A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

 

"Sometimes terrible things happen, and they require terrible choices. In the end I suppose the difference between regretting those choices and finding peace with them is a matter of outcome..." Kate Alice Marshall, A Killing Cold 

The story starts with Theo Scott, newly engaged, and her fiancé who is taking her to meet his family at their mountain retreat. But somebody is sending Theo threatening text messages and her soon-to-be-in-laws have secrets they'll do anything to protect.

This might have a perfect beginning if, like me, you sometimes want instant gratification. There was no long-winded character intro to open the story, instead KAM throws her readers right into action, beginning with an exciting commute through the mountains. The setting is both idyllic and haunting. Imagine: a beautiful cabin in the woods, surrounded by snow... Romantic solitude. Unless of course you're being stalked, then that quiet wooded landscape becomes a hunting ground for monsters.

Theo avoids speaking of her past; raised by abusive stepparents, the details of her childhood are painful to remember. More painful than what she remembers is what she forgot: she has no memory of her real parents. Connor Dalton comes from an affluent family that's immediately suspicious of the woman with no money and no family history. Each conversation is an interrogation. KAM manages to create a situation that would be tense even without the stalker, child abuse, family secrets, and flashbacks to a memory that barely exists.

I like how shady the characters all were. Everyone wanted Theo gone, which meant everyone had motive, and the majority of them were all keeping secrets from the next guy, which meant nobody could be trusted. Not even Theo could be trusted, keeping her past a secret from everybody, including Connor.

And then as we approach the end: plot twist. Followed by another one. And another. The author kept me guessing (and surprised) right up until the last sentence.

It was an enjoyable read, I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. If you're looking for a mystery that is suspenseful and surprising this is it. 

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall will be released February 4, 2025.