If you liked the Netflix show "The Perfect Couple" you will probably like this one. Personally I was bored and didn't care about the central mystery or characters.

Packed with twists and turns, this book had me hooked from start to finish! I absolutely adored Theo and Connor—such compelling characters. Every reveal left me genuinely shocked, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was so gripping I couldn’t stop listening and finished it in one sitting.

Kate Alice Marshall’s writing is phenomenal; her world-building pulls you right into the story, making you feel like you’re living every moment alongside the characters. The suspense was masterfully done, and the way everything unfolded was just brilliant. Huge thanks to NetGalley for the early release of the audiobook—such an outstanding experience! 5 stars!

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.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio #macaudio2025 for my complimentary ALC of A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall, read by Karissa Vacker! This book releases on 2/4/25.

This one had all the winter vibes and I was here for it. It helped me embrace the season even with the killing cold we are currently experiencing.

I was not such a big fan of Theo honestly. She was a little “meh” for me, I could honestly take her or leave her and really wasn’t rooting for her in this novel but I was super curious about her backstory.

There are a lot of twists, turns and lies in this one which kept me guessing.

The narrator (I won’t say names) is not my favorite audiobook narrator so I tried to only go to the audiobook when needed and crank up the playback speed to help distract me from the narration. I’m sure this is an unpopular opinion because she is everywhere and I hate to say it but I cannot connect with books by this audiobook narrator as much. Good thing I had a physical copy!

Overall a great winter thriller that will keep you guessing. So grab a warm blanket and a hot beverage and dive in!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Karissa Vacker really helps me get into the audiobooks. She does an absolutely brilliant job narrating! Right from the beginning I was into the story. Who is Theo and what happened to her mother? What happened to her boyfriends dad? Who murdered [character]? (no spoilers lol) I wanted to know everything and blew through this audiobook! I would recommend this book to people who like winter thrillers with lots of family members.

3.5 rounded up to 4 because the audiobook narrator carried.

I had high hopes for this book, but it was too convoluted and coincidental for my liking. I found myself not really caring who did what as the story went on. Decent but not my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

Despite possessing both tropes and themes that decidedly aren't my favorite, I really enjoyed myself with this one. No, I don't usually like it when a character has amnesia that lifts miraculously at convenient plot points and yes, I do struggle to enjoy books with themes of religious trauma. A Killing Cold gets a pass from me in being wildly entertaining, keeping me on the edge of my seat to the bitter end.
Though I did guess some of the novel's twists, I was surprised by plenty, which is a big part of my enjoyment in thrillers. The atmosphere was top-tier—I felt the cold temperature and sense of isolation in equal measure. It presented many familiar ingredients that may feel a little overdone to some, but may be tried and true for a reason.
I'm very eager to read more from this author, as I've heard lots of good things about her previous books.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Kate Alice Marshall is quickly establishing herself as a connoisseur of dark family dramas. If you enjoy unlikable characters, moral gray areas, rich people behaving badly, and a gothic winter setting-then this book is for you. Marshall once again asks "How far would you go to protect your family?"
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was suspenseful at times. The eerie images created by the isolated setting along with the locked room mystery lent itself to a atmospheric read. I enjoyed the narrator. And even though most of the characters were highly unlikable, I enjoyed not liking them.

Why this was only a three star then (perhaps a 3.5 if I'm being generous)? The dual timeline between now and the past was a bit overdone. It felt at times that neither that nor the present was really advancing the plot overly much, especially since I realized VERY early on who the little girl in the narration was (I don't think it was meant to be a total surprise to the reader?). Then it just became a bit redundant and self-serving. We got the same memory/dream/snippets of images over and over and over. We get it - red scarf, dragonfly, teddy bear. I've also been feeling lately that thrillers are choosing a trauma and really, really leaning into that trauma -- meaning basically every character experiences that trauma. In this one, it is physical abuse. So much physical abuse.

Another thing that bothered me was the ending. **SPOILER INCOMING** - how many different endings/twists do we need? It's this person - no wait, it's this person - just kidding, its this other person - although maybe it's a few different people. Too much. And unnecessary.

But the journey along the way was enjoyable overall. It was a fast, easy listen. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC copy.

I enjoyed how fast paced this book was. Once I got the audio for it (thank you NetGalley), it was hard putting it down! Rich people, family drama, secrets, & lies- pretty much sums this book up! I did find parts to be predictable and a bit blah imo. 3.5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for the audio!

I have a love-hate relationship with Kate Alice Marshall's books. I'm always intrigued by the concepts and engaged while reading, but by the end the book is always just okay. I enjoyed the setting of this book but wanted the snowy, isolated atmosphere to be stronger. I also didn't connect with the characters as much as I would have wanted. I can always count on Kate Alice Marshall for a reliable and bingeable thriller, though it is never earth shattering for me.

Thank you to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an audio arc copy in exchange for an honest review. A Killing Cold will be out on February 4th!

This is the second book that I've read from Kate Alice Marshall, and after really enjoying her debut adult thriller, What Lies in the Woods, I was looking forward to her newest release.

