A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

 

Title: A Killing Cold

Author: Kate Alice Marshall

                                                             Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Release Date: February 4, 2025 

A woman invited to her wealthy fiance’s family retreat realizes they are hiding a terrible secret—and that she’s been there before, by the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods.

A whirlwind romance.

When Theodora Scott met Connor—wealthy, charming, and a member of the powerful Dalton family—she fell in love in an instant. Six months later, he’s brought her to Idlewood, his family’s isolated winter retreat, to win over his skeptical relatives.

Stay away from Connor Dalton.

Theo has tried to ignore the threatening messages on her phone, but she can’t ignore the footprints in the snow outside the cabin window or the strange sense of familiarity she has about this place. Then, in a disused cabin, Theo finds something impossible: a photo of herself as a child. A photo taken at Idlewood.

I’ve been here before.

Theo has almost no recollection of her earliest years, but now she begins to piece together the fragments of her memories. Someone here has a shocking secret that they will do anything to keep hidden, and Theo is in terrible danger. Because the Daltons do not lose, and discovering what happened at Idlewood may cost Theo everything.

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A good atmospheric thriller ride!

Theodora Scott meets Connor Dalton, sparking a belief in love at first sight. The couple quickly becomes inseparable. After six months together, Connor invites her to his wealthy family’s retreat, Idlewood. Theo is nervous about meeting his family, and she’s right to feel uneasy. Upon arriving, she finds no one making an effort to include or welcome her. To make matters worse, she receives cryptic messages warning her to stay away from Connor. Strangely, she also feels an inexplicable sense of familiarity with the place and finds herself drawn to an empty cabin called Dragonfly. Her dragonfly tattoo only deepens the mystery—what’s the connection?

I listened to the audio version of A Killing Cold, which helped me keep track of the characters across present-day scenes and flashbacks. The novel delivered several twists—some I anticipated, others caught me off guard. I also appreciated the denouement; it felt satisfying without being overly perfect.

This is my second book by Kate Alice Marshall, having enjoyed What Lies in the Woods as well. I’m eager to read more of her work.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Macmillan Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Graveby Elle CosimanoFinlay Donovan #5

 

Title: Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

Series: Finlay Donovan #5

Author: Elle Cosimano

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Date: March 4, 2025

From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave—the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.

Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there's not a body in her backyard.

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go . . . except Finlay’s house, right across the street.

Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they’ve dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.

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I was excited to be back in the tumultuous life of Finlay Donovan and her sidekick nanny/friend, Vero.

Trouble finds them—this time, with a knock at the door. Finlay’s neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, has nowhere to go now that her house is a crime scene. A man’s body was found murdered and buried beneath her roses. Who was he, and who killed him?

The clues keep pointing to Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, but Finlay refuses to let her children’s father go to jail. Convinced of his innocence, she sets out to uncover the truth. With help from Vero, Cam, and Javi, Finlay has a better shot at unearthing the real killer than she would alone, all while juggling her two kids and her neighbor living with her.

I firmly believe this series shines brightest in audio form. Angela Dawe does an incredible job with the characters’ voices, capturing the perfect essence for each one.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is another triumph in this series. I love the characters, the humor, and how I’m always entertained by the messes Finlay stumbles into without ever seeking them out..

Cliffhanger: Kinda

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Don't Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp

Title: Don't Tell Me How

Author: Marshall Karp

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing, Inc

Release Date: March 4, 2025

I have one thing to do before I die.And time is running out.

I had it all: a fantastic husband, two great kids, an exciting career. And then, at the age of forty-three, I found out I would be dead before my next birthday.

My mother also died at forty-three. I was seventeen, and she warned me that women would flock to my suddenly single father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. They did. And one absolutely evil woman practically destroyed his life, mine, and my sister’s.

I am not letting that happen to my family.

I have three months, and I plan to spend every waking minute searching for the perfect woman to take my place as Alex’s wife, and mother to Kevin and Katie.

You’re probably thinking, she’ll never do it. Did I mention that in high school I was voted “Most Likely to Kill Someone to Get What She Wants”?

From thriller writer Marshall Karp (cocreator with James Patterson of the #1 New York Times bestselling NYPD Red series), and rich with Karp’s deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, Don’t Tell Me How to Die has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew.

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A FIVE for me!

I’ve heard you either love Don’t Tell Me How to Die or don’t care for it. Fortunately, I’m in the former group.

From the first chapter, this book gripped my mind and held on for days. I couldn’t stop thinking about it long after I finished. Maggie, Lizzie, their parents, and Maggie’s friend are characters who will stay with me. It’s a story I won’t forget!

I know I should tell you more, but you’ll enjoy it most if you go in blind.

So here’s the bare minimum: Maggie’s mother dies of an aggressive blood cancer at forty-three. When Maggie reaches the same age, she learns she has the same disease and only months to live. Like her mother, she doesn’t want her husband, Alex, to end up with an unsuitable woman. Determined to find a worthy partner for Alex and a loving presence for her children, Kevin and Katie, Maggie sets out to choose someone she approves of to complete her family after she’s gone.

