Another great thriller from Kate Alice Marshall! This one is perfect for the winter months (as the title suggests) and kept me entertained from the first page.

Theo is in a whirlwind engagement with the wealthy Connor, and is spending her first winter holiday with his family on their mountain top resort style estate.
It becomes quickly apparent that everyone has their own kept secrets but Theo has no idea whose lies are more crushing- the families or her own.

I loved the fast pacing and short chapters. I read this title with a physical copy and audio copy and both formats are great- I loved the audiobook narrator.

4 stars because it didn’t blow my mind, but I would still highly recommend for a quick fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Flatiron Books for advance e and audio copies in exchange for an honest review.

Read Completed 1/2/25 | 3.5 stars | Book #1 of 2025
I listened to an advanced review copy of this audiobook. Thank you to Macmillan Audio via Netgalley for this opportunity.

Ah, the curse of the first book of the year. I can never love it, can I?

WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS, Kate Alice Marshall's adult debut, remains one of my favorite thrillers, but her subsequent adult thrillers just haven't done it for me lately. For some reason, I just really never got into this book and I had such a hard time connecting to any of the characters. Theo was just very mid-level, and hard to get to know with a mysterious past and missing memories. There was a lot of focus on her past, but we didn't get to KNOW her NOW. She didn't have much personality, nor did anyone else in the book. Everyone was just a character and no one felt like a real person.

There were also a few too many characters here for me. Usually it's not an issue but since the characters weren't super memorable, half of the men just kind of blended together which really didn't help things once accusations started flying around. I just didn't care about them enough and they didn't stand out enough for me to really set each one of them in their place.

I was also disappointed in Connor's involvement. He was a pretty boring character, and I supposed he didn't have be to someone so outstanding, but I wanted more personality from him too. He existed just to pull Theo into the story and really served no other purpose.

The plot was just fine for me. The story was engaging enough and there were a couple times that I was allllmost really into it. It's still well put-together, even if I didn't love the structure of it. I really didn't like the moments in the past going back to third person, switching from the book's first person POV. I get that it's to distance yourself from what's going on, but it felt awkward every time it popped in. I think I would have liked a bigger reveal closer to the end that having it peppered in the whole book.

I don't know! This one just didn't do it for me. I felt disconnected the whole time. Maybe I read it at the wrong time, taking a break during my fantasy reads to get a couple of "regular sized" books in before I dive back into to 1000+ page books, but I just didn't connect with this really at all. Maybe I hyped myself up too much, or maybe it just wasn't the story for me. I don't connect with every single book from a thriller author and it's rare that I do. I saw so much potential in this but this just didn't pull me in.

AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: I'm also really tiring of Karissa Vacker's narration. I really hated it here for some reason. She was my favorite narrator for a really long time and I still think she does a nice job, but I just didn't like her voice for this story. I wanted someone new, gritty, tough. She's too soft.

❄️Book Review❄️
*
Summary- It started out as a whirlwind romance. Theodora met Connor—wealthy, charming, and a member of the powerful Dalton family—and fell in love in an instant. Six months later, he takes her to Idlewood, his family’s isolated winter retreat, to win over his skeptical relatives. With no recollection of her early years, Theo begins to feel as if she’s been there before, and the threatening text messages, locked cabins, and footsteps outside her window make her even more suspicious. Someone here has a shocking secret that they will do anything to keep hidden, and Theo may just be in terrible danger. Because the Daltons do not lose, and discovering what happened at Idlewood may cost Theo everything.
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*
My thoughts- thank you @netgalley and @flatironbooks for the advanced copy of this beauty that released in February. I received an ebook of this but I also selfishly wanted a physical copy to share. I enjoyed this crazy and problematic family. I think Theo was a very interesting main character and I loved solving the mystery along with her. I doubly enjoyed it because of the snowy weather while I read. It was quick, short, fast paced, and probably could have been read in one sitting !
*
QOTD- do you enjoy the cold ??