I am actually going to remain very vague in my review of this thriller because I went into this story completely blind, having not read the synopsis, and I highly recommend doing the same! My biggest complaint is that I read the synopsis after I finished the book and found it gives away one of the twists! While this is not the most original thriller, it has been done before, I found the story to be very atmospheric and perfect for a cozy winter read. I personally listened to this on audio while following along in my BOTM copy, and the narrator Karissa Vacker did an excellent job in conveying the tension throughout the story. I would highly recommend this for fans of Catherine Steadman's The Family Game, or if you just like reading rich people murder vibes.

I have consistently enjoyed Kate Alice Marshall's work and "A Killing Cold" did not disappoint. Lots of twists, throughout the book which keeps the pages turning quickly. This is a perfect cold weather read! Has a solid, satisfying ending which I haven't gotten in many recent reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

❄️𝗔 𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗗❄️
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙵𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟺, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻
🎧𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽..𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝗈𝗇𝖾👌
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟜 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ★★★★

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...she was invited to her rich fiancés family retreat only to find major secrets & that she has actually been there before…

❄️𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...As much as I hate winter I always LOVE a good winter thriller! 🙌This one checked that off my list. Locked in “room”vibes with a side of who in the hell do I trust in this (almost) family of mine? 🤷‍♀️The pacing was fast & the last third was just delectable👏..I was constantly guessing & loved all the blizzard-y tension! 👊I am also a sucker for crazy ass rich people in books😆. Add this one to your TBR! It’s out in 12 days! 🎉🥂

Theodora and her fiancé Connor, leave to join his family on their winter retreat. As she arrives, she starts receiving messages warning her to stay away from Connor and his family yet she does not heed the warning. After arriving, she realizes that this place feels familiar to her but she can’t understand why. She soon starts to realize that there is more to Connor’s family than she originally thought and she becomes determined to find out their secrets after she discovers a photo of herself as a child on the premises.

A Killing Cold is a quick read and an interesting one at that. The suspense and mystery kept me intrigued from start to finish. While I enjoyed this book, I also felt that a variation (or a few variations) of this story have been done before. It wasn’t the most unique book I’ve read. The characters left a bit to be desired and I had trouble discerning between all of them at times. This led to me needing to double-back a few times to be sure that I was understanding correctly. I think this book was still worth reading and was an enjoyable story.

I received the audiobook and thought the narration was very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts.


TW: murder, death, death of parent, violence, gun violence, domestic abuse, child abuse, suicide, animal death, blood, miscarriage, abortion

Just when I was starting to feel so burnt out on thrillers, Kate Alice Marshall gave us A Killing Cold. Incredible. I was hooked from the first chapter!

Our story starts when Theo and her fiancé, Conner, are stranded with his new-to-her family at an isolated mountain lodge during a brutal snowstorm. Tensions rise when one of the group is found murdered, and Theo realizes the killer is among them. As paranoia spreads and the body count rises, Theo must uncover the truth while grappling with her own secrets, her unknown origins, trust issues amongst these strangers, and the looming threat that someone is about to unravel it all.

Narrated by Karissa Vacker, she’s a familiar voice and moved this book along at an incredible pace. I felt Theo’s emotions; fear, distrust, confusion, anger, empathy, and genuine love.

I am one who always tries my best to work out a million theories as to who the penultimate antagonist will be, especially during lulls in the storyline, but Kate kept me guessing till the end. I was so engrossed in the plot and her writing that I was able to simply flow along with the story as it happened. So many twists and details swirled into her captivating writing.

If you’re a fan of Riley Sagar, Harlan Coben, or even TJ Newman, pick up this book. I felt the same sense of thrill with this book as I have with theirs, and it did not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Flatiron Books for sending this ALC for review! All opinions are my own.

A Killing Cold begins when Theodora meets Connor Dalton. Good looking and wealthy, Theodora falls for him instantly. Love at first sight. Six months into their relationship Connor decides to bring Theodora to a family winter getaway at the families winter retreat certain his family will love her as much as he does. Theodora is not so certain. Theodora has a past of her own and one she is not sure the Dalton family would approve of. But his family is bizarre and things start to unravel causing Theodora to have moments where she feels she’s been to Idlewood before but how could she? As the story unfolds you don’t know who to trust and what will happen next but this story will keep you on the edge of your seat second guessing. The ending will have you dropping your jaw.

A Killing Cold is a pretty good thriller that kept my interest all the way through it. I really liked the narrator! I enjoyed that it wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be, but the ending was all thrown together rather abruptly and a little far-fetched. Overall, I would recommend the book to just about anybody.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced audio copy of “A Killing Cold” by Kate Alice Marshall in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed Marshall’s first work ‘What Lies in the Woods’, so when I saw another book from her I had to check it out.

This was a solid thriller with good character building, and twists, but I can’t say I ended up “OMG OBSESSED.” I think I’ve read so many thrillers that now I’m a tough critic. The ending felt rushed, which was a disappointment.

Overall, I’d say it’s an entertaining-in-the-moment thriller that likely won’t stay with me long term, and while I’m not sure it’d be at the top of my recommendation list, I certainly wouldn’t deter anyone from picking it up!

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.

Wow! This was so creepily good! It was slow but also not slow. We were constantly getting little pieces so it was coming together nicely just not super fast. The characters are all written well. I loved how it all came together too. A bit far fetched and predictable at times maybe… but I didn’t mind! This was my first book I have read by her and it won’t be my last!!! Oh…and that final twist! Bravo! Did not see it being that person!!!