It sounds straightforward, right? Nope, so many formidable twists that made this book a fantastic novel!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Investigator by John SandfordLetty Davenport #1

  

Title: The Investigator

Series: Letty Davenport #1<

Author: John Sandford

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date:  April 12, 2022

Letty Davenport, the brilliant and tenacious adopted daughter of Lucas Davenport, takes the investigative reins in this 2022 thriller from #1 bestselling author John Sandford.

"Sandford fans rejoice! Davenport next generation has arrived and Letty is exactly the kind of cool-eyed, smart-mouthed, lethally dangerous heroine we’ve been waiting for.” --Lisa Gardner, author of 'One Step Too Far.'

By age twenty-four, Letty has seen more action and uncovered more secrets than many law enforcement professionals. Now a recent Stanford grad with a master’s in economics, she’s restless and bored in a desk job for U.S. Senator Colles in Washington. Letty’s ready to quit, but her skills have impressed Colles and he offers her a feet-on-the-ground investigative job in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security.

Colles tells her that several oil companies in Texas have reported thefts of crude. He isn’t so much concerned with the oil loss as he is with who is selling it, and what are they doing with the profits? Rumor has it that an ugly militia group might be involved. Colles wants to know if the money is going to them and if so, what they’re planning. Letty is partnered with a DHS investigator, John Kaiser, and they head to Texas. When the case soon turns deadly, they know they’re on the track of something bigger. The militia group has set in motion an explosive plan .. and the clock is ticking.

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Letty Davenport is Lucas Davenport’s adopted daughter, yet she feels more like his own than if she were his biological child.

Now fully grown, Letty works for the government. She starts with a desk job for U.S. Senator Colles in Washington, but just as she’s about to quit, he offers her a role as an investigator. She’s paired with John Kaiser from the Department of Homeland Security, and together they must uncover what happened to the missing petroleum—and why.

As the clues point to a militia plotting to harm people, Letty races to find and stop them before it’s too late.

I was thrilled to dive into Letty’s first standalone book. As a fan of Lucas and Virgil from their respective series, I had high hopes, especially since Letty appears in several of Lucas’s stories. Surprisingly, I found the plot dragged at times, and the villains felt too one-dimensional. Typically, John Sandford’s antagonists make you squirm with how bad they are, but not so much in The Investigator. Another big letdown was the humor—while there were a few funny moments, it lacked the sharp wit of the other two series.

Still, I’ll keep reading the series since I know it will get better.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

Title: One Big Happy Family

Author: Jamie Day

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: July 16, 2024

The newest, riveting summer suspense by the author of The Block Party, Jamie Day.

The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. With the recent passing of their father, the Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—have come for the weekend to claim it. But with a hurricane looming and each of the Bishop sisters harboring dangerous secrets, there's murder in the air—and not everyone who checks into the Precipice will be checking out.

Each sister wants what is rightfully hers, and in the mix is the Precipe's nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley: smart, resilient, older than her years, and in desperate straits.

The arrival of the Bishop sisters could spell disaster for Charley. Will they close the hotel? Fire her? Discover her habit of pilfering from guests? Or even worse, learn that she's using a guest room to hide a woman on the run.

With razor-sharp wit, heart, thrills, and twists, Jamie Day delivers a unique brand of SUMMERTIME SUSPENSE.

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Amid a hurricane, secrets can kill!

Nineteen-year-old Charley Kelley is a maid at the prestigious Precipice Hotel in Maine. The hotel's owner, George Bishop, has died, and his three daughters, Vickie, Fatih, and Iris, are coming to stay for the will reading. Their arrival comes at the same time that a hurricane is about to make landfall, trapping everyone indoors.

Vickie is the oldest sister. She comes with her husband, Todd, and their son Quinn also arrives.

Faith, who used to be a famous model, is there with her wife, Hope, and their teenage son Olive,r who likes to speak in rhyme.

Iris is an ex-convict who "found Jesus" and is sober now.

In attendance is also George Bishop's lawyer, Mrs. Black.

After the will is read, one of the family members dies, and someone begins to leave poems alerting them of the consequences of keeping secrets and asking them to reveal them within the night, or another death will follow. No one is safe, and there is nowhere to run.

One Big Happy Family had several parts, and although I enjoyed it, it was not as good as The Block Party. Charley's character was interesting, and I felt invested in her. She was in a tough spot, trying to make ends meet for herself and her grandmother. I was rooting for her to come out of it alive.

In the midst of a hurricane, secrets can kill!

Nineteen-year-old Charley Kelley works as a maid at the prestigious Precipice Hotel in Maine. The owner, George Bishop, has died, and his three daughters—Vickie, Faith, and Iris—are arriving at the hotel for the reading of his will. Their visit coincides with an approaching hurricane that’s about to make landfall, trapping everyone inside.

