I went into this story completely blind and I’m so glad for it. The way it starts off and I at once think of the royal family visiting their castle/estate in Scotland. That’s just the vibe that gave me at first. Cold, cozy, warm fires, big money … you’ve seen the movie.

I thought I had the whole story figured out. I’ve read this before and most likely so have you. The story of an innocent, poor, down on her luck, girl meeting a rich man, that’s prince-like. He’s perfect, handsome and she’s jsut trying to fit in. She loves him for him and not his money. Yeah, know you know what I’m talking about. This story has been told many times before. I did my best not to roll my eyes as the author set the scene.

Kate Alice Marshall is in my “list of authors I look for”. And just I wanted to write this off as a lazy story that’s already been told, insert a twist here. Then we find out a secret. And then another. And then another. And every time I think I have it figured out there’s yet another twist and turn.

There is a reason I look out for KAM. Her writing style is easy to digest yet still interesting and not watered down. Her descriptions are to the point, easy imaginable, without being over the top. Her characters are well built. She’s simply really, really good a that she does.

My only real criticism is some of the connections were too obvious. And without giving away too much … if I were an editor I’d say, let go of the “red scarf”. It was overplayed. It was mentioned too many times. I started finding it annoying. The loss of memory is always a cop out, be more clever. Okay, stopping to avoid spoilers.

Other than that, I think the author has some authoring to do and the editor has some editing to do, but this book is absolutely wonderful. Thrilling. Exactly what all Kate Alice Marshall fans are hoping for. I would 100% recommend this chilly, winter thriller to all my reader friends with a cup of tea.

Amazon Link – A Killing Cold By: Kate Alice Marshall

Stats: 304 pages – Expected publication February 4, 2025

_{***Thank you to Flatiron Books, NetGalley and of course, the author Kate Alice Marshall, for a  copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publishing February 4, 2025.}