This book had some interesting storylines and twists. I liked finding out more about Theo as the story progressed. I enjoyed the snowy winter setting. I also enjoyed the uppity rich family dynamic. There were a lot of secrets and mysteries. It was interesting how Theo kept remembering more of her past the longer she spent at the campgrounds.

The thing that killed it for me was the far fetched ending and also the implication of fate in the story. It was just too much,

I enjoyed the pace of the novel and how it kept me guessing at who did what and never really feeling like i could trust any of the family. The narration by Karissa Vacker was fabulous as always!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for my ALC of this story which publishes 2/4/25.

This book was okay. I was blown away by What Lies in the Woods and wasn't really the biggest fan of No One Can Know. A Killing Cold was somewhere in the middle. The idea was well-executed, it just felt a bit far-fetched. There were many unexpected twists and a lot happening, with so many characters to keep track of. The narrator, Karissa Vacker, is a favorite of mine! She did a wonderful job as always. I'm not giving up on Kate Alice Marshall just yet. She's a great writer with lots of promise, but her two most recent just weren't for me.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This is the third book I've read by Kate Alice Marshall and I can say I will going back to read all her previous ones! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It gave of similar vibes as her last two books but also, I got strong Ruth Ware vibes too! I thought all the characters were very well done, however the one I wanted more from, was Trevor. I found him to be quite the intriguing character. Like, is he a jerk, is he a good guy, does he care, does he not care? I wanted more from him. I think I'd read a whole book about Trever if it was ever published. I gave the book five stars because I really enjoyed the story, I fully entertained the whole time, however, I did get a little turned around at time with all the characters involved. That was more than likely my fault as I listened to this book versus reading it. I tend to multitask and listen, but that being said, I just went back and relistened and knew where I was and what was going on. I like how in the end it gets buttoned up, but maybe it was a little too fast? I also kind of felt like the main character needed justice for her mother. And the fact that she never found the burial spot was heartbreaking. I look forward to the next book by Kate Alice Marshall!! She is going into my "must read" author category after this one! Three 5 stars in a row with her last books, she's earned it!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Voted up from 3.5- because Kate Alice Marshall has impressed me in the past.

Plot/idea a little confusing at times- rich man poor girl(orphan ??????) love story. Have to meet family (GRANDMOTHER) weird strange things.... weird strange memories. Tied up nicely??? It was entertaining- I didn't mind the end.

Clever twists and turns I did not see coming. It was a brilliant mystery that ended exactly how I thought it should.

Kate Alice Marshall has written another amazing atmospheric thriller. She has a great way of writing plots with many layers, secrets, and reveals without it ever feeling too exaggerated. A Killing Cold was fast paced, and actually did manage to have my jaw dropping at some of the twists.

This book is great for fans of domestic thrillers, wealthy family secrets, and a winter backdrop that has the main characters secluded.

I listened to this book on Audio and Karissa Vacker is amazing! She does a great job at vocally expressing the emotions the main character is going through.

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

Yoooo this was such a good read!!! I love KAM so much and I’m so thankful MacMillan reached out to offer me an ARC NetGalley copy, even though I’ve had a bad ratio of late.

This book strays away from the reputation the author has developed for herself of supernatural horror, being a more domestic thriller/rich people problems (it reminded me somewhat of Ready or Not) story. However, there were plenty of twists that felt mythical or supernatural and I don’t think any of her fans will be disappointed—I certainly was not.

I will say I found the narration a little jarring—the child’s impression by the narrator took me out a bit since it was SO different from the voice she used for the rest of the story. Aside from that, she did a wonderful job.

The book publishes soon beginning in early February, so make sure to reserve or pre order your copy now!

⭐️⭐️Review⭐️⭐️
📖 Title: A Killing Cold
🧍‍♀️Author: Kate Alice Marshall

About?
Theo met Connor and the two fell passionately and quickly in love. Just 6 months later, he brings her to meet his entire family on a winter retreat in hopes they will love her and support their proclivity to marry despite the short amount of time they’ve dated.

