Theodora Scott meets a wealthy man named Connor but when she's about to meet his family, she gets cryptic text messages saying to stay away from Connor. After ignoring the messages, she goes with Connor to his family's cabin for Christmas and gets a suspicious feeling she's been there before.

Wow! This is the best book I've read in a while. The whole story is just one twist after another and it just keeps getting better throughout. Just when you think you may have pieced together what's going to happen, there's another twist. The authors writing style is truly unique in that she has a way of really pulling the reader in so it feels like you're right there in the story. The story is engaging and thrilling and just so good!

I have a copy of the audio version and the narrator did an amazing job, I love books narrated by Karissa Vacker. She takes the characters and gives them life. The pace is amazing, she uses the pace to create build up in the scenes and then slows it down to really help the reader understand the magnitude of the scene.

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A solid thriller! I really enjoyed the twisty family drama and I feel the mystery and wrapping up of the book were well done. Highly recommend for all mystery thriller lovers out there.

This book was a WILD ride and I ate it up! I loved the FMC and MMC together. I felt like they balanced each other out tremendously. I loved how twisty this book was and how I never had any idea “who done it”. I love when a book keeps me on my toes the whole book. I cannot wait to read more of this authors books in the future!

I am thankful to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of A Killing Cold. I've been enjoying Kate Alice Marshall books for a few years now, so I was really excited to get access to this one.

This is my first experience listening to one of her books, rather than reading a digital or traditional copy and I was not disappointed. The narrator was consistent throughout the entirety of the book and provided an entertaining experience throughout.

As far as the story line went, it keeps you engaged from the very start. The timing of the unraveling mystery was impeccably done, giving just enough throughout to keep the reader going but stretched in just the perfect way to keep the mystery until the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to recommend it to my fellow readers!

This was my first book by Kate Alice Marshall, and it definitely won’t be my last. Theo and Connor, recently engaged, head to his family’s isolated winter estate, Idlewild, hoping to impress his difficult-to-please relatives and gain their approval. But Theo quickly feels unwelcome by some family members, and an eerie sense of déjà vu begins to take over. As strange phone messages and unsettling discoveries at an abandoned cabin pile up, Theo questions everything—especially whether Connor has an agenda and how a forgotten past might be tied to her future. I enjoyed learning more about Theo's backstory and how her past shaped her, though the other characters lacked much depth. Despite that, the 'whodunnit' kept me guessing, and I was intrigued until the end. It was a quick listen that captivated my attention, keeping me hooked from start to finish.

Karissa Vacker's narration was fantastic. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillian Audio, and Kate Alice Marshall for an audio ARC. These thoughts are my own.

US pub date: 2/4/25
Genre: thriller
Quick summary: Theodora and Connor are crazy in love - or are they just plain crazy? After a difficult childhood, she's excited to try to win over his family - but then she begins to think that maybe she's already met them.

I will never turn down the chance to listen to a Kate Alice Marshall audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker! Her books are always fun, twisty popcorn thrillers, and this wintry setting was perfect for a gloomy January read. I ended up listening to it in one day as I worked on a puzzle - I just had to keep listening! Some of the last half felt a little too pat and perfectly coincidental to be a five star read, but I can't fault Marshall for continuing to weave surprise after surprise into the story. If you enjoy thrillers on audio, definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Whirlwind Romance Meets Dark Family Secrets

Theo and Connor’s romance starts like a fairy tale—love at first sight. But don’t expect a heartwarming happily-ever-after. Connor, an influential family's wealthy and charismatic member, sweeps Theo off her feet in just six whirlwind months. Yet when he whisks her away to his family’s secluded winter estate for their approval, the dream quickly descends into something sinister.

Theo is met not with open arms but with warnings, threatening messages, and strange occurrences that scream danger. This is no ordinary family—they’re hiding something dark and twisted, buried deep in the icy retreat.

Suspense and Dizzying Twists

The more Theo digs, the more familiar—and dangerous—things feel. Memories of her past resurface, adding another layer of dread to the already suffocating atmosphere.

Yes, it’s twisty—maybe even a bit too twisty at times. Just when I thought I cracked the case, another twist hits, and the cycle keeps going, twist after twist. Normally, that kind of relentless plotting might wear on me, but I couldn’t stop turning the pages (or, in my case, pressing play). It’s the kind of story where you side-eye every character because everyone’s guilty or hiding something.

Atmosphere That Chills You to the Bone
The isolated family compound, surrounded by a harsh winter landscape, is the perfect setting for this thriller.

A Few Challenges but Still Hooked

I listened to the audiobook, and I’ll admit, the dizzying twists and multiple characters sometimes made it tough to follow. I had to hit pause more than once to regroup. But even with that, I couldn’t stop coming back for more.

Twists, secrets, and a Wintry Chill

A Killing Cold is a snowstorm of suspense, secrets, and danger. The tension builds like ice creeping over a window, and just when you think you’ve cracked it, another twist shatters your theories. The characters are like icebergs, with so much hidden beneath the surface, and the twists come fast enough to leave you spinning.

If you’re in the mood for a thriller with chilling secrets, buried memories, and a wintry setting that will make you shiver, this one’s for you. Just be ready to buckle up for the ride—you’re in for a dizzying one!

A Witches Words Buddy read with Mary Beth!

Everything i love about a mystery and thriller is here. It kept me reading and it kept me guessing. The ending was a little over the top but I really enjoyed the intriguing moments. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

I loved this- it had me hooked from page 1 and I was excited to hear what would happen next. The twists were crazy! I will 100% be picking up more of her books and reading this while in this January snowstorm is such a mood.