Vickie, the eldest sister, arrives with her husband, Todd, and their son, Quinn.

Faith, a former famous model, is accompanied by her wife, Hope, and their teenage son, Oliver, who enjoys speaking in rhymes.

Iris, an ex-convict who “found Jesus,” is now sober.

Also in attendance is George Bishop’s lawyer, Mrs. Black.

After the will is read, one of the family members dies, and someone begins leaving poems that warn of the consequences of keeping secrets. The notes demand that the truth be revealed by the end of the night—or another death will follow. No one is safe, and there’s nowhere to escape.

One Big Happy Family unfolds in several parts. While I enjoyed it, it didn’t quite measure up to The Block Party. Charley’s character was compelling, and I felt invested in her story. She was in a tough spot, struggling to support herself and her grandmother, and I was rooting for her to survive the night.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Doll's House by Lisa Unger

Title: The Doll's House

Author: Lisa Unger

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Release Date: September 12, 2024

A widowed mother, ready to give love another chance, moves into her fiancé’s old family home with her teenage daughter. But as they try to build a future together, the past refuses to let go in this haunting short story from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.

When Jules first meets the handsome artist Kirin, she’s still mourning her husband’s death, but a fairytale romance soon sweeps her off her feet. Now she and her daughter Scout are moving out of the city and into Kirin’s once-lonely mansion. He’s thoughtfully updated and adapted the home to match their personalities. But Scout is determined to keep her father’s memory alive by rejecting the new life her mother and Kirin have spun for her.

Scout’s sullenness begins to fade, though, when she finds a beautiful handmade doll in one of the many empty rooms in the house. Kirin says that the doll belonged to his late sister and he’d like Scout to have it. Scout’s hopeful for a connection over their shared grief, but as she grows more curious about Kirin’s sister, she can’t escape the feeling that a danger lurks in the house…and its gaze is fixed on her mother.

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A dark and captivating short story!

Jules is excited about moving into her fiance's mansion. After becoming a widow, she never expected to fall in love again. When she met Kirin, she was lonely, and her teenage daughter, Scout, was the only thing keeping her sane.

But Scout can’t forget her father. She misses him every day and wishes she could talk to him again. She’s not thrilled that her mother sold their apartment and that they’re now moving in with Kirin. Losing her father changed her world, and now she has to start over at a new school, too. She doesn’t dislike Kirin, exactly—they even have something in common: he’s lost someone as well.

Yet, as they approach Kirin’s home, a sense of dread spreads through Scout.

What dark mysteries are hidden within the house—and the doll she is given?

It was truly entertaining from beginning to end. The narrators did a fantastic job setting the perfect tone of suspense and foreboding.

My only complaint? I wish it had been longer!

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Amazon Original Stories via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lucas Davenport by John SandfordLucas Davenport #34, Letty Davenport #3

  

Title: Lucas Davenport 

Series: Prey

Author: John Sandford

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: April 9, 2024

Lucas Davenport and his daughter, Letty, team up to track down a dangerous scientist whose latest project could endanger the entire world, in this latest thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author John Sandford.

Gaia is dying.

That, at least, is what Dr. Lionel Scott believes. A renowned expert in tropical and infectious diseases, Scott has witnessed the devastating impact of illness and turmoil at critical scale. Society as it exists is untenable, and the direct link to Earth’s death spiral; population levels are out of control and people have allowed disarray and disorder to run rampant. While most are concerned about deadly disease, Scott knows that it is truly humanity itself that will destroy Gaia. It’s only by removing the threat then the planet can continue to prosper, and luckily, Scott is just the right man for the job…

When Scott then disappears without a trace, Letty Davenport is tasked with tracking down any and all leads. Scott’s connections to sensitive research into virus and pathogen spread has multiple national and international organizations on high alert, and his shockingly high clearance levels at various institutions, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, make him the last person they’d like to go missing. As the web around Scott becomes more tangled, Letty calls in her father, Lucas, help her lead a group of specialists to find Scott as soon as possible. But as Letty and Lucas begin to uncover startling and disturbing connections between Scott and Gaia conspiracists, their worst fears are confirmed, and it quickly becomes a race to find him before the virus he created becomes the perfect weapon.

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Could happen!

Dr. Lionel Scott has a radical belief: Gaia, our planet, is dying, and the only way to save it is through a drastic reduction in the human population. His method? A deadly virus, spread rapidly among unsuspecting victims.

When Dr. Scott vanishes and the threat of a new epidemic looms large, Letty Davenport is tasked with finding him. It becomes clear that Scott is preparing to unleash the virus, prompting an urgent call for Lucas Davenport to join the manhunt. Time is of the essence, and the odds are stacked against humanity.

Can Letty and Lucas stop this madman in time?

"Toxic Prey" is packed with tension. The only thing missing that would have made it more compelling would have been the inclusion of Virgil Flowers in the investigation.

Lucas and Letty's relationship shines through, showcasing a strong bond and formidable teamwork. Bad guys should definitely beware!

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs