5/5 for the wintery and secluded setting but overall the book was just a like for me. It's possible I've just been reading too many thrillers with similar tropes (lost childhood memories, rich people behaving badly, mysterious in-law families, etc) because nothing really felt original about the plot. There are significant twists but unfortunately I think I wasn't engaged enough to feel shocked by them.

I know a lot of people loved the author's previous book, 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙨 and that one was just a like for me as well. So if you loved that one then you'll probably love this one too!
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Theo Scott has been brought to her rich fiancé's winter estate to meet the family. She has little to no memory of her childhood, and things get weird after she finds a photo of herself as a child in one of the cabins at the estate. She starts to think she may have been here before, and that her fiancé's family has long buried secrets...
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🎧 No complaints about the narration! It was performed by Karissa Vacker and she's on my list of favorite narrators.

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

Things I loved: the setting, the main couple, the dual timelines. Overall, this book was just good. It didn't quite catch me and took me a bit to finish.

Out of the three thrillers that I’ve read from this author, I have enjoyed this one the most. But this one will be my last because the books start off so good then fumble when it comes to the endings.

I was immediately intrigued with the mystery surrounding Theo and this family. The pacing was quick and had me wanting to pick it up and continue reading.

Then every thing became so convoluted and unnecessarily contrived. It was already far fetched that all this was happening to Theo but I didn’t care because I was entertained. Even the characters calls out the happenstance of the things happening in this plot.

But the twist on twist on twist was what really damped my enjoyment when everything gets revealed. It reminded me of the movie Clue when it goes through all the alternative endings. We do get a concrete resolution but it was so knotted, and twisted up that I didn’t care.

But yeah, still three stars. Because the book had me wanting to continue reading instead of DNF in spite of the ridiculousness.

Karissa did an amazing job narrating.

**Thanks to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

I knew I needed an advanced audiocopy when I heard Kate Alice Marshall had a new book! She is one of my favorite suspense writers with hits like What Lies in the Woods and No One Can Know! No One Can Know was one of my favorite books last year, and I think this book is even better! It was firing on all cylinders with interesting characters, an eerie setting, and a thrumming plot! This novel had me up until all hours of the night, kept me guessing who the killer was, and I finished it in one day! Plus, Karissa Vacker is one of my favorite narrators, so you definitely have to put this one on your TBR!

This was the PERFECT snowy day read! I devoured this book in under 24 hours. I had high expectations and was hooked from page one.

Connor and Theo are newly engaged. Connor is bringing Theo home to meet his wealthy family at their isolated winter estate, Idlewood. Once she arrives, Theo can’t seem to shake the feeling that this isn't the first time she has been to Idlewood. Theo begins to receive text messages telling her to leave and is oddly unwelcomed by Connor’s family.

Theo starts to piece together her childhood when she finds a photo of herself while at Idlewood.
Has she indeed been here before, who are these people and why does everyone have so many secrets?

This was a twisty ride! If you love family drama with a wintery and a snowed in setting- saddle up! It’s a wild ride!


5 Star read + 5 Star audio!

A big THANK YOU to NetGalley and MacMillion Audio!

Around eight years ago I tried an audiobook, and I decided it wasn’t my thing. Recently, I decided to give audio another chance because it is so popular, so surely I am missing something. Also, I just want SO BADLY to love it. This book, A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall is my second audiobook experience.

Theodora is newly engaged to Connor, and their lightning-fast courtship is a concern for Connor’s family because they are the elite and wealthy Daltons. Connor brings Theo to the family retreat, Idlewood, which is a large main lodge and a gaggle of cabins. Theo is already on edge before arriving after receiving an anonymous text telling her to stay away from Connor.

There is a whole cast of characters here within Clan Dalton that range from tolerable to staggeringly awful. This creates a good whodunit vibe when the real mystery kicks into overdrive. In a nutshell, there is one unused cabin, and the family is vague about the reason why, so Theo does some snooping and enters that cabin and finds evidence that she has been at Idlewood before as a young girl.

How is that possible? Who sent the warning text? Theo is adopted and doesn’t know who her birth parents are; could her presence at this lodge as a child tell her who she is? Is Theo in danger? Can Connor be trusted? Can anyone?

Idlewood would be at the bottom of my list of places I would want to hang out for a weekend. It is in the middle of nowhere in a place buried in snow. There is also a lot of ice, frozen cliffs, some very unfortunate deer, and cold that can freeze your face.