This is the third book I read by this author and I absolutely loved it just like the other two books. I love Kate Alice Marshall's way of telling a story which grabs the reader's attention from the beginning.
The story follows Theo who is recently engaged to Connor. Connor invites her to his family's cabin for a winter retreat. Theo has her concerns about going because Connor's family is very wealthy and he had warned her that it is important to seek their approval, especially his grandparents approval.
Upon her arrival strange this start to happen, texts warning her to stay away, family acting secretive and she experiences deja vu. She has a feeling that she has been on this property before and we start learning part of Theo's past.
There are many twists and turn once Theo starts remembering her past. She doesn't know who she can trust in this family or if she can even trust the man she loves.
I love books that take place in secluded areas and this one did not disappoint.

Thank you Netgalley, Flatiron Books. All opinions are my own.

As expected, I really enjoyed Marshall's writing and how the whole story came together without losing me. I have found that I really love a good mystery/thriller set in the outdoors, especially if there is an isolation element. I enjoyed trying to figure out what were clues and what were red herrings.

However, as another reviewer pointed out, this story does just boil down to a wealthy family with immense money, influence, and power doing whatever they feel is necessary to protect their family name and reputation. While this is not unique, I did find one of the twists unexpected though the who the actual killer ended up being was kind of a let down?

I don't know - definitely doesn't meet how much I loved her first adult mystery/thriller. Though I'll still read her next one.

I was really excited to get this ARC. I've enjoyed the others I have read by her. However, I didn't enjoy this one as much. The pacing was weird. Sometimes it felt really slowly and then just seemed to stagnate. The ending was so twisted and all over the place. I honestly had to reread a few parts thinking I was going crazy at the weird twists. While the plot is a good one, I just don't feel like this book really nailed it. Kind of disappointing.

What a ride! This is possibly my favorite novel from Kate Alice Marshall yet. After a whirlwind romance and engagement, Theodora (Theo) is invited to her wealthy fiancé’s family retreat. Upon their arrival, Theo is hit by the strange feeling that she’s been there before. Things keep getting weirder as Theo tries to navigate the dynamics of her fiancé’s cold, uber-wealthy family, all the while receiving foreboding messages telling her to stay away.

Twists, twists, twists! Y’all know I love a twisty thriller, and this book is full of them. The suspense had me actively forcing myself not to skip to the end of the page to find out what happens. The answers are given inch by inch, so throughout the entire book you never know what’s around the next corner.

I loved the characters, even the unlikable ones. Each one was so unique and becomes integral to the storyline. The setting was picturesque to the point it gives creepy vibes. Combine all that with me not being able to guess a single twist, and it’s an easy 5 stars from me. For all my thriller lovers, pick this one up next!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron books for the gifted eARC!

This was a wild ride. You really want to know the connections!!

Full of family drama, lies, cover-ups, and secrets. Everyone is suspicious. You only get a bit of information at a time, casting doubt on what’s real. I had no idea how each person was involved or how it would end.

It has great pacing and is relatively short, which I like. I flew through this and had to know what was happening. You do have to suspend belief a bit (even the ultra-wealthy can’t cover up everything, right?….RIGHT?!) but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thank you Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'd like to thank Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

It's a premise that has been done more than once. Secluded and snowed in with strangers and something mysterious going on. At the beginning of A Killing Cold I was worried that this one as going to be like all the others. While there were aspects to it that felt a little predictable, I think this one had enough twists and turns to feel unique. The twists didn't feel completely out of left field either (which is a giant pet peeve of mine) so I was happy about that. I also liked the ending and found it was wrapped up well without being unrealistic.

This book had a good balance of dialogue and description. I liked that it didn't harp too much on the atmosphere but was more focused on the action, which is always the best part of thrillers. I like that there weren't many cringy one liners that thrillers like to sprinkle throughout their books. Instead, there were some original thought-provoking lines that impressed me.

A Killing Cold had some tropes that I don't like in books generally, and that includes memory loss that slowly comes back. I find it to be a convenient plot point, and it feels a little gimmicky. It wasn't done terribly in this one though. I also get bored reading about rich people and rich families. I don't know if it's the books I am picking lately, but the rich family thing is getting to be overdone in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. The writing was good, the plot was fine, the twists were there. I'd love to watch the movie adaptation of it.