This was a fun mystery/thriller set on a secluded mountain. While some parts were a tiny bit predictable, I did not guess some of the reveals and overall it was a fun, quick read with enough possible suspects to keep the reader guessing to the end.
Recommended for fans of locked room style stories, secluded winter vibes, rich people drama, and mysteries involving repressed memories.
Quick, fun popcorn read. (3.75 rounded up to 4)

First of all, since this is an audio-ARC, the narration was phenomenal. It's honestly the only reason I was motivated to continue in the book. The narration of the story gets a 5/5.

Unfortunately I'm beginning to think Kate Alice Marshall just isn't for me. I thought the story was just a very predictable "rich family" story. I really wanted to go almost crazy to bring something unique and interesting to the book. It didn't do that. It was just a classic rich people protecting rich people thing. I did like that one of the characters actually made good decisions the entire time, which normally that specific character never does. So that was a nice little break from this genre, but it didn't help the rest of the story. I'm also not a huge fan of a story revolving around major coincidences and forgotten memories. The whole story was based on something so ridiculously impossible to happen so it was hard to suspend that disbelief. I also felt that the ending was MASSIVELY anticlimactic. We got no real closure for the characters and it was honestly just super depressing. Our main character went through so much and for what?

This is fine but I didn't really like it. I guess I was somewhat curious enough to make it to the end? But simultaneously not that invested?

The novel feels like a pretty standard thriller that annoyingly has a protagonist with memory loss who can conveniently regain certain memories as the plot needs it, but never enough memories to know what's happening. I get why it's a useful trope in the Thriller genre, but it's just so tired and frustrating imo.

The reveals are fairly obvious, and there are a bunch of red herring secrets that end up just being irrelevant to the plot?

Audiobook Notes:
The narrator has a pleasant voice and cadence and does a good job interpreting the text. I think I probably wouldn't have finished it without the audiobook.

3.5 ⭐️ A Killing Cold is the perfect book if you’re looking for a wintry thriller! This locked door/snowed in mystery had the perfect setting, which was both chilling and isolated, and very atmospheric.

The characters were rich, wealthy and very unlikeable. Our FMC, Theo, quickly realizes that she isn’t just meeting her fiancé’s family, but is trying to find out why their secluded estate is so familiar. Secrets are quickly revealed and there are twists that keep you guessing to the very end.

While I enjoyed the suspenseful build up for majority of the story, I felt that there were maybe a few too many twists that made it a little unrealistic. While I don’t normally mind unrealistic endings, in a way I almost felt that the ending was a bit predictable as well? Overall the setting was perfect, the unlikeable characters were great, and the build up was well paced.

The audio was absolutely fantastic and added to the chilling atmospheric vibe for this wintry story!

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the ALC ✨

Kate Alice Marshall’s A Killing Cold is a masterclass in suspense and storytelling, delivering a narrative brimming with unexpected twists and unrelenting thrills. From the opening pages, the author captivates readers with a plot that feels both unpredictable and utterly engrossing. Each turn of events defies expectations, making it impossible to put the book down.

Marshall’s skill as a writer truly shines in the way she guides readers through the story. Just when you think you’ve figured out where the plot is headed, she flips the script, leaving you reeling in the best way possible. Her ability to balance tension with richly drawn characters and a gripping pace sets her apart as a standout voice in the genre.
• A Killing Cold* is more than just a thriller; it’s a showcase of storytelling prowess that keeps readers guessing until the very end. For those who enjoy tightly woven mysteries with an edge of surprise, this novel is a must-read. Marshall’s talent is undeniable, and this book will leave you eager to explore more of her work.

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!

Theo is heading to the mountains to meet her fiance Connor's family, and something isn't right. She's receiving warnings to stay away and is starting to remember fragments of her childhood. Theo's fairy tale suddenly turns into a nightmare.

There wasn't anything groundbreaking here, but I enjoyed the read. The narration was good.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for a free copy of #AKillingCold. All opinions are my own.

Theo fell in love with Connor in a whirlwind romance six months ago. Despite anonymous texts telling her to stay away from Connor, Theo knows it's her chance to win over his wealthy family when she visits Idlewood, the family's remote winter retreat. But at the family cabin, Theo finds a photo of herself as a child and begins to recall long-repressed memories that someone in Connor's family will do anything to keep buried.

Kate Alice Marshall draws you in with a story of a rich family where everyone has a secret to hide. The icy isolation of Idlewood provides a smothering atmosphere that amps up the tension as twists are slowly revealed. While the slow burn tension was captivating to read and the audio narration was spot-on, the conclusion didn't wrap up satisfactorily.

I felt like this was a very basic thriller. The idea was interesting but there was nothing really special about it. It was bland for most of it, and then the end did pick up a bit.

i had the audible version and it was perfect entertainment for my lunch breaks! I’d recommend this book to any thriller lover!

Get the popcorn 🍿 popping and the hot chocolate ☕️ bombs dropping because this winter ❄️ thriller is combining chilling tropes for an explosive romp where the elements are dangerous, but the secrets are deadly.

Theo and Connor travel to his wealthy family’s secluded winter estate, Idlewild. Connor’s family’s reluctance to warm to Theo makes her feel discomfort, but there’s more. Idlewild produces an eerie sense of familiarity for her. She receives phone messages warning her away. When she enters an abandoned cabin fragments begin to emerge one more disturbing than the last. Too many things don’t add up.

Could Connor have an ulterior motive for bringing her here?

What does a past she can’t remember have to do with her future?

I was stranded in the midst of a snow ❄️ and ice 🧊 storm while listening to this which is rare for my neck of the woods and it added to the ambience.

I had to suspend belief in a few places, but honestly it didn’t detract from how much I liked this. The audio narrated by Karissa Vacker is an absolute dream.

A riveting listen 🎧 that I didn’t want to end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the Advanced Listening Copy for review. All opinions are my own.