Theo is invited to her very wealthy fiancée’s family vacation property in the mountains and realizes there is much more there than meets the eye. Secrets. An eery feeling she has been there before.

The Dalton’s are powerful. They are rich. And they don’t like Theo. Is it because they think she’s just a gold-digger out for Connor’s money? Or is it more complicated than that?


Makes you feel?
Secluded. Off the beaten path. I loved this one so much. It scared me. It surprised me. It made me never want to stop reading. I towed that fine line between reading quickly because it was so good but made myself take breaks because I knew I’d be sad when it was over !🤣Recommend this one 100%!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to @Netgally & @macmillian.audio for an advanced audible copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mind-blowing. That’s the only way to describe A Killing Cold. With twists and turns so vivid they practically leap off the page, Marshall’s storytelling pulls you in and doesn’t let go. From the first chapter to the last, I was completely captivated, wishing I could experience it all over again for the first time.

The story begins with Theo—short for Theodora—embarking on what should be an exciting trip to the mountains to meet her fiancé Connor’s wealthy family. But things quickly spiral into a chilling series of events that force Theo to confront her past, her relationship, and some deeply buried family secrets. Theo’s childhood is a blank slate; she was adopted at a young age and has no memory of her life before that time. However, as the visit to Connor’s family cabin approaches, ominous warnings and strange occurrences hint that someone desperately wants her to stay away.

What unfolds is a harrowing tale of how far a family will go to protect their name and preserve their pristine reputation—no matter the cost. Theo finds herself piecing together the mystery surrounding her fiancé’s family while grappling with signs and memories that eerily connect to a recurring nightmare she’s had her entire life. How can a place she’s never visited feel so hauntingly familiar?

Marshall masterfully layers suspense with family drama, creating a fast-paced thriller set against the icy, isolating backdrop of the mountains in the dead of winter. The atmosphere is so vivid, that you’ll be on the edge of your seat as Theo navigates the cabin’s secrets and her own suppressed memories.

If you’re a fan of thrillers that dig deep into buried family secrets, unravel mysteries with heart-stopping twists, and leave you questioning every coincidence, this book is a must-read. A Killing Cold delivers on every level: atmosphere, intrigue, and unforgettable revelations. Highly recommend for readers who love a fast-paced, wintry thriller that will leave their jaw on the floor. Kate Alice Marshall has done it again—this one’s a winner!

This is a plotted book that digs into how we perceive fate and love. It follows a young woman who does not know part of her history and the part she does know is filled with trauma.
The story is adequately paced.
I did find some aspects of the story to be similar to another one with a similar setting. This was off putting at first because it read super similarly in the beginning. The stories ended up being different though and this one was reasonably unpredictable.

I loved the narrator

I was so excited when I heard about this book. A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall was an early release from book of the month so I ordered it right away. A few days later I was approved to get the audiobook from NetGalley. I love audio so much and Karissa Vacker is one of my favorite narrators so I knew it was going to be an audio listen. First, I want to say the narrator was perfect. But the story itself was very confusing. I felt like the beginning was very drawn out and I kept loosing focus. Then when things started coming together, there was so much back and forth that nothing really made sense. What lies in the woods and no one can know we’re both 5 star reads for me, but this one I would give 3.5 stars to, I’ll round up because of NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, I really appreciate it, and my opinions are of my own.

This checked all the boxes for me: Building tension, a plot that moved steadily, and a satisfying ending that wasn't too over the top! I especially enjoyed Karissa Vacker's audio narration, which elevated the reading experience!

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

Synopsis: Theodora (Theo) is invited to her ultra rich fiancées family mountain retreat where she learns they are hiding terrible secrets and somehow she’s been there before already. Theo is in trouble and who is ultimately telling the truth?