The setting here added to the ominous tone because if Theo is in danger, then the isolation and snow prevent a quick exit in a vehicle, and running in snow is a nonstarter for most people whose legs are not ten feet long or named Legolas of the Woodland Realm.

Theo didn’t pull me in right away, but boy, when she finally gets in her zone, she is a boss. There are quite a few twists and turns toward the end, really maybe a few too many, but it is fast-paced and engaging. I didn’t guess the culprit here, so my inner Miss Marple is frozen, but I love not being able to guess an ending.

Side Rant: I must have something wired in my brain that won’t let me enjoy a book on audio. I listen for ten minutes before realizing the last eight minutes were spent thinking about whether it will snow tonight, Whether I remembered to mail the gas bill payment, whether Food City has decent avocados, and so on. Then I have to go back and listen to the eight minutes of the book I just missed.

I will definitely check out more by this author and might even go back and read this again in its physical form to see if the audio factor changed my perceptions of the story in places where I couldn’t get past what I was hearing. For example:

I am not sure if the female narrator of Theo is also the one voicing Connor, but every time the voice of Connor was imitated, it sounded like a thirteen-year-old boy…. Or maybe a bit of a doofus. As Theo and Connor were having hot monkey sex, it was so distracting because I wanted to either cringe or laugh.

I do recommend this book to anyone looking for a twisty thriller. Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Alice Marshall, and Flatiron for this ARC. This book will be released in February of 2025.

Narration 5/5 ⭐️
Story 4.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review this advanced copy of A Killing Cold!

This narrator is one of my favorites. Her tones for each character is easy to follow and she does a good job of inflecting suspense at the right parts.

Kate Alice Marshall is quickly turning into an auto read author for me. Each one of her novels is better and better! I enjoyed this one- the story unfolded at a great pace and the characters were well developed. The twists and turns were also not completely obvious and I was kept guessing until the end!

This was quite the twisty thriller just when you think you've figured it out. Another twist happens and throws you down another way. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed the writing and the narration was fantastic. This is my first book by the author and definitely not my last.

Kate Alice Marshall has written another gripping tale full of family drama and so so many twists and turns. I devoured the book as fast as I could because it just kept me wanting/needing to know more about Theo’s introduction to Connors quirky rich family. You become part of the story; I wanted to yell so many times, “don’t go in there” or “don’t trust him”. The characters are so real.
Kate Alice Marshall has such a fabulous writing style; she pulls you in on page one and won’t let you go until the last page.
This is a must read!!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for my advanced audio copy.

This book has a lot of coincidences, and it didn't have that "realistic" feel that some good books have. Despite this, I really enjoyed this book, and could put aside the coincidences that I didn't think could happen in real life to just enjoy the book.

I could definitely relate to the characters, being in over her head and not knowing where to turn in a "closed room" sort of mystery. Someone is killed a secluded retreat (in the winter!) and no one knows who the murderer is. There were some twists and turns at the end that I really enjoyed, and overall I would recommend this book, especially to a book group.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up! Started out very strong, loved the setting and premise of the story. Kept listening to see where story headed, but there were a few turns at the end that just felt like they were done for the sake of a twist.

Karissa Vacker does an excellent job with this thrilling audio. I finished it quickly because I was sucked into this twisty story of a young woman who visits her boyfriend’s estate when she realizes she may have been there before. This one will keep you guessing throughout the audio and the narrator is well paced with an engaging tone. She does all the characters well and with such talent.

Pick this up for a bingeable listen that will have you all ears u til the very end.

Theodora has fallen madly in love with Connor over the last 6 months and now they are engaged! Sure, it was a little quick, but it feels right. Now it's time to meet the Dalton family at their secluded winter compound. Right away, everyone is a little awkward and less than welcoming. As if meeting the family of your fiancé wasn't stressful enough, she keeps getting alarming text messages from a mystery person. Things continue to get weird as she learns of Connor's father's death and the meaning of the empty cabin that used to be Liam's. It's not until she finds a photo on herself as a child sitting with Liam Dalton that the alarms really start going off and the memories start flooding her brain.

Overall, this book was phenomenal. Fast paced, suspense, thrill, the tension building and the shock that came with the revelations was truly enjoyable. There were a few parts that were a little farfetched, but overall, the shock at the end made it all okay. I listed to the audio book of this and felt Karissa Vacker did a great job.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, Kate Alice Marshall and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Theodora (Theo) and Connor met only six months ago, yet they are now engaged and meeting his family at their remote mountain retreat. Connor is from a wealthy family and Theo wants to make a good impression. The only problem is, her name isn't really Theo and she doesn't know much about her childhood. She plans to do everything she can to keep this from Connor and his family.