One of my favorite things about a good thriller is a book that keeps me second guessing my thoughts with almost every page turn. It’s hard to find one person to trust in this book, including the narrator herself. This was such a fun one to listen to especially this time of year. Pick this one up if you enjoy storylines about rich families with secretive pasts, unreliable characters, and twisty turns!!

4/5 ⭐️s

Thank you @macmillian.audio and @netgalley for the advanced audio copy.

This thriller set on a cold, snowy mountain retreat of a very wealthy family definitely kept my attention. I could not wait to find out why Theo felt like she had been there before.

Karissa Vacker did an excellent job with the audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced digital copy of the audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio via Netgalley for this ALC in exchange of an honest review.

Wow wow wow. This is how locked room mysteries should be done. There’s a multi-layer of secrets and when you thought you have it all figured out, think again.

Recently engaged Theo and Connor spend the holidays in the Dalton’s winter retreat, Idlewood, as a way to meet and win over Connor’s family. Aside from the cold welcome, Theo also receives cryptic messages saying to stay away from Connor Dalton.

I really enjoyed this dysfunctional family and the secrets each of them are willing to keep, even at the expense of another’s life. I like how the each of those secrets slowly started unravelling and seemed like a puzzle piece to the bigger mystery that was being hinted at the book.

This was fast-paced and unputdownable and the perfect chilly read for a very cold cozy winter day. Plus points for Karissa Vacker narration as well (one of my faves!)

Listened to in one day. Kept my intention throughout. Suspense, unexpected twists and turns, fast paced. Family secrets, confusion as who to trust. romance. I really enjoyed this. Great narrator! Thank you to the author, publisher, and net galley for this opportunity!

Kate Alice Marshall

There is something about this place, something about him. Something about the way he makes her feel.

They fell in love in an instant. His family would take more work. She hasn't met them yet. They are a part of the infamous Dalton family. Rich beyond measure and she is due to meet them over an extended family getaway.

She'll have to impress, she'll have to win them over. She'll have to be quick on her feet and effortless with retorts.

The week will feel endless. The wind, will feel like A KILLING COLD. By the end of her time there she will figure out what she liked about him in the first place. By the end of her there she will know more than she ever wanted to.

I like Kate Alice Marshall and I like this book. It feels like a classic but in a good way. It was a great way to spend time on those cold winter mornings. Atmospheric and chilling.

The story didn't feel incredibly new, it didn't feel entirely surprising. It felt like coming home, something dependable. Something you know will hit every time. It will be amongst books that I revisit from time to time and especially when the days are short and the to do list is long.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

A KILLING COLD...⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not only a 5 star read for me but it’s now one of my favorite thrillers of all time! This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire second half.

I really enjoyed A Killing Cold. This was very different than the last book that I read by her, and I definitely liked this one better, but it was a completely different vibe/read.

This book falls into a more "typical" thriller for me. It has more of the expected twists and turns that I have come to expect in a mainstream thriller/suspense novel. But often there are those times that I want that "old, reliable, go-to" kind of book. That is what I did appreciate about this book. There wasn't the abstract, out of left field paranormal at the end- which I don't mind, but just every once and a while.

So, I guess, so summarize all my chaotic thoughts on this book I would just put it down to this: good solid plot, characters you love to hate, and a good pace throughout. The narrator is great and doesn't make your wish you would have read the book instead. I don't think you will be disappointed, it's not groundbreaking, but not weird AF either.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for this advanced copy of A Killing Cold. This was a medium to fast paced mystery/thriller. Theodora Scott was a fleshed out main character who was easy to root for. Oftentimes the decisions of characters in thrillers can feel infuriating for the sake of the plot. However, Theo’s actions and decisions made sense based on the character information we were presented with. However, the rest of the characters seemed like “rich people doing bad things” caricatures.

There were many moving pieces to this plot, and the information given to the reader is released slowly, which maintains the suspense until the end. The writing alternates between a current timeline (most of the novel) and a past timeline. At times second person writing was used in the past timeline (as our MC and other characters) and this felt disjointed and confusing. Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a cold season thriller with dark family secrets!