When she arrives at the retreat, she instantly feels like she has been there before. When she begins to receive threatening messages, she is not sure what is going on. The whole family and caretakers are at the retreat, and Theo isn't sure who she can trust, including Connor. Slowly, her memories begin to come back and she realizes she has more of a connection to the retreat than she ever could have guessed. The problem is, someone will go to any length to prevent her from finding out the truth.

This one was okay for me, mainly because it was hard for me to swallow that Theo had no memory of her early life and that she just "happened" to fall in love with Connor, and end up at a remote retreat where she apparently spent part of her forgotten years of childhood. The story was fast paced, but there was some filler/background that ultimately didn't add much to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was really hoping to enjoy this book, but it felt like a typical thriller that didn’t offer anything unique or innovative. As someone who reads a lot of thrillers, I found it predictable and uninspiring. The setup was promising, featuring a chilly winter setting in the woods and a family harboring many dark secrets. I liked the female protagonist, Theo, but unfortunately, the execution did not meet my expectations. Overall, I found it quite disappointing. However, it was a fun and quick audiobook, and Karissa Vacker did a great job as the narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for my copy..

RC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I thought Karissa Vacker did a wonderful job with the narration on this book! She was clear and concise and I always knew exactly what was happening. I loved the whole premise of the story, as winter settings are my favorite. Some parts felt a little predictable to me but there were others that caught me completely off guard! I would recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and family drama, especially among the elite!

I loved this book. The narrator did a great job of portraying the characters and keeping you on the edge of your seat seat. This is my second book by this author and it did not disappoint . It kept me guessing the whole time and did not except the turn it took at the end .
What happens when a family has money and cares more about reputation and has secrets to hide? This is where the book comes in and takes you on an unexpected ride

Such a creative locked-room style thriller! Theo, the main character finds herself in an impossible situation when she accompanies her fiancée, Conner to his wealthy family’s winter retreat. The plot line of her mysterious past being linked to the retreat complex was so intriguing and creative. I just had to keep reading to try and figure out how Theo was connected to this horrible and “easy to hate” family and I honestly enjoyed the aspect of wondering if she could even trust Conner. I understand that using the storyline technique of having the protagonist lie about her past adds to the mystery but I think it is being overused in current mysteries and thrillers and seems unrealistic. But this is really my only criticism of this book. Overall, the character development was good for a thriller in which the plot and unraveling the mystery is the main focus. And these characters were “something else” - they evoked a lot of negative emotions and it seemed that any of them could be the culprit. This aspect made the story so much more compelling and entertaining. I also enjoyed the heart-pounding scenes and narrow escapes. This book would make a great movie!
I listened to the audio version of this book and thought that the narrator did a good job. I sometimes had difficulty figuring out who was speaking, especially male vs. female voices but the inflections for the dramatic and suspenseful scenes were very well done.

Book Review: A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5)

Kate Alice Marshall delivers a chilling thriller in A Killing Cold. ❄️🔍

Theo Scott is swept into a whirlwind romance with Connor Dalton and invited to Idlewood, his family's isolated winter retreat. But strange footprints in the snow 👣, threatening messages on her phone 📱, and a mysterious childhood photo 📸 make her question everything. As fragmented memories resurface, Theo must unravel the Daltons' dark secrets before it's too late.

While the premise is intriguing, it didn't grip me as much as What Lies in the Woods. The wintry setting and twists felt familiar, relying a bit too much on coincidence. Still, it's an enjoyable read for fans of atmospheric mysteries. 🌲✨

Thank you, MacMillan Audio, Kate Alice Marshall, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and I had to bing the last third of it at 3x the speed because I needed to finish and know all of the secrets (much like the protagonist). The narrator did great, and she’s honestly one of my favorites for her way to bring the story to life. This story was beyond twisty and it was definitely one that kept me wondering who we could trust. A girl with an unknown past is engaged to a boy where family and legacy is entwined with wealth and everything. She goes home with him for the holidays to his family’s property high on the mountain but it isn’t the trip any of them were expecting. I don’t want to go into anymore detail about the story because there were so many twists I don’t want to risk giving anything away. This isn’t my first one by this author and the more I read the more I think she is a rising star in the thriller genre.